PaulDW Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 Im thinking about selling my current amp (Marshall AVT275) and buying one of these heads. I am stuck between the two... Can anybody provide any recommendations or suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouse Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 The TSL sounds excellent plus it has an extra channel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cowboy Dan Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 DSL50, don't be stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cowboy Dan Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 just to clarify that, get a DSL50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Wirelessly posted (Nokia6100/1.0 (05.16) Profile/MIDP-1.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0)Those replies show the exact predicament I am im... The extra channel is a big plus... But im told the dsl is a great thing though. Any more thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Child_of_bodom Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 You need to ask yourself if you need that extra channel. Also are you certain marshall is what you want to go for. Have you checked out any other types of amp before buying. Engl's, Laneys and peaveys may also be what you are looking for. Out of those two i would say that few people use the extra channel but it can be helpful but with money tight the DSL is probably the safer bet. Mind you i use pedal distortion so who would want to listen to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I am absoloutely 110% sure that I want to go for Marshall. I have used marshall's for the last 6 years, and haven't been let down by them yet. I am not really a pedal distortion player, and I love the Marshall overdrive, particularly on these heads. I have played the DSl in practice and I loved the tone, but I really do not like the idea of having four channels, that I can only really use two of on stage. I mean, I hate moving back and forward during songs/in between songs, fiddling with settings. But on the other hand, I can see that there is a lot of good things said about the DSL, which the TSL cannot match.The place where I intend on purchasing the products, have quoted me exactly the same price on both of them.Im not treating money as the main issue, as they are both within my budget. Just looking for general/detailed feedback on which would be a better amp to go for, and for a heads up on any problems people have found with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I've tried both in RnB's and although not at the proper volume the DSL was winning out. The TSL clean is great. More glassey than the DSL's. Some how though the DSL did seem to have a stronger drive channle but at low volumes it isn't really that good a representation of an amp. I guess you should go set up camp in RnB's for a few hours and A/B the amps till your satisfied.The third channel is a good feature but you can always use a pedal to act as 3rd channel on your DSL. The annoying thing about the DSL is that although it has 4 sounds they aren't foot switchable but you can put them to good use...personally I'd go with a DSL and use some pedals for other drive sounds...either way you are going to be a great amp......certainly make our set up look/sound even better! Plus providing even more Marshall roar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I am very much swaying towards the DSL now... I think the biggest concern was the reverb. But I am being offered a second footswitch for switching reverb on and off... Which would completely sort that problem.Hmm.. You are right about the look tav... Impressive it would be! Hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Karloff Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I have a DSL50 which has eaten three output transformers for no apparent reason. At least Marshall replaced them all for no charge even though this was out of warranty due to my troubles when R&B did the first one and I was unhappy with their service. But, I lost faith and bought a 1986 JCM800 2203 Series II head, and since then the DSL has been relegated to "In case of emergency, break glass" status. I find that the 800 kicks it's ass in terms of volume, delivery and sheer tone. I used to have to use a pedal to drive it, but I did a few simple resistor changes and now play through it straight up. It's the be(a)st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have heard a few people talk about the transformer aspect, but the majoityu don't. So those sorta things may or may not happen, the risk would be the same with many tube amps. These amps are more than loud enough for what I will be using them for... so 50W with Cab is fine for me. I think im deifnitely edging towards the DSL50... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Karloff Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have heard a few people talk about the transformer aspect' date=' but the majoityu don't. So those sorta things may or may not happen, the risk would be the same with many tube amps. These amps are more than loud enough for what I will be using them for... so 50W with Cab is fine for me. I think im deifnitely edging towards the DSL50...[/quote']I think the transformer problems are down to the quality of these parts rather than an inherrant Marshall design fault. I believe that modern transformers are made to such a fine tolerance that they no longer have any over-engineering like older units, and are made with inferior quality of materials. I think that they are unable to cope with power spikes that may occur because of this, hence they fuse. For that reason, I would spend the extra money needed for a DSL100 instead and then pull 2 of the power valves like I have done on my 2203. What you have then is a 50W power amp with essentially over-sized transformers. If you pull 2 valves, then pull either the outermost two or inner most two. You also need to use an impedance of HALF of your actual speaker load, so for a 16 ohm cab then you use an 8 ohm selection on the amp in this case. If you don't do this, then you won't have compensated for the missing valves and will be mis-matched. Which is very very bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig deadenstereo Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Engl Thunder, smokes the DSL or TSL, has three channelsand comes in a little cheaper. Sounds good at all volumes. Trust me, I've played a lot of amps.Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 According to the site... Thunder only has two channels... Hmm... Engl really aren't my thing. I have a friend who I used to jam with who had a ENgl combo... I really didn't like it.Marshall have never let me down in 6 years, so i don't see the reason in changing. Mesa is another way i could go, but far too expensive. Smokes it in what nature... Volume? I really have no need whatsoever to go any louder than what the TSl or DSL can offer. And if you mean tone wise... thats a very personal thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I think that they are unable to cope with power spikes that may occur because of this' date=' hence they fuse. ![/quote']Power spikes from the supply? Could you not cure that possible cause of fault by using some sort of power supply with a regulator/conditioner? Apprently they also make plugging into venues electricity supply safer as well...I know Neil Young uses some form of regulator so he gets 120v at 50hz <or some figures close to that> every time he plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Karloff Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Power spikes from the supply? Could you not cure that possible cause of fault by using some sort of power supply with a regulator/conditioner? Apprently they also make plugging into venues electricity supply safer as well...I know Neil Young uses some form of regulator so he gets 120v at 50hz <or some figures close to that> every time he plays.Maybe, but I am mainly hypothesising. It may be nothing to do with any spikes or surges, maybe just shitty made transformers! Sadly there are not that many manufacturers of these components these days. It's never been the mains transformer, always the output transformer which takes the amplified signal and ramps it up for output to drive your speakers. But, its conceivable that a small variation in mains input becomes something out of tolerance by the time it is fed to the OPT. As it happens, I'm liking the JCM800 much better in terms of tone and sound, and have had not an inkling of a problem with it. But interestingly, it has the much fabled Drake transformers fitted to it, and these seem to be the mecca in terms of transformers for older Marshall amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Well apprently the DSL is coming to the end of its days so what ever is on the horizon might have solved that problem. Must have been v.frustrating for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDW Posted February 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 What is this news you speak of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Just speaking to someone who works at RnB before Marshall road show and they were saying that the DSL will be getting replaced in the future...I don't think they meant really soon just that it's going to happen in the not so distant future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.