Tube Guitar Amp Heads

Effective and practical tone selector. The tone is usable between 9 and 3 o'clock, beyond that it's less musical, in my opinion. The volume control can be used up to 1 or 2 o'clock, beyond that the sound starts to become muddled. Effects loop, recording output on XLR with 4x12 cab simulation and Ground Lift switch, it's rare to get all these options for the price. You can use it without speaker, because it has an internal resistance, so you can record in complete silence. I hesitated buying an Engl Gigmaster 15 but, considering the critiques regarding its reliability, I went looking for something else and bumped into this RD1, which costs half as much... The clean sound is nice, I think. The crunch sound is good! It maybe lacks some finesses to be really great. However, it does sound great for rock and metal. Compared to a Laney IRT15H in 1W mode, I must say it's not disappointing at all. And it's clearly better than a Blackstar HT5, which didn't quite convince me! For the price of a decent pedal, nothing can beat it in this category, because this amp head is very good for different music styles and it's excellent for rock/hard rock!

- 2 channels, clean and lead - Controls for volume, treble, mid, bass per channel - Presence switch for clean channel - Drive and presence controls for drive channel - Master reverb - Switchable between 50 and 100 watts - All tube (5 12ax7 preamp, ships with 4 EL34 power section) - Switchable between EL34s and 6L6 power tubes - Cabinet voiced lineout - 4, 8, or 16 ohms - Hand made, USA UTILIZATION While this is an incredible amp, I do have a few usability issues with it. There is no master volume control, so unless you have a place to run this guy full tilt, you are in trouble. It literally does not go below wall shaking volumes. There is a switch to run it at half power (50 watts), but remember that watts=/= volume, that really just drops it by a couple decibels. I like that you can run either 6l6 or EL34s (also E34Ls) in the Legacy, I’ve used both and it really makes a difference depending on what kind of voicing and headroom you want. The tone controls don’t have a huge amount of range on them. Overall it was pretty reliable, but I did get some issues with the effects loop circuitry at one point. I bought the amp used, so I won’t knock Carvin for this, but it is worth noting. SOUNDS Aside from the issues in usability, the sound is just incredible. The clean channel is beautiful, icy bell lie cleans. This isn’t really a warm clean amp, more like a fender twin style. Perfect for picked out clean parts. A ton of headroom, really doesn’t clip out at all. The lead channel is just pristine. Very articulate, nuanced and harmonically rich. It really is just the perfect lead amp. It has a surprising amount of gain on tap, sweet spot is around 7. The louder you crank it, the better it’s going to sound. OVERALL OPINION The Legacy is one of the best clean/lead amps on the market right now. Just make sure that you have a place to crank it. Designed by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai along with Carvin USA. Carvin sell direct, keep the middle man out of the equation, and are able to deliver handmade amps at killer prices. As a result, the used prices for these are absurdly low, usually below $600. The Legacy isn’t for everyone, but if you’re after something that does cleans and leads very well, this is an excellent option.

This is the kind of amp that gets you familiar with the brand that eventually if things go right allow you to move into the flagship amp that amplifier companies sell for higher profit. This is a cool little amp that has some versatility but will always sound like a Diezel. I didn't find much use for it other than the higher gain channel/ mode. The first channel is a clean to moderate sizzle if you can call it that. The second seems more of options to fill the amp rather than make it usable. The third mode called Mega is where this thing really shines. It has a great and very forgiving gain staging...which is what I feel Diezel does best. There gain is world renown and it makes it hard to do much else with the amp. Control are as follows. Output: 100 Watt Channels: 2 independent channels. channel one with three modes (Clean, Texas, Mega) Loops: Serial and paralel Equalization: Each channel treble, middle, bass addtionally presence and deep for the output section UTILIZATION One thing Diezel is known for is making a very user friendly front panel layout. It could get intimidating if your used to plexi layouts but with just minutes you can pretty much figure this out if you have spent anytime turning on a computer. The first couple modes were pretty pointless to me. It didn't feel or really sound like something you would use for Texas blues or classic rock crunch. The high output gain really came alive when engaged and I felt like goofing around with this thing until I click this option on. I think Diezel could just save some money and make this a one channel amp with this function only. However, someone else may find the first two modes somewhat of use. I didn't use any manual because it was used and for me I am familiar with Diezels so I didn't think it was necessary. Tone really comes from playing around with your preferred settings anyway. So just playing around for a few minutes will have ample amount of amp discovery. SOUNDS I was using a PRS and a Strat for most of my playing with this amp and I pretty much stay on the Mega mode function. It seems most amps try to do many things but do one thing really well.....Mega mode to me is what it does really well. So I stayed on that function the entire time. The tone I was chasing was a saturated gain that would be present in heavy rock/metal. I didn't try any drop tunings with it. Not really the player that I am so just 440 and half step is where I generally stay. I would say that the EQ was very efficient and usable throughout the spectrum. For me I find that sweet spot and stick with it. Once I got to Mega mode I didn't veer to far from that point. OVERALL OPINION I think this amp is a little over priced for what it is. It is built very well but I just didn't find much use for the other functions. The quality and workmanship was done very well. I've played the VH4, Herbert, Schimdt, and the Einy. This one is a good intro into the Diezel club. I had fund playing it at lower volumes and stage levels as well. This is a keeper amp, unless you want to get a Herbert or VH4.

The Mesa Dual Rectifier 2 Channel Head Features: - (4) 6L6s in the power section @ 100w - (5) 12AX7s in the preamp - (2) 5U4 rectifier tubes - Bias Select switch (6L6/EL34) - Fixed bias for consistent, maintenance free performance - 2 fully independent channels with channel cloning - Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Master Controls per Channel - Output Level Control (over all channels, when Loop is activated) - Selectable Rectifier switch (tube or solid state) - Bold/Spongy "Variac" switch - Assignable parallel effects loop with Send and Mix Level controls - Slave Out with level control - Single button channel footswitch (must be set to Orange channel on back to work) - Single button effects loop footswitch (must be set to external switching on back) - (1) 16 ohm, (1) 8 ohm & (2) 4 ohm outputs - Handbuilt in Petaluma, California UTILIZATION If this is your first time using one of these amps, you'll definitely want to read the manual. There's a lot of features on this amp that can get very confusing, if you don't know what you're doing! While a lot of people say the Rectifiers are hard to dial in, I find it pretty hard to get a bad tone out of the 2 channel versions, no matter where you set the controls. Starting with all the knobs at 12 o'clock and moving on from there is always a good starting point. EQing is pretty simple if you've played with any other modern voiced amp. SOUNDS These amps sound great! One of my all-time favorite amps I've ever had the pleasure of plugging into. These amps are unique and there's not a single amp out there that can do the same sound as these amps. If you want that Recto tone found on countless '90-'00's grunge/punk/metal records, don't even bother with anything else, this thing will get you there in a heartbeat. I mainly play metal, and this amp definitely delivers. While the rhythm channel (clean) doesn't have the greatest cleans, it's certainly easy to coax out a decent clean tone out of the channel. If you don't need a clean, you can use the channel cloning feature to dial in a distorted rhythm tone that will rip your face off! Channel 2 is where this amp really excels. The Mesa Rectifier series is usually classified by its loose lowend and chunky "wall of sound." While that loose lowend is certainly true of the newer, 3 channel, models, the 2 channels are fully capable of getting a tight, grinding distortion, without a boost. This channel can go from fat leads (which are almost non-existent on the newer models), to searing rhythms with a couple turns of the dials. These are, without a doubt, the "biggest" sounding amps I've ever heard. Especially with the matching Mesa OS 4x12 cab, they create a giant tone that crushes the first, second, third AND fourth row of people in front of the stage (haha)! Only have one guitarist in your band? No problem! These things create such a 3D sound, that one can completely fill in the spectrum left void by a second guitarist. For recording, this is the go-to amp for many studios, and for good reason. These amps tracking amazingly well, and with little effort, which is the reason they're used on practically every popular rock album since they came out in 1992. These amps love Celestion Vintage 30s! Using this amp, a Peavey 5150 and a Marshall JCM 800, you have probably close to 95% of every rock/pop/metal tone ever created in your studio. This, and the Peavey 5150 are my favorite amps to use in my studio, and only on very special occasions does my Diezel Herbert get pulled out. OVERALL OPINION If a huge amount of versatility isn't needed (ie: If you don't need prestine cleans and a great low/mid gain tone), these amps are EXTREMELY hard to beat at their price. Why these sell for less than the 3 channel models is beyond me, as they sound about 5 million times better. The gain is clear and brutal, a recipe for destruction. These amps are built like tanks and can easily withstand abuse on the road. I've owned almost every high gain amp Mesa currently produces, and has produced over the years, this amp is by far my favorite. If you don't already have one of these in your arsenal, buy one!!

The Carvin MTS 3200 is a 100 watt tube amplifier. The amp features two channels, Lead 1 and Clean 2, respectively. Channel 1 Lead controls include Treble, Mid, Bass, Drive (gain), and channel volume. Channel 2 Clean controls include Treble, Mid, Bass, Drive, and volume. There is also a push-button presence switch for the Clean channel. The front panel houses two additional controls; a global Reverb control that affects both channels, and a Lead 1 Presence knob that selects the Lead channel's presence frequency. Rear Panel: On the back of the amp you'll find the usual suspects; a bias switch for selecting 6L6/5881 power tubes (which ship with the amp) or EL34s. A switch to select cab impedance (4, 8, or 16 ohms) is included along with the two speaker-out jacks. Send and Return jacks for the great sounding serial effects loop are found here as well. The loop can be switched on or off via the included footswitch. A very handy and smart feature of this amp is that the output power can be cut down to 50 watts via a switch on the rear panel, which will keep your neighbors and FOH soundman happy! (it should be noted that the impedance does not have to be changed when running the watt in 50 watt mode, as it is not the same as pulling the outer or inner pair of power tubes as many commonly do to tame 100 watt amps) This feature is great for getting that driven tube sound at lower volumes! UTILIZATION This amp is very easy to dial in, which will be appreciated by the guitarist who is buying his/her first tube amp, or the seasoned pro looking for a great value in a well built, time tested product. Turn the knobs on the front panel and you'll notice that the overall sound of the amp doesn't drastically change. It's as though the amp was designed to deliver a general sound (albeit a very good one!) despite where the controls are set. It delivers its tones with only a slight variation from the eq controls, which is good since both the clean and lead channels sound very desirable! The treble on the Lead channel is the one control that can drastically alter the tone, but once you find a setting that cuts through without sounding overly bright, the other knobs only slightly alter the tone for fine-tuning. The manual is well-written and covers the basic features of the amp. No complaints here. The global reverb control is a bit sensitive. Trying to find the perfect amount of verb can be tricky as there's a fine line between just enough and too much. Once you find your sweet spot though, the result is spacious, and beautiful tube-driven reverb that spills over when switching between channels or when turning the reverb off. One of the best verbs I've ever used! SOUNDS Channel 1 Lead: Channel 1 Lead is a very smooth playing channel with enough gain to get into hard rock or even metal territory. It is voiced somewhat like a JCM 800, but is thicker, looser and less defined. The trademark Marshall "kerrang" and wiry top end is not there, but the overall character is decidedly british, especially when using EL34 tubes in the power section. I found that with the drive control set between 7 and 8 (around 2:00) this channel comes alive with harmonics and singing, controlled feedback that always sounds musical and is never stiff or harsh. This amp is a lead player's dream! It's gain texture is soupy and lead lines flow effortlessly from the player's fingers! Kick in a touch of the tube-driven reverb and it becomes spacious and full. The Lead channel's presence control is very different from most other tube amps. No matter where you set it, the amp will never become muddy, harsh or overly bright. At first listen, it seems as though it has a very minimal, or no affect on the tone at all. But crank the amp up on stage or at band rehearsal, and give it a twist! You'll notice a subtle shift in the high frequencies that really lets you choose the right setting to cut through the mix. This is a very well thought out feature! The mids are also voiced very musically in this amp, as turning them higher doesn't warrant a harsh result, and only brings more focus, bite and clarity to the voicing. The lead channel can also be set up to suit the hard rock riffer by shifting the presence and treble controls. With the treble past noon, the tone becomes a bit sharp. Dime the bass and scoop out the mids a bit and you're in the modern rock/metal realm. In doing so however, you sacrifice the warm liquid lead tones that are had by setting the amp up with more subtle high frequencies. I prefer keeping the channel set up for a soupy lead tone, then kicking on an MXR 10-band Eq in the effects loop to get the more aggressive and heavy rhythm tones. Another thing I'd like to point out is how the bass control sounds. This low end control acts more like a depth control that can be found on some amps, such as Diezels. Adjusting the bass on the MTS is like fine-tuning the very low sub-frequencies, and never adds low-mid flab like many other amps' bass controls. With the bass maxed, the lead channel becomes extremely huge sounding and almost feels like you're playing through subwoofers! Channel 2 Clean: Switching over to channel 2 Clean, the first thing you'll notice is that this is no ordinary, dull clean tone like you find in so many channel switchers. This is a full bodied, warm, almost acoustic-sounding clean that chimes and shimmers! Playing a strat or tele through this channel delivers some unbelievable clean sounds! Arpeggios and chords ring out clearly and never sound dull or thin. The quality of the onboard reverb can really be heard and appreciated on this channel. It's thick and lush with beautiful tails that decay and trail off naturally with no artificial artifacts or cheap digital sounds. Amazing job Carvin! Plugging in a Les Paul, I hit the presence-boost switch and the thick, round tone became bright and spanky and airy in the top end. This setup could almost pass as an acoustic sound from a Piezo bridge pickup! OVERALL OPINION Given the low price and high build quality of this two-channel tone machine, I find it difficult to nit-pick. However, if I had to make one complaint, it would be that there is no mid-shift or contour switch on the lead channel. This would allow me to dial in my liquid lead tones, and then flip the switch for playing aggressive riffs. This is hardly a problem though, as an eq can be used in the fx loop to attain these results. I would buy this amp again in a heartbeat! I can recommend this amplifier to the player who is looking to buy their first tube amp on a budget, or to anyone who wants a great lead channel and one of the best cleans available in a channel switching amp at any price! A great value!

I bought this to replace my JCM900 that I was always dissappointed in the tone. I did not do a lot of research but after talking to the owner and designer, I took the plunge. I was looking for a plexi type of amplifier and a JCM800. I've always loved the early 70's and 80's tone of these amps. I was not dissappointed. I use this amp for recording and hopefully, playing live again. It has a 2 watt (wife friendly) and 20 watt switch that have no change in tone at all between them. I played my Les Paul through it first and was just amazed at the sweetness of the tone and edge of breakup. The 20 watt setting through my homemade speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30 was club loud and enough to go over a drummer at edge of breakup. The clean is just that. Try it with a real Marshal. It won't do clean well. The Classic Plexi will do it and is very pleasing to the ear. The Plexi setting is so nice. So far it takes effects, both digital and analog very well. I can't say that about my Kemper. The JCM800 setting has the right amount of grit and is a great lead channel. Put a green tube screamer in front or a SoloDallas Storm and Angus type tones are achieved. I've played with my Strat and it's also a great sound. My SG is at the shop but I'm very much looking forward to playing with it as well. I haven't owned a Plexi or JCM800 in the past but from the ones I've heard this far surpasses the Marshal design in both reliability and noise immunity. It's hand wired and a beautiful piece of hardware. The owner was helpful in getting it to the US as well. Pros: Quiet, versatile, reliable so far ( I did a 3 day burn in as I do with all electronics), great looking, Tone is so sweet Cons: I haven't found any so far. I don't think I'm likely to. sorry this is in English. My French would not do it justice. Merci pour la lecture.

This Vox AC100CPH was my first real amp in 10 years since 2004 when i stopped . Then I started playing in a band again in 2014 when i bought the Vox used for ! $300 . Been buying other amps trying to find a better tone , like we all do lol . So I have bought a Marshall JCM900SLX that was a two channel beast , then a Fender Supersonic 60 watt head , then a Orange Rockerverb 50 mk2 head , and last but not least a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier RevG , and after trying all these heads , I keep coming back to my Vox AC100CPH . It just works for me . I use a OCD pedal out front , and for leads I use a Boss GE-7 equalizer in the effects loop for boost . This amp is JCM800 in spades with the OCD . I dont have the fat boost on and am always in the high gain channel i think it's channel 1 , but believe me with a Les Paul it's classic rock heaven with the gain set low , and the OCD off . Then to take it into sweet Jcm800 territory with the OCD . Then using the EQ in the loop it's a perfect boost/slash tone shaped lead that pops out with just a slight bump in the middle with everything else on 0 . It is so effective you will never use a clean boost out front ever again . I get compliments from other players all the time . Try these methods with this amp and it will be the best rock/metal/punk amp you could ever dream of . Overtones for days . I crank the master volume and use the channel volume for actual volume . I find that is the best sound . Then I crank everything on 10 except the bass , and the gain , and the channel volume . Channel volume is on 2 with master cranked , bass is on 4 , and gain is on about 6 or 7 . But all other dials are on 10 . Don't pass this amp up if you play rock punk or metal . Soo good and built like a tank . Been playing it for over 5 years and it hasn't needed any tubes or anything . Best amp ever

* The most practical thing about this head are its size and weight. Perfect to rehearse without breaking your back. The speaker that comes with it, the orange 2X12 celestion vintage 30, is also very light (after having used a 2x12 Engl, so I know what I'm talking about!). * It features a switch to select the power: 7 or 15 watts, up to you. The 7-watt mode is enough to play with my band, more than enough to play along with a drummer and the rest of the band. It's worth noting that you need to really crank the volume on a tube amp to get its best sound: 7 watts with the volume halfway or 3/4 up (distortion 3/4 up as well, it increases the volume) and you can make yourself heard. The 15-watt mode is better to play clean and use overdrives/distortion from a pedalboard. * Effects loop for modulation effects (chorus, delay, reverb and whatnot). UTILIZATION * Dialing it in couldn't be easier. One volume, one tone (for the mids) and one gain control. * The famous switch to toggle between 7 and 15 watts output power. Enough to play in a band. Live, amps are usually miked so there's no need for excessive output power. Anyway, this head delivers enough power for small gigs. * There's a manual for people who have no intuition ;) SOUNDS * With the gain cranked all the way up or set to 3/4, you get a nice distortion. The Orange sound remains fat, it's a matter of taste and colors. It can be a bit muddy, not very precise nor well-defined. If you use a pedalboard, it will be easier to get a biting distortion with more precision. * With an EMG 81/85 (standard tuning or down-tuned a whole step or even in drop C) it sounds good. With Dimarzios and drop B (which starts to be low) it sounds fine, too, but it has less the Orange spirit, less adapted to the amp's style because it turns into a mush when it's too low ;) * The clean distorts pretty fast, it crunches as soon as you touch the gain. * The tone control acts on the mids. At the center, it has no impact on sound, I think. Turning it left you get a rock sound, a "British" sound. On the contrary, to the right it's an "American" sound with scooped mids, it's resolutely metal. My favorite setting is to turn this pot to 10/11. I think you can find this type of controls on Blackstar gear! OVERALL OPINION * One year of loyal service, always with its orange 2x12 speaker. I used to play with line6 valve combos, which are a good compromise between "tube" and modeling sounds, all-in-one gear. I chose this head to avoid electronic problems (the motherboard on the line6 breaks down once a year, so even if they are versatile, the constant repairs make them a real pain). Switching to the Orange forced me to get a pedalboard, going from digital to analog you have more pro gear and customization :) * I tested the Jim Root (Slipknot) signature model. I didn't like it as much and, strangely enough, the distortion seemed less vicious. + : Reduced size and weight, transportation ease, its looks, the brand, the simplicity! - : I would've loved to have classic EQ controls, bass/mids/treble, which work really well! Note: There is the Orange dual terror for people who want two channels. But a two-channel Dark terror would be awesome (just in case the guys at Orange read this review!) !

I just picked up an old Classic 100 head with some kind of custom made boutique speaker cab for $350 U.S. on Ebay. The era of anti-Peavey snobbery is over for me. I had it inspected, cleaned and "tuned-up" for $100. Wow. This is an amazing and versatile amp! I've paid triple the price for much less amp. Beautiful clean tones and great overdrive. The nice thing with this overdrive is, you can keep the level low, and it retains the great, glassy clean tone, but adds only slight gain. Those 8 El84 tubes do serve a purpose. Full, rich tone! I have played and owned all kinds of amps, from Mesa Boogies, to Fenders, to Marshalls. This is now the amp for me. Rock, Blues, Country, Surf, Jazz. Probably not for the hardest Metal, but with the right pedals, you could pull that off, too. UTILIZATION Easy to get good sounds. Manual is acceptable. SOUNDS 70s era Les Paul. Various MIM and American Strats. This thing brings out the classic Strat and Les Paul tones out of the guitar. Also seem to help with playing dynamics. OVERALL OPINION I've been playing for over 40 years. Tried and owned all kinds of amps. I'm now selling several of my others. This one is a keeper.

This would be my second Mesa Mark IV, first being "A", my current being "B". The main difference I find between the two is a very slight darker tone and slight more gain. There are about 18 knobs on the front, some are push/pull, there are more on the back, as well as an EQ on the face. It can be a very daunting task, each turn can vastly change the tone and sound you receive out of the amp. UTILIZATION As I said above it is difficult to get your perfect tone, because there are so many knobs and the EQ, you can just about get any sound you want out of it. I find myself spinning knobs around multiple times when I'm playing just to try different things out, not because it sounds bad, because I'm looking to see "What else can I get out of this thing". SOUNDS Now here's where I'm gonna rain down on this review, the sound/tone of this Amp is phenomenal to say the least. I mainly play metal such as In Flames, or Black Dahlia Murder even ranging to Megadeth and power metal. There used to be a misconception this amp cannot handle that type of music, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's very easy to get the typical heavy metal (Rectifier) sound by doing a typical "V" shape and mess around with the lead channel settings for a minute or two. You can crank up the mids, reverse the EQ and get a ballsy/pissed off Marshall. You may get discouraged turning knobs and not quite getting what you want, but you cannot be afraid to change the EQ, that will let you change and master your tone on this amplifier. The clean channel is really something to be admired. The R1 (Clean) Channel shares one or two knobs with R2 Channel, Mids and Bass I believe. This does not interfere with the sound or function of each channel. You can still dial in spacious cleans, alongside with the built in spring reverb. The Lead Channel is one of the favored channels, I admit to using this channel about 90% of the time. It will range from grunge, rock, thrash all the way to heavier death metal. It can get tight for something technical, or get real loose and have a grunge/industrial type of rock sound. Alongside with the EQ it makes it very easy to have multiple tones ready just by clicking EQ on and off. OVERALL OPINION Overall I believe this is a top notch amp that any serious player should have the opportunity to own or at least try out. I sold mine in a rash spur of "gear flipper mode" or "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" right before they discontinued and regretted it for a long time. The prices these go for now-a-days are really worth it and hold up to more modern amps being put out. This amp won't leave my rig, and I'm sure a lot of people who own it feel that way. If you have the available cash, and the opportunity you should really consider buying one. If you would like to hear some actual applications of this amp in professional studio recordings, here is a list of Artists and Bands that have used Mesa Mark IVs exclusively or at least in one album: Lamb of God, Neurosis, The Offspring, John Petrucci, Orpheus, Nevermore, Maco Sfogli, Liquid Tension Experiment, Chevelle, Faith No More, Metallica, Sevendust, Anberlin.

The Jet City JCA22h is an excellent response to player needs. The original JCA20h offered wonderful value by taking soldano designed circuits and sourcing less expensive components to build them. The JCA22h adds a second channel that can be foot switched between. The two channels share a global EQ and presence control but have separate preamp gain controls as well as separate master volumes. A Tube buffered effects loop is present. A duo of el84's power the amp and give it a great tone. I must say, I've been a fan of the "333" branding on the grill of the amp. The sounds make it easy to forgive the aesthetics though. UTILIZATION The additional channel makes it easy to set up rhythm and lead sounds independent of one another. The responsiveness of the amp to your guitar's volume makes it even more versatile. You could easily go from very clean sounds to various degrees of gain without much footwork involved. The construction seems plenty solid. I've never had the chance to gig the Jet City but it seems plenty loud enough for that sort of environment. SOUNDS I played through the Jet City JCA22h with a Gibson Tweedy SG. Mesa 4x12. No effects. The cleans are very pretty. The amp could benefit from time based effects (reverb and delay) but overall the sounds are plenty useable, leaps and bounds greater than the pre-2010 rectifier amps for example. The mid gain sounds are very soldano-like. Much like the Astroverb I played previously, the amp can cop Thin Lizzy gain tones perfectly. The high gain sounds are no slouch but one might feel inclined to boost the amp. I personally feel the amp is fully capable for heavier styles, but the amp is lacking the low end that some metal players might expect. OVERALL OPINION The Jet City JCA22h is a greatly versatile, inexpensive amp that offers sounds that you typically would not see from an amp in the sub $1000 price point. The additional channel makes the amp more gig-friendly. My only complaint is the look of the amp, but the sound quality outweigh this shortcoming greatly. If you can, try out the soldano Astroverb-- A used model can be had for a few hundred more than the Jet city and might better satisfy those in the market for a low wattage head.

The Mesa Boogie Stiletto Trident is a 150 watt tube amp handbuilt in Petaluma, California USA. Multi-Watt, Channel-assignable power amp allows you to assign either two or all six EL-34 power tubes to each channel for power ratings of 50 or 150 watts of Class A/B power via independent 50/150-watt power switches Tube complement: 6xEL-34, 5x12AX7, 2x5U4 Fixed Bias for consistent, maintenance free performance Two fully independent channels with six modes: Channel 1 = Fat Clean, Tite Clean or Crunch (Cloning Channel 2); Channel 2 = Crunch, Tite Gain or Fluid Drive Channel-assignable dual rectification with Recto Tracking (Diode or Tube Tracking) Independent gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, and master controls per channel Bold/spongy "Variac" switch Output Level Control (over all channels when activated) Footswitchable Solo Level Control (over all channels when activated) All-tube effects loop with Send Level Control (over all channels when activated) "Hard" bypass switch that removes effects loop, Output Level and Solo Level Controls from signal path Slave out with level control External switching jacks for channels 1, 2, and Solo Chrome chassis 2-button footswitch (Channel 1/2 and Solo) Slip cover included UTILIZATION It is fairly easy to get a good rock and clean sound out of this amp with minimal tweaking. The manual is clear and gives you good sample control setting starting points. Although it is easy to get very usable sounds right from the start, there are a vast array of tone shaping options on each channel so you can fine tune your sound, which might take awhile to dial in. SOUNDS I have used Gibson V's, Les Pauls and ESP KH-2 guitars with this amp and it lets the characteristic of each guitar through. I primarily used a Mojotone 3x12 cabinet with Celestion CL-80's. My favorite sounds are the rock and 80’s rock sounds, which I think this amp excels at.It is possible to get a nice Plexi lower gain sound on the clean and/or crunch and then adjust the controls for a JCM 800 tone on the crunch channel. The clean tones are really nice, as well. I have been through a lot of amps and this is one of the better clean channels I have used. It really shines in a loud, live setting. In the past, I have had trouble with my clean channel being able to be heard through the band mix and this one has been great for that, due to the fact that there are very useful tone shaping options to choose from on this channel. I usually go for a nice thick Jerry Cantrell AIC tone, to use with my modern rock/metal band. This amp fell short for me in getting this tone. It could get close but just didn't have "it". It is a very bright amp and didn't have quite enough saturation to get the heavy tone I needed. It took a Boss SD-1 nicely but in the end still didn't do it for me. It would work best in a classic rock type of band. OVERALL OPINION My favorite thing about the amp was the buildt in solo boost feature on the foot pedal. This was the first amp I bought that had this - great feature! I also liked the clean channel, but since I rarely use cleans in my music, it is a wasted feature for me. I bought this on closeout and for the price it was a good deal, even though it fell short for me. Boogies are buildt like tanks! Overall, this is a fantastic amp for bright classic rock and rock tones but does not do well for heavy rock or metal. This amp is a well built tone generator that can give you many classic tones, but for what I needed it to do it was just ok. Knowing what I know now I would not have bought this when I did.