DSL5c - The Ultimate Lo-Power Amp

[riefil]

So this is what I've found based on Micky's picture it's V1, V2, V3(power tube) and V4. I hope this helps others as it has helped me

 

[Frankiepags]

I know there has been alot of people asking about the similarities and difference between this (5c) and the dsl15c. So a few weeks ago this guy bought a dsl15c for his apartment and is still trying to tweak for his needs..a month later he buys a hot rod deville for his apartment and realizes its way to loud, returns that and I point him to my favorite low watt marshall dsl5c and he mentions he has the dsl15c , I ask him how he likes it and he tells me , he is having problems dialing it in and that he really doesn't like it , I tell him the difference between the 2 amps , tubes , loop ,etc..he plugs it in and plays it for 20 mins and he absolutely loves it and this was what he thought his 15 would be..says the 5c just sounds way better than the 15c, warmer ,less shrill, and better distortion tones...for what this is worth this is the 3rd time in around 2 months that I have heard this and experienced it for myself...if ur in the market for 1 of these ,please play them first ..they are the same models but sound way different ..

 

[Ozark]

Hi Frankipags, you are absolutely right about playing all the amps first and make the right choice. I was lucky to have the honest sales guy in the shoppe to give me his personal opinion on the DSL5C (instead of the DSL15C or BlackStar HT5RH) as he himself owned one and he's darn happy with it. I played it, love it and bought it home and am very happy with it. If most of the time you are playing your rig in your bedroom (just like me), then DSL5C is the them amp for you. The clean channel is great too with a Strat! The FX Loop is great! I use my digital Zoom MS50 (Analog Delay/Reverb/Chorus) in it. The ability to use a headphone and MP3 input is a plus too (you can rock away without disturbing others). Marshall got it right for this little Amp! GREAT AMP for bedroom Rockers!

 

[Duffy49]

12 inch speaker upgrade?

When you guys install the 12" speaker in the DSL5C do you just use the front of cab hole for the 10" speaker or do you make that hole on the front a larger radius to allow the 12" speaker to project the sound better.

If so, how did you cut the larger hole? Rough cut it with a saber saw or what?

Or, can you effectively use just the existing factory hole for the 10" stock speaker? That would make it a lot easier, of course.

Thanks. I'm considering one of these.

The Dsl15c has a reverb; is it especially weak like some DSL40'S? The general opinion seems to be that the 5c is the better sounding amp. What is your opinion?

Note, I notice pags just posted regarding some of my questions. Thanks pags.

 

[Micky]

I used the existing hole, and it is not a problem.
To try and enlarge the existing hole would require trimming away quite a bit of the baffle, and might not leave enough surface to reliably mount the 12" speaker.
It would also require removing the grill cloth in order to do it correctly.
So what if it blocks a little sound. The little thing is too loud anyway...

All the DSL's use the same reverb board (daughtercard) and while I wouldn't say it is weak, it certainly is subtle.

 

[Duffy49]

I used the existing hole, and it is not a problem.
To try and enlarge the existing hole would require trimming away quite a bit of the baffle, and might not leave enough surface to reliably mount the 12" speaker.
It would also require removing the grill cloth in order to do it correctly.
So what if it blocks a little sound. The little thing is too loud anyway...

All the DSL's use the same reverb board (daughtercard) and while I wouldn't say it is weak, it certainly is subtle.

Thanks. I would probably try using the existing hole and appreciate your reinforcement of that idea. I may get one of these to replace my Blackstar ht5-rt head that smoked up on me this week and has bent back to Sweetwater for repair or replacement. Blackstar has a weak warranty. I plan to get a Marshall or Fender Bassbreaker 15 head. That little Marshall would fit right in with my DSL40C and a Swamp Thang 12" speaker mod. I like that the 5c is a small form factor amp. I can get it to sit right where the ht5rh sat, right by my side lounging on the bed in my den.

 

[Jello]

Hello everyone. This is my first post.

I bought a DSL5C a few months ago and I love it but I kind of thought the sound was not as robust as I would like.
I have a Peavey Valveking upgraded with a Celestion Vintage 30 that I use for jamming around town.
It doesn't quite have a Marshall sound but it isn't bad. I would have preferred a DSL40c for that kind of thing but I got
the Peavey for free. And, you can't beat free.
So, this DSL5c is strictly for a living room kind of thing.

I upgraded the DSL5c with a Celestion Greenback, I believe, and it sounded much better.
I've read how others have modified the cabinet to install a 12" inch speaker but I don't really want to do that.
It makes resale hard to do after that kind of modification.

How about a 1x12 extension cab? Wouldn't a cab with the proper dimensions produce a bigger sound?
I guess I could use the Peavey as a cab. I should try that. But, what a hassle.
A 1x12 extension cab wouldn't be that much extra to transport if that was something needed.
Plus, you could easily switch between 10 and 12 inch speakers.
Also, has anyone tried a decent EQ in the send/receive loop?
I want to try a BOSS or MXR. I've got TC Reverb pedal. It is tiny but I haven't used it, yet.

I apologize if this has been asked before. This is a very long thread. Lots of great information.

 

[Duffy49]

Hello everyone. This is my first post.

I bought a DSL5C a few months ago and I love it but I kind of thought the sound was not as robust as I would like.
I have a Peavey Valveking upgraded with a Celestion Vintage 30 that I use for jamming around town.
It doesn't quite have a Marshall sound but it isn't bad. I would have preferred a DSL40c for that kind of thing but I got
the Peavey for free. And, you can't beat free.
So, this DSL5c is strictly for a living room kind of thing.

I upgraded the DSL5c with a Celestion Greenback, I believe, and it sounded much better.
I've read how others have modified the cabinet to install a 12" inch speaker but I don't really want to do that.
It makes resale hard to do after that kind of modification.

How about a 1x12 extension cab? Wouldn't a cab with the proper dimensions produce a bigger sound?
I guess I could use the Peavey as a cab. I should try that. But, what a hassle.
A 1x12 extension cab wouldn't be that much extra to transport if that was something needed.
Plus, you could easily switch between 10 and 12 inch speakers.
Also, has anyone tried a decent EQ in the send/receive loop?
I want to try a BOSS or MXR. I've got TC Reverb pedal. It is tiny but I haven't used it, yet.

I apologize if this has been asked before. This is a very long thread. Lots of great information.

Jello, hello, welcome. I'm seriously thinking of buying a dsl5c and definitely putting in a twelve inch Eminence Swamp Thang speaker or such in it. The amp is for me, not the next guy, but to each their own.

The cabinet sounds like a great idea. I have an Epiphone one by twelve cab that could use a good speaker. But I want to keep it eight ohms, so the speaker upgrade to the new amp will probably be what I'll do.

Then again I might just get that new Peavey Classic 20 watt small head that has power variables and it can use any of my eight ohm cabinets. Still thinking it thru.

What guitar are you using? I have several, which is par for this forum and I'm deciding on my next one, ha, ha.

Are you starting to bond with the amp yet?. Good luck.

 

[Jello]

I have a few guitars; a couple SGs, Fender Strat, and a Warmoth mess I recently built that still needs a tweak or two.
I haven't been in a band for more time than I liked so the DSL5c is essential for me. I've got tons of backing tracks I've found online here and there.
They keep the chops going.
I just thought of something. Most guitar companies have custom shops where you can call up and order a guitar to your specs to some degree.
I don't know of many, if any, amp shop that will do the same. Can you imagine? Contacting Fender or Marshall and ordering an amp to your spec?

 

[Duffy49]

Well still see people are reading this thread so I am gonna post again and try to keep this thread growing , there must be new people who have picked up this lil spectacular marshall any ways here goes...really really digging this amp it's everything I wish or was hoping my class 5 would be when marshall entered the low wattage game, who didn't what a mini plexi ? Also how many of us knew we would have to crank it so loud to break up???? Really , bedroom amp no way ..I ended up using it as a clean platform for some great pedals and got some great tones. Very good clean tones in there , I didn't buy a marshall for the cleans and I doubt any one does , it's a marshall not a fender. Enter the dsl5c all the gain I want and a master volume on the Ultra channel and it sounds killer and I would of been happier than a pig in shit , but marshall didn't stop there. They entered the low watt game a lil late and decided to go all the way and put the rest to shame with the classic clean channel. The cleans are outrageous on this amp really remind me of a clean plexi or the sparkly cleans of a Jcm 800 , no ice pick shrill here at all just a wonderful bold , bright and defined cleans, can't wait to add my reverb pedal in the loop, may not need that deluxe reverb after all...hell, who doesnt need a deluxe reverb....anyways marshall really gave us a bone with this clean channel. Cuz many of us would have been happy with the gain channel alone..was going to say sorry for the long post, than thought y join a forum in the first place...

Thanks.

 

[Duffy49]

I have a few guitars; a couple SGs, Fender Strat, and a Warmoth mess I recently built that still needs a tweak or two.
I haven't been in a band for more time than I liked so the DSL5c is essential for me. I've got tons of backing tracks I've found online here and there.
They keep the chops going.
I just thought of something. Most guitar companies have custom shops where you can call up and order a guitar to your specs to some degree.
I don't know of many, if any, amp shop that will do the same. Can you imagine? Contacting Fender or Marshall and ordering an amp to your spec?

I know an amp man here locally that will do that. You can tell him what you want and he will build it, within reason.

 

[Frankiepags]

Has anyone used a boost pedal like a spark booster , rc booster or ep booster with this amp ? If so let me know what ya think...I am all ears fellas ..thanks in advance..

 

[JAC]

The La Grange OD/Boost by Bogner sounds incredible with the boost on the green channel with my Strat Special. It is a sweet singing sustained tone that brings out a very fine tone in the DSL5C.

 

[Ozark]

Hi Guys, need end-users advise or recommendation as to which is the better application or Mac OS software for the followings?;
Sound Surgeon
Capo
RiffMaster Pro
RiffStation

Am looking for guitar isolation, EQ able, slow-downer, pitch-change and saving/exporting edited files as backup track for jamming.

Have done some findings and in my opinion, it looks like Sound Surgeon 4 tops the list.

All recommendation and comments are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Micky]

Has anyone used a boost pedal like a spark booster , rc booster or ep booster with this amp ? If so let me know what ya think...I am all ears fellas ..thanks in advance..

I have used both an Overdrive as well as a Distortion pedal. both 'boost' the signal quite a bit.
The BOSS OD-1x is very versatile, as a clean boost it can deliver quite a bit of 'volume' before it starts to distort, making this little beast even louder than it already is.
I also have a modded BOSS DS-1 that can pack quite a punch, but it is all distortion and no clean whatsoever.

Both of them reise the db level quite a bit, depending on settings...

 

[Frankiepags]

Thanks Micky tried out a modded sd1 in front sounded pretty good, got a cusak more louder in a trade and that sounds really good in front..great lil booster pedal with over 25 db boost...also tried the cusak boosting the sd1 but decided on the cusak by it self..if u guys don't know about the more louder it's a great boost definitely recommend it..also the ep booster ,rc booster and the ac booster get rave reviews. That's all for now keep posting guys ..

 

[Unoriginal]

*Removed*

 

[xStonr]

After having this amp for some time, I really started to dislike the stock speaker. I was tempted to replace it with a better 10" but I didn't have one that was 16 ohm. I almost purchased one but decided to see what I had here. Turn out I had a Celestion V30 that was 16 ohm in a 2x12 cab I wasn't using. After taking another look at this thread I decided to make a cutout to accommodate the larger speaker. My work is a little sloppy, but the job did get done and that's the bottom line. If and when I change some tubes, I'll paint inside and maybe rotate the speaker. This is a great thread.

 

[jamesm]

If you are interested in changing the speaker, but don't want to effect the second hand value, then why not remove the whole baffle and fit a new one. If you measure the old baffle (allowing for the thickness of the grille cloth) then a timber yard will usually cut this for you, guaranteeing accuracy. You can then cut a hole with a jigsaw yourself, paint it with blackboard paint or similar (I have used water based children's paint mixed 1:1 with PVA glue with good results) and test your practical skills stretching a bit of cloth across it. Then when you sell, pop the original one back in.

As regards differences between the 15 and the 5, the only change I can remember that is not obvious from the outside is a change of a coupling capacitor in the OD circuit. It controlled the amount of bass frequencies that get distorted and tightens it up a bit. Not pure DSL, but I think it suits this amp's format better.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hello everyone. This is my first post.

I bought a DSL5C a few months ago and I love it but I kind of thought the sound was not as robust as I would like.
I have a Peavey Valveking upgraded with a Celestion Vintage 30 that I use for jamming around town.
It doesn't quite have a Marshall sound but it isn't bad. I would have preferred a DSL40c for that kind of thing but I got
the Peavey for free. And, you can't beat free.
So, this DSL5c is strictly for a living room kind of thing.

I upgraded the DSL5c with a Celestion Greenback, I believe, and it sounded much better.
I've read how others have modified the cabinet to install a 12" inch speaker but I don't really want to do that.
It makes resale hard to do after that kind of modification.

How about a 1x12 extension cab? Wouldn't a cab with the proper dimensions produce a bigger sound?
I guess I could use the Peavey as a cab. I should try that. But, what a hassle.
A 1x12 extension cab wouldn't be that much extra to transport if that was something needed.
Plus, you could easily switch between 10 and 12 inch speakers.
Also, has anyone tried a decent EQ in the send/receive loop?
I want to try a BOSS or MXR. I've got TC Reverb pedal. It is tiny but I haven't used it, yet.

I apologize if this has been asked before. This is a very long thread. Lots of great information.

Sheesh you newbs, I have a good mind to send dreyn to your house and kick you square in the nuts for asking a question like that!

Surely I jest LOL, and welcome! A cab would sound super as apposed to a mini open backed combo that it is. Make or buy a 2x12 and thank me later.