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acev
Active member
Yes, I agree, bigger usually sounds better haha. Its a cool amp, but I will think if Im going to keep it. My EVH sounds bigger and breathes more fire.
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harddriver
Well-known member
You need the mass of the output transformer, coil windings, core laminations, size of the magnetic inductance field that contributes to the largess of the tone, punch, and speaker excursion. I feel that's why the small wattage amps can sound great but just miss the overall sound and feel of larger amps.
Years ago Mojave amp found this to be the case when Victor built the Scorpion amp, it was a 50 watt version of his legendary Peacemaker hotrodded plexi. He found with the standard 50 watt output transformer the amp just didn't punch the same as the 100 watt Peacemaker.
His solution was to use a 100 watt output transformer but with corrected impedance leads to account being used essentially like you do if you were to pull two power tubes out of a 100 watt amp where you drop your impdedance by half.
I run my 68 100 wat plexi with two power tubes pulled for volume purposes plus I only wear two tubes at time but the amp still punches and feels like a 100 watt amp when compared to my 50 watt 72 SL, the difference is quite noticable to the player.
I suspect your 50 watt EVH punches and feels bigger than this 30 watt Marshall even though it is running two EL34's the mass of the transformers are smaller than the EVH ones hence the difference.
cardinal
Well-known member
An actual 2204 just won't have the thump of a 5150. They are just voiced very differently.
If I've been playing a 5150 a lot and switch back to a 2204, it's a bit jarring because the 2204 (boosted) has so much less saturation and "bigness," but after a few minutes you acclimate to the difference and just go with it, IME.
If I've been playing a 5150 a lot and switch back to a 2204, it's a bit jarring because the 2204 (boosted) has so much less saturation and "bigness," but after a few minutes you acclimate to the difference and just go with it, IME.
Bad.Seed
Well-known member
My new 20W JCM800 arrived a day ago, got to play it a bit today. Sound pretty awesome, more open and less compressed and less gainy compared to my EVH head. It needs a boost to get into high(er) gain territory. Sounds like a true JCM800 basically. I had some low watt heads, Origin 20, Engl Gigmaster, Jet city with ala Friedman mod and this one sounds the best out of them. Im tempted to put the Legendary Tones Hot mod into it
Quick room clip:
Great tones man. Also, if you do want to easily gain this amp up, definitely grab a Hot Mod Evo. With the bass and gain switches, it really gives you some nice options on this 20 watt 800
I have this amp as well, and with the bass switch engaged on the hot mod and a boost out front, I can take this amp anywhere I want to go, easily, and the amp has plenty of low end (still not 5150 tho) even with the smaller power section.
Enjoy the amp man! It's a really fun one to have around!
MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
Exactly what Steve Fryette said in a video I watched the other day. Not just big iron that equates to that girth, punch, dynamics, and ability to move air, but the sum of all the things you stated here. I'm no electrical engineer, but makes sense even for somone with minimal understanding. I also agree with his comments on Power tubes in that they really are such a subtle part of the equation and really don't impart as big an impact on tone as made out.
A
acev
Active member
Thanks, Im going to play it some more and see how it goes
I like the modded hi gain Marshall sound like Monomyth, Gower, Friedman etc so the stock 800 could be a little tame for me 
fek
Well-known member
I love my Pandora modded JCM800 2203X. Went to buy a 50W Stealth or SC20. Went with the Stealth mainly because I wanted something different than the 800 and also because the SC20 was on about a month back order.
Had the Stealth for a little over a month and I much prefer the 800. I am past the return window so I will keep the Stealth and keep tweaking but I doubt it will get much play time.
Had the Stealth for a little over a month and I much prefer the 800. I am past the return window so I will keep the Stealth and keep tweaking but I doubt it will get much play time.
Devin
Well-known member
Thanks, Im going to play it some more and see how it goes
Man to be honest that second vid you posted in here sounds better to me than many clips of bigboi amps that get posted on this forum
Donnie B.
Banned
