Bloodrock
Well-Known Member
So I received my new DSL 40 this afternoon and gave it a couple of hours of tweaking, here are my findings. This review is compared to my old JCM2000 DSL 50 that I have had for almost 10 years. The Reverb is still Meh! Don't care I have pedals.
First of all, the 2 added master volumes give you an entire new range of gain and volume sounds when blended with the gain and volume of each channel. you can crank the channel volume and back off the master to get a much more pushed power section type of tone if you want, and also get much better cranked sounds at lower volumes using the masters.
The EQ itself it much better sounding all around. No more ear piercing clanking highs and no more flubby lows, (although you can dial in extremes using the resonance and presence). But no more living on 2 with your treble and presence when you use the ultra channel.
Much more balanced EQ between the channels. No more huge volume jump, and only minor EQ tweaks needed between Classic and Ultra channels.
More gain on Classic, and less gain on Ultra. Subjective to opinions, but much better balance IMO. Classic Crunch now does close to Slash type gain if cranked, and Ultra is dialed back a bit, plus it's a lot more open and less compressed sounding.
V-Type speaker... Very well matched to this amp. I'm a huge V30 fan and my old JCM800 cab I use has 2 V30's and 2 H30's, this speaker is very well matched. Nothing offensive sounding out of the box.
The most surprising thing is that Ultra 2 is actually useable! No more flubby low end and fizzy highs! Kick it in with modest gain and put the mid shift in and it's an amazing EVH brown sound. Lows are much tighter and punchier on all channels. Much more like an old 5150 than the previous DSL. The low end is tight and chunky.
Overall I'd say Marshall nailed it 20 years later with the DSL. LOL! I'm sure it will sound even better after a good tube swap and a bias adjustment.
First of all, the 2 added master volumes give you an entire new range of gain and volume sounds when blended with the gain and volume of each channel. you can crank the channel volume and back off the master to get a much more pushed power section type of tone if you want, and also get much better cranked sounds at lower volumes using the masters.
The EQ itself it much better sounding all around. No more ear piercing clanking highs and no more flubby lows, (although you can dial in extremes using the resonance and presence). But no more living on 2 with your treble and presence when you use the ultra channel.
Much more balanced EQ between the channels. No more huge volume jump, and only minor EQ tweaks needed between Classic and Ultra channels.
More gain on Classic, and less gain on Ultra. Subjective to opinions, but much better balance IMO. Classic Crunch now does close to Slash type gain if cranked, and Ultra is dialed back a bit, plus it's a lot more open and less compressed sounding.
V-Type speaker... Very well matched to this amp. I'm a huge V30 fan and my old JCM800 cab I use has 2 V30's and 2 H30's, this speaker is very well matched. Nothing offensive sounding out of the box.
The most surprising thing is that Ultra 2 is actually useable! No more flubby low end and fizzy highs! Kick it in with modest gain and put the mid shift in and it's an amazing EVH brown sound. Lows are much tighter and punchier on all channels. Much more like an old 5150 than the previous DSL. The low end is tight and chunky.
Overall I'd say Marshall nailed it 20 years later with the DSL. LOL! I'm sure it will sound even better after a good tube swap and a bias adjustment.
