I hate my DSL40C

[Ken]

Biasing your amp's tubes is not really "working" on it and is part and parcel of owning a tube amp. It seems you failed to understand that before buying one. .

Hey, I spent $400,000 on my Lamborghini and I have to get tune ups? WTF???

Ken

 

[sccloser]

post deleted....I thought we were talking 401 combo....ooops.

 

[sccloser]

From my experience, getting classic rock sounds out of the newer Marshall amps, particularly those of the DSL line, requires you to play on the clean channel for crunch. that is where you are going to get the more classic Marshall growl and oomph. Boost it with a ts or whatever if need be. You can use the OD channels for leads, or just use a pedal on the clean channel.

I have a dsl 401 combo. I changed the speaker and replaced tubes with NOS to tone it down (sounded harsh to me stock). On the OD channels I have the gain set low, but I don't use them too often. Though at higher volumes the OD1 with low gain does pretty well.

Good luck. I do not think these amps were designed for classic rock. they can do it, but that is not there primary design emphasis IMO.

 

[SmokeyDopey]

I'm right there with you bro...
The DSL40 is a very uninspiring product
And: It's EXPENSIVE considering it's performance characteristics

I assure you - it's not you
Look I didn't want to say this because this is a Marshall forum
But I sent a buddy of mine in to play it as well and report back to me
This is a guitarist who has recorded on albums of significance and is a quality player

Unless pushed I will not give you his exact quote
but he was displeased with it

*shove*

 

[DSL 50]

Spend about $40 and get a digitech Bad Monkey pedal to boost the front end,
This will tighten things up a lot.

I don't believe that the Metal Muff is going to help you get that 70's and 80's classic rock sound and prolly will do the opposite.

 

[strathaze]

Its junk. Read what Quasar Kid said. Now what Marshall to buy?

I can't believe what I am reading in this thread. Not in anyone's wildest dreams would the red channel be called dull and muddy by anyone. It's a screaming treble machine if anything, until you do the C19 mod.
Boost the front end of the green channel with a tasty OD pedal for classic crunch or with the mod,switch to the red channel lead 1 with the gain at 3-4 for a great lead sound. What's not to like? Don't put metal pedals in front of it, go buy a 5150 if you want to play metal. I have been playing 30+ years and this may well be the best sub 1k combo ever. Junk. Lol. Have you even had the chassis out? I didn't think so. 1st tube amp? It shows.

 

[bulldozer1984]

Quasar-Kid. Thank you. I just turned the gain down and volume up. It sounded better. But who in the hell can play that loud at home? Also thank you to the previous poster who mentioned trying this. I knew damn well I knew what I was talking about. I took a lot of heat here earlier. Now what Marshall to buy?

40 watt Tube Amp's are not built for bedroom use. Its a gigging Amp.. Sure it can be played softly, but that's not its design purpose..

I dont like Combo's. To me they always sound harsh.. If you can, try it through a closed back Cab. Then you will know whether its the DSL you dont like, or you dont like the Combo sound..

 

[ace1]

For classic Marshall at home, get a Class 5, either a 2 x 12, or 4 x 12, and a cheap attenuator off ebay (BMW 6/12 or called something similar, for about US$50).
I have this setup, and it lets you crank the Class 5 at reasonably low home volumes. Or you can use the low output on the Class 5, but i prefer the tone with the attenuator.

 

[mariosoldano]

I had this amp for 5 weeks now. My first tube amp. Was super excited to get it. I for the life on me cannot get the sound I like. I have spent countless hours adjusting, and readjusting. I keep hearing about Marshall tones, great sound, etc. Well it isn't coming from this amp. I just can't seem to get rid of the muddy, muffled sound. Go the other way, and I get the hated tinty sound. I had 3 different people try to adjust this thing and we are all scratching our heads. Bought a Metal Muff pedal, hoping this would help. Nope. My nephews damn Line Six sounds better than this Marsahll. I play a Gibson Les Paul and like classic rock. Shouldn't be that hard to come up with the sound I like. Well it is.

i love my JMD 1!!!!!

 

[Sournote]

i love my JMD 1!!!!!

They are a cool amp (though still one certain factions would call a POS, being it has a digital component and not UK built).

I wonder why they don't make them anymore?

The used one I got to play with was really cool and part of me wishes I'l jumped on it even though that one was a 100W 212, and like the OP even the 20W setting on the DSL40 is quite a bit of overkill for most of my playing. It did seem with the digital amp models the JMD1 was capable of sounding like a Marshall at lower levels than the DSL40.


I bought the DSL thinking I would be playing out more often but just found out the wife of the drummer who is more or less the "big toe" of our little group will be having their second child so I'm figuring that idea will be stopped in its tracks.

 

[dreyn77]

maybe these things are lemons! I hate looking at them, the remind me of those 90's park series from korea. I had to put a good speaker in before it tightened up and sounded like a SS.

 

[strangefruit]

Its junk. Read what Quasar Kid said. Now what Marshall to buy?

how about the marshall vintage modern combo that give you the vintage sounds yere after

 

[strangefruit]

Bottom line is. I am not working on my brand new amp. No way in hell I should have to. Are you kidding me. $700 and I need to work on it? Forget it.

i agree with u why the hell should u ,send it back if u can and get something else,a cornford harlequinn is also a good amp for vintage sounds as well

 

[grimlyflick]

Having just joined this debate late, it sounds to me as if you have a dud.

I tried one in the shops and dialled it in the same as my old DSL50, (all tones on 5, no mid shift, classic gain on 7-8, ultra on 5-6) and apart from sounding a little brighter and a bit more "hi-fi", I thought it sounded ok.

I do however think these amps have been voiced slightly different from the old DSL's to sound a bit more modern and sparkly sounding to compete with Blackstar at that price point. But to hear that it sounds muddy really suprises me.

 

[Micky]

Its junk. Read what Quasar Kid said. Now what Marshall to buy?

No it's not. Not junk. Maybe just not for you. I sincerely wish you luck in your quest for the right amp for you. I am certain you will find it.

And who made Quasar the expert?

And what gives me the right to say this?

Because Marshall wouldn't release junk at that price point. Maybe in the $99 range, but for $700 you ought to get a pretty good amp. Maybe there is something wrong with the one you got. It has happened before, with EVERY line of amps...

 

[chuckelator]

Don't agree with that last post at all. I have heard many 100 watt Amps with good master volumes that sound far superior to the 15 watt stuff at low volume. Many of these high gain amps today aren't even built for power amp distortion. It's simpy not true that you can't get a good LOUD amp that also sounds good at low volume. That hasn't been the case for a long time.

Yes, I know higher wattage amps can sound good at lower volumes (my 100w Egnater does) But we ALL KNOW they sound MUCH better once the power section gets working hard. It has nothing to do with power amp distortion at all. It has to do with getting the amp to open up and sound less constipated, which is what cranking a tube amp does.

 

[marshall1967]

I dont know the exact layout of the new DSL40c but on my old dsl401 when i use the red channel i like to crank the master volume to ten, and use the pre amp volume for the ''master'' volume, you can adjust the gain as you prefer (mine is at 10). this gives a smoother distortion...I also replaced the stock speaker and it made a huge difference. I know you said you dont want to spend more money but sometimes you have to with marshalls, they never were ''plug in and play'' but man when you get em set right there is nothing better.

 

[seattleman1969]

Have any of you modded the amp using the C19 mod? Try it. It completely changes the character of the "Ultra Gain" Channel so that it matches the EQ of the "Classic" channel.

This amp was not spectacular stock, but as I have noted in many other posts with a speaker swap to a Creamback, tube swaps, and the C19 mod this amp became everything I was looking for from JTM45 Clean to hot rodded JCM800 and everything in between. With some EQ tweaks or using an EQ pedal and a outboard distortion/drive I can get modern metal tones (Although I don't really care to).

To me this amp is extremely flexible but still has room for improvement, mainly in footswitching. Need to be able to switch between the modes on each channel and to be able to footswitch the effects loop on/off. The reverb is useless, much prefer to use my Supernatural Reverb for the effect.

 

[Micky]

Many here have performed this mod. Generally anyone who has, is pleased with the result.
More info here:
http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/53780-official-marshall-dsl40c-information-thread.html

 

[voxman]

Hi Cecil1 - I have a solution for you...& with no amp mods needed!!

I've just bought a 2003 DSL401 (your amps predecessor) which I've found to be a little muddier & 'fizzier' than I expected. Read the thread here:

http://www.marshallforum.com/marsha...dsl401-discovery-turns-into-tone-monster.html

And I promise you, it will transform your amp beyond recognition - you won't want to stop playing it!