keano":1rqbjwn5 said:
Now without going straight to the 20th kicks ass because its new etc. I have heard lots of clips of the bogner 101b and it sounds good. So the 20th anniversary version make it obsolete? Or what is different? Would love to hear clips of each on same settings.
I'm right there with ya!! I think the 20thA is definitely a slightly different animal than the 101B is... And I'm glad for that, as it seems Bogner & Crew aren't trying to reinvent the wheel, they're just making another wheel. I've yet to play both side by side - however, in speaking with some solid friends of mine in the industry who have had this opportunity, they've said that the 20thA has a different preamp staging, very good, easy to EQ for break up, and tonally, there's an equal spectrum of range available as in the 101B. With regards to the 6L6 and EL34, I've only chatted with one friend who said hands down, the EL34 loaded 20thA acts and speaks a lot like the 101B, but has the ability to be looser and found the lasting sustain to be really long and smooth. Further to this, he liked the grunt of the EL34 loaded head better than the 6L6, but said that the 6L6 ALMOST sounded like that of an EL34 loaded head. Where the 6L6 apparently shined was in the cleans - real glassy. He said the cleans that were like this were achievable on the EL34 head, but required more fiddling with the EQ and the guitar's controls to make it sparkle. Overdrive in the blue zone was equally as delicious in both the 6L6 and EL34 heads, with the EL34 being more like the 101B, and the 6L6 having more of a modern edge. In the red zone, the EL34 to him sounded fuller and more toneful, but the 6L6 killed it in the classic 80's metal style of music.
I'm just parlaying what's been told to me - I'm taking all of this pretty seriously as I'm close to making a decision on buying a complete rig; either the 6L6 head, the EL34 head or the 101B. At this point in time, I'm not yet sold on the 20thA even though I love the "complete package". I was getting SO CLOSE to pulling the trigger on the 101B and then all of a sudden, this puppy reared its head and is now confusing the crap outta me
Having said this though, and having picked up the 411 I have from friends who know music and know how to dissect the nuances of boutique amps, my guess is I'll pump for the 20thA loaded with EL34's and take the cabinet as is - V30's - even though I've never historically been a fan of all V30's. According to reports, the head DOES make use of the midrange spike inherent in the V30's - the 6L6 head is more mid pronounced in the hi-gain arena, the EL34's more pronounced in the dirty/crunch/OD arena (blue channel perhaps). That's all I've got!!
Hope it helps...
V.
