Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Hagen just didn’t hold to the Herbert and vh4 in the same . It’s cool . But it’s def not as good as what I mentioned
Fusionbear
Well-known member
Ha! You just reminded me about this one. Interesting concept, but I couldn't get it to sound right for me ever... I had the amp for two weeks. Thankfully it was borrowed and I gave it back... It's owner sold it soon after...
DanTravis62
Moderator
I remember seeing those and thinking "wow cool concept I wonder how it sounds?"
But I've never seen one out in the wild, and it's one of those things where I would never buy it without playing it first
thegame
Well-known member
Was that the one that utilized an EL84 as a phase inverter tube (or something to that effect) to approximate power tube distortion at low volume? I remember there was an amp that had a 12ax7 based preamp, EL84 phase inverter (?) and then EL34/6L6 power section.
Les Zombie
Well-known member
I played the hagen 4 different times over the years and didnt care for it, i like my Herbert and VH4 so much better, i also owned a einstein but didnt like it.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Ya I felt the same . Hagen was bland kinda . My frievd has one now and hates it
Emerald
Member
once like 10 years ago I got Laney ironheart 15.
it has so sterile sound and im was newbie, so I thinks its because el34 tubes.... but its really his sound.
100w ofc sounded at Ola video, but this 15w was awful...
it has so sterile sound and im was newbie, so I thinks its because el34 tubes.... but its really his sound.
100w ofc sounded at Ola video, but this 15w was awful...
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Tiny amps usually suck imo . They lack balls . So you’re probably right . Get a 100 watt and fit it in your bedroom . It can work
Emerald
Member
agree! and even more i know now that even 50-60w heads sounds at least a bit darker and less headroom compare to big heads. so I will never buy small head
. only big heads and they also can be more juicy sounding at low volume
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Not always true . I like my amps not too loud so it’s tighter and not too juicy and saggy . Thst really is true for old amps that arnt high gainagree! and even more i know now that even 50-60w heads sounds at least a bit darker and less headroom compare to big heads. so I will never buy small head
J
jbcrazy
Member
I used to feel that way, but its nice to have like a bigger low end amp... and then have a bunch of drive pedals to color the signal on the way in... which only gives you more tonal variety.
If the amp itself is already kind of tight, it limits your options or... it just takes pedals like shit.
BlackMetal
Member
I will just say, it's a picky MFer and it's easy to make it sound bad. Every demo on YouTube is done with V30s and I hate that amp with V30s. I wish I could teleport people to my amp room so they can hear my setup for it
. I have an MK3 Herbert as well which works great with V30s. Hagen has some upper mids that all the other Diezels don't really have, so the typical Diezel setup doesn't work for it imo.
Rex Rocker
Well-known member
Probably a JCM 800. Not because it's not a great amp, but because it's just not my thing. But the way many people make it seem like it's the ultimate amp and the father of all high-gain... er...
The thing is, for me, I've always been more used to dialing in amps like Rectos first, and then 5150's, and the EQ knobs and whole voicing of the 800 feels super alien coming from those. Low end is thuddy rather than deep or punchy, and the bass knob doesn't seem like it's very powerful at all. Midrange knob feels like, if boosted, makes the amp feel more stuffy, but if cut, feels like it cuts all the midrange aggression of the amp. Treble and Presence on one can really rip your head off, and once you come to a happy balance at one volume level, raise or lower the master just a little, and the whole EQ'ing of the amp changes drastically. Now, all tube amps do this to varying degrees, but I feel it's particularly bad in an 800.
JMO.
The thing is, for me, I've always been more used to dialing in amps like Rectos first, and then 5150's, and the EQ knobs and whole voicing of the 800 feels super alien coming from those. Low end is thuddy rather than deep or punchy, and the bass knob doesn't seem like it's very powerful at all. Midrange knob feels like, if boosted, makes the amp feel more stuffy, but if cut, feels like it cuts all the midrange aggression of the amp. Treble and Presence on one can really rip your head off, and once you come to a happy balance at one volume level, raise or lower the master just a little, and the whole EQ'ing of the amp changes drastically. Now, all tube amps do this to varying degrees, but I feel it's particularly bad in an 800.
JMO.
Last edited:
angelspade
Well-known member
I will just say, it's a picky MFer and it's easy to make it sound bad. Every demo on YouTube is done with V30s and I hate that amp with V30s. I wish I could teleport people to my amp room so they can hear my setup for it
The hagen is a very good amp...I just prefered the VH4 over it after owning both at the same time. Many disagree with me, but the Hagen seems like a VH4 with some Herbert DNA. I actually thought that it lacked the upper mids that are inherent to the VH4, but had a lot of the low-mid thickness associated with the Herbert. It also has the Herbert's top end sizzle, which the VH4 lacks.
Shreddy Mercury
Well-known member
The amp that probably disappointed me the most was a Peavey 3120 (XXX). I liked the XXX the few minutes I spent with it back when it was new. I traded a Marshall cab for a clean condition 3120 with a friend and I kinda dug it for about 4 or 5 days, but it faded fast and I just couldn't really ever get much out of it that I liked. I still feel that's the most disappointing amp, and I've had a Blue Voodoo. However, I went in knowing it probably wasn't going to sound that great, so it didn't really disappoint lol
Music&Chaos
Well-known member
True but if you can make an amp loose or tight.... Yes.... This is the way. My Rivera clubster Royale recording can do that. That being said, my Marshall definitely doesn't have that much range. I still love it. I'm just saying I wouldn't pay for or 5K for an amp and always have to have something else to make it make me happy. I am not one who has money like that though either.
BlackMetal
Member
No, that's accurate. It has that Herbert low end looseness to it. I think the VH4 is tighter and sounds like it has a higher amount of negative feedback built into it which gives it it's extreme compression (which its detractors seem to hate). Hagen is definitely the least user friendly out of the three. Like I said, it's very picky (speakers, pickups, pedals, cab). It could be my pride in finding out how to make it work that leads me to enjoy playing it.
TotallyRadGuitars
Well-known member
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Lol, i do like your videosJust hella busy man, job stuff.
Glad somebody missed me
NinjaRaf
Well-known member
The first one was a Fryette D60. I was so stoked to get that amp, and after the first note, I was like...nooooooo this is not what I want at all.
Revv, KSR, Omega, H&K, had similar experiences with all of these amps. The rounder low end is not something I enjoy.
Revv, KSR, Omega, H&K, had similar experiences with all of these amps. The rounder low end is not something I enjoy.
