Marshall DSL 40 vs Marshall Origin 20 Combo

[julian26]

I know this subject has been done before but would be interested to know people's opinions and experiences with these 2 amps.
I mainly play 70s classic rock and alot of ACDC, mainly ACDC if im honest, im aware no Amp or equipment will ever make me sound like Angus lol.
But wondering which amp would be better suited to this type of sound? Also would like to be able to play at lower volumes,I understand origins need to be cranked even on the .5 watt level they are really loud apparently,
Also ill add I mainly like plugging in and playing but have few overdrive pedals that i use occasionally.

thanks in advance for all responses and opinions, appreciate the help.

 

[svinyard]

Ha, let me help you. (I’ve just done all this and guys here are laughing at me as we speak from all the questions lol).

First off, an SV20 is it if you can swing it. I just went through this and go some advice from the source of ACDC knowledge for the planet. They were very direct. They’ve spent tons of time with Angus and his amps etc. They made it clear that nothing else is it.

There is no substitute it’s the Sv20 or ST20 or something even more expensive like the real things or SoloDallas amp (even more real). So I was told.

That being said, I have the DSL40CR and just played an Origin50 combo for a long time. Nothing but ACDC. Trying to decide what to get.

The Origin50 was immediately better. But yeah it needs to be Loud to really put that big smile on your face but the 5w setting wasn’t bad either. I liked it and it’s cool to have a clean amp too that takes rowdy pedals really well.

In the end tho, the Origin + Pedals etc was gonna be close enough to a used MINT SV20H I got for 999$ from guitar center. It’s more money but not wildly more if you can find a cheap cab on Craigslist for 100-250$ with a greenback or G12-65 speaker in it. Speakers matter a LOT. I’ve just swapped no less than 6 different speakers in my DSL hunting a more classic tone. They changed the tone a lot but not the amp of you know what I mean.

DSL has a more modern, somewhat compressed sound and is a bit scooped in the mids rather than classic Marshall ringing mids. 3 of its channels or modes are pretty darn good and the 6 button footswitch is rad. I actually really like the OD2 heavy gain channel as it’s very much a Mesa Boogie sorta of darker heavier tone. Classic metal stuff there. It’s very versatile and sounds nice for everything aside from the 70’s stuff/plexi stuff. Even when dimed.

Origin is versatile in a different way tho I’m not big into pedals…but it’s a great pedal platform for changing it even further. Guys on here shred with it and a SD1+Tumnas pedal. But it’s default tone I liked a lot. That vintage twang and spank. As I understand it the volume difference between the 20 and 50 is like 3-4db. The 50 combos are cheap to find and that’s what I’d get. Only 40lb too. That cheap little speaker in there was oddly impressive. You’ll need an attenuator to make the volume usable but with full power to the tubes (which everything for the tone).

DSL doesn’t need attenuation for the most part but sounds better with volume that is still damaging your ears (over 75db). It does have a ton of bass on tap and is overly gainy so you never turn up the gain more than 2 to 6 IME. It sounds pretty great for Metallica etc. it’s super versatile but just not for more classic stuff. Clean is very nice and can be dirtied up too. ACDC tone is on the green with gain like 6 and both volumes around noon at least with bass almost off, treble 6, mids 7, presence noon or more to taste and resonance off. Reverb sucks on it so it’s off.

DSL40 used is like 550$
Origin50c used 550$
SV20h used in USA (cheaper in UK!) is 1000-1200$
SV20 Combo can be had for around 1100-1300$
When it comes to attenuation...its a JohnH one...design is on this forum and highly documented. If you need some help with that, "We know A Guy". PM me if you need some info.

Go play them side by side before buying. If AC/DC is the big push, it’s the Origin with attenuator unless you can get the SV20.

Lots of YouTube videos of guys playing ACDC on the origin. Look at my other threads on here for all the discussion.

Fwiw...having a Les Paul/SG sorta guitar matters. My strat doesn't really cut it. It's the low side where the Gibson has a nice growl but the strat has a quack instead. Horses for courses

 

[svinyard]

Here are the threads to read so you can skip over the knowledge gap:

Me trying to get the DSL sounding better for it (which it sounds good for ACDC...until you A/B next to something closer like the Origin)

How do I make a DSL40CR have a more Vintage AC/DC tone?

I've got a DSL and am missing that kind of vintage mid-range, low gain growl that is so clear in the beginning of AC/DC's TNT. I A/B'd my DSL next to my buddies TSL100 JCM 2000 with 4 different guitars trying to find a bit of that tight, midrange vintage tone. His Super Lead (in crunch) had...

www.marshallforum.com

Me thinking the Vintage Modern was something I could perhaps find used and affordable and get a sick ACDC tone (which I think it likely gets pretty darn close...but then it's a bit more and now you are close to the SV20 plexi)

Vintage Modern for ACDC - is this the amp without breaking the budget?

There is no substitute for the Big Iron of a 100w 1959 SLP. So, you'll need to turn up the bass on the EQ more than you would on a 50w or 100w. For Angus-like tone you'll want to use the 20w mode for the headroom, and unless playing live in a band setting, an attenuator so you can crank it to...

www.marshallforum.com

Here's the next step after I bought the used SV20, now needing an affordable cab.

What should I look for in finding a 1x12 or 2x12 cab? (for SV20h)

I need to find a decent cab, likely Craiglists etc. Is one of those technical things were its important to get a very good speaker cab? Any advice? I was told I want Greenbacks (unless only going for Back in Black tones, darker etc). Tho likely not gonna find something loaded just right like...

www.marshallforum.com

Per the pros, you want greenbacks or a G12-65. Speakers make a difference...I was told its like changing your lead singer.

 

[svinyard]

As for the DSL...it's not perfect but it can be good. Now here is one that is modified...mine doesn't sound as good (and I'm not as good lol). But it's not bad. Apparently the mods knock down the gain via the interstage attenuation paths. I don't know how to do that...BUT...you can swap out the v1 preamp tube with a 30$ ECC823 from Eurotubes and it was definitely knock down the gain on the Ultra Gain channels only. It's not a bad thing at all. I'm sure it's not as good as what this genius did but if you were set on the DSL, that's a cheap adjustment to improve the OD channel a bit without sinking bad money into. These are just youtube videos btw...things are a lot different in person. Also of note, if you want to rip AC/DC, you can get the SoloDallas Storm pedal that replicates Angus's wireless circuit. Gives you the sustain and compression and flavor.

Through seriously good speakers:


Stand alone:

 

[julian26]

Ha, let me help you. (I’ve just done all this and guys here are laughing at me as we speak from all the questions lol).

First off, an SV20 is it if you can swing it. I just went through this and go some advice from the source of ACDC knowledge for the planet. They were very direct. They’ve spent tons of time with Angus and his amps etc. They made it clear that nothing else is it.

There is no substitute it’s the Sv20 or ST20 or something even more expensive like the real things or SoloDallas amp (even more real). So I was told.

That being said, I have the DSL40CR and just played an Origin50 combo for a long time. Nothing but ACDC. Trying to decide what to get.

The Origin50 was immediately better. But yeah it needs to be Loud to really put that big smile on your face but the 5w setting wasn’t bad either. I liked it and it’s cool to have a clean amp too that takes rowdy pedals really well.

In the end tho, the Origin + Pedals etc was gonna be close enough to a used MINT SV20H I got for 999$ from guitar center. It’s more money but not wildly more if you can find a cheap cab on Craigslist for 100-250$ with a greenback or G12-65 speaker in it. Speakers matter a LOT. I’ve just swapped no less than 6 different speakers in my DSL hunting a more classic tone. They changed the tone a lot but not the amp of you know what I mean.

DSL has a more modern, somewhat compressed sound and is a bit scooped in the mids rather than classic Marshall ringing mids. 3 of its channels or modes are pretty darn good and the 6 button footswitch is rad. I actually really like the OD2 heavy gain channel as it’s very much a Mesa Boogie sorta of darker heavier tone. Classic metal stuff there. It’s very versatile and sounds nice for everything aside from the 70’s stuff/plexi stuff. Even when dimed.

Origin is versatile in a different way tho I’m not big into pedals…but it’s a great pedal platform for changing it even further. Guys on here shred with it and a SD1+Tumnas pedal. But it’s default tone I liked a lot. That vintage twang and spank. As I understand it the volume difference between the 20 and 50 is like 3-4db. The 50 combos are cheap to find and that’s what I’d get. Only 40lb too. That cheap little speaker in there was oddly impressive. You’ll need an attenuator to make the volume usable but with full power to the tubes (which everything for the tone).

DSL doesn’t need attenuation for the most part but sounds better with volume that is still damaging your ears (over 75db). It does have a ton of bass on tap and is overly gainy so you never turn up the gain more than 2 to 6 IME. It sounds pretty great for Metallica etc. it’s super versatile but just not for more classic stuff. Clean is very nice and can be dirtied up too. ACDC tone is on the green with gain like 6 and both volumes around noon at least with bass almost off, treble 6, mids 7, presence noon or more to taste and resonance off. Reverb sucks on it so it’s off.

DSL40 used is like 550$
Origin50c used 550$
SV20h used in USA (cheaper in UK!) is 1000-1200$
SV20 Combo can be had for around 1100-1300$
When it comes to attenuation...its a JohnH one...design is on this forum and highly documented. If you need some help with that, "We know A Guy". PM me if you need some info.

Go play them side by side before buying. If AC/DC is the big push, it’s the Origin with attenuator unless you can get the SV20.

Lots of YouTube videos of guys playing ACDC on the origin. Look at my other threads on here for all the discussion.

Fwiw...having a Les Paul/SG sorta guitar matters. My strat doesn't really cut it. It's the low side where the Gibson has a nice growl but the strat has a quack instead. Horses for course

 

[julian26]

Hi and just want to say really appreciate you taking the time to write such a thorough response.

I have heard of the SV20 but never gave it much thought but after listening to a few videos on YouTube, which ofcourse u take with a grain of salt ofcourse. That is the absolute sound im looking for, that said those amps seem police presence loud lol. I already have a cab with a g1265 but attenuator wise they are fairly expensive i believe for a good one?
Also heard of people using volume type pedals for attenuation lol.
Im in Australia so price of an SV20 is about 1500 which isn't bad at all

 

[fitz]

But wondering which amp would be better suited to this type of sound?

to the forum.

I have a DSL20HR & Origin 20H.
They can both cover AC/DC well.

I have no personal experience with the DSL40 and the additional channel modes that the 20 doesn't have.
None of them are going to sound exactly like the amp rigs (& guitars) that Angus & Malcom used to record - or play live.

Lots of different tones in the AC/DC catalogue.
A few pedals won't hurt with either amp to refine the tones you're after.
Speakers and tubes can also shape you tone with these amps.

 

[svinyard]

Hi and just want to say really appreciate you taking the time to write such a thorough response.

I have heard of the SV20 but never gave it much thought but after listening to a few videos on YouTube, which ofcourse u take with a grain of salt ofcourse. That is the absolute sound im looking for, that said those amps seem police presence loud lol. I already have a cab with a g1265 but attenuator wise they are fairly expensive i believe for a good one?
Also heard of people using volume type pedals for attenuation lol.
Im in Australia so price of an SV20 is about 1500 which isn't bad at all

Get a good attenuator or build one. Everything I've heard is that it truly opens up serious tones while at home with healthy eardrums.

here's the main thread. If you can do some basic soldering (they are bigger components) apparently it's not to bad to build...most of the headache is drilling lots of holes. Apparently the cheap off the shelf attenuators kind of suck (like 100-300$) but if you drop 600-900$ you can get something really good. But that's an insane amount of money. These JohnH attenuators will be as good as those expensive ones with less bells and whistles. I think the parts (if you do it yourself) are around 120$ USD.

Simple Attenuators - Design And Testing

Background Passive attenuators are wired between the amp output and the speakers. Their function is to absorb most of the output power of the amp, feeding a smaller amount to the speaker itself. This allows the amp output stage to run at higher power, letting the glorious tone of a good valve...

www.marshallforum.com

Completed Ones:

Completed JohnH Attenuators?

Hey Fine Folks, The Simple Attenuator thread has become so lengthy that it is difficult to ascertain how many successfully completed builds there are of the fantastic @JohnH attenuator design. :thumbs: I'm starting this thread with the intention of showcasing all of these great builds. It is my...

www.marshallforum.com

You can chat with Gene if you have more questions.

 

[julian26]

Get a good attenuator or build one. Everything I've heard is that it truly opens up serious tones while at home with healthy eardrums.

here's the main thread. If you can do some basic soldering (they are bigger components) apparently it's not to bad to build...most of the headache is drilling lots of holes. Apparently the cheap off the shelf attenuators kind of suck (like 100-300$) but if you drop 600-900$ you can get something really good. But that's an insane amount of money. These JohnH attenuators will be as good as those expensive ones with less bells and whistles. I think the parts (if you do it yourself) are around 120$ USD.



You can chat with Gene if you have more questions.

Iv heard some good things about the Audio storm attenuators from England, i dont think there more then 3/400 dollars. Have you heard of these?

But I can solder and have some limited experience pulling 70s HiFi amps apart and doing some small repairs so not sure if I would be able to build an attenuator lol

 

[julian26]

to the forum.

I have a DSL20HR & Origin 20H.
They can both cover AC/DC well.

I have no personal experience with the DSL40 and the additional channel modes that the 20 doesn't have.
None of them are going to sound exactly like the amp rigs (& guitars) that Angus & Malcom used to record - or play live.

Lots of different tones in the AC/DC catalogue.
A few pedals won't hurt with either amp to refine the tones you're after.
Speakers and tubes can also shape you tone with these amps.

Hi I had my heart set on the DSL 40 then I read so many forums where the consensus was they can do almost everything except the Plexi tones lol,that killed that for me,

Then I thought the origin series was going to be My Amp, TBH tho there's only video demo where I actually liked the tone's, YouTuber called Brett Kingman, ofcourse with YouTube videos take them with a grain of salt lol.

Whereas the studio vintage 20 every video I've watched sounds killer, this seems to be the ideal Amp for ACDC and 70s classic/hard rock.

I would probably prefer a combo but I think the Head is the way to go, plus some form of attenuation is definitely going to be needed.
The Jhs Volume attenuator is like 50 bucks so thats a cheap option.
I can tell you this im not dropping 2500 on an OX attenuator

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

@julian26

To The Forum

As said above me, the Origin, DSL, can both get you extremely close.
Good luck on your tone hunt.

Cheers
Mitch

 

[svinyard]

Hi I had my heart set on the DSL 40 then I read so many forums where the consensus was they can do almost everything except the Plexi tones lol,that killed that for me,

Then I thought the origin series was going to be My Amp, TBH tho there's only video demo where I actually liked the tone's, YouTuber called Brett Kingman, ofcourse with YouTube videos take them with a grain of salt lol.

Whereas the studio vintage 20 every video I've watched sounds killer, this seems to be the ideal Amp for ACDC and 70s classic/hard rock.

I would probably prefer a combo but I think the Head is the way to go, plus some form of attenuation is definitely going to be needed.
The Jhs Volume attenuator is like 50 bucks so thats a cheap option.
I can tell you this im not dropping 2500 on an OX attenuator

i think you are spot on. The Origin isn’t bad tho. It’s cool. Not perfect but def cool amp. I don’t get how people could not like that for what it is. The 50w at least was a blast when cranked…you have get past any preamp tone and just get into those EL34 tubes and it’s legit. Needs an attenuator tho. You want a JohnH attenuator. The black box’s just choke the power tubes I believe. That’s not what you want when hunting classic tones…cause that’s where all the tone is.

I’d got and play these things. Or order them and return what doesn’t work. It’s way more enlightening to go and play the stuff for real. Then you get a feel for the dynamics (or lack of), depth of tone and feel. And…volume requirements.

 

[fitz]

Hi I had my heart set on the DSL 40 then I read so many forums where the consensus was they can do almost everything except the Plexi tones lol,that killed that for me,

Then I thought the origin series was going to be My Amp, TBH tho there's only video demo where I actually liked the tone's, YouTuber called Brett Kingman, ofcourse with YouTube videos take them with a grain of salt lol.

Whereas the studio vintage 20 every video I've watched sounds killer, this seems to be the ideal Amp for ACDC and 70s classic/hard rock.

I would probably prefer a combo but I think the Head is the way to go, plus some form of attenuation is definitely going to be needed.
The Jhs Volume attenuator is like 50 bucks so thats a cheap option.
I can tell you this im not dropping 2500 on an OX attenuator

Yes, YT vids can sound fantastic, and they are usually recorded with equipment that the casual home hobby play never has in the signal chain.
If you can swing an SV20 and an attenuator, that's a very popular set-up for plexi-ish tones.
But keep in mind that amp with your guitar and your speaker cab in your living room may sound nothing like the "killer" YT vids.

The JHS volume knob in the loop will reduce the preamp signal going into the power tubes.
Good for clean to edge of break-up tones - I use one on my JTM45 occasionally.
If you're looking for some of that vintage-y power tube distortion from a plexi, you'll lose a lot of what the preamp can add to goosing the power tubes.

A good attenuator, like the John H referenced above (I built one), can get the amp working without causing your ears to bleed.
But again, at low volume, you lose the speaker mojo from being hit hard with a strong amp signal.
Always a tradeoff for loud amp sound at low volume.

My O20H and a BD-2 also gets me fairly close at TV volumes without the price tag of the SV.

 

[kysrsoze]

I’m running my SV20H through a Bugera PS1, and it sounds glorious. It’s a bargain at $120. You can also experiment with adding a volume box in the effects loop as well, or even a Boss equalizer pedal. The Origin 20 head also sounds great with the same setup, though not quite in the same league as the SV20, but it’s a LOT more affordable. I own both of them.

You’ll probably want to do the Origin head though, as the speaker in the combo is a 10”. But if you like the sound of the combo, enjoy!

 

[What?]

Went down this same road a couple of years back. I went with a ceriatone plexi clone for the same money as the sv20 back then. Sounds killer. Prices on both have went up since, but the sv20 is $500-600 higher these days. A used sv20 price is better, but I would still go with a plexi clone today if I were down to it again.

 

[julian26]

Has anyone Used a Webber mini mass Attenuator? Im reading Good things about them and very well priced.

 

[julian26]

Yes, YT vids can sound fantastic, and they are usually recorded with equipment that the casual home hobby play never has in the signal chain.
If you can swing an SV20 and an attenuator, that's a very popular set-up for plexi-ish tones.
But keep in mind that amp with your guitar and your speaker cab in your living room may sound nothing like the "killer" YT vids.

The JHS volume knob in the loop will reduce the preamp signal going into the power tubes.
Good for clean to edge of break-up tones - I use one on my JTM45 occasionally.
If you're looking for some of that vintage-y power tube distortion from a plexi, you'll lose a lot of what the preamp can add to goosing the power tubes.

A good attenuator, like the John H referenced above (I built one), can get the amp working without causing your ears to bleed.
But again, at low volume, you lose the speaker mojo from being hit hard with a strong amp signal.
Always a tradeoff for loud amp sound at low volume.

My O20H and a BD-2 also gets me fairly close at TV volumes without the price tag of the SV.

Yeah definitely agree watching videos and expecting that to happen at home usually leads to disappointment lol.
I just read about an attenuator called the Webber mini max that looks to be promising and its around 300 dollars I think. Id have to look into how much the cost of getting the John H attenuator mentioned to Australia with shipping. Shipping ATM is an absolute nightmare so ridiculously expensive lol

 

[What?]

Has anyone Used a Webber mini mass Attenuator? Im reading Good things about them and very well priced.

Not a mini, but I have the 200 watt mass. It's ok for knocking a little off the top, but not much more than that. Past that it progressively narrows the frequency range and dynamics flatten. It's pretty much a resistive attenuator, and none of those are great. Search the forum for the JohnH diy attenuator, which is a reactive attenuator. It can be built for less than the cost of the mini mass. On the mass, I much prefer the PPIMV on my plexi clone.

 

[julian26]

Not a mini, but I have the 200 watt mass. It's ok for knocking a little off the top, but not much more than that. Past that it progressively narrows the frequency range and dynamics flatten. It's pretty much a resistive attenuator, and none of those are great. Search the forum for the JohnH diy attenuator, which is a reactive attenuator. It can be built for less than the cost of the mini mass. On the mass, I much prefer the PPIMV on my plexi clone.

Yeah this was going to be my next question regarding the John H attenuator.
Do you purchase the kit with everything required from somewhere online, then just drill solder and assemble? ,Or you get the instructions online and source the parts from your local electronics shop? Any help would be appreciated with this thanks

 

[What?]

Yeah this was going to be my next question regarding the John H attenuator.
Do you purchase the kit with everything required from somewhere online, then just drill solder and assemble? ,Or you get the instructions online and source the parts from your local electronics shop? Any help would be appreciated with this thanks

I haven't built a JohnH. I think most people have built them from scratch, but at least one person is building them for sale and maybe making kits available. Pop into the JohnH attenuator thread, and ask there.

If you're looking to have a good range of attenuation from tv volume to just a little off the top, I would definitely skip all the resistive attenuators.