Marshall MG30DFX user reviews ( 5/10) - 52 user reviews

• 11/08/11

  yoTrakkz's review "Great phaser"

  Characteristics

  This Marshall MG30DFX has loads of amazing sounds built in, from the absolutely shiniest clean to the phasiest delayful reverberations full of tonal variations and zoological machinations. Everything's adjustable. Start with the amp set on clean and adjust it into a herd of stampeding wildebeests. Or you can choose from the many, many presets and turn them from interesting sounds into ZOMGoodies-my-junks-on-fire nonrhythmic-dance-of-doom madness from early 80's "Reagan's gonna kill us all" punk.

  Utilization

  It can be very loud - if you are playing small clubs, this will easily handle it, and if you are playing larger places, you will be mic-ing your amp anyway. I've been using Line 6 Gearbox and Podfarm for years, this amp has the great amp simulation and effects I am used to - and more, including a simple looper.

  Sounds

  No matter what sound you are looking for, you can play with the controls and find it with this amp, anything form a clean Fender twang for country music, to heavy metal shredding, or spacey David Gilmour/Robin Trower sounds are included with the presets. For those *tube purists*: if you can't get the sound you want out of this amp, you are just not trying!

  Overall Opinion

  The big advantage over a tube amp is you do not have to crank the volume up on this amp to get the tone you want. To take full advantage of this amp you need to get one of the FBV foot pedals, Also, there is only 1 input jack and 1 input channel and you cannot plug in an extra speaker cabinet, either. The headphone jack doubles as a DI output for recording or to feed to a PA system - and although this amp only has 1 speaker, this output is stereo when you use stereo F/X - note that it cuts off the speaker when you use it.
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• 08/14/11

  King Loudness's review "Eurgh..."

  Characteristics

  The Marshall MG30DFX is Marshall's attempt at a small wattage (30 watts) practice amp that follows the Line 6/Peavey trend of adding onboard effects. It features 2 channels each with its own EQ, a digital reverb, a few cheesy onboard effect (chorus, flanger, etc) and the promise of killer tone in a small package backed by the Marshall name. Here's a full list of specs:
  
  
  
  Features:
  
  Twin footswitchable channels - Clean and Overdrive
  
  Independent tone controls for Bass amd Treble on each channel
  
  Contour Control for dramatic mid sweep and "scooping"
  
  Emulated Line Out jack and Headphone jack
  
  CD input which allows you to play along to your favorite discs
  
  Built-in Digital Effects - Reverb, Chorus, Flange, and Delay
  
  10 in. custom-voiced speaker
  
  FDD (Frequency Dependent Damping)

  Utilization

  This amp is not easy to get a good tone out of simply because it's not a great sounding amp. Unlike similar practice amps from Vox, Peavey or Line 6, this amp just falls short tonally in just about every way. The EQ controls are near uselss for my tastes and the channels have a thin and metallic quality that's not pleasing to the ear at all. The onboard effects sound cheesy and don't help things either, and the stock 10 inch speaker is particularly wimpy and skittish sounding... a far cry from the excellent tones out of other small 30w amps of the same ilk.

  Sounds

  I've tried this amp with various single coil and humbucker loaded guitars and keep coming to the same sad conclusion. The amp really just does not sound good! The clean channel is lifeless and dull and can only really be helped when reverb is added. As a dry clean tone though it doesn't inspire creativity in the slightest. The drive channel is really just grainy and buzzy sounding. There isn't much I could do to make the sound work for my tastes... especially considering they took away the midrange control for a very strange and useless "contour" control that seems to just scoop the mids out as you turn it up.

  Overall Opinion

  All in all I think the Marshall MG Series amps are not a wise investment. There are many, many better options for a 30w practice amp with effects like the Peavey Vypyr 30 or the Line 6 Spider IV 30. This amp doesn't sound good, the controls really don't do much to help that, and given Marshall's questionable reliability as of late, I wouldn't expect one to last long without issues either... don't bother.
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• 06/22/11

  iamqman's review "The best of this series"

  Characteristics

  This is about the same amp as the Marshall MG30FX and the others. This one has a unique feature called the FDD, which stands for Frequency Dependent Damping. This basically emulates the connection between a power tube amp and a speaker cabinet. This is a spectacular feature to have and makes this amp the best of the 30 watt MG series solid state amps from Marshall.
  
  
  
  Features:
  
  
  
  Twin footswitchable channels - Clean and Overdrive
  
  Independent tone controls for Bass amd Treble on each channel
  
  Contour Control for dramatic mid sweep and "scooping"
  
  Emulated Line Out jack and Headphone jack
  
  CD input which allows you to play along to your favorite discs
  
  Built-in Digital Effects - Reverb, Chorus, Flange, and Delay
  
  10 in. custom-voiced speaker
  
  FDD (Frequency Dependent Damping)

  Utilization

  Output (RMS): 30W
  
  Channels: 2
  
  Footswitchable Channels
  
  CD Input: yes
  
  Emulated Line Out
  
  Emulated Headphone
  
  Spring Reverb: none
  
  Digital Effects: none
  
  FDD
  
  Speaker: 1 x 10 in.
  
  Dimensions: 476 x 408 x 240 mm
  
  Weight: 9.6 kg

  Sounds

  If you must pick up one of the solid state MG amps from Marshall make sure you get the FDD switch on there. It really tightens the distortion up a lot and fills the tone out more. The tone becomes thicker and fatter much like a real tube amp from Marshall.
  
  
  
  The tone from this amp isn't that bad for being a solid state amp. This is an all in one amp for a beginner guitar player. Any one who has spent any time with a tube amp will not go for this other than to have as a practice unit for silence or office use. The crunch channel will get you a great classic rock tone. Trying using a Gibson Les Paul or SG and dial down the gain for some good Led Zeppelin tone or Ac/Dc crunch.
  
  
  
  The over drive channel is excellent for modern rock and will sound good with any guitar used with humbucker pickup.

  Overall Opinion

  Unfortunately this amp has been discontinued and the used market will be the only way to go to get this amp.I have seen them used on the classifieds for just over or around $100, which isn't that bad of a buy.
  
  
  
  If you are looking for a good amp that you don't have to worry about and just need for practicing or silent playing and you need that Marshall tone then this is a good amp for those purposes. This isn't going to go on stage anywhere or be good for recording, but if you need simplicity in a practice amp then this is a great amp for that. It has a good enough tone for getting your chops down or feeling out the neck of the guitar. I would recommend this to any Marshall fan looking for a solid practice amp.
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• 04/28/11

  denied's review "Not bad, better options out there"

  Characteristics

  - Solid state
  
  
  
  - 30 watt output
  
  
  
  - 10 inch speaker
  
  
  
  - 2 channel
  
  
  
  - CD in
  
  
  
  - Emulated line out
  
  
  
  - FDD (You're going to want this on)
  
  
  
  - Chorus, Reverb, Flange, and Delay
  
  
  
  - Controls for volume, treble, bass, contour, and effects level

  Utilization

  Pretty simple layout. The drive channel has a full 3 band EQ which is pretty useful.
  
  
  
  Pretty easy to dial in a good sound, but you aren't going to get it sounding a whole lot better than that no matter how you try. The volume is alright, just enough to keep up with a loud drummer.
  
  
  
  You can only really dial in one effect at a time which is a little annoying.
  
  
  
  The manual is pretty clear and straightforward, no surprises.

  Sounds

  It is "ok." Nothing more, nothing less. The clean channel is alright, if a little dull and dry. But it is a decent platform, and takes pedals very well. It isn't going to produce bright and glassy fender cleans, and definitely doesn't have any kind of tube response, FDD or not. But for what it is supposed to be, a basic beginners amp, the cleans aren't bad.
  
  
  
  The drive is a little more difficult to get an ok sound out of. It IS pretty versatile, you can dial it in for a a light bluesy OD, or heavier high gain settings. It isn't as thick or full of a distortion as some might like, but its not horrible.
  
  
  
  The effects sound pretty decent and are a good starting point for someone looking to become familiar with their uses.

  Overall Opinion

  In short, this is a decent amplifier for a beginner who wants a basic two channel setup without the hassle of tubes. It is not the best sounding amplifier built, and a little overpriced in my opinion, but not the worst choice in the world. It was my first amp, and I was thrilled with it for about a year.
  
  
  
  Overall, I would recommend spending the same amount of money, but buying something a little better at used prices. This one will probably not last more than a year or so.
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• 03/22/11

  Stormleader's review "Be afraid, be very afraid. Run as far as possible from this amp."

  Characteristics

  Made in China
  
  
  
  Solid State
  
  
  
  30 Watts
  
  
  
  Two Foot switchable channels
  
  
  
  Reverb, Delay, Chorus, and Flanger effects built in
  
  
  
  Clean channel has Volume, Bass, and Treble controls
  
  
  
  Overdrive channel has Gain, Bass, Contour (Almost like a reverse Mid control) Treble, and Volume controls
  
  
  
  CD in
  
  
  
  Speaker emulated line outhead phone out
  
  
  
  Frequency Dependent Dampening push-button switch
  
  
  
  10 inch speaker

  Utilization

  I want to start off by saying that I didn't actually buy this amp, it has a hand-me-down from my older brother. That being said, it was my first amp. Let me tell you, this amp is nasty in all respects. The foot-switch cable for the channel switching was always shorting, the tolex is uber thin, and the power cord frayed very badly where it met the amp chassis. Marshall really did cut just about every corner that they could with this amp, even the knobs feel cheap when you turn them. It both looks and feel incredibly cheap when compared to my Peavey Ultra.

  Sounds

  The sound picks up where the quality left off. The clean channel is dull and life-less, and the Overdrive sounds like a jar-o-bees. I ran this with a BC Rich Warbeast NJ Deluxe with EMG's that had the 18 Volt mod done to them for about 6 months until I got a better amp, and even with that guitar it still sounded horrible. I would even take a Line 6 Spider over this any day of the week, it's just that bad.
  
  
  
  The contour knob is almost useless, it goes from way too middy and overbearing to very scooped very quickly. I'm not sure why Marshall didn't just put in a normal mid control here, it would have been much more useful.
  
  
  
  As far as effects go, you have two knobs to control them. One knob selects which effect and the length/rate, and the other controls the volume. I can't honestly say that the effects sound any better than the rest of the amp.

  Overall Opinion

  Overall, I have to say that even if you are just looking for a practice amp to use in your bedroom there are still MUCH better amps out there. The Vox Valvetronix's are good for clean stuff and lower gain rock, and the Roland Cubes are decent for higher-gain rock and metal. I know I sound like I have nothing positive to say about this amp at all, but I do know something that you can use it for and it actually does well as: a doorstop. Though it is a little big, maybe that's why Marshall made the 15 watt version? ;)
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• 11/06/10

  moosers's review

  Characteristics

  The Marshall MG30DFX is a guitar combo amplifier with built in effects. The amp has 30 watts of power and a single 10" custom speaker. The amp has two separate channels and is a solid state, not tube, amplifier. It's got all sorts of different 1/4" jacks including for input, a foot switch, an aux jack (CD in), and a line out/headphone out.

  Utilization

  The Marshall MG30DFX is split up into two separate channels. The first is a clean channel that consists of parameters for volume, bass, and treble. The second is an overdrive channel that has knobs for gain, bass, treble, contour, and volume. There's a button the amp to switch between the two channels, but you can also control this with a foot switch. Lastly, the effects section has a knob for choosing between the four different types of effects (reverb, delay, chorus, flanger), and another knob for setting the amount of the effect you'd like. The amp isn't difficult to use, so I wouldn't think that you'd need a manual.

  Sounds

  The sounds heard from the Marshall MG30DFX is just a bit above average in my opinion. The clean channels is just and crunchy in the sense that it almost sounds like it's compressed a little bit, while the overdrive channel is a bona fide Marshall distortion. The distortion is definitely where this amp makes it's money, but the clean sounds good enough to fall in line with it as well. The effects aren't the best at all, especially the modulation ones, but the reverb is decent enough for sure. It's nice that you can get a number of different sounds all in one place between the two channels and the effects...

  Overall Opinion

  The Marshall MG30DFX is a great amp for a beginning guitar player who wants something better than a simple speaker. This will give you options to mess around with and to get yourself started with. The amp is even fine for more experienced players who want a practice amp that's a bit more in depth. Personally I wouldn't use this for recording, but I've used it for a few shows a while back. A friend of friend left this amp at my friend's house for a few months so we ended up using it for practicing and a few shows, although I wouldn't use it for a show now. The Marshall MG30DFX is a fine practice amp for the money, and is a great way to go if you're looking for the Marshall sound in a compact device.
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• 04/23/05

  MGR/Juzzed's review "Marshall MG30DFX"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  I spent a good couple of months searching for my first amplifier, and came around to narrowing my field down to a Roland Cube 30, Line 6 Spider 30 or the Marshall MG 30DFX. It ended up costing around $420 Australian Dollars from Turramurra Music in Sydney, around $50 more than the other two amplifiers.
  
  
  
  (The parentals had a small thing about me getting a bigger amp)
  
  
  
  The MG 30 DFX has brilliant tone on the clean channel. Playing an ESP Ltd EC-300 with EMG-HZ passives through the amp, I can gain a wide range of tones from a bluesy sound to a near perfect acoustic tone.
  
  
  
  The four effects: reverb, chorus, flange and delay, work well considering the MG 30DFX is nothing more than a small practice amp. But, if you\'re serious buy some decent pedals - they\'ll sound a whole lot better.
  
  
  
  For a thirty-watter the MG 30DFX delivers fair volume, but unfortunately it still won\'t get you over a drumkit.
  
  
  
  I occassionally get a rattling noise if I\'ve been playing for too long.
  
  
  
  The overdrive can sometimes, also, be too \"gainy\". That is, the distortion compromises the various notes you want to hear. Great if you want to practice heavier Nu-Metal tunes (eg Slipknot, Mudvayne, etc), but I tend to turn the gain right down to \"3\" for Metallica, Velvet Revolver and the such.
  
  
  
  The amp doesn\'t come with a footswitch either, even though it has the plug. Means leaning over to press teh channel button every time, which can get irritating.
  
  
  
  The body of the amplifier is built to take a fair beating, as are the controls and plugs. However, if you to really kick around your amp I\'d go a roland cube, just because they\'re so much heavier duty.
  
  
  
  
  
  Good practice amp for someone playing harder rock to all-out metal. Nice, bodied, clean sound too; which is good for a blues or jazz sound, or even for rock.
  
  
  
  A great practice amp for electric beginners, but not for those with more experience.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 11/23/04

  MGR/Grunge rock kicks ass's review "Marshall MG 30DFX"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  Got it for $250 at Guitar center
  
  needed a practice amp,
  
  
  
  I LIke playing with the built in fx(reverb\'delay\'chorus\'flange). Its distortion is over the top. The sound of htis amp is better than any other marshall in the MG series.
  
  
  
  This amp should come with an included footswitch since it has a footswitch input on the front panel
  
  
  
  Very well made, will last about 5- 10 years before going back to a shop for repairs
  
  
  
  This amp kicks ass and blows any other amp in this price range out of the water.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 11/12/04

  MGR/John Gardner's review "Marshall MG30DFX Combo Amp"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  Just like everything else I own, I bought this from Mucisian's Friend vis the internet. I coughed up $250 for this amp to go along with my newly aquired Epiphone Elite Les Paul Standard.
  
  
  
  First of all the amp looks great. It also doesn\'t hurt that the Marshall name is so prominenty displayed in white letters on the black background but that\'s not why I bought it. I must have read hundreds of reviews on small amps and practice amps before I found a consensus on one that sounds good, has great capability and doesn\'t cost a fortune. So I bought it and I love it. It\'s small, powerful and loaded with effects like reverb, chorus, delay and flange. I love to plug my CD player into it and jam along. It\'s awsome!
  
  
  
  After six months of use I haven\'t found anything wrong with mine yet. I use it almost every day and it always delivers.
  
  
  
  Although I haven\'t done anything like take this amp on tour or run over it with a truck, it does feel very sturdy. I do accidently bang it arround once in a while but it doesn\'t have a mark on it and looks and feels like quality stuff. I get no noise, feedback, pops, hiss or anything but what I want from the sound. All the knobs and switches work well and feel smooth all the way through their range. I tell it the same thing my wife tells me, \"You\'re a great piece of work\"!
  
  
  
  Wonderful little amp for practicing or intimate performances. The price belies what you can expect from this little honey. It may be the best $250 investment I ever made.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 10/11/04

  MGR/Anonymous's review "Marshall Mg Series 30DFX"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  i bought this amp because the amp i orignally got with my guitar was tiny and had very crappy sound. also, i was looking for something that i could use for a long time with a few differnt options. i payed about $350 for it.
  
  
  
  this amp is great quality and has great sound. it allows you to get a bright clean tone and also good distortion. the built in effects are cool because it allows you to stretch beyond the bondries of a normal amp and use effects to improve your sound.oh and its LOUD.
  
  
  
  there isnt really anything that i dislike about this amp.. but there is a port for a footswitch, i thought it would come with the amp but it was sold sepereately but it wasnt to expensive so i cant complain.
  
  
  
  built strong, i lug it around with me and so far no damage has been done so that is always a plus haha
  
  
  
  overall this is a great amp for the beginner and the advanced. it has great sound and is reliable. and of course it sure doesnt lack ability to be loud.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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