Soldano slo 100

[mikey]

All the debate and comparisons and BAD hasn't released one in the wild yet. It's gonna get real entertaining when they do!

 

[nevusofota]

It’s more speculation than debating. Opinions and speculation is what makes gear forums entertaining.

If you’ve been around these parts long enough it’s obvious what’s going to happen. Half of the people will love the MKII stating they think it sounds/plays the same or better and the other half will say it’s not the same and falls short. MKI’s will always fetch more on the used market.

 

[rstites]

I don't know, I've played a SLO clone with those Onetics and the tone wasn't really very close to my ears. It did not do what any of the 3 SLOs I had did, starting at 1.5 on the master on up. Pretty far apart IMO. Nice amp in its own right but far from a real SLO.

My understanding is that the Onetics is intentionally designed to be different from the DeYoung. I've read that somewhere online about how the designer wasn't willing to do a direct copy even though they could have.

I've never listened to any clone, but everyone who's play the real deal and played a clone has said the same thing you're saying.

Really, I've only played the one because it's the one I've owned for years.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Those saying the prices will eventually come down are the same ones saying the same thing months ago.
Prices have only climbed since then, on anything associated with “Soldano”.
Truth is, there were only so many Soldano amps built, and a whole lot more guitarists wanting what everyone else can’t have.
Prices aren’t going to come down if/when BAD releases the next SLO, because it won’t have the same trannies, and the build quality will be crap compared to Mike Soldano’s shop.
Original Mike Soldano amps are only going to go up in price. Anyone disputing that is wrong.

 

[mnemonic]

Here’s a quote from Bud Purvine from back in 2009 regarding the onetics transformers and their relation to the DeYoung’s.

https://www.harmonycentral.com/forums/t ... d-the-slo/

My name is Bud Purvine, I design for O-Netics Ltd. In 2000 Martin and Eric DeYoung asked me to lunch and wanted to talk about designing and building transformers to unseat Mercury Magnetics. Apparently someone at MM had irritated them. My response was to forget about Mercury, they made a reasonable product for a reasonable price and they were in a death struggle with Shumacher. I could see no reason to interfere.



I did point out that we could make "voiced" output transformers and that the same amplifier circuitry could be made to play and respond like a Fender, Marshall, High Gain ultra clear, Blues or The Standard for all around playing. I said I thought five voices would be enough. Martin asked me if I wanted to see the original design specs for the SLO, that my by then deceased friend, John Wozniack had designed for the SLO. I said no, I did not want to copy what John had done. That anything I designed would be much broader in usefulness than a specific OPT design, for a specific set of parameters would be, as it was done in the 50's when John learned his trade. They then pointed to O-Netics making the SLO for Soldano and I said no to that also. I felt that John had done a superb job and that it should not be interfered with and that I was pretty sure Mike would think the same. He did.



The next step was a conference with Dave Krackey, here in Seattle. Dave provided a set of power transformer specs that he felt would be most useful for DIY builders, and so they have proven. We at O-Netics went ahead and designed and developed the five voices. Andy Marshall at THD was kind enough to collaborate with me in getting the voicing correct for each of the categories, now called, Hi Def, Retro M, Retro F, Blues and The Standard.



One of them, the Hi Def is held in high esteem by the SLO clone builders. Soldano now buys that OPT design, for all of their 50 and 100 watt amplifiers, except the SLO. This is a recent event, beginning last year and continuing through this year. De Young still makes the original SLO OPT, power and choke and will continue to do this.



If you want an original OPT for the SLO, you must try to talk Mike Soldano into selling you one, good luck in this. If you want to build a clone, with an OPT that does not change it's response due to power levels, dissonance, massive amounts of distortion and will still play perfect clean channel, get a Hi Def. Log on to the SLO clone web site for their opinions. These are available through http://www.c3amps.com/ and more recently http://www.rhodesamplification.com/ or you can contact me directly through the PM service here. To buy them from me will take you 8 weeks, C3 usually has them in stock, along with some other useful components.



There are a few manufacturers we have respect for, Mercury, Deyoung, Pacific, Hammond, Heyboer and a few others. All of them make similar OPT's, sort of an old school design philosophy. O-Netics has just taken another step in performance. Not to say it makes the other manufacturers obsolete, either. The OPT is the single most important component in your amp, period. How it interacts with the power tubes and the speakers will be 90% of what is wrong with any given amp and 70% of what is right. Our products might not suit your playing style and you need to experience parts from other manufacturers, just to educate yourself in what is available and what suits your art.



Bud

 

[Jack Luminous]

I agree. Original SLOs were built one by one by Mike in his small shop. BAD is a gigantic plant with underpaid workers working in line. The two products will be different, that's for sure.

Those saying the prices will eventually come down are the same ones saying the same thing months ago.
Prices have only climbed since then, on anything associated with “Soldano”.
Truth is, there were only so many Soldano amps built, and a whole lot more guitarists wanting what everyone else can’t have.
Prices aren’t going to come down if/when BAD releases the next SLO, because it won’t have the same trannies, and the build quality will be crap compared to Mike Soldano’s shop.
Original Mike Soldano amps are only going to go up in price. Anyone disputing that is wrong.

 

[Racerxrated]

It's similar to the C+. 2500-3000 made, and starting with the 60w at 2500 on up to the Coliseums, which can go for stupid money...one sold for 15K to a collector in Israel a few yrs back. But, 5K for a Coli or a fully loaded DRG long head have happened and often. I would say the Coli since less than 100 made is the rarest of the rare. As long as it is fully loaded they can go for 5-7K. Since the SLO is one model, same options (other than the rare no loop, or 2 lead channel versions) it may stay where it is..3-5K. Which is the same range as a loaded C+ HRG/DRG.

 

[thegame]

So the take away from all this information is that the new Soldanos will literally sound BAD ?

 

[Racerxrated]

So the take away from all this information is that the new Soldanos will literally sound BAD ?

 

[blackba]

It’s more speculation than debating. Opinions and speculation is what makes gear forums entertaining.

If you’ve been around these parts long enough it’s obvious what’s going to happen. Half of the people will love the MKII stating they think it sounds/plays the same or better and the other half will say it’s not the same and falls short. MKI’s will always fetch more on the used market.

Nailed it. Yes that is exactly what is going to happen, seen it 1000 times now. The Mesa Mark IIC+ and Mark V and later JP2C releases are good indications of that.

I am very curious on the SLO30 that was announced. Wondering how it will compare to the HR25 I have and love. Even the HR25's are now selling used for what they used to sell for new.

 

[Luca79]

Here’s a quote from Bud Purvine from back in 2009 regarding the onetics transformers and their relation to the DeYoung’s.

Short answer, he don't care to make an exact replica.

From http://www.c3amps.com/

Precision engineered transformers representing the highest quality in the industry. Available in both 100 Watt and 50 Watt versions. The goal was to produce the best transformer possible specifically for this modern high gain application. Severe duty construction well beyond milspec standards providing uncompromised tone and massive amounts of headroom that the SLO circuit craves. To say that these are designed for arena sized play would be dead accurate. These transformers surpass the stock DeYoungs and other popular replicas.



"The ONetics Hi Def Output Transformers have a flat power bandwidth that is amazingly detailed. Bass is very tight with, fast, muscular definition that allows it to handle even dissonance without faltering. The mids and highs are clear, fast and very revealing without any trace of harshness. Aimed at the modern high gain amplifier, it handles heavy distortion and heavy transients without strain."

 

[Racerxrated]

Here’s a quote from Bud Purvine from back in 2009 regarding the onetics transformers and their relation to the DeYoung’s.

Short answer, he don't care to make an exact replica.

From http://www.c3amps.com/

Precision engineered transformers representing the highest quality in the industry. Available in both 100 Watt and 50 Watt versions. The goal was to produce the best transformer possible specifically for this modern high gain application. Severe duty construction well beyond milspec standards providing uncompromised tone and massive amounts of headroom that the SLO circuit craves. To say that these are designed for arena sized play would be dead accurate. These transformers surpass the stock DeYoungs and other popular replicas.



"The ONetics Hi Def Output Transformers have a flat power bandwidth that is amazingly detailed. Bass is very tight with, fast, muscular definition that allows it to handle even dissonance without faltering. The mids and highs are clear, fast and very revealing without any trace of harshness. Aimed at the modern high gain amplifier, it handles heavy distortion and heavy transients without strain."

Which is why those transformers won't make any SLO clone sound much like a real SLO. People that buy clones to sound like the real thing, are getting screwed right out of the gate with an admission like that. If they use those transformers.

 

[rstites]

Here’s a quote from Bud Purvine from back in 2009 regarding the onetics transformers and their relation to the DeYoung’s.

https://www.harmonycentral.com/forums/t ... d-the-slo/

Thanks. That was what I was thinking of in my earlier post.

 

[Valvert]

I don't think the original SLO will ever come down in price because there are about 2600 in total. That's a fairly small number. There are about 11000 Minimoog from the original run (71-82) and the price keeps going up despite the numerous reissues/improved versions released later.

Are there only 2600 SLO's?

 

[Jack Luminous]

I don't think the original SLO will ever come down in price because there are about 2600 in total. That's a fairly small number. There are about 11000 Minimoog from the original run (71-82) and the price keeps going up despite the numerous reissues/improved versions released later.

Are there only 2600 SLO's?

Yes.

 

[Valvert]

Wow, I didn't know that.

I have a SLO-100 (2004-#1649) with
- Depth mod
- SRV mod
- WH mod
- Switchable fx-loop in line-out jack.

Curious about the new SLO's, but I doubt if they will ever match the older ones in having MOJO, historical significance (and build quality tho nobody can tell by now)...

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

It’s more speculation than debating. Opinions and speculation is what makes gear forums entertaining.

If you’ve been around these parts long enough it’s obvious what’s going to happen. Half of the people will love the MKII stating they think it sounds/plays the same or better and the other half will say it’s not the same and falls short. MKI’s will always fetch more on the used market.

Nailed it. Yes that is exactly what is going to happen, seen it 1000 times now. The Mesa Mark IIC+ and Mark V and later JP2C releases are good indications of that.

I am very curious on the SLO30 that was announced. Wondering how it will compare to the HR25 I have and love. Even the HR25's are now selling used for what they used to sell for new.

Hoping that SLO 30 has useable features...what I mean is this day and age. Direct signal, solid tones at low volumes...not counting on it...but we'll see

 

[JemSLO]

I bought my 2003 snakeskin SLO brand new in 2005. It has been my "lifetime" amp since. I decided to buy a second SLO recently. I paid around $3000 for my first SLO, and about $4000 for this one. I feel they are both worth every penny and the only amps I ever want to play through. I'm not interested in the BAD version, even if it ends up being an amazing amp. I just want the original that I bonded with for the last 15 years. Nothing like it.

 

[Goat]

Why so cheap?

 

[sadistik42]

I bought my 2003 snakeskin SLO brand new in 2005. It has been my "lifetime" amp since. I decided to buy a second SLO recently. I paid around $3000 for my first SLO, and about $4000 for this one. I feel they are both worth every penny and the only amps I ever want to play through. I'm not interested in the BAD version, even if it ends up being an amazing amp. I just want the original that I bonded with for the last 15 years. Nothing like it.

One day soon people are gonna realize they spent way too much $$$$ on amps they wouldn't even be looking at if they weren't "rare" now....