Soldano SLO30 vid here.

[harddriver]

I think I'm more impressed with this than the SLO100, I liked the HR25 as well. I guess it's running two 5881's at 30 watts, I would think it's closer to 50 but............

 

[RaceU4her]

i never understood the SLO hype theres just nothing that exciting going on here

 

[Seitz333]

So far from the videos I have seen/heard I'm liking the SLO 30, but I think they missed the price point. If they would have priced this at $1999 I could probably justify getting one. But then again I think any amp over $3k is absurd, and yes I have paid over $3k for an amp, lol.

 

[errrrrl]

i never understood the SLO hype theres just nothing that exciting going on here

I feel sort of the same way... but out of all the new Slo amps I swear the 30w version sounds the best for metal to my ears. Would love to try one though.

 

[LP Freak]

Just like the 100, it’s too flubby for me

 

[Racerxrated]

Like a Wizard, when you turn it up it takes on a new dimension. When I had my first one, even after I turned up I was meh on it, but then I slightly boosted it with an EQ pedal..sounded incredible with just a little boost.
Not for everyone though.

 

[LP Freak]

For some reason I’ve always hated the fact than an amp needed a boost to sound good

 

[MetalHeadMike]

For some reason I’ve always hated the fact than an amp needed a boost to sound good

I get this...to each is own. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. If it gets me the tone/feel I'm after, I'll use a boost in front of any amp regardless of price point.

 

[godgrinder]

i never understood the SLO hype theres just nothing that exciting going on here

Of course there's nothing exciting about the SLO tone in 2020 because that circuit has been ripped off a million times by other manufactuers. But it's worth remembering without the SLO these amps wouldn't have existed.

 

[Racerxrated]

For some reason I’ve always hated the fact than an amp needed a boost to sound good

I get this...to each is own. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. If it gets me the tone/feel I'm after, I'll use a boost in front of any amp regardless of price point.

It's not that it doesn't sound good without one; it's that it sounds GREAT with one. I'm so used to enjoying the tone with a boost, even if it's just a slight one, that I have to use one even in front of a high gain amp. The only amp I own that needs one is my stock 2203. Everything else is just fine stock without a boost. But they get that much better with one. IMO.
The SLO did sound good stock, but it didn't resemble the tone I heard on the RATT record. But as soon as I goosed it just a little, there it was. Like a great modded Marshall with a monster power section.

My C+ Coliseum has so much gain, at 6 it's almost overwhelming. But I even boost that lol. I drop the gain way down though to 2-3 when I do. It adds some upper mid bite that the amp doesn't really have on its own.

 

[RaceU4her]

i never understood the SLO hype theres just nothing that exciting going on here

Of course there's nothing exciting about the SLO tone in 2020 because that circuit has been ripped off a million times by other manufactuers. But it's worth remembering without the SLO these amps wouldn't have existed.

i mean thats cool, i know about the deyoung transformers as well but what were the albums done with these that gave them their legendary rep? who used one in their live rig for any real length of time? ive never seen one in the wild. i dont really remember hearing many SLO clips or vids in 20 years of forum'ing, these new review vids might actually be the first SLO clips ive heard as crazy as that sounds and i dont think they are very impressive. id love to try one in person and see what im missing

 

[godgrinder]

what were the albums done with these that gave them their legendary rep? who used one in their live rig for any real length of time?

Probably a bunch of hair metal bands that I never cared for? I bought mine because it's a massive sounding amp, especially at higher volume. Try it if you come across one.

 

[Dave L]

I think the Soldano reputation comes mainly from EVH, Clapton and Knopfler, and every single session pro in LA. The metal crowd never really got into it in the same way as the rock, hard rock and pop guys, though, which makes sense since it wasn't really a super metal amp even by the standards of 30 years ago. Lots of gain on the OD channel, sure, but voiced more for soloing than extremely heavy rhythm work.

 

[ClintN667]

this vid had me wanting one bad... I actually was doing the math and then Zzounds has them on the 12 payment plan so that made it even more tempting but then I thought about 1 it's Ola. The way he mic'd the cab anything will sound good and 2 he boosted it before it got the tone I was excited about.

 

[glassjaw7]

I used to feel that Soldano was a bit hyped. I played a few SLOs and liked them but always seemed a little too flubby and fizzy..

My buddy bought a HR50 and I saw his band at a gig where he had the master on 7. It sounded glorious. This big, thick and articulate chewy tone with balls and definition. I've since heard a SLO at deafening volume and it's just more of that beautiful tone. It's a 3D type of thing. I'd like to play the 30 to see if it gets that big sound and feel.

 

[bubucci]

Soldano need a little push on the front end to remove that fizz and flubby low end but after that its one of the best sounds in live band. It sits just perfectly in mix, something like JCM800.
I hope poeple will move HotRods for new SLO30 ?

 

[jape23]

I've owned a few SLO 100s over the years, and I usually ran the drive channel with the gain at 9 o'clock and the master at noon or higher. Sounded super tight and punchy that way. No flub or fizz, and still plenty enough gain for my tastes. But if you're looking for an amp to do brutal/high gain metal tones, I would look elsewhere.

 

[japetus]

Everything Ola demos pretty much sounds the same anyway.

 

[harddriver]

I've always read that Mike Soldano designed it to be as close to a cranked Plexi Superlead that he could get with a Master volume. I always thought Ed's tone with the SLO was great. Here's Ed with a SLO halfstackand sound pretty dry effects,maybe some delay at Cabo in 1990, the tone is aggressive and cuts much like a great Marshall. But....I'm sure he is cranking it. I'm sure at lower volumes it could be buzzy, I remember playing a VHT in 1992 and I cranked the preamp to 8 like I set my Marshall 2203 and it was very buzzy at low volumes and I was like, "it's buzzy" but I was so used to my Marshall I didn't realize it had twice the gain on tap.

You can hear the subdued compression in the brand new 5150(1991) tone compared to the raw aggression of the SLO.

 

[turtlefingers]

Everything Ola demos pretty much sounds the same anyway.

+1.

Chuga Chuga for days...