new amp anyone heard it yet???

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metalj

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Has anyone heard the new hughs and kettner "matrix 100" yet ??? I went to their web site to check it out. It looks really cool, 100watts of power in a 1x12 combo(which i like since i can use it for smaller club, then hook a cabnet or 2 up to it for bigger clubs). Has 4 channels all with seperate gain, effects(built in), reverb. It really looks like a great amp. exactly what I personally am looking for. But i cant spend like $500 bucks without hearing the damn thing.

anyone been to a trade show and heard it yet?? or know anything about hughs and kettner?? I hear that hughs and kettner are excellent quaility, and especiallly in the effects department.

any feed back would be great.

thanks
merry christmas.
 
I havent heard it.

But 100 watts in a 1x12 combo is so absolutely useless. A 100 watt 2x12 is bad enough, like a Twin, but a 1x12 seems insane to me. I have seen twins that literally tear themselves apart. It's just too much stuff in one box.

H2H
 
another cool amp

mesa boogie have brought out a new amp - i forget the name but it's basically a rectifier with el34's....sounds interesting!
 
For $500 i would look into a tube amp and I would definitely try it out first with your own guitar. You would be surprised how loud a tube amp with much less wattage would be and the tone will sound much better to your ears.
 
Hard2Hear said:
I havent heard it.

But 100 watts in a 1x12 combo is so absolutely useless. A 100 watt 2x12 is bad enough, like a Twin, but a 1x12 seems insane to me. I have seen twins that literally tear themselves apart. It's just too much stuff in one box.

H2H
Click to expand...


:confused:

what are you talking about?
 
100 Watt combos were invented back in the day when PA systems were only used to amplify the vocals. The guitar amps back then had to match the volume levels of the PA system, so you would see lots of amps on stage. You just don't need that kind of power any more. Turn a Twin up all the way to use all the 100 watts and then tell me where you can use that. You can't. With modern multichannel PA and recording, you can focus on amps that sound really good instead.

High wattage combos just aren't popular, and there's a good reason for it. Not only for the sound, but also for having so many components in a single small frame, it puts lots of stress on the amp frame itself. Shipping one is a crapshoot because one wrong drop with all that weight on the frame and it's broken. And, if you actually play them on full volume (where any tube amp really sounds its best anyways) the vibration from the speakers at that level can mess with the electronics in the amp itself and shake things out. I have heard several amp tech saying this.

I have owned somewhere between 20 and 30 tube amps, I lose count, and honestly have no reason for a 100 watt combo. The low watt combos really do sound much much better, which is one reason they cost more.

H2H
 
Hey, that brings up a good question. If i'm doing live shows, would it be advantagous to sink all my money in a 15-50watt combo, or head... instead of buying the 100watt?

Our band has a PA, and I allready run my setup in that. So if go with smaller wattage but better quality... should i buy a preamp or something that boosts the signal AFTER my amp and effects?
 
MrStitch said:
Hey, that brings up a good question. If i'm doing live shows, would it be advantagous to sink all my money in a 15-50watt combo, or head... instead of buying the 100watt?

Our band has a PA, and I allready run my setup in that. So if go with smaller wattage but better quality... should i buy a preamp or something that boosts the signal AFTER my amp and effects?
Click to expand...
It really depends on the sound you are after. If you like the sound of the power section and speakers distorting, this is the way to go. If you are looking for a 'harder' (it is really hard to describe a sound) sound that would require more headroom in the power section, a high wattage amp would be the way to go.
Unfortunatly, everyone has a different idea of what a good guitar sound is. All the advise you get will be colored by what the advise giver thinks is great. The truth is, different styles of music and different playing styles require different types of amplification. Imagine Metallica playing Rickenbakers through a Roland 120. It would be stupid, as would Bob Dylan playing an ESP with EMGs through a Mesa stack.
There is no better once you get into the realm of profesional equipment, only what is appropriate.
 
thanks for your input

Thanks for your input guys, i appreciate it. I think the older I get the smaller my rig gets. I used to play through 2 full stacks in stereo, now Im lucky to get my half stack out once in a while. I have personally learned a few things that i prefer on stage and just playing live in general. 1 is that i like to hear my amp on stage vs bringing it through the monitors(just my personal preference). 2 is that a great live stage sound doesnt mean it will sound good through the PA(audience). 3, i like being torn down 15 minutes after our last song. 4, is, and dont shoot me, its just what I prefer......I dont like tube amps. They sound great, I just dont care for the upkeep, and the uncertainty of me bumping it wrong or something going wrong with them. If I was a rock star and had a guitar tech, then yeah i probably would have them. I am also a firm believer in getting your sound out of your hands using techniques. In a nut shell i want someone to say, man he is good guitar player, not,... man did you hear that marshall amp, and les paul. I am kinda on a quest for something different, my own sound, not a stock factory sound. Again, no disrespect meant toward all you hardcore tubies :)

getting back to my original posting. I just thought the 100 watt 1x12 would serve my above needs, no matter the size of the venue. When i play at a bigger club, i just use it as a head to power a couple(probably 1 though) cabs, thus not rattleing the insides at that volume. then at a small club i just take the combo, tilt it back right next to my spot on stage and maybe push 50 watts max worth of volume out of it.

still wondering if anyone knows of the hughs and kettner quality??

thanks again
Merry Christmas
metalJ
 
I think Tubedude here on the BBS has been trying to sell his H&K Warp7 head for a while for pretty dang cheap. Maybe ask him about them, and maybe get a good deal on something. Who knows?

Good luck with your search,

H2H
 
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