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milenko « A real tube amp, but hp weakling »
Published on 04/02/13 at 06:57Type of amplification: lamp (one 12AX7 preamp in an EL84 PowerAMP)
Connection: the minimum (instrument input jack)
Power: 5W, and it spits already strong
Settings: one volume knob / gain called "level"
Note the version I owned was a Nano Valve amended by Saint Germain Music (Saint Germain Les Corbeil, in 91), with a master volume, one tone knob, a CH8/20 hp Jensen (formerly Mod 8-20) and an output hp 8 Ohm.
UTILIZATION
The original configuration is super simple, with a single volume knob / gain (higher up the volume, the more it crunch).
The manual provided is clear and ample for an amp design as rustic.
His level, I would say that it is limited to big crunch and clean. If you go too far in gain, distortion makes it rather badly through the small hp 8 ".
What we see is mainly the excellent dynamics of this little amp: it seems to explode every time you attack the strings very hard ^ ^.
SOUNDS
This amp is totally unsuitable for my style of music (hard rock, metal, high gain stuff), and I bought it for "discovering" the world of cheap lamps.
We arrive at pretty obtain crystalline cleans (c'pas the Fender either), and it sounds a bit "dry" (high treble, low bass). Crunches sound very roots, and likes to play tricks grunge and punk.
We deplore, however, the lack of master volume on the original model, which means that we want more gain, more volume will be high ... station neighbors.
I used this amp with many guitars and so many microphones from small lipstick (micro single very low output) dual rail humbucker at large, and the amp gives the best of himself with single coil pickups.
Due to the rather low hp original (even with CH8/20 Jensen), the amp accept poorly distortion pedals. However, for all that reverb and modulation (chorus, flanger ...), he accepted very well, and it gives him more momentum.
Plugged into an Orange PPC112 cabinet, the amp is transfigured (normal, moving from a low hp 8 "to 12 hp" mid-range), and it proves to be very clean and in very good crunch. The distortion is also improved, but keeps the texture of "small EL84 amps."
Incidentally, I plugged in from time to time in my mp3 player Nano Valve, and it gave a very good sound (with a preference for rock sounds).
OVERALL OPINION
I used this amp for 3 years and I've owned a reasonable amount of gear. Level amp, I could compare it with a Vox AD60VT, an ENGL E530, preamps of AMT (M1, P1, D2), a multi-fx Zoom G3, etc. ... short, nothing comparable for the price and size.
What I like most about this amp is its excellent dynamic and cleans / crunch many roots.
What I liked the least, and that is probably the weak point of this amp, it is really distos sounding board through the small hp 8 ", and no master volume (difficult to use in apartment unless Version moddée like mine).
The price / quality ratio is rather good (€ 50 Used just under € 100 new), but this is clearly not an amp versatile. A book for people who know what they want.
Connection: the minimum (instrument input jack)
Power: 5W, and it spits already strong
Settings: one volume knob / gain called "level"
Note the version I owned was a Nano Valve amended by Saint Germain Music (Saint Germain Les Corbeil, in 91), with a master volume, one tone knob, a CH8/20 hp Jensen (formerly Mod 8-20) and an output hp 8 Ohm.
UTILIZATION
The original configuration is super simple, with a single volume knob / gain (higher up the volume, the more it crunch).
The manual provided is clear and ample for an amp design as rustic.
His level, I would say that it is limited to big crunch and clean. If you go too far in gain, distortion makes it rather badly through the small hp 8 ".
What we see is mainly the excellent dynamics of this little amp: it seems to explode every time you attack the strings very hard ^ ^.
SOUNDS
This amp is totally unsuitable for my style of music (hard rock, metal, high gain stuff), and I bought it for "discovering" the world of cheap lamps.
We arrive at pretty obtain crystalline cleans (c'pas the Fender either), and it sounds a bit "dry" (high treble, low bass). Crunches sound very roots, and likes to play tricks grunge and punk.
We deplore, however, the lack of master volume on the original model, which means that we want more gain, more volume will be high ... station neighbors.
I used this amp with many guitars and so many microphones from small lipstick (micro single very low output) dual rail humbucker at large, and the amp gives the best of himself with single coil pickups.
Due to the rather low hp original (even with CH8/20 Jensen), the amp accept poorly distortion pedals. However, for all that reverb and modulation (chorus, flanger ...), he accepted very well, and it gives him more momentum.
Plugged into an Orange PPC112 cabinet, the amp is transfigured (normal, moving from a low hp 8 "to 12 hp" mid-range), and it proves to be very clean and in very good crunch. The distortion is also improved, but keeps the texture of "small EL84 amps."
Incidentally, I plugged in from time to time in my mp3 player Nano Valve, and it gave a very good sound (with a preference for rock sounds).
OVERALL OPINION
I used this amp for 3 years and I've owned a reasonable amount of gear. Level amp, I could compare it with a Vox AD60VT, an ENGL E530, preamps of AMT (M1, P1, D2), a multi-fx Zoom G3, etc. ... short, nothing comparable for the price and size.
What I like most about this amp is its excellent dynamic and cleans / crunch many roots.
What I liked the least, and that is probably the weak point of this amp, it is really distos sounding board through the small hp 8 ", and no master volume (difficult to use in apartment unless Version moddée like mine).
The price / quality ratio is rather good (€ 50 Used just under € 100 new), but this is clearly not an amp versatile. A book for people who know what they want.