Dmoll and Hagen experience?

[splatter]

So I'm looking at these 2 heads, Do any of you have any insight? I have a vh4 which is my main amp and no complaints there except the size and weight.
Anyone who can compare either of these to a VH4?

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Never played the VH4, but the Dmoll I had was slow and round in the attack in both midrange and the low end. A boost helped some but it was still dark, with a lack in immediacy to the attack. I also owned an MKI Herbert briefly & liked it boosted much more than the Dmoll, but it was also a bit round and dark if I remember right. I gravitate towards amps that are tight and immediate with lots of upper mid cut/grind and the Dmoll is the complete opposite.

 

[Tone Monster]

Hagen has 4 very good channels. Channel 3 on the VH4 is GREAT.

 

[splatter]

Never played the VH4, but the Dmoll I had was slow and round in the attack in both midrange and the low end. A boost helped some but it was still dark, with a lack in immediacy to the attack. I also owned an MKI Herbert briefly & liked it boosted much more than the Dmoll, but it was also a bit round and dark if I remember right. I gravitate towards amps that are tight and immediate with lots of upper mid cut/grind and the Dmoll is the complete opposite.

Curious as to your speaker preferance ?

 

[splatter]

Hagen has 4 very good channels. Channel 3 on the VH4 is GREAT.

Channel 4 can be great also if you do the mod. Takes alot of the compression out basically makes it sound like an extension of the 3rd channel.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Never played the VH4, but the Dmoll I had was slow and round in the attack in both midrange and the low end. A boost helped some but it was still dark, with a lack in immediacy to the attack. I also owned an MKI Herbert briefly & liked it boosted much more than the Dmoll, but it was also a bit round and dark if I remember right. I gravitate towards amps that are tight and immediate with lots of upper mid cut/grind and the Dmoll is the complete opposite.

Curious as to your speaker preferance ?

Wouldn't say this is my preference per say, just what I have at the moment and what was used with the Dmoll at the time: G12K-100 loaded 2x12, a greenback loaded EVH 412, and then also both the former cabs run in tandem.

 

[cardinal]

I liked the VH4 a lot but eventually something about it wasn't right for me. Compression? Even channel 3. Clips of the Hagen sound great and I'd love to play one.

 

[Tone Monster]

If the Hagen had the VH4 Channel 3, it would be the best gigging amp of all time.

 

[peterc52]

Hagen has 4 very good channels. Channel 3 on the VH4 is GREAT.

Channel 4 can be great also if you do the mod. Takes alot of the compression out basically makes it sound like an extension of the 3rd channel.

What mod? Something about the negative feedback?

 

[dirtyfunkg]

I have a D-Moll. I briefly tried a Hagen but wasn't really knowledgeable about Diezels and how to dial one in, so I don't remember much--good or bad--about it. I did play an Einstein at some point and enjoyed it but it did feel very sterile to me. Hard to explain. I have never tried a VH4 or Herbert so can't comment on that.

Not to throw mixed messages, but there's a lot of MetalHeadMike's experiences that conflict with mine. I also run my D-Moll primarily through a K85 equipped 2x12 (Genz Benz G-Flex, so ported).

The cleans on the D-Moll are some of the best cleans I've heard on a high gain amp. It's like the counterpoint to the Fryette Sig:X cleans, which are a little spongier and bloom out. The D-Moll cleans are clear, percussive, "piano-like" as many would say.

The drive channels on the D-Moll are obviously capable of massive amounts of gain. It did take me a while to realize that the best way to dial them in is with the global master volume up above 1:00, and then use the channel volumes to set level. Keep the gain below 12:00 on channel 2 and let your picking hand really determine how much saturation you'll get. Dig in for more, play lightly for less. For a long time I was getting frustrated with the amp because I couldn't find a good classic rock crunch. Everything just sounded too metal on it.

The presence knob is really important on these amps, both in the actual EQ aspect, but also in how percussive and immediate it sounds.

It's still my #3 amp behind my Fryettes because, like MetalHeadMike, I like tight/immediate amps, but the D-Moll is a great complement to those amps, both in terms of the cleans and the dirty tones. With these three, I don't ever really feel any GAS except for an occasional reminisce about my old Trem-O-Verb, but between the Sig:X and D-Moll I feel like they both have elements of the Recto sound available already to where that GAS is only fleeting and mild.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I have a D-Moll. I briefly tried a Hagen but wasn't really knowledgeable about Diezels and how to dial one in, so I don't remember much--good or bad--about it. I did play an Einstein at some point and enjoyed it but it did feel very sterile to me. Hard to explain. I have never tried a VH4 or Herbert so can't comment on that.

Not to throw mixed messages, but there's a lot of MetalHeadMike's experiences that conflict with mine. I also run my D-Moll primarily through a K85 equipped 2x12 (Genz Benz G-Flex, so ported).

The cleans on the D-Moll are some of the best cleans I've heard on a high gain amp. It's like the counterpoint to the Fryette Sig:X cleans, which are a little spongier and bloom out. The D-Moll cleans are clear, percussive, "piano-like" as many would say.

The drive channels on the D-Moll are obviously capable of massive amounts of gain. It did take me a while to realize that the best way to dial them in is with the global master volume up above 1:00, and then use the channel volumes to set level. Keep the gain below 12:00 on channel 2 and let your picking hand really determine how much saturation you'll get. Dig in for more, play lightly for less. For a long time I was getting frustrated with the amp because I couldn't find a good classic rock crunch. Everything just sounded too metal on it.

The presence knob is really important on these amps, both in the actual EQ aspect, but also in how percussive and immediate it sounds.

It's still my #3 amp behind my Fryettes because, like MetalHeadMike, I like tight/immediate amps, but the D-Moll is a great complement to those amps, both in terms of the cleans and the dirty tones. With these three, I don't ever really feel any GAS except for an occasional reminisce about my old Trem-O-Verb, but between the Sig:X and D-Moll I feel like they both have elements of the Recto sound available already to where that GAS is only fleeting and mild.

We all experience things differently, so it's good for the OP to hear varying firsthand accounts After about a week with it, I knew it was not an amp I could be happy with.

 

[braintheory]

I’ve tried a D-Moll next to a Herbert MKII and felt the Herbert blew it away. The D-Moll was kinda like the Herbert, but smaller sounding, darker, not as hi-fi or articulate, spongier, looser

I also tried a Hagen next to a Cameron Atomica and a few very early model Friedman’s and thought the Hagen got outclassed in tone by those amps. Sounded artificial and just uninspiring in comparison

I’m honestly not crazy about any of the recent Diezel’s (they almost all sound processed/inorganic to my ears), so I guess take what I’m saying with a grain of salt maybe. I feel the VH4 and Herbert are definitely the best models they offer

 

[RedB4Black]

Never played the VH4, but the Dmoll I had was slow and round in the attack in both midrange and the low end. A boost helped some but it was still dark, with a lack in immediacy to the attack. I also owned an MKI Herbert briefly & liked it boosted much more than the Dmoll, but it was also a bit round and dark if I remember right. I gravitate towards amps that are tight and immediate with lots of upper mid cut/grind and the Dmoll is the complete opposite.

Agree with this. I hated the D-Moll - sold it in a week. Isn't is essentially a next generation Einstein with a mid-cut?

 

[JerEvil]

man I keep GAS'ing for an Diezel but never hear anyone really love them enough to keep them!

 

[stratjacket]

I had a Hagen for about 9 years, loved it, Regretted trading but it happens to us all. I never messed around with the channel 1 or 2 very much (channel 1 never), but channel 3 and 4 were incredible. Had such a full, ballsy sound to it. I was into 7 and 8 strings and the Hagen tightens up the bottom end on those so well. It was a fun amp to play.

I never had a DMoll, but if true that it's the Herbert's little brother (read many times), then I'd like the Hagen better. I had a Herbert and Hagen at the same time and liked the Hagen better. Not that I didn't like the Herbert, it was badass too, but after playing it a while and switching over, the Hagen just burned and sizzled a little more, maybe even a little more Marshally sounding??

 

[RedB4Black]

man I keep GAS'ing for an Diezel but never hear anyone really love them enough to keep them!

I had my first Herbert for 6 years. Used to love the dark/compressed thing. Now, not so much. If dark, compressed and round attack is your thing, get one.

 

[JerEvil]

man I keep GAS'ing for an Diezel but never hear anyone really love them enough to keep them!

I had my first Herbert for 6 years. Used to love the dark/compressed thing. Now, not so much. If dark, compressed and round attack is your thing, get one.

Literally none of these are my thing! LOL! Wonder if the Fokker and/or Paul would be more my speed?

 

[braintheory]

man I keep GAS'ing for an Diezel but never hear anyone really love them enough to keep them!

I had my first Herbert for 6 years. Used to love the dark/compressed thing. Now, not so much. If dark, compressed and round attack is your thing, get one.

Literally none of these are my thing! LOL! Wonder if the Fokker and/or Paul would be more my speed?

I tried a Fokker next to a Herbert and a few other amps at the Axe Palace and it got smoked. Again sounded quite small in comparison. Was kinda like the VH4’s little brother. I guess they discontinued it for a reason. Nick at the Axe Palace told me to not even bother trying it, but I was curious

The Paul I’ve heard sounds similar to the D-Moll, but no mid cut controls. Haven’t tried one myself, but not intrigued

 

[Philhouse]

To my ears Hagen is a great fine tuned update on the VH4. I adore my VH4, but the Hagen is just as good.
It feels less compressed and each channel seems easier to dial in right from the start, as you prob know the VH4 can be a little more involved to get each channel exactly how you want them. The functional improvements like the Master 2, a footswitch selectable loop, Compensated Out all add to the usability. I think Peter did the right thing by not totally overhauling the VH4 and leaving it in its classic form and putting all the improvements into a new amp with the Hagen.
If you like the VH4, you'll like the Hagen, but maybe you want another amp that is different flavour rather than very similar, which the Dmoll might be? I can't speak of the Dmoll sound as I've never played one.

All that said, I did the Feedback mod on my VH4 the other week, thanks to Fusedbrain, and its really made a big difference to me. I love that its opened up the top end that I was forever running each treble and presence knob right up, now I can dial them back and get more use from their range rather than having them at the end of their travel. The Hagen has a more open and less compressed feel, but the VH4 now feels even more open and crisper.
Ventura wrote up some great comments about the Hagen in the Diezel subforum a while ago, worth a read I'd suggest too.
All this is just my humble opinion.

 

[Randy R]

Where can I get the feedback mod for the hagen