The Official Marshall DSL40c Information Thread

[Jscully]

Hi
No FX, just plugged directly into the amp. I tried three different guitars, I get the same pop
Otherwise, a great amp but the pop worries me.
Thanks

 

[Micky]

Generally it happens when there is a lot of signal into the amp.
Try turning down the guitar and see if it still does it.

Other than that, try swapping preamp tubes with a known good one, it could be V1 or V2...

 

[Jscully]

Ok
Thanks I'll try swapping and see if it helps
Thanks

 

[MarshallDog]

It was an interesting experiment. Having owned a JMP 50 watt, I am quite familiar with that sound through a cabinet so I thought it would be interesting to run the Jubilee through the DSL40C speaker and cab and see what I was dealing with. The most striking observation was how much more focused the Jubilee sounded, even with everything set to noon. I assumed that the open back and small cab size would make this Jubilee sound airy and a bit thinner but in reality the DSL40C cabinet played a minuscule role in that regard. What I found was that the DSL40C’s voice is more trebly, airy and reflective than the Jubilee, which I would describe as considerably more focused with far less airiness to it and even a nasaly tone. To counteract this I found I had to take out all of the presence, cut the treble way down and even cut the mids way down. The mids on the DSL40C are bright by comparison. It is really not the open back cabinet that gives the DSL40C its distinct sound. I'm not suggesting that plugging the DSL40C into a cab wouldn't help thicken it up because it certainly would but I would recommend cutting the treble, mid and presence (by more than you normally would) and you will have a tone that is right there with these more legendary heads.

Two other things worth mentioning: by activating the tone shift it killed off the last bit of airiness or openness that the DSL40C has in the mids as compared to the Jubilee. I also expected to have to dial in some amount of Resonance. In fact I had always liked adding in the Resonance up to about 6 or 7 but with the direct comparison to the Jubilee -- it has no Resonance frequency at all. Now I think of the Resonance as a bit of a gimmick. It was interesting to me for a while but now I think of it as an effect, which in fairness to Marshall that is all they are saying it is. I just never totally put the Resonance effect in its rightful place in my mind.

And, this is in part why I for one, have removed C4 and C19 and run a Jan-GE 5751 in V2 and V3 with a JJ ECC803-s in V1 and V4. It helps this amp in all the ways you mention above, if that's what your looking for and I am!

 

[ken361]

I tried the Jub setting above and sounded decent, had to turn the master up a lot more because it wasnt as loud because all the highs were gone.

 

[Olaf70]

Hey folks.
Time for a break.
I love this amp, c19 mod with the Texas Heat.
Great.
Greetings from Germany...

 

[Micky]

Hey folks.
Time for a break.
I love this amp, c19 mod with the Texas Heat.
Great.
Greetings from Germany...

Greetings!

Many new members put a post in the Introduce Yourself section where they get a chance to tell us all a little about themselves.

 

[AAHIHaveNoIdeaWhatImDoing]

So, can I ask where you guys are that you can turn Master up to 3 on the drive channel? It's like painful loud in my apartment. I would probably have to be outside to play it that loud. I get it in a band situation or at a venue or a larger room or something, but where I am. . .ouch.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

In my basement. In the house. In suburbia.

 

[Oldpunk]

So, can I ask where you guys are that you can turn Master up to 3 on the drive channel? It's like painful loud in my apartment. I would probably have to be outside to play it that loud. I get it in a band situation or at a venue or a larger room or something, but where I am. . .ouch.

Master up to 3? It just starts coming alive at 5! (even more so in a small room).

Marshalls are MADE to crank, not baby.

 

[AAHIHaveNoIdeaWhatImDoing]

Yes yes, that is what they all say. I am not saying they are wrong either. But it physically hurts at 2, max. And thats on those Jubilee settings above. Even lower with more mids. I dunno. maybe i need to get further away from it (this room is not that big), or point it at the floor or something.

what really blows my mind is all the folks in the youtube demos with that amp in tiny rooms. Do THEY have em up that loud? if so do they get to park in the disabled parking spots cause its been six months since they made those vids and theyre deaf now?

 

[Bownse]

Hearing protection, d00d.

 

[HAmmer]

So, can I ask where you guys are that you can turn Master up to 3 on the drive channel? It's like painful loud in my apartment. I would probably have to be outside to play it that loud. I get it in a band situation or at a venue or a larger room or something, but where I am. . .ouch.

I have the master on 9 with my attenuator connected

 

[AAHIHaveNoIdeaWhatImDoing]

but if you wear plugs it sounds dulled anyway so why have it up loud in the first place? isnt the whole point to just sit there and bathe in the tone? seems like chasing your tail unless its up loud for recording (in which case the cans youll almost certainly be wearing would function as ear protection...

 

[AAHIHaveNoIdeaWhatImDoing]

yes i have considered an attenuator. are they still giant monster boxes? i had the marshall branded one years ago for my fender deville, discovered i did not like the sound of the deville cranked, sold the attenuator (Power Brake i believe).

 

[Jscully]

I've used a "Bad Cat Unleash" attenuator with my JCM 2000 when I'm home. The thing is amazing and is recommend it highly.

 

[ken361]

Run mine at real low for bedroom before 1, then 4 or so higher volumes

 

[Ranger911]

I mainly play my DSL40C at 1 but to for comparison to the Jubilee I felt I had to open them both up louder to get a better idea of each ones sound. This was all done in the basement during the day.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I don't sit on the floor right in front and turn mine up past 2.5 or so. But back up, stand up and turn up a bit once in awhile. Gigs different. I personally wouldn't bother with earplugs for home use but I get to gig. Most proper earplugs, BTW, do not affect high frequencies they simply teduce overall level while letting all frequencies through. Music stores have 'em.
As far as comparing to my 2558, the Jube doesn't come alive until about 5.5 on the MV and my ears will ring fast. One of the reasons I like the 40c it sounds good at lower volumes. I suspect many of the youtube vids in small rooms are at lower volumes.

 

[MarshallDog]

Has anyone yet tried lowering the B+ voltage just to the preamp tubes by increasing the value of R83? If so, did it work, did it give it more of a warmer brown sound? I did this on my 1989 2558 Jubilee and it worked great and I am wondering if it would work on this amp as well.