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Bikeamtn « Nice Amp & Portable Amp Player »
Published on 05/05/13 at 16:05The transistor Princeton 65 is 65 watts with 2-Clean Inputs; Vol, Treble and Bass the Drive Input (#2 with drive button engaged) makes it dirty with Drive, Vol, Treble, Mid, Bass, REVB and there also are PRE-OUT, PWR-IN and Foot switch for add-on options.
UTILIZATION
This is a guitar amp so it is bright (very forward). The really nice thing is the 12- inch spk (vital to the tone), the bottom end is solid at these settings and the signal to noise was acceptable for the pre-amp circuit. On the amp output side; little line-noise that is typical of this amp but diminishes with volume of course (total pwr is 65 watts)
SOUNDS
The 12-inch is a best speaker all around and can really expand its useful range when paired with better cabinet designs.
OVERALL OPINION
Got the Princeton 65 (PR403) as I was put-off by all the hype-crap of over-priced designer boom-boxes (like Beats) and needed a quick amp for my keyboard. Now before you guitarist begin to whine, allow me to validate why you should read the review. As a longtime studio/live, sound engineer, the objective was to test (using Neutrik analyzers) how clean, how loud and how sweet I could get this to be a top-performer in its price class.
Great Music Amplification in any venue rest on thee main points;
- Amp’s ability for clean reproduction (signal must be clean first, in order to accuracy control tone color (clean before adding the dirt).
- Tone processing should be clean, serving its duty without adding junk, give control when you want the dirt and be open to optional outboard gear (EQ, REV, EFX, etc).
- Speaker tone, type and size must meet its intended use and do it accuracy (it is the last link where signal turns into sound for the human ear.
With that - I was surprised how clean it delivered. Sparing all the techie details I’ll simplify it this way: with Clean Input; Vol. 5, Treble 1 (yes one), Bass 2.7 (or 3) is a good start point (varies slightly with each unit). Not really a guitar player so tested by playing of Eric Johnson’s ‘Missing Key’ (Seven Worlds) or Michael Landau, ‘Roodis Tones’ from Tales From the Bulge (to give credit to two lesser known mainstream artists) with iPod connected using lossless HD MP4’s, and your barbeque or house party will rock like the bands playing in the yard. There is a little line-noise that is typical of this amp but diminishes with volume of course (on that mater, I’d go with Hartke but of more cost).
The PR403 also Drive Inputs (making it dirty) with Drive, Vol, Treble, Mid, Bass, REVB and a PRE-OUT, PWR-IN and Foot switch for add-on options. This is a guitar amp so it is bright (very forward) and why only a 1-percent Treble in my case. The really nice thing is the 12 inch spk (vital to the tone), the bottom end is solid at these settings and the signal to noise was acceptable (total pwr is 65 watts)
So hope this is helpful on all counts, whether looking for a reasonable guitar amp or a really rockin’ portable amplified player.
UTILIZATION
This is a guitar amp so it is bright (very forward). The really nice thing is the 12- inch spk (vital to the tone), the bottom end is solid at these settings and the signal to noise was acceptable for the pre-amp circuit. On the amp output side; little line-noise that is typical of this amp but diminishes with volume of course (total pwr is 65 watts)
SOUNDS
The 12-inch is a best speaker all around and can really expand its useful range when paired with better cabinet designs.
OVERALL OPINION
Got the Princeton 65 (PR403) as I was put-off by all the hype-crap of over-priced designer boom-boxes (like Beats) and needed a quick amp for my keyboard. Now before you guitarist begin to whine, allow me to validate why you should read the review. As a longtime studio/live, sound engineer, the objective was to test (using Neutrik analyzers) how clean, how loud and how sweet I could get this to be a top-performer in its price class.
Great Music Amplification in any venue rest on thee main points;
- Amp’s ability for clean reproduction (signal must be clean first, in order to accuracy control tone color (clean before adding the dirt).
- Tone processing should be clean, serving its duty without adding junk, give control when you want the dirt and be open to optional outboard gear (EQ, REV, EFX, etc).
- Speaker tone, type and size must meet its intended use and do it accuracy (it is the last link where signal turns into sound for the human ear.
With that - I was surprised how clean it delivered. Sparing all the techie details I’ll simplify it this way: with Clean Input; Vol. 5, Treble 1 (yes one), Bass 2.7 (or 3) is a good start point (varies slightly with each unit). Not really a guitar player so tested by playing of Eric Johnson’s ‘Missing Key’ (Seven Worlds) or Michael Landau, ‘Roodis Tones’ from Tales From the Bulge (to give credit to two lesser known mainstream artists) with iPod connected using lossless HD MP4’s, and your barbeque or house party will rock like the bands playing in the yard. There is a little line-noise that is typical of this amp but diminishes with volume of course (on that mater, I’d go with Hartke but of more cost).
The PR403 also Drive Inputs (making it dirty) with Drive, Vol, Treble, Mid, Bass, REVB and a PRE-OUT, PWR-IN and Foot switch for add-on options. This is a guitar amp so it is bright (very forward) and why only a 1-percent Treble in my case. The really nice thing is the 12 inch spk (vital to the tone), the bottom end is solid at these settings and the signal to noise was acceptable (total pwr is 65 watts)
So hope this is helpful on all counts, whether looking for a reasonable guitar amp or a really rockin’ portable amplified player.
