All user reviews of 4/5 for the Bogner Alchemist 112 Combo

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.

For characteristics, I refer you to notice NicolasD that is complete. Having bought this amp after multiple test shop (and many other amps) and after setting my needs, I have not had any bad surprise ...

So 10/10

UTILIZATION

By cons, here I'll be more, but I will speak of a''perspective''and not''user''musician, so no comments yet on the sound itself.

I'll start with two flaws:

1) the''modes''of channels: the channel Gold, you can have clean or crunch mode which are both beautiful to cry! and unfortunately, they are not foot switchable, but through a switch in the microscopic volume pot and that's really bad! However, this is a fault which I was fully conscious when buying (it's a 2 channel, not a 4!) And I would say there are lots of ways around (a TS- like upstream, lower the volume of the guitar to return to almost-clean ... etc.)
2) The effects loop is parallel is described as a quality in the manual. Indeed, the signal never leaves the amp, so no loss or corruption''''signal ... But yes! Me that I have a serious problem using my JAMMAN ... I have a concern for signal level as well as it exits the amplifier to JAMMAN (too loud) when it returns from JAMMAN to the amp (too low) despite the settings JAMMAN .. . moreover, there is only one volume pot mix adjustment of the loop (and not one on one on the SEND and RETURN). Well, I'll work on it and see if I can find a solution ...

Now the qualities (and there are many):

1) the supplied footswitch! 4 buttons (channel, boost, reverb, delay): solid as a tank (to see over time), connected via an XLR cable (and thus replaceable): in a word: awesome!
2) The settings are hyper-efficient, including EQ and 4 switches (2 x bright, deep and midshift) and sweep a large repertoire
3) mode 20W/40W: very handy (there really, but it is only my opinion, a difference in volume)
4) A standby, it sounds stupid, but the amps from 20 to 50 watts are not all filled ...
5) connection to the cabinet expansion
6) the presence of reverb and delay: super convenient! My pedalboard will be severely Reduce!

Otherwise, the manual is clear and explicit, nothing to say.
Do you get a good sound easy? See the next paragraph!

So 6 / 10 for now, 9 / 10 if I can solve this history effects loop

Update 08/20/2010: Okay, now for the famous effects loop, I managed to get used to it, but it is not obvious. Firstly, I had to adjust the volumes of input and output of my JAMMAN so "unbalanced" output volume to 3 / 4 and input volume barely half (it changes my uses earlier). Furthermore the effects loop can be used to "thicken" the sound (especially in crunch mode on channel gold): a ts-like or OD will make the sound fatter, more "full", in fact, not only was the original sound, but the sound through the OD +

In short, I am much happier with the effects loop so that at first I was the score at 8

SOUNDS

Note: for now, I have not tested by repeating, I'll update when this will happen!

So I play blues, hard rock, to rock, garage, a little pop. I love Led Zep, ZZTOP, jack white, but also lots of other stuff!
I play on Start (Mexico) with noiseless pickups on my first electric guitar I've customized (one with 2 humbuckers Squier home GFS VEH) and also with a mini humbucker dbro. Some effects: TS-like, big muff, wah-wah ...

I'll avoid giving you 8000 adjectives describing the sound: if you want to know how it sounds: you have to try it with your gear and your fingers!

Personally, for me the clean, the switch''bright''makes pretty things.
Crunch mode is my favorite: great, huge, living, terrible!
Channel Mercury is currently less exciting: very dull with the EQ at noon, we must drastically cut the bass ...

I'll update the review after a few Repeat '

if I did note that the crunch, 9 / 10, but more generally: 8 / 10

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 weeks and I will update my review when I had more experience with ...

Before the purchase, I tried:
Marshall JCM 900 dual reverb: Well, nothing to say!
Kustom Coupe 76 ': terrible, but less versatile, and mostly sold at prices prohibitive to store (unlike Thomann ...)
Fender Blues Deluxe edition reissue normal, clear sounds wonderful .... and then voila!
Orange tiny terror: a crunch!! but nothing else!
Vox night train: ditto!

The value price is right, I paid € 830 in store (available for less at € 70 thomann), once again, I do this after a lot of research, so if I had not seen the correct value for money, well I will not get it made!

For now 7 / 10 due to the effects loop, to do with a bit more perspective ....

Update 08/20/2010: I use the effects loop finally meet me, I go back to the overall opinion 8. In addition, I planned a time to sell, well, actually not, I care! all that to say that it is not necessarily easy at first, it takes patience and a lot of testing ...