Metropoulos Metroplex

[SavageRiffer]

Watched a ton of vids on this thing. I think the Marshall JVM sounds better. I got recordings of my old JVM that blow this thing away. The Boost mode sounds like a bassy fuzz box.

OK let's hear your old recordings because I think the Metroplex sounds amazing, so if your old JVM blows it away, that would be extremely badass.

That would be, in my opinion. Anyway, having just sold 4 amps (Ceriatone Plexi 50, Hi-Tone JP-50, Vintage Modern 100 watt and Jubilee RI 100 watt) I'm in the market for a Marshall or clone or something like this Metroplex. IMO, only Lance's demos sound decent. Haven't heard anything else that sounds good to me, and IMO that FET Boost mode reeks.

This was my old JVM I got as part of a RT group buy w/ Steve VHT getting everybody a break on the price. 10 years ago or so. I sold the amp after a year but I still have a few demos. This is a demo of a few modes w/ a Dimarzio loaded Yngwie Strat, warts and all. Also a Deep Purple tune w/ the same gear, JVM and Yngwie Strat.

Who did the actual demo?

My demos. Me playing......whatever year the amp came out. About 11 years ago.

Well I'm going take a chance saying something nice to in hopes it won't lead back to more back and forth viciousness between us. I've got to admit that tone is pretty good. The JVM is a great amp, and I've always spoken highly of it. I don't think it blows away the Metropoulos, but aside from the reverb, I do love that tone. One feature of the Metroplex that George discusses in one of his videos is how the gain past 2:00 or so becomes fuzzy. I think it actually sounds really cool and is a cool feature, but I'm wondering if that's what you were referring to. Thanks for posting the vid. It sounded good.

 

[marshall2553]

Watched a ton of vids on this thing. I think the Marshall JVM sounds better. I got recordings of my old JVM that blow this thing away. The Boost mode sounds like a bassy fuzz box.

OK let's hear your old recordings because I think the Metroplex sounds amazing, so if your old JVM blows it away, that would be extremely badass.

That would be, in my opinion. Anyway, having just sold 4 amps (Ceriatone Plexi 50, Hi-Tone JP-50, Vintage Modern 100 watt and Jubilee RI 100 watt) I'm in the market for a Marshall or clone or something like this Metroplex. IMO, only Lance's demos sound decent. Haven't heard anything else that sounds good to me, and IMO that FET Boost mode reeks.

This was my old JVM I got as part of a RT group buy w/ Steve VHT getting everybody a break on the price. 10 years ago or so. I sold the amp after a year but I still have a few demos. This is a demo of a few modes w/ a Dimarzio loaded Yngwie Strat, warts and all. Also a Deep Purple tune w/ the same gear, JVM and Yngwie Strat.

That's one of the better sounding JVM demos I've heard. How was it recorded, mic'd cab or IR? How loud was it?

 

[copilot]

Watched a ton of vids on this thing. I think the Marshall JVM sounds better. I got recordings of my old JVM that blow this thing away. The Boost mode sounds like a bassy fuzz box.

OK let's hear your old recordings because I think the Metroplex sounds amazing, so if your old JVM blows it away, that would be extremely badass.

That would be, in my opinion. Anyway, having just sold 4 amps (Ceriatone Plexi 50, Hi-Tone JP-50, Vintage Modern 100 watt and Jubilee RI 100 watt) I'm in the market for a Marshall or clone or something like this Metroplex. IMO, only Lance's demos sound decent. Haven't heard anything else that sounds good to me, and IMO that FET Boost mode reeks.

This was my old JVM I got as part of a RT group buy w/ Steve VHT getting everybody a break on the price. 10 years ago or so. I sold the amp after a year but I still have a few demos. This is a demo of a few modes w/ a Dimarzio loaded Yngwie Strat, warts and all. Also a Deep Purple tune w/ the same gear, JVM and Yngwie Strat.

Who did the actual demo?

My demos. Me playing......whatever year the amp came out. About 11 years ago.

Well I'm going take a chance saying something nice to in hopes it won't lead back to more back and forth viciousness between us. I've got to admit that tone is pretty good. The JVM is a great amp, and I've always spoken highly of it. I don't think it blows away the Metropoulos, but aside from the reverb, I do love that tone. One feature of the Metroplex that George discusses in one of his videos is how the gain past 2:00 or so becomes fuzzy. I think it actually sounds really cool and is a cool feature, but I'm wondering if that's what you were referring to. Thanks for posting the vid. It sounded good.

Well thanks! I actually was looking at the Superplex. That would suit my better and be a better pedal amp, IMO. Looking at Freidman and Germino as well.

 

[copilot]

Watched a ton of vids on this thing. I think the Marshall JVM sounds better. I got recordings of my old JVM that blow this thing away. The Boost mode sounds like a bassy fuzz box.

OK let's hear your old recordings because I think the Metroplex sounds amazing, so if your old JVM blows it away, that would be extremely badass.

That would be, in my opinion. Anyway, having just sold 4 amps (Ceriatone Plexi 50, Hi-Tone JP-50, Vintage Modern 100 watt and Jubilee RI 100 watt) I'm in the market for a Marshall or clone or something like this Metroplex. IMO, only Lance's demos sound decent. Haven't heard anything else that sounds good to me, and IMO that FET Boost mode reeks.

This was my old JVM I got as part of a RT group buy w/ Steve VHT getting everybody a break on the price. 10 years ago or so. I sold the amp after a year but I still have a few demos. This is a demo of a few modes w/ a Dimarzio loaded Yngwie Strat, warts and all. Also a Deep Purple tune w/ the same gear, JVM and Yngwie Strat.

That's one of the better sounding JVM demos I've heard. How was it recorded, mic'd cab or IR? How loud was it?

That was in a small room, not loud at all. Used a Boss BR-600. Was a long time ago but I'm pretty sure the cab was a Mojo Tone- build '68 Marshall slant 4X12 loaded w/ Eminence Tonkers. Just stuck a mic on one of the speakers. Reverb from the Boss unit.

 

[Beandust]

I play the Metroplex and all I can say that this amp kicks ass. You have basically 3 modes: 66/68/Mod and an internal booster. You can read up the specs, I won't go into that, but what makes this amp outstanding is:
- The Master Volume is very good. I can't explain it technically but it just works. At lower volumes the sound is still very complex and only the silent version of the cranked amp. A very big plus. Its just that good, This alone is worth a lot, you def. won't need an attenuator with this amp.
- The Hot Rodded Super Lead 68era and beyond is the strength of the amp. This raw sticky upper mid pronounced sound, not overly compressed but with lots of harmonics. What a joy to play if one can appreciate it and has the right technique. With th booster you get liquid lead sounds of it, think 80s hard rock
- The loop is very transparent
- the build quality, the quality of components, high quality pots, and so on, the labouring to recreate THE brown Marshall sound, its just a very well made amp which you can see, feel and hear.

If you want this complex, rich, natural and raw uncompressed Marshall sound we all love from the famous records, this is the amp to go. Ist not hyped with strong bass frequencies, it just sits well in the mix, its all about the complex mids. Go for it I would say.

Here is a good representation of the MOD mode of the amp. The first half without the boost engaged sounds good, don't you think? With Boost on 10 its too much for my taste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH5irW68YxY

Hell yea!!! Nice man!!

 

[copilot]

I take it back. This demo shows the features and it sounds great. Only think I dislike isno volume control for the Boost. Seems to be a preset volume

 

[Beandust]

Born_hard has officially made it a reality. I am a guitar owner. I suck. That's some great playing and tone man. Not even much verb and no delay , which i dont like it super wet or more than 1 repeat or so.. thanks for sharing!

 

[Seitz333]

I just received my Metro-Plex 2 days ago and so far I'm loving it. I have a Bogner Helios and just could not bond with it so it is going up for sale. To me the Metro is fuller sounding. I can get plenty of gain from the amp. I did put a Bogner LaGrange pedal in front for a little kick and it sounds good. In the loop I'm using a Fractal Axe-Fx II for FX and it works great.

Chuck

 

[SavageRiffer]

I just received my Metro-Plex 2 days ago and so far I'm loving it. I have a Bogner Helios and just could not bond with it so it is going up for sale. To me the Metro is fuller sounding. I can get plenty of gain from the amp. I did put a Bogner LaGrange pedal in front for a little kick and it sounds good. In the loop I'm using a Fractal Axe-Fx II for FX and it works great.

Chuck

Glad you mentioned that. I had a Helios so it gives me a familiar frame of reference. I thought the Helios was very full sounding, but the Metroplex sounds a bit broader across the frequency spectrum. There were times when the Helios got a little congested in the mids. I ended up switching it out for a Smallbox which has very up-front mids, but seems to have a little more breathing room if that makes any sense.

 

[Seitz333]

For me the Helios has a ton of sounds but not easy to dial in, the Metro-Plex is easy to dial in a sound.

Chuck

 

[born_hard]

I take it back. This demo shows the features and it sounds great. Only think I dislike isno volume control for the Boost. Seems to be a preset volume

There are internal controls on the board for boosting the highs AND the lows. So its a perfect boost: it has Boost Volume (or call it Boost Gain if you want), 2 internal controls for Treble and Bass and 2nd Master Volume. What else more do you need. You can tailor your solo sound in every direction. Its perfect I would say! And newer amp revisions has these 2 internal Controls now on the outer control panel. Even better, don't you think?

 

[napalmdeath]

That circuit doesn't have much compression for the amount of gain, this throws some people off. I'm probably using the terms in the wrong way. There is a ton of harmonic content/gain available, but not that super-clipped compressed thing. You still have dynamics.

Yep. This is something I'm slowly starting to appreciate. I'm starting to prefer amps like the Smallbox which I can use an overdrive to get the gain and compression I want. Something I'm starting to hate are high-output pickups that push the amp too hard and compress a lot. It wasn't something I necessarily audibly perceived either, but I'm starting to be able to perceive the difference. Some amps are like the Metropoulos, but have a weird kind of transparency with higher gain... kind of like when you use a distortion pedal on a very clean amp and it sounds like it won't let the pedal color the sound too much. The Metroplex has a nice flavor at high gain, so I like that a lot.

I too am gravitating towards lower gain pickups, (though probably still higher gain to most). I do still love the Duncan Custom, and really like the Dimarzio 36th Anniversary.

As for the amps, I also am digging a less compressed feel. It's one of the things I liked about the Runt, albeit it wasn't really a high gain monster, and I still didn't bond with it. As brutal as the red channel is on the EVH, that super saturated, overly compressed over the top gain is becoming less and less my cup of tea. I really lived on the blue channel.

The Metroplex is really supposed to be the cat's meow, from my past researching. Finding one to play is pretty much impossible for me. I'm a Marshall guy, but I do dig some Randall stuff too.

 

[riffermadness]

I play the Metroplex and all I can say that this amp kicks ass. You have basically 3 modes: 66/68/Mod and an internal booster. You can read up the specs, I won't go into that, but what makes this amp outstanding is:
- The Master Volume is very good. I can't explain it technically but it just works. At lower volumes the sound is still very complex and only the silent version of the cranked amp. A very big plus. Its just that good, This alone is worth a lot, you def. won't need an attenuator with this amp.
- The Hot Rodded Super Lead 68era and beyond is the strength of the amp. This raw sticky upper mid pronounced sound, not overly compressed but with lots of harmonics. What a joy to play if one can appreciate it and has the right technique. With th booster you get liquid lead sounds of it, think 80s hard rock
- The loop is very transparent
- the build quality, the quality of components, high quality pots, and so on, the labouring to recreate THE brown Marshall sound, its just a very well made amp which you can see, feel and hear.

If you want this complex, rich, natural and raw uncompressed Marshall sound we all love from the famous records, this is the amp to go. Ist not hyped with strong bass frequencies, it just sits well in the mix, its all about the complex mids. Go for it I would say.

Here is a good representation of the MOD mode of the amp. The first half without the boost engaged sounds good, don't you think? With Boost on 10 its too much for my taste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH5irW68YxY

That amp sounds awesome,just the right amount of gain,just perfect really! And your playing really made light of how great that amp can sound..made a believer outta me!

 

[R Weaver FX]

Watched a ton of vids on this thing. I think the Marshall JVM sounds better. I got recordings of my old JVM that blow this thing away. The Boost mode sounds like a bassy fuzz box.

OK let's hear your old recordings because I think the Metroplex sounds amazing, so if your old JVM blows it away, that would be extremely badass.

That would be, in my opinion. Anyway, having just sold 4 amps (Ceriatone Plexi 50, Hi-Tone JP-50, Vintage Modern 100 watt and Jubilee RI 100 watt) I'm in the market for a Marshall or clone or something like this Metroplex. IMO, only Lance's demos sound decent. Haven't heard anything else that sounds good to me, and IMO that FET Boost mode reeks.

This was my old JVM I got as part of a RT group buy w/ Steve VHT getting everybody a break on the price. 10 years ago or so. I sold the amp after a year but I still have a few demos. This is a demo of a few modes w/ a Dimarzio loaded Yngwie Strat, warts and all. Also a Deep Purple tune w/ the same gear, JVM and Yngwie Strat.

Who did the actual demo?

My demos. Me playing......whatever year the amp came out. About 11 years ago.

Well I'm going take a chance saying something nice to in hopes it won't lead back to more back and forth viciousness between us. I've got to admit that tone is pretty good. The JVM is a great amp, and I've always spoken highly of it. I don't think it blows away the Metropoulos, but aside from the reverb, I do love that tone. One feature of the Metroplex that George discusses in one of his videos is how the gain past 2:00 or so becomes fuzzy. I think it actually sounds really cool and is a cool feature, but I'm wondering if that's what you were referring to. Thanks for posting the vid. It sounded good.

Well thanks! I actually was looking at the Superplex. That would suit my better and be a better pedal amp, IMO. Looking at Freidman and Germino as well.

Check out the Landry LS30.Amazing amp. I also have a Soldano HR25 and the Landry is right there with it and great pedal platform.

 

[shampoch]

I own a JVM410H and 2017 Metroplex...umm, not in the same class. I really like the digital reverb on the JVM so thats why I keep it, its a fun easy amp to dial in marshall tones. The Metroplex sounds far more organic and has player feedback capabilitis and works with the guitar volume control. I think the JVM is the best Modern Marshall channel switching amp, but the Metroplex is a masterpiece.

 

[glip22]

I have been wanting to try a Metroplex. I'm just not sure about the Larmar type master volume. When I have tried the PPIMV masters before it takes away something from the amp. Kind of neuters it in a way and I lose the effect of my tone controls so I have to crank them much higher. I know George has worked a lot on the master. How does it work in the Metroplex?

 

[shampoch]

I cant speak to the technical side but can tell you its of the best I have played however its done.

 

[harddriver]

I have been wanting to try a Metroplex. I'm just not sure about the Larmar type master volume. When I have tried the PPIMV masters before it takes away something from the amp. Kind of neuters it in a way and I lose the effect of my tone controls so I have to crank them much higher. I know George has worked a lot on the master. How does it work in the Metroplex?

The Master Volume on the Metroplex is not the Larmar PPIMV(post phase inverter) which when used at low volumes neuters the Negative Feedback and Presence controls and can be grainy at extreme low volumes. The amps I have with PPIMV I feel sound best about 1/4 to 1/2 up so the NFB and Presence are not compromised with no graininess so I use an attenuator just to knock the volume down for bedroom playing, no attenuator needed for jamming with the band. When used knowing their limitations the Lar/Mar Ken Fischer PPIMV work well.

The Master Volume on the Metroplex is a Pre PI(pre phase inverter) Master volume of George's design similar to a JMP/JCM Marshall and it's placement in the circuit is George's proprietary information. With this configuration nothing is neutered... you get full NFB/Presence effects and none of the negatives you listed for the PPIMV.

 

[glip22]

I have been wanting to try a Metroplex. I'm just not sure about the Larmar type master volume. When I have tried the PPIMV masters before it takes away something from the amp. Kind of neuters it in a way and I lose the effect of my tone controls so I have to crank them much higher. I know George has worked a lot on the master. How does it work in the Metroplex?

The Master Volume on the Metroplex is not the Larmar PPIMV(post phase inverter) which when used at low volumes neuters the Negative Feedback and Presence controls and can be grainy at extreme low volumes. The amps I have with PPIMV I feel sound best about 1/4 to 1/2 up so the NFB and Presence are not compromised with no graininess so I use an attenuator just to knock the volume down for bedroom playing, no attenuator needed for jamming with the band. When used knowing their limitations the Lar/Mar Ken Fischer PPIMV work well.

The Master Volume on the Metroplex is a Pre PI(pre phase inverter) Master volume of George's design similar to a JMP/JCM Marshall and it's placement in the circuit is George's proprietary information. With this configuration nothing is neutered... you get full NFB/Presence effects and none of the negatives you listed for the PPIMV.

Good to know. I thought I heard an interview with George and Friedman talking about masters and I thought his was ppimv.

 

[harddriver]

On the metroplex forum George openly discusses the the Master Volume design being a Pre-PI but didn't go into extreme details.

Here's the quote from the forum...

by VelvetGeorge » Mon Dec 08, 2014 9:02 am

I tried everything under the Sun to make the PPI MV's work in this amp, but the typical MV was better. So I'm using Mil spec pots and some tweaks to make it sound great at any volume.

The FET circuit got some tweaks and I think will have treble and bass trimmers on the PC board. I put those on the pre production amp and they worked well.

george

Here's the link.
http://forum.metropoulos.net/viewtopic. ... 89#p441971