2555x First impression.

[solarburn]

thats cause people dime the gain demoing these. i am old school and plexis/jmp's/ /800's are the tones i grew up on(had loads of them)...believe me the jubilee is very old school when you know how to dial them. the controls are very responsive , evey nuance on the bass or mid makes a difference in tone...
on a last note right tubes and good bias are crucial so...
but to each his own.

I'll have to play one. Judging from clips isn't fair. It's a reference point but not a demo experience. Hands on is best. Then I get to feel how it plays too.

I think I'm finding it warmer than I like. I prefer a more Plexi like bite and openness.

It's just another kind of Marshall voicing...warmer if you will.

 

[marshallmellowed]

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sambodious/jub-test[/SC]

Here's a properly recorded clip I made of my 2555x with a Shure SM57 in an isolation room.

First you'll hear an Aerosmith riff twice. First in Rhythm Clip, then on the Lead Channel.

Then a Lead lick, same story, but on the bridge then neck pickups.

That recording sounded pretty good.

 

[Marker]

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sambodious/jub-test[/SC]

Here's a properly recorded clip I made of my 2555x with a Shure SM57 in an isolation room.

First you'll hear an Aerosmith riff twice. First in Rhythm Clip, then on the Lead Channel.

Then a Lead lick, same story, but on the bridge then neck pickups.

I think that sounds really great - it sounds just like my 2555SL.

I've seen so many criticism regarding the 2555x but most of the demos I've heard including this one sound really great. I wonder why people love to hate new or reissued stuff.

 

[PlexiKing]

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sambodious/jub-test[/SC]

This sounds kind of bland and lifeless to me. Did you actually double track or did you approximate the effect using a plugin? Just curious.

 

[sambodious]

This sounds kind of bland and lifeless to me. Did you actually double track or did you approximate the effect using a plugin? Just curious.

In your opinion, what's missing? I don't know much about capturing guitar tones but I'm hungry for it.

Yes, it was double tracked in ProTools 11, except for the lead bits, those are just one track.

 

[marshallmellowed]

In your opinion, what's missing? I don't know much about capturing guitar tones but I'm hungry for it.

Yes, it was double tracked in ProTools 11, except for the lead bits, those are just one track.

IMO, that's cheating a bit if you're trying to demo the tone of the amp stand alone. I thought it sounded a bit better than the other clips I've heard, and double tracking does make a difference (in a good way).

 

[bulldozer1984]

In your opinion, what's missing? I don't know much about capturing guitar tones but I'm hungry for it.

Yes, it was double tracked in ProTools 11, except for the lead bits, those are just one track.

I can tell that amps sounds great, but the clip is lacking top end. Move the SM57 more towards the centre of the speaker to get some more top end in the sound. An SM57 is very bright by nature so you must have the mic quite far from the dust cap of the speaker and too close to the outer edge of the speaker.

Watch this to understand what I'm talking about

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=ksm9hUpbkdQ[/ame]

 

[sambodious]

IMO, that's cheating a bit if you're trying to demo the tone of the amp stand alone. I thought it sounded a bit better than the other clips I've heard, and double tracking does make a difference (in a good way).

Fair enough! FWIW, I made the clip for my own purposes, trying to see what this amp would sound like if I cut a demo with it or used it on some other project. It wasn't born from a desire to showcase the Jubilee in a pure, super turbo honest setting.

If I ever post more stuff in a forum like this I'll keep your comments in mind.

 

[sambodious]

@bulldozer1984 good advice! I had it off axis pointed towards the cone, at about where the dust cap meets the cone.

I also have learned about myself that I have a dark touch with the electric guitar. My guitar buddies poke good hearted fun at me over it. Who knows how or why people's hands develop the way they do, but my touch is definitely darker than most, so your advice doesn't doesn't feel like it's out of the blue to me!


On another note, anyone else got some juicy 2555x snippets or clips to share?? I'd love to hear them!! I'm always curious how others apply pieces of equipment that we have in common.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I'm guessing meh, uncooked tubes + a cold bias explains the inferior tone the 2555X had in that GC video? If so, I had a feeling that was it.

 

[thegaindeli]

I jus don't like how it looks...

Fair enough.

To my ears, the Jubilee is an entirely different animal, and in no-way should it be compared to Marshall's traditional offerings.

Here are some comments by Alan Phillips regarding the Jubilee...

Given there are 7 diodes in a Jubilee, it's easy to see why there are so many variations in OD tones among those models. Apart from the obvious condition of tubes, it's this network that defines a warm one from a buzz box, and unless you experiment with this network, no amount of tube swapping or biasing will warm up a cold buzzy Jubilee. I've had Joe's silver one that was his favorite for a long time on my bench, which had a very balanced network, and was naturally a warm and wide amp. While the Guv'nor does use a similar type of clipping arrangement, it's a little different. Plus, it's acting on a pure guitar signal from an op amp. The signal levels are higher in the Jubilee, because it's after a tube gain stage. This is also the reason why there are more clipping devices in series, because the signal levels are higher.

Here's an interesting point: If you remove the clipping stage from a Jubilee (I have done this), it's actually a clean amp with no preamp gain at all. The whole design is focused around that network, and all of it's preamp OD comes from those solid state devices. Still, if you have a good one, it is a fantastic sounding and feeling amp! Joe has the ability to pick the good ones, and has an ear for it. You must also bear in mind that preamp on, it's essentially a power amp stage similar to a Plexi Marshall, and Joe runs all his amps in to power tube overdrive. Much of the big warm Jubilee tone he has is in fact the power tubes contribution. THe preamp just adds the spice to the highs and lows.

Hope thats helpful in demystifying the infamous Jubilee!!![/I]

Settings of Joes Silver Jub? (Page 1)

 

[mickeydg5]

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sambodious/jub-test[/SC]

Here's a properly recorded clip I made of my 2555x with a Shure SM57 in an isolation room.

First you'll hear an Aerosmith riff twice. First in Rhythm Clip, then on the Lead Channel.

Then a Lead lick, same story, but on the bridge then neck pickups.

Please give all dial settings and Triode/Pentode position for reference.

To me those are very important with this amplifier.

Thank you.

 

[dptone5]

Hey sambodius. Great tone and playing.

What pickups do you have in your R7? You are nailing the LP tone I always have in my head.

Thanks!!

DP

 

[solarburn]

Fair enough.

To my ears, the Jubilee is an entirely different animal, and in no-way should it be compared to Marshall's traditional offerings.

Here are some comments by Alan Phillips regarding the Jubilee...

Given there are 7 diodes in a Jubilee, it's easy to see why there are so many variations in OD tones among those models. Apart from the obvious condition of tubes, it's this network that defines a warm one from a buzz box, and unless you experiment with this network, no amount of tube swapping or biasing will warm up a cold buzzy Jubilee. I've had Joe's silver one that was his favorite for a long time on my bench, which had a very balanced network, and was naturally a warm and wide amp. While the Guv'nor does use a similar type of clipping arrangement, it's a little different. Plus, it's acting on a pure guitar signal from an op amp. The signal levels are higher in the Jubilee, because it's after a tube gain stage. This is also the reason why there are more clipping devices in series, because the signal levels are higher.

Here's an interesting point: If you remove the clipping stage from a Jubilee (I have done this), it's actually a clean amp with no preamp gain at all. The whole design is focused around that network, and all of it's preamp OD comes from those solid state devices. Still, if you have a good one, it is a fantastic sounding and feeling amp! Joe has the ability to pick the good ones, and has an ear for it. You must also bear in mind that preamp on, it's essentially a power amp stage similar to a Plexi Marshall, and Joe runs all his amps in to power tube overdrive. Much of the big warm Jubilee tone he has is in fact the power tubes contribution. THe preamp just adds the spice to the highs and lows.

Hope thats helpful in demystifying the infamous Jubilee!!![/I]


Settings of Joes Silver Jub? (Page 1)

I was keeding.

I'll try one out next time I hit GC round here. Quite a few guys I trust ear wise here like it so I know for me to get past the clips...which all sound like a dulled up Marshall...I'm going to have to play one.

My only hope is I hate it...so I won't need one.

 

[medicjg]

PiIt's a killer amp. Wait til you can get one second hand or open box. It will be much cheaper. If I had patience that's what I would have done. The amp has the goods you just have to have a little experience with biasing and have some decent glass to put in it. I love all the diode clipped Marshalls which this amp definitely is. But with the clean channel you can get traditional tones as well. Plenty of people are gonna send them back because of their inability to tweak it. Wait and grab one cheap and tune it up. You won't be disappointed.

 

[thegaindeli]

The 2555X is IMO going to be too much amp for most apartment dwellings, as you just can't push it to volume. Attenuators are cool, but they kill tone. If we make enough noise, maybe Marshall will come to their senses, and release the more appropriately powered 25/50 Jubilee.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Absolutely correct!

Anyone who does not agree:
1. Has either never owned a Jubilee.
2. Is tone deaf.
3. Jealous, because they don't own one.

I don't know, man … I owned one and didn't really care for it. In all fairness, I did have a combo rather than a head + 4x12, but when I needed cash for something else, I didn't think twice about dumping it. My only regret was not predicting the future, as I could have made out better than I did had I held onto it longer.

 

[plexilespaul]

I don't know, man … I owned one and didn't really care for it. In all fairness, I did have a combo rather than a head + 4x12.

did you have the 2*12 or the 1*12?
the 1*12 combo has no choke and is has a more compressed and boxier tone compared to his big brother ..there is a huge tonal difference between the two.

 

[treetrunk]

The 2555X is IMO going to be too much amp for most apartment dwellings, as you just can't push it to volume. Attenuators are cool, but they kill tone. If we make enough noise, maybe Marshall will come to their senses, and release the more appropriately powered 25/50 Jubilee.

I'm pining for the same thing! I've put an order on the 2555x, but it's out of stock right now. I will mostly not go forth with this purchase, because of the very reason that there's no way to get the best from this amp without using attenuators or cranking it.
When the godfather of Marshall amps the Plexi has been adapted with power scaling in the YJM100, the AFD is another example, why not the Jub?
God willing, Marshall would take heed to our voices let's see...what the future has in store..

 

[thegaindeli]

I don't know, man … I owned one and didn't really care for it. In all fairness, I did have a combo rather than a head + 4x12, but when I needed cash for something else, I didn't think twice about dumping it. My only regret was not predicting the future, as I could have made out better than I did had I held onto it longer.

I was actually kidding, hence...

To my ears, the Jubilee is the most unique in the Marshall line. It's that uniqueness that I love so much.

Like the OP said, the 1x12 combo uses a resistor vs a choke. I haven't played the 1x12 Jubilee, so I can't comment. Since the tone/feel of the Jubilee combo didn't appeal to you, I'd say that you made the right decision by selling it. It's not the amp everyone, but for those who relish its uniqueness, it's the cats ass!