VIDEOS: From Amp Fest 2013!

[jcj]

I actually thought the Cameron stuff, and the Third Power British Dream sounded best (middle video).

 

[supersonic]

There are only subtle differences here, it re enforces that tone is in the fingers.

 

[James Lugo]

Man I must be crazy or overly sensitive from producing for so long but I here big differences. Between similar amp archetypes the difference can be minimal like the Friedman's, or some of Cameron's mods but over all the Uber doesn't resemble anything. The stock 800 sounds and reacted to playing completely different then say the CCV's or Diezel. The 3rd Power stuff was less compressed then most of the amps and breathed more, I could see it in the wav forms too. Another thought is when you get to this level most everything sounds really good at what it does so differences can appear slight because of that but if you're going for the ultimate sound it's always a game of inches. If you get enough of those little improvements over the course of a full song you end up with a big difference. I know that to be true for me regarding audio. Great mic pres can seem like only slightly better then average pres, same with mics, eqs and compressors but when you chain all of them together the slightly better of everything becomes way better. I know that to be true from massive experience.

 

[supersonic]

Man I must be crazy or overly sensitive from producing for so long but I here big differences. Between similar amp archetypes the difference can be minimal like the Friedman's, or some of Cameron's mods but over all the Uber doesn't resemble anything. The stock 800 sounds and reacted to playing completely different then say the CCV's or Diezel. The 3rd Power stuff was less compressed then most of the amps and breathed more, I could see it in the wav forms too. Another thought is when you get to this level most everything sounds really good at what it does so differences can appear slight because of that but if you're going for the ultimate sound it's always a game of inches. If you get enough of those little improvements over the course of a full song you end up with a big difference. I know that to be true for me regarding audio. Great mic pres can seem like only slightly better then average pres, same with mics, eqs and compressors but when you chain all of them together the slightly better of everything becomes way better. I know that to be true from massive experience.

Not to take anything away from the excellent job done here James. Obviosly there are differences, but as you say when you get to a certain level they all sound great, I'm hearing much more difference in the different fingers. The other thing worth mentioning is that it's hard to translate how each amp "feels" in these comparisons.

 

[glip22]

Man I must be crazy or overly sensitive from producing for so long but I here big differences. Between similar amp archetypes the difference can be minimal like the Friedman's, or some of Cameron's mods but over all the Uber doesn't resemble anything. The stock 800 sounds and reacted to playing completely different then say the CCV's or Diezel. The 3rd Power stuff was less compressed then most of the amps and breathed more, I could see it in the wav forms too. Another thought is when you get to this level most everything sounds really good at what it does so differences can appear slight because of that but if you're going for the ultimate sound it's always a game of inches. If you get enough of those little improvements over the course of a full song you end up with a big difference. I know that to be true for me regarding audio. Great mic pres can seem like only slightly better then average pres, same with mics, eqs and compressors but when you chain all of them together the slightly better of everything becomes way better. I know that to be true from massive experience.

Not to take anything away from the excellent job done here James. Obviosly there are differences, but as you say when you get to a certain level they all sound great, I'm hearing much more difference in the different fingers. The other thing worth mentioning is that it's hard to translate how each amp "feels" in these comparisons.

Possibly it is because James and Crew can mic a shit stain to sound great

 

[RedRider]

Man I must be crazy or overly sensitive from producing for so long but I here big differences. Between similar amp archetypes the difference can be minimal like the Friedman's, or some of Cameron's mods but over all the Uber doesn't resemble anything. The stock 800 sounds and reacted to playing completely different then say the CCV's or Diezel. The 3rd Power stuff was less compressed then most of the amps and breathed more, I could see it in the wav forms too. Another thought is when you get to this level most everything sounds really good at what it does so differences can appear slight because of that but if you're going for the ultimate sound it's always a game of inches. If you get enough of those little improvements over the course of a full song you end up with a big difference. I know that to be true for me regarding audio. Great mic pres can seem like only slightly better then average pres, same with mics, eqs and compressors but when you chain all of them together the slightly better of everything becomes way better. I know that to be true from massive experience.

Not to take anything away from the excellent job done here James. Obviosly there are differences, but as you say when you get to a certain level they all sound great, I'm hearing much more difference in the different fingers. The other thing worth mentioning is that it's hard to translate how each amp "feels" in these comparisons.

Possibly it is because James and Crew can mic a shit stain to sound great

Totally agree here!!!

 

[glassjaw7]

There are only subtle differences here, it re enforces that tone is in the fingers.

To a point, but a lot of tone is in gear too. There was a lot of other consistent factors here like speakers and recording chain which made everything have a similar tone. I know what you mean though. The reamping made everything sound pretty consistent too. I think the biggest differences in gear is how it feels and what it makes you want to play.

 

[supersonic]

There are only subtle differences here, it re enforces that tone is in the fingers.

To a point, but a lot of tone is in gear too. There was a lot of other consistent factors here like speakers and recording chain which made everything have a similar tone. I know what you mean though. The reamping made everything sound pretty consistent too. I think the biggest differences in gear is how it feels and what it makes you want to play.

Agreed. I guess my whole point is based around this argument. Maybe some extra notes would help, note musical notes but players notes on how the amp feels under their fingers.

 

[mapat]

I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work putting everything together!

 

[James Lugo]

I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work putting everything together!

No worries. It was a lot of fun and pretty informative for me.

 

[RedRider]

There are only subtle differences here, it re enforces that tone is in the fingers.

To a point, but a lot of tone is in gear too. There was a lot of other consistent factors here like speakers and recording chain which made everything have a similar tone. I know what you mean though. The reamping made everything sound pretty consistent too. I think the biggest differences in gear is how it feels and what it makes you want to play.

Agreed. I guess my whole point is based around this argument. Maybe some extra notes would help, note musical notes but players notes on how the amp feels under their fingers.

In these recordings there was no player....and even if we had players notes they would range WILDLY, just as if you asked someone to describe any tone out there...no 2 are ever alike... Figure this is about as close as you can possibly get to a controlled environment...same recording played through every amp....every possibly option the same for every amp (cab, speakers, cables, literally everything the same in every instance except the amp itself...) If one of these amp tones interest you, the only player whose opinion matters at all is yours, as your feel will be different than EVERYONE else out there who plays...

 

[jcm800x4]

My favorite was the stock JCM800.

You are not alone. I can't tell how many have told me that. You can really hear it breathing on Bruce's solo and Todd's main riff. That sucker arrived the day before, I didn't even have any time to dial her it. Plug and play. I've been using it this week in low gain input in conjunction with my Fender Super Reverb on a country record. Incredible. The sound jumps off the speakers.

That amp definitely records very well. I've owned pretty much a version of all those amps in your video and I'm sitting here thinking what a waste of money... I could have just bought a JCM800.

That said the Reinhardt Storm I owned reminded me a lot of a good JCM800. Should have never sold that.

Thanks for posting BTW... that was a TON of work.

That's a better than average sounding 800. I've owned many and it's too bad they don't all sound like that.

I'm sure you are right my friend.... that's why I should have kept that Reinhardt. My second fovirites were the Friedman's. The one we swapped back and forth was nice. Oddly enough I'm still enjoying the EVH.

The original 800 series is the most varied of the entire Marshall line IMHO. Its all over the place. But When you find a good one....its the shit!! And hang on to it like your 13... its your junk ....and your going thru puberty.

 

[shane159]

That Stock 800 sounds great. I like it and the 3rd American Dream .

 

[mapat]

I had the High Gain 1 video on in the background while I read something in another browser window, flipping back to the video if something caught my ear.

Some impressions...

The Brown Eye sounds HUGE! When that part of the clip started I flipped back to it quickly to see what amp it was. It has this huge presence and girth that set it apart from the others, to my ears.

On the flip side, when the Uberschall part of the vid started I flipped back to it too to see what amp that was. I was struck by how thin, comparatively speaking, it sounded.

Like others have said, also pretty cool to see the stock JCM more than hold its own in this rarefied company.

 

[thiswaythatway]

My favorite was the stock JCM800.

I've been saying it for a while, the less shit going on inside an amp usually results in a better sounding amp.

 

[Anonymous]

my ears like the uber, the triple rec, the stock 800, the 2 rock, lonestar and the lugo 800.

 

[Greazygeo]

Thanks for doing this.

Listened to the high gain stuff so far. They all pretty much sound the same to me listening in my studio. Close enough that with a little eq-ing could get the same tone from them all. Differences I heard were mainly in the low end, some were looser and some tighter, and some had more "hair" to the tone. Otherwise very similar. Feel-wise there would be a difference.

I only made it thru a couple sec's of the Ola stuff….not my thing at all. Still need to make it thru the Classic stuff this weekend when I get some time.

There are more amps on the sound files, including the Deliverance you sold me years ago.

https://jameslugo.wetransfer.com/downlo ... 550/5ff1bc

Hey Kelly! Good to hear you still have the VHT. Cool amps for sure.

I did listen thru the clips before I watched the video. All those amps just sound very similar to me. Not saying they are the same at all, but in the clips there just isn't that much of a difference other than looseness/ tightness in the low end along with some having more hair to the tone. Other differences sounded like a small eq adjustment here and there would fix those. Can't help what I hear.

The first shootout done a few years ago, seemed like the amps had more distinction between them.

 

[gtr31]

Thanks for doing this.

Listened to the high gain stuff so far. They all pretty much sound the same to me listening in my studio. Close enough that with a little eq-ing could get the same tone from them all. Differences I heard were mainly in the low end, some were looser and some tighter, and some had more "hair" to the tone. Otherwise very similar. Feel-wise there would be a difference.

I only made it thru a couple sec's of the Ola stuff….not my thing at all. Still need to make it thru the Classic stuff this weekend when I get some time.

There are more amps on the sound files, including the Deliverance you sold me years ago.

https://jameslugo.wetransfer.com/downlo ... 550/5ff1bc

Hey Kelly! Good to hear you still have the VHT. Cool amps for sure.

I did listen thru the clips before I watched the video. All those amps just sound very similar to me. Not saying they are the same at all, but in the clips there just isn't that much of a difference other than looseness/ tightness in the low end along with some having more hair to the tone. Other differences sounded like a small eq adjustment here and there would fix those. Can't help what I hear.

The first shootout done a few years ago, seemed like the amps had more distinction between them.

I think one of the funniest comments i heard recently and true was Reinhold at the La amp show ,He was basically talking about the new Helios and the BE ,Suhr and all the Modded Marshalls.
He said differences at lower volume were slight ,as you mentioned a lil looser lil tighter .but once you got them all cranked to stage volume ,it was all the same damn amp .lol

 

[James Lugo]

Thanks for doing this.

Listened to the high gain stuff so far. They all pretty much sound the same to me listening in my studio. Close enough that with a little eq-ing could get the same tone from them all. Differences I heard were mainly in the low end, some were looser and some tighter, and some had more "hair" to the tone. Otherwise very similar. Feel-wise there would be a difference.

I only made it thru a couple sec's of the Ola stuff….not my thing at all. Still need to make it thru the Classic stuff this weekend when I get some time.

There are more amps on the sound files, including the Deliverance you sold me years ago.

https://jameslugo.wetransfer.com/downlo ... 550/5ff1bc

Hey Kelly! Good to hear you still have the VHT. Cool amps for sure.

I did listen thru the clips before I watched the video. All those amps just sound very similar to me. Not saying they are the same at all, but in the clips there just isn't that much of a difference other than looseness/ tightness in the low end along with some having more hair to the tone. Other differences sounded like a small eq adjustment here and there would fix those. Can't help what I hear.

The first shootout done a few years ago, seemed like the amps had more distinction between them.

I think one of the funniest comments i heard recently and true was Reinhold at the La amp show ,He was basically talking about the new Helios and the BE ,Suhr and all the Modded Marshalls.
He said differences at lower volume were slight ,as you mentioned a lil looser lil tighter .but once you got them all cranked to stage volume ,it was all the same damn amp .lol

Man I can hear differences in all of them at any volumes. The friedmans were 180 from all the cameron stuff. The Suhr was more like the friedmans to me. The slo had a totally difference sonic structure. Sounded different, played different look different on the wave form. The uber was totally different too. The triple has a totally different thing. As did the orange. I blind tested the clips last night and got everyone right. I can definetly hear a difference. Anyway I'm gonna give this argument a rest like my ears need.

Ps this week I had to test sample rate sonic differences for a covertor company. Talk about having to use your ears to the ultimate degree. The difference between 44.1 and 48.

Pss I thought 88.2 sounded best. 96 was to bright.

 

[Mr. Willy]

They all sounded great. Goes to show how important the man behind the board is to great recorded guitar tones.