View other reviews for this product:
iamqman « Switchblade Switch.. »
Published on 07/17/11 at 15:04This is one great amp from Hughes and Kettner. The switchblade is a very versatile amp in the metal category. This combo is the exact same as the 100 watt combo but in a 50 watt version. You get the same great features and tone as you would the 00 watt. However, the tone will be a little looser and not have as much headroom as the 100 watt version.
This amp is a cross between a Triamp and a Coreblade. You get the same channels and features of the Triamp with the voicing, but also the versatility of the Coreblade. What this means is that you have a midi 128 presets that can be store within the amp itself. You also get the effects like delay, modulation and reverb built into the amp. Plus you have TSC technician on board that will bias your amp and also let you known if you are experiencing tube problems.
This is the same amp as the head version but just in a combo. You get all the same great features and tone as the head but a 2x 12 inch speaker combo.
UTILIZATION
Channels Clean: Californian, Crunch: Classic British, Lead: British Hi-Gain, Ultra: American Hi-Gain
Power 50 Watts
Poweramp Shipped with 2x EL34, but also 6L6GC applicables
Preamp 2x 12AX7
Modeling No
Effects 3 independant Digital-FX processors: Reverb, Delay, Modulation (Chorus, Flanger, Tremolo)
Effects Loop serial/parallel
MIDI built in
Footswitch/Stageboard MIDI-Board FSM-432 included
Switching Functions 4xPreset, Bank up, Bank down, Tap Delay
Special Features Tube Safety Control (TSC) ;all Controls are fully programmable, included MIDI-Board
Presets 128 user presets
Speaker Outputs 1x 4 Ohms, 1x 8 Ohms or 2x 16 Ohms, 1x 16 Ohms
Speakers 1x 12'' Eminence Rockdriver 60
Dimensions 600 x 500 x 285 mm
Weight 22,8 kg/ 50 lbs
SOUNDS
This amp has a great tone and a little more spongy than the 100 watt version simply because of the cut in wattage. Still same features and overall tone. This amp has the tone of the Triamp and the versatility of the Coreblade. So if you need something that covers a lot of ground then this a great amp to start. This combo is going to sound a little different then the head unless you have a matching cab with the same speakers. Speakers are like filters and they change the amp's character a bit coming out out o the cab. So if the amp is voiced to those speakers then you have exactly the way is was designed.
This amp also has some effects build right into it. You have the option of some delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo and also some added reverb to help color your tone a little bit. You also have a button on the front of the control panel that allows you to click in the effects loop and then even more versatility by clicking in the serial effects loop.
This amp has three channels and six modes. Each channel has two different modes of operation. For the clean you can get a nice Fender like clean and click the next mode you'll get a British style clean much like a Marshall plexi. On the second channel you have a crunch channel. The first mode is a classic rock tone from a Marshall style voiced amp. Next you have then a hot rodded tone from a Marshall style amp. This gets you great vinatge classic rock tones for music such as AC/DC or Led Zeppelin. The third and final channel you get over the top gain and distortion. The first mode is a hot rodded British gain for most hard rock and metal. Then to top it all off you have an insane amount of gain for the second mode. This mode is for modern playing or dripped tuning. Great for modern metal and hard rock.
OVERALL OPINION
I have seen these amps as low as $1250 for a new one, which is a great price for an amp this versatile. It is a mix of tub and digital so if you can't handle a digital amp the this is a miss for you. I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good gigging amp that can get a lot of work in and be extremely versatile for covers songs and a 2-3 hour set list.
This amp is a cross between a Triamp and a Coreblade. You get the same channels and features of the Triamp with the voicing, but also the versatility of the Coreblade. What this means is that you have a midi 128 presets that can be store within the amp itself. You also get the effects like delay, modulation and reverb built into the amp. Plus you have TSC technician on board that will bias your amp and also let you known if you are experiencing tube problems.
This is the same amp as the head version but just in a combo. You get all the same great features and tone as the head but a 2x 12 inch speaker combo.
UTILIZATION
Channels Clean: Californian, Crunch: Classic British, Lead: British Hi-Gain, Ultra: American Hi-Gain
Power 50 Watts
Poweramp Shipped with 2x EL34, but also 6L6GC applicables
Preamp 2x 12AX7
Modeling No
Effects 3 independant Digital-FX processors: Reverb, Delay, Modulation (Chorus, Flanger, Tremolo)
Effects Loop serial/parallel
MIDI built in
Footswitch/Stageboard MIDI-Board FSM-432 included
Switching Functions 4xPreset, Bank up, Bank down, Tap Delay
Special Features Tube Safety Control (TSC) ;all Controls are fully programmable, included MIDI-Board
Presets 128 user presets
Speaker Outputs 1x 4 Ohms, 1x 8 Ohms or 2x 16 Ohms, 1x 16 Ohms
Speakers 1x 12'' Eminence Rockdriver 60
Dimensions 600 x 500 x 285 mm
Weight 22,8 kg/ 50 lbs
SOUNDS
This amp has a great tone and a little more spongy than the 100 watt version simply because of the cut in wattage. Still same features and overall tone. This amp has the tone of the Triamp and the versatility of the Coreblade. So if you need something that covers a lot of ground then this a great amp to start. This combo is going to sound a little different then the head unless you have a matching cab with the same speakers. Speakers are like filters and they change the amp's character a bit coming out out o the cab. So if the amp is voiced to those speakers then you have exactly the way is was designed.
This amp also has some effects build right into it. You have the option of some delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo and also some added reverb to help color your tone a little bit. You also have a button on the front of the control panel that allows you to click in the effects loop and then even more versatility by clicking in the serial effects loop.
This amp has three channels and six modes. Each channel has two different modes of operation. For the clean you can get a nice Fender like clean and click the next mode you'll get a British style clean much like a Marshall plexi. On the second channel you have a crunch channel. The first mode is a classic rock tone from a Marshall style voiced amp. Next you have then a hot rodded tone from a Marshall style amp. This gets you great vinatge classic rock tones for music such as AC/DC or Led Zeppelin. The third and final channel you get over the top gain and distortion. The first mode is a hot rodded British gain for most hard rock and metal. Then to top it all off you have an insane amount of gain for the second mode. This mode is for modern playing or dripped tuning. Great for modern metal and hard rock.
OVERALL OPINION
I have seen these amps as low as $1250 for a new one, which is a great price for an amp this versatile. It is a mix of tub and digital so if you can't handle a digital amp the this is a miss for you. I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good gigging amp that can get a lot of work in and be extremely versatile for covers songs and a 2-3 hour set list.