Thinking about a DSL50...

[FMTDee]

I posted awhile back on this forum when I was trying to find a combo to fit my needs. I tried out a few Haze 40's and liked the sound--except for a persistent rattle. So it went back to the store and I've been doing some homework.

I'm mostly a home recorder and player, although I do play small venues occasionally, which is why I initially thought a good combo would do the trick. But I want something with a lot of bottom end, that's very important. I think I expected too much from a combo. I need something highly versatile, capable of creamy, jazzy cleans, both subtle and aggressive blues tones, and metal crunch when I want it (although I'm not afraid to throw an OD in front of the amp to get it). Gotta have that bass, though.

Living way out in the country, it's hard to make it to different places to test out gear. I have to travel a long way. So I at least like to try to have my choices narrowed down.

I've read on this forum and elsewhere that the DSL is very versatile and capable of very high gain, and that it also sounds good at lower volumes (so as not to drive my family and neighbors crazy). So I'm thinking of picking up a used DSL50 and pairing it up with a Mesa Boogie closed-back 1x12 widebody to help with the bass response. Not too big, not too small, ought to be plenty loud.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Something else that might suit my purposes better that I haven't thought of?

Thanks!

 

[diesect20022000]

get the 100. it sounds just as good at low volumes and has more low end. do the 8/4 ohm ground mod or use the 16 ohm jack and you're good to go. you can get the for 5-6 hundred easy now. That's my opinion. You will still get more low end from a 50 than the 401's etc though so it may still be enough for you. you can also get an eq and run it in the loop and boost the lows on it to get more resonance that way if needed. the DSL's sound great at low volumes. I love mine.

otherwise though you may want to try the night trains. they're along the same lines as far as range of tones and they sound HUGE. they sound like a full size 100 watter no problem and in thick mode can do extreme metal just fine. i'd use a boost but, i ALWAYS use it on my heavy gain settings. I sold my old Night Train for my rectoverb but, i just ordered the lil NT and i'm pretty happy with that. I haven't gotten it yet though.

So, to recap:100 has more lows and sounds as good at low volumes (this beast is a preamp machine so the power amp's not a big factor in tone shaping as much as adding lows and headroom)

also,EQ in the loop and boost the lows with either.

night train and lil night trains are VERY good options too, BIG tone. I loved my Tiny terror but, once i got the night train the tiny got dusted. ALSO with the NT's, if you dime the VOLUME and use the GIAN as your volume you can get some REDICULOUSLY rich clean to world expolding gain. in thick modes it's a METAL MONSTER (don't let the bypassed eq scare you, it's all in the mids and that amp is all mids anyway (the treble and bass are boost type circuits) so it's AWESOME.

LASTLY, try them before you buy them and best of luck!

 

[clutch71]

I think the DSL50 will get you what your looking for. I find it to be very versitile and think it will do exactly what you want as long as your realize it will not do all those things at the same time without pedals.

I find that the Ultra channel has hard time with classic rock tones. YMMV. It has more of a modern gain feel to it. Both OD1 and OD2 seem to digest the deep and mid switches better. So it's great for a heavy over drive tones on the Ultra w/ the classic set as a clean tone.

There are some that will say OD2 is not usable. I believed that for years but actually it is not true. The trick to OD2 is the gain nob. I normally run my master on 5 and my gain on 5 on od1. If you kick in OD2 with the gain on 5 it has a tendancy to oversaturate and the bass falls apart. WHen you use OD2 and set the gain on 2-3 it has a different flavor than OD1.

The classic channel is great but does tends to get a little boomy if you have the deep switch in. I find it to be better suited for classic rock in crunch mode, thus you kind of end up sacrificing the clean. So IMO it just requires a little set planing if you play out.

This may be my bias coming through...but I'm not a fan of a single speaker. If your looking for a good ext cab I'd recommed the Mesa 2x12 Rectifier cab. I used one with my DSL for years and loved it. At 54lbs it's much easier to lug around than a 4x12 and sounds very similar to a 4x12 at lower volumes.

Good luck!

 

[jcmjmp]

I've read on this forum and elsewhere that the DSL is very versatile and capable of very high gain, and that it also sounds good at lower volumes (so as not to drive my family and neighbors crazy). So I'm thinking of picking up a used DSL50 and pairing it up with a Mesa Boogie closed-back 1x12 widebody to help with the bass response. Not too big, not too small, ought to be plenty loud.

I've had the DSL50 and DSL100 and prefer the DSL50. More than enough bass/low end for any situation IMO.

The real deal breaker in terms of low end is going to be your cab. You'll need at least a 2x12 to get decent low end. A 1x12 will not cut it. The Mode Four cabs are real good for low end. If you go 2x12, consider the G12K-100 speakers.

 

[GuN'R]

I am in a similar situation as you. I live out in the boonies and there aren't any good guitar shops within a reasonable distance of me. I bought my DSL 50 and I practice with it at lower volumes all the time. It sounds fuggin' great at low volume, just so rich and full. I whipped out some Yellow Ledbetter to test out the cleans when I got it, and I have to say this is the first amp that I have owned that I actually liked playing the clean channel. The OD boost on the green channel I think is something that needs to be explored at high volume, though. The red channel is metal all the way, plenty of crunch on tap there. I don't think you would be disappointed with the DSL just based on your description of what you're after. I have one question though: Why only run through 1x12 speaker?

 

[Ken]

I've never played a DSL 100 so I've leave that debate to others. You won't need 100 watts though and the 50 is cheaper to keep new tubes in.

The DSL is a great amp for everyone; it does everything well. You can't go wrong with one. I only question if a 1x12 is enough for what you're looking for. Try for at least a 2x12. I understand a full 4x12 might be too much bulk for your needs but try to consider it anyway because a DSL into a half or full stack is really what it was designed for, no matter what your style. The JCM 2000 series combos might be a consideration and might be better than a DSL head into just one 12" speaker as that's what the combos were designed for.

Ken

 

[Guitargearfreak]

Be carefull with what people refer to as "low volume". A lot of guys drive their amp at 6-7 so when they play them at 4, they say it's low volume. But 4 is enough to filled a small club without a PA, and it stills insanely loud. Under 3 or 4, my DSL100 doesn't sounds good for drive sounds... the cleans still good though. If you don't want "to drive your family and neighbors crazy", a 5 watts amp is enough for recording and practice. My 300$ blackstar HT-5 sounds way better than my 2000$ DSL at practice level. and a 50watts will not be very different.... I mean it's not ridiculously bad, it's ok for practice, but I will never do recording with a Marshall set to 1 on the master...

I also think that a closed back 1x12 will sound very boxy. If you play at really low volume you may want to try an open back cab, since you don't play loud enough to get the benefit of the relation between the speaker moving and the closed back cabinet anyway... I did that test a lot and it just sounds more open... if you want to cranked it a closed back 2x12 is a minimum IMO.

 

[jcmjmp]

blackstar HT-5 sounds way better than my 2000$ DSL at practice level. and a 50watts will not be very different.... I mean it's not ridiculously bad, it's ok for practice, but I will never do recording with a Marshall set to 1 on the master...
.

My DSL sounds good at low volumes as well as high. The difference is there but is mostly due to the speakers moving more air.

 

[diesect20022000]

Be carefull with what people refer to as "low volume". A lot of guys drive their amp at 6-7 so when they play them at 4, they say it's low volume. But 4 is enough to filled a small club without a PA, and it stills insanely loud. Under 3 or 4, my DSL100 doesn't sounds good for drive sounds... the cleans still good though. If you don't want "to drive your family and neighbors crazy", a 5 watts amp is enough for recording and practice. My 300$ blackstar HT-5 sounds way better than my 2000$ DSL at practice level. and a 50watts will not be very different.... I mean it's not ridiculously bad, it's ok for practice, but I will never do recording with a Marshall set to 1 on the master...

I also think that a closed back 1x12 will sound very boxy. If you play at really low volume you may want to try an open back cab, since you don't play loud enough to get the benefit of the relation between the speaker moving and the closed back cabinet anyway... I did that test a lot and it just sounds more open... if you want to cranked it a closed back 2x12 is a minimum IMO.

I record at 1 a lot and get compliments on the "huge sound" i get. i will grant you it sounds better louder but, it sounds and records very well at low volumes as long as it's not something you're trying to get a classic vibe from. for hi gain metal though it's in the preamp mostly. a way to combat this moving air issue is to use hi efficiency low wattage speakers in 1 or 2x12 config, closed back. Out here i'm the guy that helps set up peoples sounds...not a producer or anything but, when people have sa sound they want and can't find they call me over to work with them on achieving that. kind of a hobby i guess.

 

[hellbilly]

FMTDee where are you at in Arkansas? i live in Hot Springs. I have a DSL 100 and i'd say go with at least a 2x12 but 4x12 is the way to go.

 

[TwinACStacks]

Y knot go 4 it?

TWIN

 

[Ken]

My DSL sounds good at low volumes as well as high. The difference is there but is mostly due to the speakers moving more air.

That's the same reason I now play the full stack, even at home. I like 8 speakers better than 4. Just because you have a full stack doesn't mean you have to be any louder than a 1x12, but it sounds a LOT better tone wise at the same volume.

Ken

 

[Guitargearfreak]

all the artist that I like get their tone by driving the power section really hard... to me preamp distortion only, sounds like a distortion pedal... harsh highs, and no meaty mids.

I still think that it's better to cranked an amp than set it to 1... that's why I use low wattage amps for low volume, and high wattage for high volume... and that's why new Marshalls got a power control: because an amp should not be played with the master set to 1.... and reducing the power is way better than reducing the volume control... and that's why there's a new attenuator coming out every week... as I don't want to mess with that, I play small amps.

I mean, I know it would be okay, but there's better option for less money... a 50 or 100 watts is made to be played loud on stage. just my opinion

 

[diesect20022000]

all the artist that I like get their tone by driving the power section really hard... to me preamp distortion only, sounds like a distortion pedal... harsh highs, and no meaty mids.

I still think that it's better to cranked an amp than set it to 1... that's why I use low wattage amps for low volume, and high wattage for high volume... and that's why new Marshalls got a power control: because an amp should not be played with the master set to 1.... and reducing the power is way better than reducing the volume control... and that's why there's a new attenuator coming out every week... as I don't want to mess with that, I play small amps.

I mean, I know it would be okay, but there's better option for less money... a 50 or 100 watts is made to be played loud on stage. just my opinion

there's a new attenuator coming out every week because people buy them not realising they don't need them with amps like the DSL. anyway, it's personal preferance anyway but, if you play modern metal and crank your power section into distortion you'll have a muddy and trebly mess that's why modern metal players prefer 150 watt and 200 watt amps, it's all about headroom. Now, if you're talking anything else, rock,80's metal etc, yeah power tube saturation's good but, again, depends on preferance and style.

 

[Ken]

DSL's get 95% of their tone from the preamp. That's why using the gain as a volume control and the volume on 10 doesn't sound nearly as sweet as a plexi, at least unless the gain is at 5 or better. I can't see how an attenuator would be very useful for a DSL.

Ken

 

[diesect20022000]

DSL's get 95% of their tone from the preamp. That's why using the gain as a volume control and the volume on 10 doesn't sound nearly as sweet as a plexi, at least unless the gain is at 5 or better. I can't see how an attenuator would be very useful for a DSL.

Ken

werd.

 

[Guitargearfreak]

if you play modern metal and crank your power section into distortion you'll have a muddy and trebly mess ... Now, if you're talking anything else, rock,80's metal etc, yeah power tube saturation's good but, again, depends on preferance and style.

Now we agree. I'm talking about rock tone, that's why I care about the power section. I don't like modern metal tones, and don't like the tone of an uncranked Marshall... just matter of taste

 

[diesect20022000]

Now we agree. I'm talking about rock tone, that's why I care about the power section. I don't like modern metal tones, and don't like the tone of an uncranked Marshall... just matter of taste

yeah i agree man, I just ordered my VOX lil night train for that stuff. it can do metal at low volumes as well but, i got it more for cranked rock tones. I missed the orginal i had and this one sounds damn close to the orig so i'm excited about it.

 

[FMTDee]

Thanks, you guys gave me a LOT of great info to think about. That's why I read and post here.

@hellbilly: I'm not too far from Rison. It's a helluva lot nicer where you are!

@diesect20022000: Special thanks to you for all your great advice! Def gonna check out the Night Trains and see how I like those, too.

Thanks again everybody! I'll update when I make some decisions.

 

[diesect20022000]

sure FMT no prob!