The slap in the face for marshall : HDRX 20

[Mrmadd]

Whenever you see anything about rock related music on tv or anywhere else, you see the classic Marshall cabs and amp profile.

 

[tallcoolone]

I never understood the need for these mini amps, they will never sound the same as their big brothers, they simply lack low end

I’m glad they don’t sound like their big brothers, I stopped gigging with those a while ago. These work so well in a small/med sized club where usually you are running subs anyway. Low end is for playing by yourself at home—live it just clutters up the mix IME which is why I’ve again gonna away from 100w NMV amps live.

Everything doesn’t have to be for everyone

 

[HarmFamily]

that's not it, why is marshall not diging into copying famous artists plexis with their mods and giving us small boxes with master volumes ?

Just imagine a mini 20w steve vai plexi with the josé mods (that was his recording amp)... and a master volume that doesn't suck that would sell a lot...

I suppose if your band, gear, and fan base can all fit into your bedroom for a performance it may feel as if you're for some crazy reason not Marshall's target audience, but the reality is that while I disagree with Marshall's direction the last 20+ years, they do still understand where their bread is buttered, and a bunch of 20w niche bedroom amps licensed by various celeb guitarists ain't it.

Most people already understand that if you can play like Jimi, or Steve, etc, then really the last thing you need is a 20w solid-state niche bedroom amp that has some celebrity name on it and few changed value components to go with it. If you want to sound like Steve Vai and think the "magic sauce" is a 20w bedroom amp, well, if your talented enough then you already know a 20w solid state amp isn't going to help you achieve that.

Marshall is a company who's goal is to make a profit. They've determined clearly that a 20w bedroom amp with a licensing fee attached to the cost isn't going to sell, nor is it going to be a value to the real customer base.

 

[pat_rocks]

let's be friends. I've got it ! i know what marshall needs, they need to improve their ms-4 micro stack !

here is a jtm45 nano and a jcm 800 nano with subminiature tubes :





overdrive ultra fuzz tones at the end haha

let's make walls of them and jump them together !

I mean there are so many possibilites how can't you even dig this one haha even if it kinda a funny gimmick.

seriously i would pay 200buck for this one instead of the mini friedman BE and i bet many would do it for fun too.

(my next build after my 18w plexi)

 

[carlygtr56]

Guys complaining they can't get VH or AC DC sounds out of an amp circuit tweaked for Jimi is high comedy. The reason the demos sound fuzzy or wooly is because 99% of these YT losers can't dial in an amp. They insist on cranking the Normal or Bass channel when that is not needed on this amp.

 

[C-Grin]

Everything doesn’t have to be for everyone

Agreed and also Nor do we all have to sound the same. It seems like some assume that Marshall’s are only for the kind of music they are into.

 

[MiniPlex]

Guys complaining they can't get VH or AC DC sounds out of an amp circuit tweaked for Jimi is high comedy. The reason the demos sound fuzzy or wholly is because 99% of these YT losers can't dial in an amp. They insist on cranking the Normal or Bass channel when that is not needed on this amp.

Could you give us a quick demo of some VH and Beckish sounds out of this amp? I've heard some of your other demos through the years on various forums and if anyone could do it you can!

 

[Mastershon]

Marshall is too involved with making T-shirts and Bluetooth speakers to worry about all this nonsense. 😆

 

[Moony]

The reason the demos sound fuzzy or wholly is because 99% of these YT losers can't dial in an amp. They insist on cranking the Normal or Bass channel when that is not needed on this amp.

YT Losers like

Andertons
Peach Guitars
Sweetwater
Thomann

they all have no idea how to dial in an amp.
Maybe because they never dialed in any amp before.
They even didn't managed to do it the right way when Paul was sitting next to them.
And even Paul himself didn't notice it and adjust the amp to sound good.
Also the guy from the PRS channel had no clue.

Ok.

 

[carlygtr56]

Could you give us a quick demo of some VH and Beckish sounds out of this amp? I've heard some of your other demos through the years on various forums and if anyone could do it you can!

I can't play any VH! You won't get that Super Lead response winding up this PRS amp. "If" I could play some VH, and I bought this amp, I'd uses a pedal. Same w/ Jeff Beck, and that would depend on what era JB you were trying to cop.

 

[carlygtr56]

YT Losers like

Andertons
Peach Guitars
Sweetwater
Thomann

they all have no idea how to dial in an amp.
Maybe because they never dialed in any amp before.
They even didn't managed to do it the right way when Paul was sitting next to them.
And even Paul himself didn't notice it and adjust the amp to sound good.
Also the guy from the PRS channel had no clue.

Ok.

Correct. Sweetwater are always the worst. They set up a Mesa Boogie JP2c w/ all knobs at noon. Thanks.
Andertons are a bunch of fools who give the shittiest demos. Their recent self-acknowledged fail at demoing a simple SLO pedal is proof of that.
Peach is great. Both those young guys dialed in the PRS great.

 

[Moony]

Peach is great. Both those young guys dialed in the PRS great.

As Paul said in the Peach video - "it sounds like a synthesizer".
I don't know any Marshall that sounds like a synthesizer.

But as I've said - it's probably a matter of taste.

 

[carlygtr56]

As Paul said in the Peach video - "it sounds like a synthesizer".
I don't know any Marshall that sounds like a synthesizer.

But as I've said - it's probably a matter of taste.

That's the 20 watt demo. Check out the Peach demo of the big head. Really good, IMO.
There are good demos, most are homemade, IMO.

 

[Moony]

That's the 20 watt demo

This thread is about the HDRX20 and all my comments were about that particular amp too - not about the big one.

 

[Lo-Tek]

I never understood the need for these mini amps, they will never sound the same as their big brothers, they simply lack low end.
If portability is the reason.. just buy a modeler (I also own a Kemper).
Last year an acquaintance wanted to buy an amp, I said I had a 100 Watt Marshall for sale, dirt cheap.
No, a 100 Watt amp was too loud for him and took too much space. A few weeks later he invites me to come and look at his new SC 20. The room was filled with 7 guitars (but a bigger amp was out of order) 🤔.
He also played it at louder volume than I ever do at home with my 100 Watt amps (which all have a very good master volume).
On top of that, it lacked bottom end (in general it just sounded small in comparison to the 100 Watt amp at the same volume) and the amp he could have bought from me was about the same price with a 4X12 cab..

Again, what's the right amp for the job?

Perhaps you don't understand the need but you must realize the reality that small amps have always been around and have been used on countless stages and recordings.

Do they sound like a big amp? of course not. They do their own thing.
I wish I would have had my Maz18 when I was gigging.

2 Princetons. Do they need 100watts? I'm gonna say it sounds fine to me.


Wasn't Zep I supposedly a Supro?


Personally, I like the sound of small amps. Sure portability and small size is a selling point but the tone is the main thing. imo

 

[Ufoscorpion]

I don't want to sound or look like a jerk. I like marshall amplification but seing what is hapenning is kinda sad.

You have a Guy named Jimmy Hendrix which was like one of the best ambassadors for Marshall. But Marshall didn't have the idea to make signature marshalls of the big names or the recent years they focused on slash mainly for whatever reason (i must agree that clearly he was one of the most popular players among guitarists). Perhaps that legends are asking too much for it but i mean it might be worth it...

Most of the great guitarists marshall were hot rodded and had some few mods which made them sound a little bit different.

One great idea was to take the big names make signature amps by reverse engeneering those and miniaturise them.

You have a Guy named Paul Reed Smith which understands what the market is looking for : Cheap with quality, small size and with volume bedrooms. but he went further the guy went to the museum with his techs they took pictures and measurments and they reverse engeneered the real damn thing. He went see the hendrix owner rights and bingo they accepted.

Next Step : they went to a uk artisan and asked them to copy cat the transformers and to miniaturise them to help reproduce the sound of them.

The Guy decided to miniaturise the thing (we know many people live in small spaces), he added a good master volume for bedroom volumes. Eric Johnson bought the amp and he said usually he asks for master volumes to be removed because he doesn't like them but he said that's the first time a master volume doesn't suck and he likes it...

Now marshall sells the sc20 and the sv20 for 1k5 in the us and around 7-800$ in europe. Many parts are made in asia and the guts...

I don't want to be mean but the guys which designed the layout just wasted aluminum for the chassis it is way too big and never needed to be this big and there is plenty of room which could have been saved. and the cabinet is way too big for what it is :

View attachment 121089


Now lets take a look at the guts of the HDRX 20 :

View attachment 121092

Now just let's take a look at the differences inside. First of all the pcb looks way better quality. Then look at the capacitors. Even if those yellow capacitors are made in asia capacitors those are audio grade capacitors and are not like the square block caps which marshall uses. The quality of the components is way higher. Moreover the layout for this thing is amazing compared to the marshall.

If we would compare the transformers then it would be rough for marshall...

how can marshal justify making us pay almost the same price or more in the us than a 800$ amp with better quality components and transformers made by a small manufacturer in the uk ?

I gotta say it clearly PRS is milking marshall legacy because Marshall doesn't know how to do it or even care about it :

- stop with the pcb shitty components and look at prs or at friedman amplification or even soldano as an example. Use real polyester dielectric axial caps.

Many young audio engeneers believe caps don't have tonal properties and that values only count which is completely false. Here is one evident "proof" about it the same amp the same cap values but different compositions :



- Add a master volume that works and doesn't suck the amp tone. Ken fisher and josé arredondo had nice designs.

- Reduce the size of your amps, make efficient layouts, reduce the cab size use real potentiometers. what's the point of having a cab 1/3 bigger than the metallic chassis ?

- Milk your ambassadors and make signature amps. Reverse engeneer them even the mods which were added to them.

- Reproduce/reverse engeneer transformers or even miniaturize them.

- Stop only caring for savings and give us some quality : Prs did it why couldn't you ?

Many say the demos weren't this impressive but it tell you that for a jtm45 the thing sounds quite impressive. I regret having bought my sv20h just two weeks before the hdrx 20 release.

stop the greed go pay a visit to Jimmy page, Angus young, Ask for gibbons marshall to his familly, Go knock at the door of the 5150 studios and look for wolfgang, Go see steve vai and ask him for his josé marshall... I mean there are so many possibilities yeah those guys might be greedy too but you still can negotiate with them...

many legendary guitarists still own many of their studio recording amps just go look for those !

I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you if there are enough arguments.

those kind of amps could become a goldmine if you would do things properly.

All well and good but you just can’t trust someone that makes guitars with BIRDS on , it just ain’t right .

 

[M JUBE 64]

I don't want to sound or look like a jerk. I like marshall amplification but seing what is hapenning is kinda sad.

You have a Guy named Jimmy Hendrix which was like one of the best ambassadors for Marshall. But Marshall didn't have the idea to make signature marshalls of the big names or the recent years they focused on slash mainly for whatever reason (i must agree that clearly he was one of the most popular players among guitarists). Perhaps that legends are asking too much for it but i mean it might be worth it...

Most of the great guitarists marshall were hot rodded and had some few mods which made them sound a little bit different.

One great idea was to take the big names make signature amps by reverse engeneering those and miniaturise them.

You have a Guy named Paul Reed Smith which understands what the market is looking for : Cheap with quality, small size and with volume bedrooms. but he went further the guy went to the museum with his techs they took pictures and measurments and they reverse engeneered the real damn thing. He went see the hendrix owner rights and bingo they accepted.

Next Step : they went to a uk artisan and asked them to copy cat the transformers and to miniaturise them to help reproduce the sound of them.

The Guy decided to miniaturise the thing (we know many people live in small spaces), he added a good master volume for bedroom volumes. Eric Johnson bought the amp and he said usually he asks for master volumes to be removed because he doesn't like them but he said that's the first time a master volume doesn't suck and he likes it...

Now marshall sells the sc20 and the sv20 for 1k5 in the us and around 7-800$ in europe. Many parts are made in asia and the guts...

I don't want to be mean but the guys which designed the layout just wasted aluminum for the chassis it is way too big and never needed to be this big and there is plenty of room which could have been saved. and the cabinet is way too big for what it is :

View attachment 121089


Now lets take a look at the guts of the HDRX 20 :

View attachment 121092

Now just let's take a look at the differences inside. First of all the pcb looks way better quality. Then look at the capacitors. Even if those yellow capacitors are made in asia capacitors those are audio grade capacitors and are not like the square block caps which marshall uses. The quality of the components is way higher. Moreover the layout for this thing is amazing compared to the marshall.

If we would compare the transformers then it would be rough for marshall...

how can marshal justify making us pay almost the same price or more in the us than a 800$ amp with better quality components and transformers made by a small manufacturer in the uk ?

I gotta say it clearly PRS is milking marshall legacy because Marshall doesn't know how to do it or even care about it :

- stop with the pcb shitty components and look at prs or at friedman amplification or even soldano as an example. Use real polyester dielectric axial caps.

Many young audio engeneers believe caps don't have tonal properties and that values only count which is completely false. Here is one evident "proof" about it the same amp the same cap values but different compositions :



- Add a master volume that works and doesn't suck the amp tone. Ken fisher and josé arredondo had nice designs.

- Reduce the size of your amps, make efficient layouts, reduce the cab size use real potentiometers. what's the point of having a cab 1/3 bigger than the metallic chassis ?

- Milk your ambassadors and make signature amps. Reverse engeneer them even the mods which were added to them.

- Reproduce/reverse engeneer transformers or even miniaturize them.

- Stop only caring for savings and give us some quality : Prs did it why couldn't you ?

Many say the demos weren't this impressive but it tell you that for a jtm45 the thing sounds quite impressive. I regret having bought my sv20h just two weeks before the hdrx 20 release.

stop the greed go pay a visit to Jimmy page, Angus young, Ask for gibbons marshall to his familly, Go knock at the door of the 5150 studios and look for wolfgang, Go see steve vai and ask him for his josé marshall... I mean there are so many possibilities yeah those guys might be greedy too but you still can negotiate with them...

many legendary guitarists still own many of their studio recording amps just go look for those !

I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you if there are enough arguments.

those kind of amps could become a goldmine if you would do things properly.

Well said. I've been a Marshall guy most my life. I'm not stuck to it by any means but I have owned and gigged with their amps for years. This HDRX 20 just blows everything Marshall has out right now similar. I sent back two Marshall amps recently and decided to go with the PRS HDRX 20 and it was the right decision. Just an overall killer amp and design.

 

[Gunner64]

Good for PRS. And its affordable.

Marshall used to actually care about its players as well as profit. Now the almighty dollar is king and we can just bend over and take it if we want a new Marshall...2.5k for a 900 Dr reissue..say what??

The thing about Marshall, at least buying in the states is, that rest assured, whatever they release will be overpriced by at least 50%. Someone is screwing someone here fellas.

Look at the studio series, our local music store has a sc20 they want 3k for.

Look around Ellen, We're at the threshold of hell.

 

[Rozman62]

I have a few vintage Marshalls but honestly dragging them to a small to mid size gig is impractical. It's embarrassing to say but I feel it much more the next day. I'm pushing 61 and gigging since the early '80's so time as a way of changing one's outlook. My logic is why bust my balls when 99% of the audience can't hear the difference. I can hear the difference but seldom worth the extra effort. Younger guys with there 4x12's have at it...said bye bye to those things long ago too. I love Marshall but have to agree they sit on there legacy and allow their competition to eat there lunch often. These days I've been grabbing my Friedman DSM. Much lighter weight Marshall voiced amp and I lift it with 1 finger. I have been eyeballing these PRS amps as I don't want to fork out 2x for as studio SC or SV.

 

[C-Grin]

All well and good but you just can’t trust someone that makes guitars with BIRDS on , it just ain’t right .

This is obviously the most clearly stated fact of the whole thread.