Metropoulus MetroPlex vs. Landry LS100 G3

[jcm800x4]

can the MP get enough grind and be tight enough to do authentic raw 70s marshall type tones....that tone has a lot of grind to me that some saturated type gains from plexis dont seem to quite nail

Yes. That's what it does best.

 

[jcm800x4]

Sounds awesome. You're really making me think hard about this one. How do you feel about your Helios compared to Naylor. The Helios clips I've heard sound absolutely killer. From the Low gain clips I've heard from the likes of Eric Steckel to high gain stuff I've heard from Doug Rappaport. Haven't heard any bad sounds yet coming from that monster.

Let me know when you're ready to sell yours.

Only had the Naylor a couple of weeks. I'm still gigging with the Helios and have been for the last year or so. If I had to choose now, the Boger stays. Once I've had more time with the Naylor, that could change.

 

[gabaghoul]

Cool. I've always been a fan of the Helios. I've just always felt it was possibly too close to the BE to buy plus I have heard of some issues with the FX Loop being noisy. Is that really the case?

 

[journeyman73]

can the MP get enough grind and be tight enough to do authentic raw 70s marshall type tones....that tone has a lot of grind to me that some saturated type gains from plexis dont seem to quite nail

Yes. That's what it does best.

thanks a lot - MP is ticking a lot of the boxes for me!

I've had the Helios for about a week and the hot rodded plexi tones in there are awesome - for that type of 80's sweetspot, is the MP just as strong as the Helios or do you prefer the Helios to the MP?

also, per the other question - i also have a BE and its pretty different to the Helios. I mean, they are both obviously M-style amps but within that world/context they are totally different to me.

different in terms of tone and feel, as well as functionality (BE is a true channel switcher with a pristine dedicated clean no matter what gain/boost levels you are using on the other channel, no variac-type switch, several voicing switches, etc)

edit: come to think of it, I've also just been trying the reissue Marshall Jubilee and the BE100 in some settings can be closer to the Jubilee than the Helios for me

 

[jcm800x4]

Cool. I've always been a fan of the Helios. I've just always felt it was possibly too close to the BE to buy plus I have heard of some issues with the FX Loop being noisy. Is that really the case?

I've never had an issue with noise in the loop on my Helios. I like the feel and some what rawness of the Helios. The BE is a little too refined for me. But thats just my 2 cents. They are both fine amps.

 

[jcm800x4]

can the MP get enough grind and be tight enough to do authentic raw 70s marshall type tones....that tone has a lot of grind to me that some saturated type gains from plexis dont seem to quite nail

Yes. That's what it does best.

thanks a lot - MP is ticking a lot of the boxes for me!

I've had the Helios for about a week and the hot rodded plexi tones in there are awesome - for that type of 80's sweetspot, is the MP just as strong as the Helios or do you prefer the Helios to the MP?

also, per the other question - i also have a BE and its pretty different to the Helios. I mean, they are both obviously M-style amps but within that world/context they are totally different to me.

different in terms of tone and feel, as well as functionality (BE is a true channel switcher with a pristine dedicated clean no matter what gain/boost levels you are using on the other channel, no variac-type switch, several voicing switches, etc)

edit: come to think of it, I've also just been trying the reissue Marshall Jubilee and the BE100 in some settings can be closer to the Jubilee than the Helios for me

IMHO the MP is way more Marshall than the Helios and the BE. The MP is like the best old plexi you've ever heard on roids. I don't use the 80's mode on the Helios. I like the 70's mode. The way I use the amp, the clean on the Helios works just fine. To me the BE has a processed feel the other two don't. But thats just my take. Its all subjective.

 

[journeyman73]

can the MP get enough grind and be tight enough to do authentic raw 70s marshall type tones....that tone has a lot of grind to me that some saturated type gains from plexis dont seem to quite nail

Yes. That's what it does best.

thanks a lot - MP is ticking a lot of the boxes for me!

I've had the Helios for about a week and the hot rodded plexi tones in there are awesome - for that type of 80's sweetspot, is the MP just as strong as the Helios or do you prefer the Helios to the MP?

also, per the other question - i also have a BE and its pretty different to the Helios. I mean, they are both obviously M-style amps but within that world/context they are totally different to me.

different in terms of tone and feel, as well as functionality (BE is a true channel switcher with a pristine dedicated clean no matter what gain/boost levels you are using on the other channel, no variac-type switch, several voicing switches, etc)

edit: come to think of it, I've also just been trying the reissue Marshall Jubilee and the BE100 in some settings can be closer to the Jubilee than the Helios for me

IMHO the MP is way more Marshall than the Helios and the BE. The MP is like the best old plexi you've ever heard on roids. I don't use the 80's mode on the Helios. I like the 70's mode. The way I use the amp, the clean on the Helios works just fine. To me the BE has a processed feel the other two don't. But thats just my take. Its all subjective.

thanks a lot - really appreciate the additional thoughts.

I agree with you on the BE - my sense is the Helios is more Marshall like than the BE but i can easily envision it still being more refined than the MP.

the BE is an interesting amp to me because it has some Marshall similarities but it really is different, in all ways. The BE absolutely sounds like a recorded amp, which can be awesome! the nature of its gain (not just level) is different than Marshall, though - it doesn't really have 'grind' in that way and its gain is tight.

I'm going to have to try the MP, i think - id sort of love not to, since all these amps are killer and i get one and think ill decide between it and the ones i have but end up keeping them all because they are just different enough when you play them side-by-side...im sure the MP would be the same way!

 

[Velvetgeorge]

Hey jcm800x4, thanks for weighing in on this! You have unique first hand experience with all of these amps, not too many can say that.

You impressions and descriptions are all spot on IMO.

Choosing between these amps, tonally speaking and beyond the feature sets, could be compared to going into store in the 80's and playing several different eras of Marshalls. The plexi superlead, metal panel superleads, JMP master volumes, JCM 800's, anniversary amps....

All very much Marshall, but with a huge range of tones and feels. It's down to which Marshall tone you prefer. Obviously, these new amps have far more gain on tap and lots more features. I'd say any good player could get great "Marshall" tones out of any of these and many more on the market. It's just which flavor suits you best.

george

 

[ubermetaldood]

I'm going to go out on a limb here (contrary to popular opinion) and say that I prefer the Landry LSG3 over any Friedman model. I had a BE100, Pink Taco and Smallbox, all awesome amps, but probably my favorite Friedman is the JJ. Still, just the tone of the Landry G3 is so good and does cleans like no Friedman can do. I never played a Metropoulos amp I didn't like, but I have yet to find one I can use at home without an attenuator. David Bray seems to get overlooked a lot but I love his amps too. Still, of all the Marshall style amps out there, Bill Landry makes my favorite.

 

[jcm800x4]

I agree with you. The BE is my least favorite of all the amps mentioned in the thread. You should try the metro plex. No attenuator needed. The master is as good or better than the G3.

 

[jcm800x4]

Hey jcm800x4, thanks for weighing in on this! You have unique first hand experience with all of these amps, not too many can say that.

You impressions and descriptions are all spot on IMO.

Choosing between these amps, tonally speaking and beyond the feature sets, could be compared to going into store in the 80's and playing several different eras of Marshalls. The plexi superlead, metal panel superleads, JMP master volumes, JCM 800's, anniversary amps....

All very much Marshall, but with a huge range of tones and feels. It's down to which Marshall tone you prefer. Obviously, these new amps have far more gain on tap and lots more features. I'd say any good player could get great "Marshall" tones out of any of these and many more on the market. It's just which flavor suits you best.

george

I guess when I say "the most Marshall of the bunch". I'm speaking of the plexi. In my head that's the bench mark Marshall tone. Even though I do love a good 800. But a good 800 is sometimes hard to find.

 

[journeyman73]

one other question about the G3...how firm does it feel under the fingers compared to a Helios or BE or Metro-plex for that matter?

im assuming the G3 will feel firmer than the metro but dont know if it is as tight as Helios or BE?

 

[braintheory]

I agree about the Friedman comments. To me a true Marshally sound is supposed to be raw, aggressive, and bright, while the Friedman kinda sounds like they took that sound and tamed/neutered it, which seems uncalled for IMO, but I often like brighter sounds. They still overall sound like very high quality amps, but it bothers me that Friedman and other marshall-type amps are smoother and more polite than the Marshall sound. My Wizard is probably my favorite Marshally amp I've tried so far. It's one of the few amps of its kind that actually has the brightness and aggression of a good marshall, but still not quite as raw and the Wizard's mids are also smoother and less crunchy, which I don't like, but still my favorite Marshally amp overall.

I also wouldn't go as far as calling the Friedmans processed/recorded like some of the others have said but I can understand why others would think that since it's less raw and since it's inherently darker it sounds more distant than something like the Wizard.

 

[ubermetaldood]

one other question about the G3...how firm does it feel under the fingers compared to a Helios or BE or Metro-plex for that matter?

im assuming the G3 will feel firmer than the metro but dont know if it is as tight as Helios or BE?

There are two distortion settings on the G3, vintage & modern. The modern setting uses diode clipping which sounds a bit gainier and lubricated. Vintage is more like a plexi, but it has lot of gain on tap. Channel 2 has two modes, or a 3rd footswitchable channel if you will, and it has more gain than you probably need. In vintage mode, the G3 has a firm but very responsive feel. You never feel like you have to add more gain to get a better feel for soloing. The Metropoulos models I have played are very much like a few Marshalls I've had, namely the 1959HW. They have a jangly kind of Fender Bassman feel I suppose. I would say the Landry is pretty much like that or at least comes very close. The clean channel is very Fendery with kind of a bouncy feel. I'm telling you, the G3 is just amazing all around. Anyone with the money to spend on a Friedman or Metropoulos should check out Landry.

 

[Rev]

one other question about the G3...how firm does it feel under the fingers compared to a Helios or BE or Metro-plex for that matter?

im assuming the G3 will feel firmer than the metro but dont know if it is as tight as Helios or BE?

There are two distortion settings on the G3, vintage & modern. The modern setting uses diode clipping which sounds a bit gainier and lubricated. Vintage is more like a plexi, but it has lot of gain on tap. Channel 2 has two modes, or a 3rd footswitchable channel if you will, and it has more gain than you probably need. In vintage mode, the G3 has a firm but very responsive feel. You never feel like you have to add more gain to get a better feel for soloing. The Metropoulos models I have played are very much like a few Marshalls I've had, namely the 1959HW. They have a jangly kind of Fender Bassman feel I suppose. I would say the Landry is pretty much like that or at least comes very close. The clean channel is very Fendery with kind of a bouncy feel. I'm telling you, the G3 is just amazing all around. Anyone with the money to spend on a Friedman or Metropoulos should check out Landry.

Spot on description for the G3. The G3 has a vintage feel to it. It encompasses every 80's album in one box. It has a natural percussive feel that the notes seem to bounce under your finger tips. The clean channel is that Fender clean we all love. I usually don't play any cleans but it was so good on the G3 that I could find myself getting lost in the tone. I've played the Marsha, Be100 simple clean, Be100 newest update, SS, JJ, Smallbox, and PT20.....and I prefer the G3 to all of them. Out of the Friedman amps, I liked the Marsha the best and JJ second.

 

[journeyman73]

one other question about the G3...how firm does it feel under the fingers compared to a Helios or BE or Metro-plex for that matter?

im assuming the G3 will feel firmer than the metro but dont know if it is as tight as Helios or BE?

There are two distortion settings on the G3, vintage & modern. The modern setting uses diode clipping which sounds a bit gainier and lubricated. Vintage is more like a plexi, but it has lot of gain on tap. Channel 2 has two modes, or a 3rd footswitchable channel if you will, and it has more gain than you probably need. In vintage mode, the G3 has a firm but very responsive feel. You never feel like you have to add more gain to get a better feel for soloing. The Metropoulos models I have played are very much like a few Marshalls I've had, namely the 1959HW. They have a jangly kind of Fender Bassman feel I suppose. I would say the Landry is pretty much like that or at least comes very close. The clean channel is very Fendery with kind of a bouncy feel. I'm telling you, the G3 is just amazing all around. Anyone with the money to spend on a Friedman or Metropoulos should check out Landry.

thanks for this, i definitely think I'm going to try the G3. I really want to try the Metroplex, also...but not sure if i should jus the happy with the Helios and skip the Metro...problem for me is all these amps are great and i end up keeping them all instead of choosing one over the other.

 

[gabaghoul]

Glad to hear the G3 can get "vintage" tones. From the clips I've heard on YT, it doesn't seem that way. In "Vintage" mode, can the G3 get close to what's going on with the Metro or Helios as far a pushed cleans are concerned. Looking for something that is extremely versatile but absolutely hits the sweetspot when it comes to "pushed, fendery double stop grind". Something like heard in the following vids...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srjcywtw24c
(@ 3:39 - 3:42 which Lance describes as 45/100 sounds)

or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3BvWAaBqZ4
( @ :16 -:45 - this might be a little less Fendery but still sounds cool)

 

[ubermetaldood]

Glad to hear the G3 can get "vintage" tones. From the clips I've heard on YT, it doesn't seem that way. In "Vintage" mode, can the G3 get close to what's going on with the Metro or Helios as far a pushed cleans are concerned. Looking for something that is extremely versatile but absolutely hits the sweetspot when it comes to "pushed, fendery double stop grind". Something like heard in the following vids...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srjcywtw24c
(@ 3:39 - 3:42 which Lance describes as 45/100 sounds)

or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3BvWAaBqZ4
( @ :16 -:45 - this might be a little less Fendery but still sounds cool)

With the tone shaping controls integrated into the G3, it's capable of getting any generation Marshall tone pretty much. The clean channel doesn't break up a great deal, but it gets an old plexi breakup for Hendrix and all that good stuff. The mode 1 on the drive channel does everything from Zepplin to Metallica, depending on your settings, pickups, etc... The 2nd mode of the drive channel is pure high gain. It has the amounts of gain Diezels have.

I suppose vintage mode is generally my favorite as it encompasses all the Marshall decades pretty much, but at lower volumes, diode clipping mode gives you lots of great sounds that wouldn't overpower a conversation between two people. When I first started playing with the diode clipping, it brought me back to the sounds I remember from the Silver Jubilee and AFD. Plug a Les Paul in and Slash's mouth would water at the tone. Vintage mode sounds like an amp that Joe Bonamassa should be playing.

The whole 2-channel Marshall amps with Fender cleans thing is kind of a hackneyed idea these days, and there are only a tiny handful of amps which actually deliver that without having to split and EL34 and 6L6 power section between the channels, but the Landry really does have the most Fendery clean channel I've ever played on an EL34 amp.

I haven't played the Metroplex yet, but I have played several Metropoulos plexis. The thing about Metropoulos amps is that they are better-than-Marshall Marshalls. I wouldn't call them replicas. Not only that, whatever George builds is blessed with awesomeness. From the experience I've had with Metros and what I've seen/heard of the Metropolex thus far, I don't have any doubt whatsoever that it's absolutely incredible.

However, at this level of quality, there is no one better than another. Metro is pure Marshall all the way man. Landry does a great job of very subtly imparting his own signature in the tones of his amps while still remaining very faithful to the Marshall/Fender heritage from which he derives his design. The Metropolex will not do all of the things the Landry can do, nor will either amp do anything better than the other. If you pure Marshall all the way, then the Metroplex will probably be your amp. If you want Marshall with versatility and a bonus Fender, then the Landry is probably your amp.

Lots of really, really awesome amps to choose from these days. The Helios is amazing and very popular, but a lot of people overlook the Goldfinger 90 because of it, but the Goldfinger is all Plexi + modded Marshall + Bogner's special ingredient. That's definitely an amp you shouldn't overlook. If you're in the JCM800 camp, the Shiva can't be overlooked.

Then of course you have Friedman. When it comes to Friedman, their amps easily impress everyone because the tone is great and they nail a lot of awesome classic and high gain tones. However, of all the Friedmans I've played, the JJ is probably the only one I keep and not really think about selling. There was a JJ sitting at my local G.C. for months, and I went to the Platinum Room many times to play it, but I always felt like it wasn't quite perfect without some kind of pedal. That's not a bad thing though since I almost always want to use an overdrive of some sort anyway.

Then, as I previously mentioned, David Bray amps are overlooked and underrated. That guy builds incredible modded plexis. When you look into his amps, you see that they absolutely nail the Brown Sound thing, but they are definitely capable of much more. Additionally, David Bray customizes and tunes the tone to each customer, so you will get your own signature Marshall sound. Moreover, he builds in this thing called a "wife control" (I think that's what he calls it), and it lets you get all the Marshall goodness at low volume.

Therefore, I see Metroplex as a direct competitor to the Bray Plexi. Deciding between those two amps seems like a real hard decision to make in my eyes. If you get stuck between them then the best of luck to you.

As if that wasn't enough fuel on the fire, these guys from Mojave Ampworks are really underrated. Plus, you really have to look at the Reeves Super 78' if you're into classic hot rod Marshall stuff. There is so much to choose from and all the choices are top notch. This is like the golden era of amps right now.

 

[faisalbaig]

I spoke to Bill Landry at length a few months ago when i discovered Landry Amps.
Just a few weeks prior i had bought a Dan Gower Modded JVM410H.
But if you want to talk about a really versatile "Marshallesque" (thats how Bill describes his amps) amp with great cleans, OD and Hi gain, the Landry is tough to beat.
In one of his emails he said his circuit is more like a Marshall boosted with a Tubescreamer.

I had also researched Bray amps and the Metroplex. They sound epic, but Landry is definitely most versatile and does not sacrifice tone.
Its very expensive for me to buy and get amps shipped to my country, but next yr, i shall get a Landry Hopefully.

 

[journeyman73]

well, I've got a G3 coming tomorrow so ill be able to check it out.

I'm really curious how it will fare against the multiple freedman, jubilee, and helios that i recently received also!