I used to own a 101B, but never did much metal with it. What do you think of it as a metal amp? Some people seem to be getting monumental metal tone on the red channel. Does the 101B do brootz?
I don't do a ton of chuggy brootz, but it can get a solid modern metal tone no doubt. I mostly use mine on the blue channel with a boost upfront and the onboard boost if I'm going for a heavier tone with it. Every song on my album has my xtc classic on it save for the sixth song which is vht/vh4, most of the rhythm tracks are L/R xtc/ L/R tremoverb except the second song which has xtc and my top hat king royale, the xtc having pretty much all of the heavy rhythm parts.
Post '04 Red channel, B2. T (which increases the NFB), and then the final thing is the right speaker/cab. For that application either the V30/75 combination or the 100s. I'm not a huge fan of the 75s, but it is a personal preference thing.
I'm in the minority but my favorite is the CL80 which also ends up being a little more versatile. I'd also do the EH6ca7 tubes which give a more modern, extended eq to the output section (make sure they are biased to 65-70% dissipation).
This makes for an amp that can really get heavy but also can do the other stuff as well. I think the 101B is better suited to this than the Classic or the 20th.
This makes for an amp that can really get heavy but also can do the other stuff as well. I think the 101B is better suited to this than the Classic or the 20th.
Curious why you say that. What makes the 101B more suites for metal?
I had an EL34 20th. Kind of wanting to try the other versions. I feel like I missed out on the prized Blue channel everyone loves XTCs for as it isn't quite the same on the 20th.
I've had two 101Bs and two 20ths, an A and a B. I think the gain on the red channel of the post 04 101b is the most aggressive. I think the 20th is a better amp, but not for metal.
define metal? The boosted red or blue channels have more than enough gain for my ears. I have an older Ecstasy 101B and I'm into 80's to mid 90's hard rock, melodic metal and neo-classical, Ozzy, Dio, VH Sabbath, Priest, Maiden Yngwie etc. I don't tune down any lower than Eb and don't do NU metal...I love the 101B with the Bogner 4x12 w/V30s...great rig