All user reviews of 4/5 for the Koch Studiotone

The Koch studiotone is an interesting piece of equpiment. All tube amp with a clean and dirty channel, shared EQs. One of if not the only little combo amps out there that can ACTUALLY go from a fender clean to balls out death metal distortion sounds. REALLY.

2x EL84s in class A
20 Watts
3 Channels:
Clean
Overdrive
Overdrive-Boost
Passive Bass-Mid-Treble tone controls
Two Voicing switches:
Mid shift (2-way)
Bright (3-way)
Single 12", newly designed VG12-60 Koch speaker
4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker outputs
Speaker on/off switch
Power Soak
The next 4 outputs take the signal from the Studiotone's speaker output:
Direct Line Out
Guitar Amp Clean Input (to drive another amp)
Recording Output (with mic placement voicing switches)
Headphone Out
Effects loop
Accutronics spring reverb
Footswitch input jack (footswitch included!)
Size: 17"W x 9"D x16.5"H (44W x 23D x 42H cm)
Weight: 33lbs (15 kg)



UTILIZATION

Quite easy to use just like every other amp you got your bass middle and treble knobs, the usual. There's a mid shift voicing switch that GREATLY affects how things sound and you'd have to re-EQ your knobs after switching it so be warned.

SOUNDS

I am still, to this day very surprised by the sounds of this thing. The cleans are GREAT. They can get very bright and have that chime that everybody loves in a clean channel and still not break up, unless you want it to depending on how you set the gain and what you set the channel at (clean, od, od+)

The distortion is amazing. I still can't really believe that I'm hearing this when I play through this amp, it just looks like a little combo amp for blues/jazz clean and light rock but the truth is the gain can go ALL the way to death metal territory depending on how you set it and you can go nuts on this thing!! I know this amp has gotten popular for blues and rock but it can do death metal very well. The gain is thick and raunchy and VERY VERY tight. Crank the mids and you get a sweet raunchy, saturated 80s-like EVH tone. Very cool, no need for overdrive pedals to boost this baby. It's definitely got enough on it's own and sounds great on it's own. Did I mention you can get this much gain and still sound great at LOW volume levels? Amazing...


OVERALL OPINION

Great amp. One of the only amps that offer a spectacular clean and spectacular dirty channel. The most versatile combo amp I've seen to this date! Sounds GREAT at low volumes too! How is this all possible in one amp? The only set back is of course the price, you gotta convince yourself that it's worth the $$$. I think it is, after playing through it all the time!

Koch is a company based out of the Netherlands and has been building great quality amps for musicians around the world. They have a good reputation as a simple guitar amps that are full of tone. These are high gain monster and they aren't sweet innocent clean amps. Koch is somewhere in between with their gain style and voicing structure.

This is one of the most impressive amps that I have come across in some time. Just by the look of it you wouldn't think it has all the features is does but once you get a chance to dig in you find out how much this amp can do. This is one fantastic sounding and performing studio amplifier.

UTILIZATION

Specifications
Koch Studiotone Amplifier

* two EL84 power tubes
* 20 watts
* Clean, Overdrive & Overdrive Boost channels
* passive Bass, Mid, Treble controls
* mid shift (2-way) and bright (3-way) controls
* new single 12" VG12-60 Koch speaker
* 4, 8 & 10 ohm speaker outputs
* speaker on/off switch
* built in power soak
* line output
* recording output with speaker simulation
* headphone output
* effects loop
* Accutronics spring reverb
* 2-button footswitch
* 17" wide x 9"deep x 16 1/2" high
* 33 pounds

SOUNDS

One thing that I really like on this amp is the the id shift controls. This allows you to dial in the right amount of midrage that fits your playing style and guitars. This is very important features because the mids a lot of times can either make or break an amp. You wouldn't be able to jive with an amp that has crazy weird mids or none at all. Since the mids might be the most important frequencies for recording this is a solid option to have in a studio amplifier.

Another great feature is the power soak. This allows you to get a good distortion tone and gets that wattage down to a tolerable level for recording or just being in the same room together. Along it the ability of the line out put for direct recording into the session or even going right into the house PA system. This is a fantastic amp and great for the studio.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these amps come in right at around $1750. not a bad price for a high quality studio and recording amp. This amp has is all when needing to record with it. I highly recommend this amp to someone who needs good recording amp that has three channels and a great clean tone. This amp has it all for recording and studio use.

20 watts
3 12AX7
2 EL84
reverb, 2 channels + boost adjustable gain 3 levels
midrange and treble voicing
fx loop
hp output
HP 12 "60 watt
2-button footswitch

UTILIZATION

simple ring
clean: very good, nothing to do with a Fender
overdrive: the quasi big sound hard to clean

SOUNDS

The Koch are made to play anything but metal (yuck).
Qd good products we are pro and have to play very different music.
Construction of high level and reliable.
I play for 3 years with his big brother Twintone (repeat, over and Stage)
Used mainly with a Start.
Like any tube amp, it "breathes" from 4 / 5 to the Master.

OVERALL OPINION

I was looking for a small light amp to rehearse while having a good sound.
Playing since 35 years ... I had and have the opportunity to test thousands of amps.
I hesitated with a Deluxe Reverb, but having already ProReverb, he would have duplicated while being heavier.
Very good amp, no regrets.