NAD: Wizard 100w MCII - video added

[John4021]

 

[anomaly]

I heard that those Wizard amps are some of loudest 100 watt heads around?? I would love to try one, as i love the tone Hetfield got on the "garage Inc" album... He used a Gibson SG into a Wizard to get that tone.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

100w is still 100w but yes it can get loud
what makes the Wizards so good is the immediacy of the way the notes jump out of the speakers. They push air like no other amp I've heard

 

[anomaly]

here's a clip of the amp - first the lead channel, then the clean then back to lead, I fiddle with the contour and presence a little bit. the boost on the amp was not on, only using Mesa Flux, OD808 and Koko Boost to drive the amp a little harder

Sounds great! Like a modded Marshall with tons of low end and clarity. That amp would dominate in a band mix.

 

[JerEvil]

here's a clip of the amp - first the lead channel, then the clean then back to lead, I fiddle with the contour and presence a little bit. the boost on the amp was not on, only using Mesa Flux, OD808 and Koko Boost to drive the amp a little harder

Wow! Sounds massive!

 

[Heritage Softail]

Awesome clip

Sounds like a freshly sharpened chainsaw blade cutting.

Love the mid grind. Better play well on that thing cuz you will definitely be loud in a mix.

Awesome score

 

[thegame]

here's a clip of the amp - first the lead channel, then the clean then back to lead, I fiddle with the contour and presence a little bit. the boost on the amp was not on, only using Mesa Flux, OD808 and Koko Boost to drive the amp a little harder

Great sounding clip but are you clicking these pedal boosts on and off, one at a time, or are they all on at once ?

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

I guess that's why each channel has it's own bright knob to tailor it for various guitars etc, and then fine tune with the contour knob. Surprisingly this amp is pretty versatile. I haven't had the gain on the lead channel past 1:00. I think in this clip it was around there and just boosting it got pretty mean sounding. I asked Vintage King about ordering a MTL and they said Rick wanted them to order 10 of them. Guess I won't be getting one anytime soon.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

here's a clip of the amp - first the lead channel, then the clean then back to lead, I fiddle with the contour and presence a little bit. the boost on the amp was not on, only using Mesa Flux, OD808 and Koko Boost to drive the amp a little harder

Great sounding clip but are you clicking these pedal boosts on and off, one at a time, or are they all on at once ?

I am toggling them on and off, 1 at a time. If you hear an increase in gain and low end that's the Koko Boost. The other 2 don't add lows really.

 

[Tone Monster]

All 100 waters aren't made the same. I owned a MC and it was stupidly loud...

 

[glip22]

The MCII has a great master volume taper. My MTL is like the MCII. It goes from off to on with a slight turn. Nice feature is you can use the effects loop return and send levels to cut volume or use it a lead boost. Very controllable like this.

 

[UDTBUDS]

Amazing tone, bucket list for sure.


Sounds more Marshall than any Marshall in the last 20 years.

That company is doomed.

 

[glip22]

Amazing tone, bucket list for sure.


Sounds more Marshall than any Marshall in the last 20 years.

That company is doomed.

MC is a late 60's Plexi mixed with the cleaner higher headroom grunt of a Hiwatt and Jubilee led clipping in the circuit.

 

[UDTBUDS]

WIZARD is a Canadian company yes ?

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

Yup

 

[BaRTY]

Awesome sounding amp! I wish I had one...

 

[Racerxrated]

Amazing tone, bucket list for sure.


Sounds more Marshall than any Marshall in the last 20 years.

That company is doomed.

Wizards are amazing, awesome amps. Everyone here wants one, or should. But how many people buy these 4K amps???? Very few. Marshall makes most of their money off the cheap MG line I'd bet. They aren't threatened by boutique companies. They sell more of their solid state line in a month than Wizard sells in a year. Doesn't stop me from wishing I had a Wizard though!

 

[se7en]

Amazing tone, bucket list for sure.


Sounds more Marshall than any Marshall in the last 20 years.

That company is doomed.

MC is a late 60's Plexi mixed with the cleaner higher headroom grunt of a Hiwatt and Jubilee led clipping in the circuit.

I thought that's what I was hearing in there. Good to have the confirmation, Gary.

 

[TrueTone500]

Doesn't sound as good as I was expecting... Sort-of reminds me of a Splawn. I guess I'm more into the vintage voiced Wizard model.

I've been think about a new 50 or 100 watt amp myself, but I'm stuck on what to buy? So far, (at least by the clips I've heard) the new Marshall Jubilee is my favorite. I really like the Boogie Mark V 25 as well, but it's just such a small amp for head/cab rig. Maybe Mesa will release a combo?

Not since getting my first Cornford, has an amp has peaked my interest like the Reeves "Space Cowboy".

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

Have Greg V or Lance Keltner demo the MCII and you'd feel differently. I am no recording pro. If you want vintage tones - the rhythm channel on the MCII handles all that easily, or turn the gain down on the lead channel.

No knock on Splawn amps as the Pro-Stock I had was fantastic - but the Wizard doesn't really sound like a Splawn, unless you generalize them as glorified Marshalls.