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Bogner Alchemist 112 Combo
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Bogner Alchemist 112 Combo

Tube Combo Guitar Amp from Bogner belonging to the Alchemist series

NicolasD NicolasD

«  Cute home, useless live »

Published on 11/30/09 at 19:30
Amp Lamps
40 watts switchable to 20.
5x 12AX7 in preamp
2x 6L6 amp in
The HP is a 12 inch Celestion Greenback
A parallel effects loop
2 channels with 2 modes each is 4 "sounds" different
- Gold (Clean / Crunch) with Bright and Deep Switches (treble + / + trunk and low)
- Mercury (saturated / saturated + punch) with switches and bright midshift (+ tweeter / Mediums dug)
Everyone has gain controls, bass, mid, treble and volume
They share a digital reverb with three modes (Plate, Spring and Hall) and a delay with 3 modes also (Duck, Analog, Tape) signed, Line 6.
There is a tap tempo and a knob for the delay and a knob for the reverb.
The footswitch allows you to change the channel to engage the boost, to activate the reverb and delay.
It is independent of the amplifier and connects with an XLR cable, which is a very good point because the cables directly attached to a footswitch tend to deteriorate or even break away and complicate the arrangements.

UTILIZATION

It is convenient and easy to use.
The manual is fine, it's Line 6, pros-friendly manual.
Oh ... and it's a matter of taste but I like his aesthetic, like an old radio but with modern bright points on the web that protects the HP, it's cute:)

SOUNDS

First, as with all my opinion, I'll try to be as objective as possible. I have 4 amps, so multiple comparison tools, and have the chance to play regularly on a lot of different amps.
I also tried it with several guitars, cheap to the custom shop, single coils and humbuckers, active and passive pickups etc etc ... (See list of my gear). It gives the following:

The ITS CLEAR is correct, nothing more.
It is true that before I had a Twin Amp that when he was willing to walk, had no chest pain. In defense of Bogner of interest here, the Twin Amp was a 2X12.

The ITS GOLD CRUNCH channel is very interesting. It reminds me of a fender bassman or early driven to desperation. It is unfortunate that we have access only a tiny switch on the front and not the foot but may be this was not feasible. We could have had a false 3 channel very useful in concert.

CHANNEL MERCURY is very good. It is without hesitation think his "real" Bogner. Earnings do not bleed too much, even at the bottom, just enough for us to feel comfortable with our Legato rock:)
Please note, this amp is not Ultra High Gain, the metalheads will be somewhat restrained. The sound is too thin and too tight for this style of music. We can pretend to have all but made for this amp.

At home it is a treat, even at low volume.

LIVE is something else. Even through all mediums thoroughly down low, we do not hear much. It's the same problem as the Mesa F50 and F30 and it's very frustrating. This is not a problem of quantity but of clarity because the amp is powerful but it does not allow the guitar to leave the group. Worse, he drives it deep in the mix.

On all channels, the Alchemist is quite subtle and reacts very well to the shots picks. We can realize the videos posted on youtube by the manufacturer, which revealed quite faithfully the sound of the combo transplanted by microphones.

The reverb and delay, even modeling, are excellent and not at all unnecessary on this type of amp. Ok, it's not as organic as a real tape delay or a reverb springs but at least we avoid the disadvantages (read my opinion on the twin amp).

OVERALL OPINION

Finally it's made in China and it is not bad.
I do not know if it will take time but it's been two years since I have and I never had to complain (unlike some American brands, with products made in USA made, read my other reviews).

It was still a few flaws:
- The pots too close to each other (there grows often inadvertently)
- 2-channel only (although we might be able to make a fake 3-channel, or even 4)
- No tap tempo foot (shame that)
- No activation loop effect at the foot
- A little too wide, it is more portable amps, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise, cabinet protecting the rest.
- The largest least live a popping sound that is not out of the mix.

The price / quality ratio is still excellent, its prices have fallen sharply, he deserves throws one ear.
It is very affordable and does a remarkable first tube amp for an amp amateurs and serious and not expensive for the professional.