Carvin X-100B

The Carvin X100B Series IV amp is a terrific all-around amp that does everything well. While previous versions of the X-amp had some quirks, they got it right with the Series IV. Very loud amp, beautiful warm clean tone, very nice complex high gain lead tone, great features (reduced power 25/50/100 settings, +4/-10db loop settings for pedals and rack gear, tube switch on back for 6L6 or EL34 substitution, 5 band active EQ on top of passive tone stack, wonderful reverb, effectively a 3 channel amp with clean, crunch on clean, and lead. For the $400-$500-ish prices used these days, they are the best kept secret. I've owned Soldano SLOs, a Bogner Ecstasy, and many other really nice amps and can attest this amp doesn't take a back seat to any of them. Does it have Bogner tones....no (but its not worse, just different). But does the Carvin have great tones the Bogner cant do....yes. Every amp's tone is different and to be valued. No such thing as a tone being better than another amps tone. They are all just different. Believe me, this amp will blow your mind if you are a competent player. Very high quality tones and features in this unit. As with any amp (boutique names included), the type of cabinet and speakers you put an amp through can completely change the tone. This amp sounds great through either V30 or more balanced speakers like 70/80s or Legends. Love my X100B Series IV.

controls:

Lead/Rhythm EQ selector switch;
five band graphic with shelving frequencies for 75, 150, 500, 1.5 and 3K bands with a range of plus or minus 18 db.
Reverb,
Presence
Treble
Middle
Bass
Master volume with a Footswitch Boost mini toggle switch.
Lead master volume with another mini toggle for gain boost
Lead Drive and a mini toggle for channel selection
Rhythm volume with a bright mini switch

12ax7s and EL34 powered.

UTILIZATION

This is a very interesting amp from the late 80s I believe. The EQs are all shared, and you can assign the EQ to either the lead or rhythm channel.

The rhythm is the clean channel, or you can crank the gain on it to have 2 distortion channels between the lead and rhythm, and then assign the EQ to one of them to differ the sound all together.

This might take some getting used to as it's really just one channel since everything's shared but you gotta make sure you know what you're doing with the 5 band EQ to get things to sound good.

Lots of tweakability actually with just the shared EQs and the 5 band. It's the 5 band that allows you to have such versatility in the channels and it's a great idea. One thing though is that this amp doesn't sound good at low volumes, it's old school so you gotta crank it to get it to start sounding good and non fizzy.



SOUNDS

I just want to say this has got to be one of the most unknown sleeper amps in the world. This sounds ABSOLUTELY AMAZING for both cleans and dirty!!!

Cleans are super bright and shimmery, with plenty of headroom. You can get that fender twang no problem and you can get all that spank you've ever wanted in a clean amp if you've got a single coil equipped guitar! I've noticed almost all of carvin's amps have amazing clean sounds, not sure what they do to it but it's always great!!!

Dirt. Think hot rodded marshall sounds. Very tight, crisp, and clear. Plenty of gain on tap to do anything you want. What's also great about it is that the amp cleans up with the volume rolled down.

I ran this head through a few different cabs, avatars, Gflex, marshall cabs. It sounded good through absolutely everything. Very awesome amp!

OVERALL OPINION

Super ugly. But Super awesome sound!! Clean tones are to die for, dirt is a very nice hot rodded vintage sound. Plenty of gain on tap, yet dynamic enough to clean up with the volume rolled down. What more can anybody ask?

There have been many different versions of this amp, though most of them should sound quite similar so I don't think anybody can go wrong with an amp like this. Just try to get past the look of it and you're golden!

Tube amp from 1990 4 EL34 and three 12AX7
100W (swith to reduce power 100, 50 and 25W)
2 inputs Low and High
Effects loop
HP outputs 4, 8, 16 ohms
Line out
switch on the 12AX7 gain 4, 0 and -10 db
Footswitch

UTILIZATION

super simple.
the equalizer band is really effective if you want to be very precise can dig the sound, conventional knobs I leave at 5.
a clean channel (rhythm) denies even with a very difficult to cruncher volume.
a lead channel supported a master aviator to enter hi gain.
a presence knob that stuck me.
the bottom bracket is used to switch from clean to lead, to initiate the effects loop, and put the reverb (spring)

SOUNDS

I play everything on funck, pop, hard 80/90, reggae, blues and rock, to metal pedal essential. the base is super clean after his working with the knobs and guitar effects pedals and then I spend on lead channel and its tears.
you can play at low volume, I set the power to 50% of lead laster 10 the lead to 3 guitar volume to 3 or 2 and I rediscovered my guitars.
you can also go with a pedal distortion or fuzz Direct output preamp and you have a master volume that allows heat lamps.
I play a lot in clean through my dunlop crybaby, jekyll and hide (and ditto overd the DigiDelay a biyang reverb, fuzz a star baby of biyang.j 'always manages to have the sound I want. and when I want it sends on the solis passage lead veiled.
I return to the presence gives a real atmosphere, and spring reverb that I push background for a typed his surfing so go to the pedal if we want more.
voila, the top is clean I prefer the mesa and fender especially strong that even he does not move pas.apres can do what you want but for the metal hyper modern style, hard core I did play not.But c is not my thing so ...

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 months, my teacher who sold it to me for 400 €
I changed because his body with the carpet it was not. it is I made a brand new steel type with a grid (I put a link) http://carfax.forumactif.com/t5867p840-j-ai-encore gauze-
and I changed the 12ax 7 lead to a ruby ​​ac5 hg +, largely decrease the body which is great ....

lamp 6L6 Groove Tube
3 ECC83 JJ

works with a 2x12 Celestion V30 cab

UTILIZATION

not obvious at first glance

but rather easier later, the sounds are still a few beautiful grain getting set

SOUNDS

in heavy metal music is missing a little bit flush (and even this will depend on the guitar)

(For me vigier above)

OVERALL OPINION

an excelent value for money

would love a third channel, but ..., and a pedal and played all