Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister 36

Amp head lamp with compact 4-channel power reduction, integrated effects, direct output connectors noon ios dedicated application, pedal dedicated

UTILIZATION

Quick start configuration for use: you plug and go. Crank necessary if we want to make the scene or just change the presets quickly. Ipad almost have to if you want to program the beast, customize his presents.

The manual is fairly brief and notament does not address the connection with iPad

Sound presets are better than many other amps, for good luck against to program without ipad. (I can not imagine the thing on iphone or ipod with a small screen)

total: a little gas plant and the place that we thought won with the effects is not with pedals + Ipad

SOUNDS

The clean sound is excellent .... since I changed the tubes for JJ (both prenatal and power): clarity, depth, definition, everything gained
The crunch channel is excellent, perfect for blues
The other two channels are less my cup of tea, I prefer to stay on the clean channel and add my favorite pedals, the result is more defined and known to my ears

The effects of tremolo, chorus, delay, reverb are excellent

OVERALL OPINION

Used for 6 months, really took another dimenssion with other lamps. Used with a traynor 2X12 cabinet with 2 Celestion Vintage 30, can really be either ds minimalism that sending wood if necessary.

No substitute course not 'all' and I dream of a vintage sound tj domesticated.

Q / P good, even rajouttant the pedal and interface pr ipad. if you do not have to go ipad in my opinion your way.

site hughes § Kettner is absolutely no other.

Characteristics already explained in previous reviews

UTILIZATION

Very convenient to cabler and transport, for maximum ease of use live once programmed sounds.
Registration and headphones are a must, on an "all-tube".

SOUNDS

Very versatile

OVERALL OPINION

I owned an H & K Switchblade 50, who had the same philosophy of 4 programmable channels.
I also have a H & K Tubemeister 18 which has the same philosophy of load-box and red-box integrated.
The GrandMeister 36 is a combination of all that which keeps only the good aspects of the previous two.
But with very big plus:
- The effects are quite correct for my needs on stage, which will allow me not wire like crazy (in pub, in the dark, Method 4 cables, it was really hassle to install on my GT100) I will live lighter and easier ...
- The pots presence and resonance that can really sculpt each sound to refine the countless possibilities already offered by the 4-channel EQ + + effects.
- The security provided by the automatic switching to 0 watt, if you forget to connect the baffle

So now that I lack a bit:
- I wish we could choose to have the power of the amp on all presets ... just like you can choose to affect the presence and resonance settings for the global presets or each preset.
- I wish we could select the preset on the amp, as it necessarily must midi pedalboard to do (or iPad).
- I wish I could assign and display a preset name and display it on the pedal. (Remember each preset among the 128, it is not always easy, and there is a risk of error)
- On the pedals, I think the selectors positioned W rather than online, it is not the most convenient ...
- I regret that nothing is planned for the transport bracket.
- I wish the tempo flashes continuously on the pedal, and not only when you start the tap tempo.
- Integrated Red-box recovers well to save his live, but not quite enough to get his "studio". I have to add VST Impulse Respons Recabinet with my 3.5 for it to be perfect.
- And of course, I wish that the application is available on Android and PC.

It's a long list of complaints, but it is just to say that nothing is perfect, even if there H & K really hits hard!
The best amp I've ever owned by far!
I put 4 and a half stars

I will not go on the characteristics of the amp. I will provide some clarification any time.

We're on a fully programmable amplifier or almost. The following functions can be set for each preset:

- 4 channels
- Treble, mid, bass
- Volume, gain
- Presence, resonance (ability to disable switch to fixed mode for all presets)
- The boost
- All effects and their settings
- Wattage
- FX Loop (level not adjustable)
- Noise Gate active or not (fixed level for all presets using it to settle behind the amp)

Found on the front and a power stand-by button.

TSC (Tube Safety Control) is a system that manages in real time the status of lamps and distribution of distributed thereto signal. In case of failure of a lamp, the TSC can cut and distribute the signal on the remaining lamps to keep the sound quality, and at the same time to finish his set.
However, in example, if you were 36 watts, you switch automatically to 18 watts.
In addition, the rear of the machine, above the active diodes indicating lamps, there is a slot where you can slide the tip of your pick and discover the status of the tubes.

Note when the event of accidental disconnection of the speaker cable, the receiver switches instantly in mode 0 watts to protect lamps and transformers.

All these systems inspire me trusts, as well as the manufacturing quality of the whole. One of my dealers told me that H & K amps were among the most reliable on the market, especially those equipped with TSC.
I'll see with time.

I was surprised by its small size and low weight (not light either) and conquered by its design. Lit in the dark, it is just beautiful.


UTILIZATION

Obviously, this amp is not the easiest in the world to use. His side "gas factory" can be daunting one. In my case, using a multi-effect pedal for many years, it is not impossible.

The facade is very clear and greatly promotes grip. A little reading of the manual however is not superfluous. Very concise and intelligible, it is actually possible to take the camera in hand quickly. However I struggled to understand the advanced programming cranks twelve o'clock.

Find happiness is simple sound material. The knobs are effective on all their races and actually helps sculpt all frequencies. Passive equalization acted effectively with pros and cons that he knows where every action on one of the knobs affects its neighbors, suddenly changing their beaches shares. Nothing disturbing the contrary, the majority of amps work like that. Moreover, there is always the possibility of adding in the effect of a loop multi-band equalizer.

The knobs resonance and presence of a turn you can change the world. Presence making you from a sound fat to crystalline. The resonance allows for him to change the behavior of the speaker sound if I may say. At a minimum, the sound is flat with psychics before. At the end of the race, predominantly low and the sound is very airy. The combination of these two functions is very effective and they finally let go of his typical gringo to british.

Setting effects is not rocket science. It activates the button "fx access" that glows blue and go. The knobs reverb, bass, middle, treble, volume and gain change function and then they can adjust different levels of effects. I found it quite disturbing back in Classic mode, sound levels are no longer their place in relation to sound rendering. Note that the reverb is directly accessible on the classic interface.

The volume gain and are complementary. The first increases the sound and colors, "warm", while the second, twists while increasing its volume. You can also activate the boost, which in addition to add gain, add mediums. Perfect for drilling in the mix or just find its preset.

A handy little trick: when you clear the setting mode or effect that is preset changes, it is possible to visually locate these settings through a switch LED that flashes when you turn a knob and the we pass on the pre-setting.

The master, good, well as usual. ' ! It sends the sauce output lamps amp increases the sound and adds warmth.

Setting wattage is done at the back of the head via four push buttons. The reduction is very effective. I remain impressed by the power dissipated in 1 watt led master well. The amp still sounds good at low volumes. But like any tube amp, the more you shoot, the more it sounds.

The noise gate is activated by front push button and adjusts soft to hard by a potentiometer on the back of the machine. It is very effective or not enough. Everything depends on the context, it is not programmable at different levels.

A button on the back allows you to select the speaker type virtual eMule the red box. So, I am disappointed with its effectiveness. The difference is barely audible. Release the red box works perfectly.

Once programmed, this amp is a happiness again. It is very versatile and you do not even need to touch.

SOUNDS

Now, talking about her!

To put everyone, I use to test a Vigier Excalibur Original HSH config with Seymour Duncan SH5/SSL6/TB5, passive microwave, alder body, maple neck, stainless steel ferrule and pink Floyd. I control the amp by afternoon with my Pod HD500 Line. The head is connected to the housing H & K TM112 a 12'' Celestion Vintage 30.
As I'll explain this amp is versatile and sometimes I feel a little formulaic side "his legend" that these four channels cover. I think the guys at H & K tried to plagiarize some known amps. Fortunately, this head has its own character and I warn you, it sends the wood.

The Clean channel sound fenderien navigates to voxien, sometimes in low load and open, sometimes slamming and crystalline with a very tight grain. I think I got to find all possible cleans sounds: jazz, country, rock ride, funk, reggae and also a sound grazing sound of an acoustic guitar. I heard many juggled the different positions of the microphones from double single split mode and varying the tone of the grat. I love this warm canal or not, round or slamming, hollow, solid, muffled airy, fully respecting the dynamics of the game Without reaching amps that have made their reputation on that channel, it comes out with flying colors and he showed a rare and a really nice seat versatility.

The Crunch channel aptly named, too, perhaps. He gets angry quickly when abuse of the gain. A good half of his course, he does more crunch, it saturates at full speed. I am not a pro at this type of channel, but left a Chuck Berry 60s a supercharged ACDC. It growls, it creaks and even that is very flattering. Sometimes the bass a little beyond my taste, parfais for a blues-rock or an old punk. Navigating between the field of a Marshall and a well pissed Vox.

Lead channel is very aggressive, so heavy metal dad. Gain do you want, here with an open grain and low compression. I think we can call this channel saturated vintage. A slight hiss is heard when you do not play and that we do not control these strings. The noise gate makes sense from this channel to keep a clean sound and not too fast feedback. Personally, I find it very successful and very straight. The harps seriously begin to whistle. I use it mainly for solos on my Metals sets, preferring the natural reverb and the open grain of the channel rather than the channel Ultra.

Ultra, my favorite by far. I tell you right now, it smells inspiration Mesa Dual Rectifier in full nose. In my case better. But he has his strong character to it, but Mesa sauce anyway, I insist. Modern highly compressed grain, in fact, that sends the sauce without drooling. Good bass present, mid back and incisive acute, sharp. No need to abuse on equalization "V". Metallica to RATM, thinking by SOAD, I love the versatility of the saturation. I am not come to more gross distortions like Slipknot. The head has also provided open-tuning: Drop D, Drop C, the palm mute out of the cellar, his thunder Tension in the air. TERRIBLE! The breath is then to hear the noise gate is ESSENTIAL. But at least it solves the problem.

The effects are well their jobs but they are not extraordinary. The reverb is downright fun. It troubleshoots still well under any circumstances. Exploitable, do not abuse it. I prefer my HD500 effects: more control, more choice and better rendering. In addition, 4 cables method, I put the effects wherever I want in the string. The effects loop is neutral but its volume is not adjustable.

Red Box output does a very good office and faithful to what comes out of his cab. I go through a mixer Yamaha USB for recording via Cubase AI5. The sound is good, no more. But I put mainly because the sound card of the table, which from experience is not unique. However on my front speakers, a pair of RCF 315A MKII is very loyal.


OVERALL OPINION

My general opinion is very positive after a month of operation. The value for money is simply excellent as there are options included in this head. Moreover, it is compact class. Its use requires a little practice. Midi system is expected to really enjoy this amp.

Positives:

- The versatility and sound quality
- Reverb
- The extensive connection
- The Red Box
- The TOTAL control by twelve o'clock
- The look
- The adjustable power
- The TSC

Negatives:

- The sounds stereotypical amp legend to some, I think, who can blame him for lack personality
- The effects but it is not rotten either
- Use not so simple for purists
- The noise gate can not be programmed at different levels
- The choice of modern or vintage cabinet on the red box anecdotal
- The knobs do not necessarily show what we mean, but if done
- Edition Software on the IOS from Apple, then I do not understand
- No footswitch or MIDI provided cable for IPad

If I had to make a choice, I honestly think I do it again this choice. Again even I know that I have not yet made a complete tour of this little gem.