Hughes & Kettner TriAmp MKII

Hughes and Kettner is a great German company that has been building unique looking amps for some time now. There most common amps are their Tri amp which has a glowing front panel that light up around the control knobs. They also have a see through plexi glass front panel where you can see inside the amp. Now many builders have been using that feature but I believe Highes and Kettner are the ones who made is famous.

This is their flagship amplifier. This is the go to amp for the guys at Hughes and Kettner headquarters. This amp has 3 channels with six mode in between. You can go from sparkly clean Fender tones to blaze metal tones with just a click of foot switch. Same tone at the Alex Lifeson model without the croc tolex and purple lights. This one has standard black tolex and a blue light background.

UTILIZATION

Channels 1A: Vintage Californian Clean, 1B: Vintage British Clean, 2A: Classic British Rock, 2B: Vintage British Rock, 3A: British Hot Rodded, 3B: Modern Californian Hi Gain
Power 100 Watts
Poweramp 4x EL34
Preamp 9x 12AX7
Effects Loop serial/parallel
MIDI built in
Footswitch/Stageboard 7-way Stageboard TriAmp included
Switching Functions 3x Amp, 3x Channel, 1x FX
Special Features RED BOX built in
Speaker Outputs 1x 4 Ohms, 1x 8/2x 16 Ohms, 1x16 Ohms
Suggested Speaker Cabinet CC 412 A/B 25, CC 412 A/B 30, CC 412 WA30
Protective Cover included
Dimensions 750 x 340 x 256 mm
Weight 22 kg/49 lbs

SOUNDS

This is a great tonal masterpiece. This amp has three channels and six modes. Each channel has two different modes of operation. For the clean you can get a nice Fender like clean and click the next mode you'll get a British style clean much like a Marshall plexi. On the second channel you have a crunch channel. The first mode is a classic rock tone from a Marshall style voiced amp. Next you have then a hot rodded tone from a Marshall style amp. This gets you great vinatge classic rock tones for music such as AC/DC or Led Zeppelin. The third and final channel you get over the top gain and distortion. The first mode is a hot rodded British gain for most hard rock and metal. Then to top it all off you have an insane amount of gain for the second mode. This mode is for modern playing or dripped tuning. Great for modern metal and hard rock.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these amps come in at around $2799, which is a great price for a boutique quality amp with three channels of operation. This is a bit higher than the regular Triamp, but this one is the signature so sports little higher price.

I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good versatile amp for gigging or practicing at home. If you do a lot of cover songs then this is the perfect amp for those needs.

3 amps, 2 channel amp.
On the data sheet, everything is already well said in prcdents opinion.

USE

Config super simple, very intuitive, an amp, what !!
Big sound, light, bright, bold, is right now, it is then enough to rgler the equalizer and the gain of each channel according to their taste and the round is played.
Please note the homogeneity volume unites the different channels. A small Dtail this, history find something wrong. There are two gains but a volume per amp.
In its saturated I use channel 1 for power chords, for example (half gain), and channel 2 for solos (cross gain). I wish I could ride a little more gain of channel 1, but up the sound, so you turn the volume down and suddenly, Channel 2 is not strong enough. To my taste, it would take a volume spar per channel. When will the head "sixamp"?

SONORITS

The head is plugged into a Mesa Boogie 2X12 correct. I play mostly rock and pop rock variety, I have two Lag (Roxanne and Louisiana). The Seymour Duncan snapped hard on the head. That happiness.
It is my opinion the most versatile head that I tried. The clean sounds are of a purity tural crmeux wish the crunch when the saturations, they pierce you literally.
Good hrtique that I am, I even plug my Takamine electroaccoustique on the clean channel. Sacrilege !!! After recording via microphone, even ing of her ask me how I get this presence and this heat ...

NOTICE GLOBAL

I tried other models in Brunetti and Mesa Boogie. They make very good products more typs my opinion, but that does not suit me, for against the versatility of the Triamp perhaps not please everyone.
I also tried the head on a 4X12 marshall 1960, I have not liked. So choose your cabinet also good.
I have this config for 3 months and I have no regrets, I do it again the same choice. That said, almost 4000 config (list price), you better be satisfied. Fortunately, my contacts in the mtier allowed me to save almost 50% of the cost.
At these price levels, it is really better be passionate and / or rich, does not prevent one another and especially have comprhensives companions ... Thank CHRIE.

All Tube Amp, (13 exactly)
-100 Watt avoinent lot
-3 With separate amps for each equa. Two modes by 6 Channel amp so, 1a 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b + fx if the cannal possesses an external rack.
Everything is controlled by the footswich so all seven buttons on the switch including the canal fx.
Possibility of different sounds-real time extensive.
Reverb-adjustable by a potentiometer at the back of the head. I do not put 10 because it is not controllable by the switch.

UTILIZATION

-The grip is quite fast but not super easy either, a small adjustment period is néséssaire notemment for adjusting the sound level between the different modes.
Otherwise when the beast is tamed in a few hours, there are ways to have fun, it's big sound!

SOUNDS

Me I'm more into punk, rock, hard music that his mother and what I find the sound of the amp in general its pretty good but lack bcp heat. This is an amp sounds so German in Germany. It's pretty cold, on all channels, it lacks versatility, if you like the big metal, rock, neo has linkin park, the head Eccell in these areas, cons if you like blues, jazz , to forget. It lacks horribly versatility it may be the major flaw that I criticized the head. Well if not I said to the neo, punk etc is the atomic ball! The disto hard bcp bcp c big sound is clear. The crunch lacks a bit of personality. Light and sound a bit aggressive. But all I'm saying that strictly binds me what my impressions his characters.
I play it with a Start fitted with a Seymour Duncan Invader SH8 and a cort m600. I do not use external rack but I know that the use of an external rack with the amp is rather easy.
I takes only six because of his horrible lack of versatility, c a shame just to ca.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for several months. It is but I like bcp qu'estetique the glass suggesting the inside of the beast. I love the distortion bcp.
In France the price is around 2600 euros. I'll sell it to buy a Dual Rectifier, which is in my opinion much more versatile.
If I do it again do it again or not I will take rather a dual but when I got paid the mk2 triamp the Dollard was not as low as now so the price of the dual was bcp bcp higher.

100W all-tube amp (9 x 12AX7, 4 x EL34)
3 amps, six separate channels

bass, mid, treble adjustable for each amp
A gain for each channel (6), a master for each amp (3)
A presence and an overall master general.

connectors for external effects loop (FX loop with adjustable mix)
connectors for external volume pedal (preamp out, power amp in)
A red box for integrated pro taken direct sound (mixing table)
Switch 50W/100W

Bracket 1 7 buttons (6 channels + FX)

UTILIZATION

Configuring facade "could not be more simple" ...

you still have to spend a few hours earlier (or even weeks if you're looking really good) before finding the sound that best suits his style for each channel. But given the magnitude and quality of the sounds he can get, it's worth it to give himself the trouble ... all wins ...

you have to also pay attention to the differences between each power amplifier in order to have a sound as homogeneous as possible when changing channels.

the manual is clear and the settings of the amplifier are instinctively everything is in front if it does not add connectors effects or external volume control.

SOUNDS

Should I think about all styles of guitar music and when you use the right combination triamp / speaker / microphones guitar.

I personally use most often with a Washburn N4 relics (Nuno Bettencourt model) and an Epiphone Joe Perry Boneyard (Gibson pickups Burstbucker II and III), coupled with a Marshall 1960TV 4x12 cabinet (G12M Greenback 15W (100W 16 Ohm) .
And it spits hard ...
This head is extremely versatile.
I find all the sounds that I like: clean of the perfect bluesy, to classic rock sounds (style Marshall, Mesa Boogie) to a saturation that is the most brutal (Channel 2, Amp 3).

The sound is simply magnificent and for me one of the best on the market for a single head (I have not tried all the existing amp heads but not one that I like most of those I've heard today).
The presence of the sound is amazing when playing in groups. I'm not talking about volume, but more sound pressure. This receiver requires it strong balance even at moderate volume and goes extremely well with all other instruments.

I am amazed at the quality of the sounds of this amp head.
I see no complaints on this issue ...

OVERALL OPINION

I use it several times a week for a little over 2 years now (May 2005) without any concern for reliability.

The big advantage is that whatever the channel, gain and volume used, saturation is extremely "untied." The sound does not bleed on the notes ...
However this feature is that the triamp remains difficult to play. I was a little confused at first, especially in the solos. The sound is so clean that it does not forgive the questions about feeling. Once the beast under control, it is only happiness ...

But that's what makes its strength, this really clean retransmits the nuances of the game and it is difficult to come back to another amp, if not as good, without finding a critical re ...

With experience, I would do this choice with his eyes closed if the price remained the same there 2 years ... quality / price ratio given the undeniable sound. But beware, the price tends to soar in recent months, inflation hello music.

I must say that if I could have this amp head before, I certainly would not so much hung in the rigorous musical adaptation and she asked me after 10 years of practice guitar. You have to work before making what you want.

Perspective reproaches:
1) that the module MSM-1 (midi interface card) is optional.
Is sold at the price this amp, H & K would have put it straight in at the expense of the red box which is not necessary, given the microphones made that one can do with ...
It takes about 100 euros to upgrade the card MSM-1 (used to change channels and FX straight from the multi-purpose), but it's worth it to do, it's really convenient. Not rocket science, it mounts easily, taking care to remove the head and not break it. Only the system of plexi glass / neon to be careful not to break or not to scratch the wound (sore point requiring the presence of two persons to facilitate the development ...).

2) there is no reverb built into the head (while triamp I have one).