Soldano Slo 100 Namm 2020

[LP Freak]

I can tell from that video that the old ones sound better.

 

[cardinal]

I can tell from that video that the old ones sound better.

hahaha

 

[Marshall Freak]

Everyone I've read about at namm says it sounds just like the old ones. Seen interviews where mike says he likes the new ones better as it's got changes hes wanted to make forever. Sounds like the SLO will live on.

 

[Thunkful]

Never understood the craze over these amps. Not that they are bad amps, but don't they require a boost in front to sound and feel good?

 

[Exo-metal]

That's more than a disturbance?

 

[Racerxrated]

Never understood the craze over these amps. Not that they are bad amps, but don't they require a boost in front to sound and feel good?

Not necessarily; vs a JCM 800 that usually does. SLOs have plenty of gain, no boost needed. But I did run one with a boost in front, just preference for my tone. I also run a boost in front of any C+ I've owned. Not for gain or tightness/feel, just a different flavor if you will.
Hell, I even boosted my Wizard. But I boost almost everything.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Everyone I've read about at namm says it sounds just like the old ones. Seen interviews where mike says he likes the new ones better as it's got changes hes wanted to make forever. Sounds like the SLO will live on.

Of course he’s gonna say that. He needs to move product. Unless they’re cranking an old one and a new one side to side, with the same guitarist playing the same guitar through both, there’s no way it could be a scientific assessment. Besides, the new ones don’t have the DeYoung trannies. They’re tonally inferior based on that fact alone.

 

[Marshall Freak]

Everyone I've read about at namm says it sounds just like the old ones. Seen interviews where mike says he likes the new ones better as it's got changes hes wanted to make forever. Sounds like the SLO will live on.

Of course he’s gonna say that. He needs to move product. Unless they’re cranking an old one and a new one side to side, with the same guitarist playing the same guitar through both, there’s no way it could be a scientific assessment. Besides, the new ones don’t have the DeYoung trannies. They’re tonally inferior based on that fact alone.

Or superior...

 

[Mr. Willy]

Everyone I've read about at namm says it sounds just like the old ones. Seen interviews where mike says he likes the new ones better as it's got changes hes wanted to make forever. Sounds like the SLO will live on.

Of course he’s gonna say that. He needs to move product. Unless they’re cranking an old one and a new one side to side, with the same guitarist playing the same guitar through both, there’s no way it could be a scientific assessment. Besides, the new ones don’t have the DeYoung trannies. They’re tonally inferior based on that fact alone.

Or superior...

Well played, my friend. Well played.

 

[cardinal]

Any perceived difference kinda amounts to a failure of the new amp. They have to know that people immediately are going to compare them. They can try al they want to put a positive spin on any difference, but they really should be aiming simply for no difference at all. They can add "improvements" as options or other amps.

 

[Rick Lee]

Whatever the difference is, you're not gonna find it at NAMM, where volume limits are strictly enforced. Even in the closed off suites you can't crank a 100w head to anything close to its potential. I had my SLO for a few years before I happened upon an outdoor gig where I got to crank it to about 7. It was a totally different amp at that volume. Night and day.

 

[godgrinder]

Any perceived difference kinda amounts to a failure of the new amp. They have to know that people immediately are going to compare them. They can try al they want to put a positive spin on any difference, but they really should be aiming simply for no difference at all. They can add "improvements" as options or other amps.

People want the "improvements" but still want it to say SLO on it (which is probably the exact reason why the HR25 is now a "SLO30"). Didn't he address a lot of the complaints on Decatone?

I think it's smart for them to change a bunch of things, so if it sound different people can't simply pinpoint it onto different transformers.

 

[stratjacket]

Nevertheless, that 30 amp version is new and want badly.

 

[311splawndude]

You can buy 2 Splawns for the cost of a SLO 100 and I doubt the components are any better or worse. Just sayin'

Not arguing tone or trying to piss off SLO owners but Scott Splawn is making high quality high gain channel switchers with excellent loops at a price.


Edit: I meant lower price not same price obviously.

 

[godgrinder]

You can buy 2 Splawns for the cost of a SLO 100 and I doubt the components are any better or worse. Just sayin'

Not arguing tone or trying to piss off SLO owners but Scott Splawn is making high quality high gain channel switches with excellent loops for the same price.

Well you can apply that logic to any $3000+ modded Marshalls (Friedman/Bogner/Wizard/Cameron).

 

[Rex Rocker]

What's the deal with the DeYoung transformers? What's special about them?

 

[Thunkful]

Never understood the craze over these amps. Not that they are bad amps, but don't they require a boost in front to sound and feel good?

Not necessarily; vs a JCM 800 that usually does. SLOs have plenty of gain, no boost needed. But I did run one with a boost in front, just preference for my tone. I also run a boost in front of any C+ I've owned. Not for gain or tightness/feel, just a different flavor if you will.
Hell, I even boosted my Wizard. But I boost almost everything.

Most of the videos that i've seen on youtube of the SLO have always been boosted with some pedal.

And the clips that weren't boosted were not so impressive imo, but i don't really understand the demand for old Marshalls either so maybe it's just me.

 

[rstites]

Never understood the craze over these amps. Not that they are bad amps, but don't they require a boost in front to sound and feel good?

Not necessarily; vs a JCM 800 that usually does. SLOs have plenty of gain, no boost needed. But I did run one with a boost in front, just preference for my tone. I also run a boost in front of any C+ I've owned. Not for gain or tightness/feel, just a different flavor if you will.
Hell, I even boosted my Wizard. But I boost almost everything.

Most of the videos that i've seen on youtube of the SLO have always been boosted with some pedal.

And the clips that weren't boosted were not so impressive imo, but i don't really understand the demand for old Marshalls either so maybe it's just me.

What's it matter if it's boosted or not? The point is to get a good sound. It isn't some purity test.

Having said that, the SLO sounds great boosted and it sounds great without a boost. It just depends on what type of sound you're trying to get out of it. Really, that's true of every great amp out there. Some music just seems to work better with a good boost out front.

 

[rstites]

What's the deal with the DeYoung transformers? What's special about them?

They were uber-expensive, custom designed transformers used on all the SLO's produced by Mike over the years. They have a more linear response (along with the power section) than what you get from most guitar amplifiers which tend to underspec transformers.

They have gone out of production too, so really new transformers were necessary. I agree that just doing a general update all at once was the best way to go here.

 

[godgrinder]

Most of the videos that i've seen on youtube of the SLO have always been boosted with some pedal.

And the clips that weren't boosted were not so impressive imo, but i don't really understand the demand for old Marshalls either so maybe it's just me.

If we judge amps on whether they need boosts or not then Engl would be the best manufacturer, but I don't think you'd agree that being the case either.