Koch Studiotone II Head

Everything has been said, but in brief:
Guitar amp head lamps: 3 x 12AX7 + 2 x EL 84
Power: 18 to 20 Watt
3 channels: Clean, Overdrive and Overdrive Boost
Tone Controls: Bass, Middle and Treble
Vocing 2 switches: Mid shift (2 positions) and Bright (3 positions)
Outputs for external speakers: 4, 8 and 16 Ohm
On / off switch for speaker
Recording output
Effects loop
Reverberation
Crank: Clean, Overdrive, Overdrive Boost
Dimensions: 440 x 280 x 230mm

Miss:
- An attenuator output power (okay, this sounds great head still low volume)
- Tone controls or one or two voicing switches on overdrive channels

UTILIZATION

The front panel is intuitive and very traditional.
We put all the pots tone at noon, and presto you already have a great sound. It only remains to refine.
We listen to once or twice the effect of voicing switches (very useful especially to go from a Telecaster to a Les Paul ...) here and roll!
The rear panel is a bit less common and far more outputs provided.
Direct output to the console is also equipped with voicing switches - with pictograms moreover not always very explicit, but still just one or two trials for dipping.

If necessary, one can resort to the manual, very clear and complete. I just wish to have detailed diagrams as Fender

SOUNDS

I chose this primarily for his head clean sounds and / or hot and / or crystalline with a good balance between low, mid and treble. Nothing to do with sounds so called "modern" type Transatlantic Mesa, Vox Night Train or Hughes & Kettner that I find highly aggressive with a sound spectrum resembling that obtained by plugging the guitar direcement on a console - ugh!
At very high volume (at 24:00, there is hardly in the room), the clean channel does crunche only very discreet. With corrections and voicing switches you approach sounds like Fender Blues Deluxe or Twin (I love!) Or Vox. It depends also on used speaker - in my case a VHT 1x12 with Celestion GH30 hp. There 's really close to it Deluxe with a little more mids though.
As we leave the overdrive crunches though progressive starting from almost clear to go to good distortion which I find quite 70s. DO +, I think we reached the limits of the beast - in my case, which becomes too aggressive (something not very pleasant in the treble). It's a shame, because we would not be far away from something great with a tone control for specific OD channel or a dedicated switch for voicing.

A word also about the direct console output: it is simply the best DI I know - after the late SansAmp, 1st name.

OVERALL OPINION

I have tried a lot of amps and heads, some cited above in the tube amp in Paris (a special mention for their kindness, patience and listening to their recommendations pertnence). I also had a Fender Blues Junior II that I have deeply modified (Bill M Mods Audio) never get to find my sound clear reference (Blues Deluxe) in more portable size.
I finally have an excellent compromise with this very versatile little head (except probably metal) with clean sounds are dirt to fall either with a Telecaster or a Les Paul.

Amp head lamps (2 x EL84, 2 x 12AX7 & 1 x 12AX7LM), other users have already well complter all this, but I'll make the effort to add some

Front, I'll Epargne the bass eq, middle high ..

A switch-clean, drive, drive more, with a sparation (LMH for light, mdium, high) that will typify your saturation with, you guessed it, a lightweight crunch a saturation average for the The switch, the crunch has more pronounced the larger rock distortion for M, the high gain distortion ... the big fuzzy boiling for H (it has to come of my guitars are far from being typsmtal)
For me, the L channel out from the crowd, with far less compression and voicing a more open, dynamic, trs sensitive to the nuances of the game but we'll see in the section sound.
A mid-switch is a bit useless for my taste, which activates a kind of V eq mtalleux dear to ...
A switch-bright, far more useful to him, which corrects the rponse
acute, very practical, with a choice, its a typical fender, trs brilliant rponse a neutral and a more smooth but still quite open and usable.
A-reverb, pretty basic but not inintressante.

At the rear.
A dummy load super-convenient way to play without plugging the cabinet, so to register via the exit dedicates without having to make a microphone and without pushing the amp thoroughly.
-3 Hp outputs 4, 8, 16 ohms, practice, but damage is only one use.
-A headphone basic but effective.
Output-to attack the clean channel of another amp,
Output-to attack the back end of another amp, never tried ...
-Formulation with a recording output (which is far from being a gimmick to time.)
A-mono effects loop (SERIES), fairly transparent.
-A socket for the footswitch (footswitch some light on the way, a switch for the reverb supplmentaire 'or sparation drive / more drive would be nice t ...

UTILIZATION

A format friendly enough, a power that can enjoy the lights without losing his hearing and the police round up a simulator hp convincing enough, the sound immediately exploitable, even without touching the knobs, no matter what channel switched connectivity and especially extremely complte. It all.

SOUNDS

Used with a Gibson ES 335 and US tlcaster. (2 * 12 cabinet with celestion greenback closed Mount)

A fall was clean, detailed bass, a warm, highs not aggressive (despite the bridge tlmanche mapple, as I recall)
For my part I only play on the drive channel with a gain trs light but the volume down almost a background, we obtain a clean trsractif who goes on a big crunch any forte, strong point , a potato standard, a standard dynamic short, I conquered. Channel more drive and compress a little too hard mtal typ 90 '

OVERALL OPINION

Good quality price, rich connectivity, a convincing, cohrent choice of lamps, the head amp crasis just in Chinese production of vox / fender / marshall in This category price (less than thousand euros).

Well, in this area, no need to add, Gromeul has already said it all!

In any case, the deposit amp (I had before buying a Peavy classic 30, and frankly, I see no difference in power between the two). With the volume at 3 in the clean repeating, I get along well.

In addition, the extensive connections on the rear panel opens enormous possibilities and very practical, especially with regard to registration

ditto for the switches "bright" and "mid shift" on the front panel that allow real access to a wide range of sounds.

And best of all, this little amp really looks nice, the finish is exemplary.

UTILIZATION

Get started easily enough, despite all the switches and inputs (rear) of the amplifier.

Indeed, if the equalizer is common to both channels, the switches "bright" and "mid shift" can really fine-tune the sound;

In addition, the setting knobs are very sensitive and have a significant impact on the sound. 2 is not 2.5 or 3! So we need a little time, once you tried different config, to find her, but once this is done ...

SOUNDS

... Ecstasy! The clean sounds are amazing clarity and accuracy. What is nice is that the amp does not crunch very quickly (unlike a Fender Deluxe Reverb 22watts I tried), so we can grow quite the volume before the sound begins to saturate.

The switch "bright" gives you access to many sounds, to sounds worthy of the best fender, while the switch "mid shift" will allow you to focus on the midrange, though nice for out of a mix.

I find its relatively neutral, but clean and detail that will really highlight the nuances of your instrument, thus enhancing, and each tone.

I said that I connected to one of my cabinet design, with a Celestion V30.

In addition, between switches and knobs, you can access any type of real register sound, from the vintage to modern. In short, you'll understand that this amp is really versatile and can adapt to any style, from jazz to rock (and derivatives), blues, to metal (possibly with the addition of adequate distortion pedals).

However, I was a bit disappointed with the reverb, which I find somewhat artificial (on this point, I preferred that of my C30), especially when riding, but do not grow beyond 4 , it still makes a lot, and channel 2, ie the overdrive.

On this channel, which is common with the Equal channel clear, there are two additional switches. One of them is used to select channel 2 in the main channel, while the other plays the "stamp", the tone of the overdrive (lo> hi). The footswitch allows you more access to a "more drive". Yet these multiple possibilities are misleading in my opinion because I expected more vast and sonic surprises, gold, it is not, even if everyone will find for sure his account in looking around.

the issue, I have mixed feelings, especially by pushing the gain and tone (high): it is super clean (too much for my taste), and sounds a bit "artificial", fade, especially "more drive".
In "high", it sounds too typed "hard rock 80-90" in my opinion.

I use it only in low mode (the only usable for my taste, it is essential), with the gain to 6: it produces a warm overdrive and nervous at the same time that complements and blends well with my other distortion pedals, although I prefer the sound of these.

Anyway, it's really to quibble!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for several months, and I do not regret at all the investment. I find the price / quality ratio really good (I got it to 900 euros, switch provided some brands should build with the provided cable hp), especially taking into account the enormous range of possibilities, both noise level of the use (studio, scene ..).

In addition, Class A materials exude quality really, it's tough!

I had previously a Peavy classic 30, and there's no pictures, it brings us to another class tube amplifier.

I tried a vox alnico blue acc30 I found friendly without effects, but with less convincing, the fact that you can not adjust the midrange is annoying because when you use a wah, it becomes really Screaming. In addition, it does not necessarily marry well with any distortion pedal. In addition, it is much more "cheap" (including trim).

I also tried a classic ENGL 50 which I really flashed, but coming out of my budget (head at 1250 euros). In addition, its sonic possibilities and use are much smaller (here, we stay in the field of vintage) than those of Studiotone, although engl has two reverbs (one per channel). But what would I do with 50 watts, while 20 more than enough for my use (apart, repeat, little scenes)?

In the end, a choice I would definitely do it again, because you can access this stuff to the professional type, at a price of more attractive (at the price I got it, of course).

Come on, the only criticism I would make him really is his name (pronounced "Kotch" to tell the Dutch), but hey, the important thing is the sound, right?

Cf Gromeul

UTILIZATION

Configuration, although comprehensive, is super clear and very practical, both for the studio, the rehearsal or live.

We obtain easily the sound is playing a little research on the equals and the mid and bright switches.

The doc is quite enough ..

The huge + super returns to full connectivity and especially at the exit Recording Out emulated is really high quality (comparisons in support). C'es true happiness for the home-studio owners in search of his true without make any bruit.Merci Koch

SOUNDS

This amp is really incroyable.J 've tried the same day and quite intensely lot of amps (Mesa Maverick, Orange Rocker, AC15, AC30, Brunetti, Fender HotRod (horrible), Gibson ..) and plugging this little tete I had never heard with my local dealer was really impressed.

I play a lot of different styles (Rock, hardcore, jazz, blues, pop ..) with lots of very different guitars (PRS, Start, Ibanez AS200 Artist and vintage ..) and I can bring out the character of each guitar very stressed with this ampli.En big it is great with all my guitars, all of which are well adapted EQUAL and switches.

The clean sounds are clear and powerful, much better than the Fender so-called mid-range as the Hotrod in which you got even more clear sound if you exceed the volume 2 .. There is not the side slamming affecting many amplis.C is brilliant and controlé.De addition, the top of its 20 watts, we can push the light has a very respectable level and more than enough to rehearse and live (or club scene ..)
Crunches are a hot and tasty .. régal.Un his blues-rock of great quality ..
The distortion is super exploitable for my taste, both modern and warm, and with the PRS is very accurate wholesale lourd.C is same for me totally usable in Hardcore mode and yet I can not enjoy distos amps apart Rectifiers ..

OVERALL OPINION

It will probably not be very serious to around 10 but after trying and played on many amps for over 10 years I can tell you that the quality: price (new 900E) is excellent.
It is a very versatile head with the practical aspects