Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 18 Combo

This combo is the same amp as the head only in a combo version. You get the same great tone and features but enclosed in a cab and one 10 inch Celestion speaker. This little amp has two channels one dedicated to the cleans one for the distortion. What is great about this amp is the red box feature. I'm not talking about the red box full of blu rays and dvd's at your local shopping mart. I'm talking about a speaker simulated interface that allows you to go direct from the amp into a recording session or the house PA system. This is a great features for those where playing loud can be an issue and you need to silence you loud rocking guitar tones.

Another wonderful feature is the self biasing on the back of the amp. This amp will auto bias you tubes so you don't have to shell out $50 to get it done by some tech down the street. This is great for people and allows you to not skip a beat leaving you amp on someone else bench for a day or two.

UTILIZATION

Channels 2
Power 18 Watts
Footswitch/Stageboard FS-2 optional
Speakers 1 x 10" Celestion Custom Speaker
Protective Cover Soft Cover included
Dimensions 395 x 360 x 260 mm
Weight 9,4 kg


Warm tube tone with phenomenal dynamic range that sweeps from sparkling clean to throaty crunch
Harmonically rich tube distortion and the gain reserves to go from edgy overdrive to soaring lead sounds
Re-voices LEAD to summon modern high-gain sound that pairs plenty of punch with endless sustain
Passive voicing section tweaked to evoke the best frequency response out of each channel
Preamp section sporting two 12AX7 tubes
Push-pull power amp that pumps out stage-approved 18 watts
Oversized transformers with tons of headroom
TSC-protected power amp featuring auto-bias and status LED
Footswitch connection enabling remote channel switching and BOOST actuation
Serial FX loop for adding effects-flavored spice to the sonic stew
Quad-stage power soak with silent recording capability
Balanced RED BOX OUT with authentic speaker emulation

SOUNDS

The clean on this amp is pretty solid. Nothing to complain about too much. It isn't as sparkly as I would have hoped but it will do. It still is chimy and sweet but not exactly the perfect clean channel.

The distortion channel is pretty good though. The tone is beefy and thick like all the Hughes and Kettner amps have. Having the lead boost kicks up the gain a bit and gets sustaining very well. I really like the tone of this amp and I find it has a similar voicing to the rest of the line of amps.

OVERALL OPINION

I am not sure what the going rate on these are right now but I would imagine them to be about a few hundred dollars more than the head which sits at $700. I love the tone from this amp and the many features especially on the back side of this amp. The auto bias and the red box is a very great addition to a very great sounding amplifier.

I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good multiple channel amp that can be playing live or direct in to a recording booth. If you need something under $1000 then this is a good one to go for.

this is a combo 18 watts lamps all made in germany.
the dashboard; instrument input, gain and master for the clean channel, a channel selection button and another to boost the lead channel (pass a sound rather rock high gain), gain and master for the lead channel, EQ bass middle and treble, switch 2 positions stand-by power and another.

UTILIZATION

it's a bit messy-searched, but in the end, I'm doing quickly!
manual is for those who want épplucher .... not for me!
the sound is good; see below!

SOUNDS

then, for the sound, I found that the trend of this amp and it delivers a very precise surgical see clean sound, and remains "pretty".
saturated part is also excellent; sound basic drive is to rock everything he simpler, and cons when it starts the "lead boost" button there, is there a nuclear explosion!
one enters the field of high-gain EVH 5150 style! and the comparison is justified because this day, in Room amps the music box to valence, there was a 5150 EVH and I also made the test bench!

OVERALL OPINION

I tried it on Saturday and I really thought this combo was perfect for the studio because it has a relatively clean and very well crafted sound and saturation from rock to metal high-gain!
and while remaining clean copy!
I really find that the price seems justified to me (560 € at the music box) because it is a rather heavy amp and not issuing a specific sound.
ultimately a reliable amp!

all-tube amp
see the rest of the net

UTILIZATION

very good manual
easy to use

SOUNDS

Style played blues hardrock.
clean channel no saturation on 3/4 of the races in single micro and 2/3 in doubles. So it's great.
The cleans are nice but sometimes a little crystal, it is not worth such a fender blues junior but in his defense the TubeMeister has an HP 10 "while the Junior Blues, a 12". This allows for a smaller amp but with a little less bass (heat / round ..)

Reproach: The clean channel has trouble cashing the distortion pedals, which quickly become nasal must lower the treble knob to bottom and also limit the pedal if possible to find a less shrill sound.
This disadvantage is less present on the lead channel as two channels have an internal equalization (not editable; no knob) and different in the case of lead channel, the distortion pedals out better. But usually the pedals are used on the clean channel just to switch because the lead channel has a clean sound (so little gain) less beautiful.
In short it is a shame ..

I think the lead channel very successful, the distortion is very beautiful.
Reproach the boost / saturation sends a too high level compared to the rest. can be useful for a big solo and cover the rest of the world but generally impractical. Should have been able to manage the level of boost.

Sun: its very successful and realistic. No brainer on business and it makes the job in the sound. opposed to 2notes torpedo cab with all its settings mind. Even compared to the pod xt pro sound of the DI is good. After that will never be worth a microphone jack ..

Power Attenuator: The big advantage of this amp is perfect.

Reverb: does the job but nothing special

Comprehensive level connectivity, all that's missing to Fender!

weight: light for a while and portable lamp

OVERALL OPINION

1 weeks.
amp always used: Fender Blues Deluxe / Pevey classic 30 / blues junior

Very good amp to play at home until the small club / bar / repeat
The report size / sound quality is very good

amp fairly complete. Only lacks a headphone jack. You can get around Pb using the red box and a table / pc / stereo with a headphone jack.
Also lacks the pedal

super good points:
light weight: less than 10Kg
the power selector
self bias

UTILIZATION

brief manual config simple but sufficient. The sound is good right now

I use it with a BOSS GT6 multi-effects and there it is spoiled a bit. Let me explain:
I use mode 4 son by putting the amp's preamp in the loop of GT6. If I turn off the effects loop on the GT6 (the sound of the guitar and password in the multi-effects directly into the amp bypassing the preamp), the volume changes when I change the channel on the preamp (light / full) . In summary the fact to change channels on the preamp CHANGE the amplifier gain. This is quite confusing and it prevents certain combinations preamp with amp simulations on the GT6. From my notes or

SOUNDS

The clean sound is warm, crystalline and very lively.
I find the sound a little veiled saturated. It is true that for now, I have used in my main mode 1W.

I would have preferred to adjust the boost level, even having only a volume knob for the clean channel. I find the boost a little too violent.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 months and I also own a Koch Studiotone

Well, I have perhaps not had any luck but it broke down a few days after purchase. Contrary to what was said in another opinion, this amp is made in China.
Second bad surprise, change lamps: I bring my amp to the store and the system indicates that a lamp is AutoBias fucking (actually it was more serious, one of the electronic component was dead). The store wants me to change it immediately and try to open the beast. Nothing is mentioned in the instructions. We realize that in addition to screws, GLUE is the plexiglass with double sided tape (perhaps to avoid vibrations). It means that once you open the amp a time, this tape is ineffective.
For me it is definitely not a professional editing.

Compared to my Studiotone Koch, the clear sound of HK is a little more beautiful, more fat, less saturated than on the clean Koch. Koch is the most complete (3 levels of boost, bright 3-position) but has no power attenuator. It is heavier but also inspires much confidence.

In conclusion, this is a great amp Tubemeister to keep him at home but I do not advise for professional use or for use with a son four multi-effects.
I keep my Studiotone for rehearsals and concerts and I use the Tubemeister at home and go for the beef