(VIDEO) Marshall vs Friedman (JCM800 SC20H vs Dirty Shirley Mini)

[Del Rei]

Hi, there!

Just recorded a fast clip comparing these 2 20W amps...

Important note: Couldn't use same EQ. These amps sounds VERY different when using same EQ. Marshall is much more bright. So, I tried to make both amps sound the same EQ, using my "preferred" tone as a reference.

Hope it's useful for someone... \o/

 

[marshallmellowed]

Hi, there!

Just recorded a fast clip comparing these 2 20W amps...

Important note: Couldn't use same EQ. These amps sounds VERY different when using same EQ. Marshall is much more brighter. So, I tried to make both amps sound the same EQ, using my "preferred" tone as a reference.

Hope it's useful for someone... \o/

Pretty much what I would expect. I had the Dirty Shirley pedal, which is "supposed to be" basically the exact tone of the amp in a pedal. Too much in the lower mids for my taste, which is also what I hear in the amp recording.

 

[Del Rei]

Pretty much what I would expect. I had the Dirty Shirley pedal, which is "supposed to be" basically the exact tone of the amp. Too much in the lower mids for my taste, which is also what I hear in the amp recording.

Hey, man.
Yeah, the Dirty Shirley Mini could have a Presence knob, maybe. This amp have too much low end.
But... I love both amps, \O/.

 

[tallcoolone]

Reinforcing why I’ve never bit on a DShirley.

 

[Freddy78]

Very Nice comparison , i prefer the JCM800 sound .

Well done , i really liked your playing

 

[Kelia]

Hi, there!

Just recorded a fast clip comparing these 2 20W amps...

Important note: Couldn't use same EQ. These amps sounds VERY different when using same EQ. Marshall is much more bright. So, I tried to make both amps sound the same EQ, using my "preferred" tone as a reference.

Hope it's useful for someone... \o/

You sure know how to make a great demo !

 

[clutch71]

I preferred the SC20 as well. Great comparison vid. Thanks for posting.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hi, there!

Just recorded a fast clip comparing these 2 20W amps...

Important note: Couldn't use same EQ. These amps sounds VERY different when using same EQ. Marshall is much more bright. So, I tried to make both amps sound the same EQ, using my "preferred" tone as a reference.

Hope it's useful for someone... \o/

If anything I'd like you'd share your recording technique, process and equipment in detail, the quality is really good it aint no cell phone recording LOL.

 

[BanditPanda]

I found there to be a certain rawness / edge to the Marshall which I preferred.
Great demo/ Thanks for making the time.
BP

 

[What?]

To my ears the SC20H just sounds brighter and more compressed. Not worlds different at all really. I would actually prefer the Dirty Shirley with a little more brightness but not as much as the SC20H.

Thanks for posting the video.

Listening again, I think the SC20H sounds gainier, maybe not more compressed actually. Definitely brighter though.

 

[Marshall Boogie]

Just goes to show, those at this web site listen with their preferences not their ears, those two amps sound the same...almost as if the op used the same IR for the demo....and oddly enough you guys are choosing winners,,,,lmfao. Never ask for an unbiased opinion on the Marshall site, you will get brand fanboys(The Mesa Boogie Grailtone site is even worse, so ehhhh).

 

[BanditPanda]

"choosing winners" is what it's all about.
BP

 

[rick16v]

I know which sounds better, but which would win in a race?

 

[Del Rei]

Thank you all for the comments!

@pedecamp
Hey, man... Nothing really special. I use my isobox (creamback65 + SM57 + AKG P170 inside). The mics goes to my Scarlett 2i2 and I record all tracks at Reaper (DAW). I have to add some reverb because the isobox have not so much space inside and the sound gets very "boxy".

Usually I set 2 tracks in the mix, 40% panned left/right each. For one track I do some simple chords and the second I play some riff.
Than I add the drums (EzDrummer) and a bass (I got this cheaper bass I found online).


@rick16v I guess both can win the race... It's all about taste, right? \o/

 

[marshallmellowed]

Just goes to show, those at this web site listen with their preferences not their ears, those two amps sound the same...almost as if the op used the same IR for the demo....and oddly enough you guys are choosing winners,,,,lmfao. Never ask for an unbiased opinion on the Marshall site, you will get brand fanboys(The Mesa Boogie Grailtone site is even worse, so ehhhh).

While you will have "fanboys" on any site, the 2 amps do not sound the same. Even with my aging ears, I can hear that. The Dirty Shirley is voiced differently than the SC20, more focus on lower mids (closer to a Jubilee). Sorry you can't hear that, maybe your ears are shot. As for using "the same IR", if you're comparing 2 amps, using the same speaker cab, or "IR" is a must.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

Just goes to show, those at this web site listen with their preferences not their ears, those two amps sound the same...almost as if the op used the same IR for the demo....and oddly enough you guys are choosing winners,,,,lmfao. Never ask for an unbiased opinion on the Marshall site, you will get brand fanboys(The Mesa Boogie Grailtone site is even worse, so ehhhh).

Which one should I prefer?

 

[Gene Ballzz]

The DS seemed to sit more "forward" in the mix, but I can't quite put my finger on what part of the frequency spectrum that "forward-ness" is in. Maybe its more in dynamic response differences than the actual tones. I'm betting that at least some of the very minor differences may be contributed to by EL84s vs EL34s.While the character of the DS is quite inspiring for the chosen sound, I'm going to guess that the Marshall supports a slighty wider variety of tones and characters that can be achieved through guitar volume and pickup changes, etc? I'm also guessing that the DS is a tad more tiring/fatiguing to the ears, over a long session and that may well be a product of the EL84s. The EL84s are being pushed closer to their limits, while the EL34s are closer to idling along at the same power levels. Much like the difference between an old VW Beetle needing your foot well into it for cruising down the highway, while a Porsche with a similar yet performance built flat four might only require light throttle for that same cruise!

And yeah @Del Rei , great demo, especially once I caught on to the "fuzzing over" of the non used amp. Very Slick demo! I'm also assuming it was guitar straight in, with no pedal/stomp/foot/thingies involved? Having also played both amps (but not side by side), I would tend to prefer the Marshall, by a small margin, although the SV20 is a bit more pleasing for my tastes and uses as a gigging amp. A really good, transparent attenuator (like the @JohnH design in this thread: https://www.marshallforum.com/threads/simple-attenuators-design-and-testing.98285/) would be required for any of them in my universe, but even more crucial for the SV20, given no Master Volume.

Sorry, Just Ramblin'
Gene

 

[Marshall Boogie]

Which one should I prefer?

Duhhhh.both for the win?!

 

[Marshall Boogie]

While you will have "fanboys" on any site, the 2 amps do not sound the same. Even with my aging ears, I can hear that. The Dirty Shirley is voiced differently than the SC20, more focus on lower mids (closer to a Jubilee). Sorry you can't hear that, maybe your ears are shot. As for using "the same IR", if you're comparing 2 amps, using the same speaker cab, or "IR" is a must.

I can hear differences in tone just fine...but i disagree with your statement that you must use the same IR (which is not the same thing as cab). Using the same cab is a no brainer...but IR's tend to lend the sim to your tone.....so it is my opinion (just that only) that you have to pick the ir that will give you the appropriate tone for the amp and cab choice(ir's act like filters....they do not act in my opinion like amps.....so one ir that is the sim of say....a g12t-75 loaded cab with a jcm900 dr played through it...will not sound appropriate when paired with say my Mesa Boogie with the same cab....i tend to view ir's as doing wayyy more to the tone than just a cab would(I have literally seen guys pair the wrong ir with a mesa amp and the amp sounded like a Marshall with a Jose mod....it turned out the guy was using an IR he had chosen because it sounded right for his Jose modded amp...it did...sounded very accurate.....but not when paired with a Mesa amp...it turned the tone of the mesa into something like a jose modded amp driven slightly differently(you could hear differences in driving strength ....like the frequency notches speeding up....but it still drastically transformed the way the Mesa sounded....change the ir to one more appropriate to a mesa paired with the same cab and the Mesa sound came back....like I said...the IR's tone took over). You have to correctly apply IR's to get the best outta them....that is my take on it (I am not a fan of IR's and probably never will be...but I live in the country and can crank all i want.)

 

[marshallmellowed]

I can hear differences in tone just fine...but i disagree with your statement that you must use the same IR (which is not the same thing as cab). Using the same cab is a no brainer...but IR's tend to lend the sim to your tone.....so it is my opinion (just that only) that you have to pick the ir that will give you the appropriate tone for the amp and cab choice(ir's act like filters....they do not act in my opinion like amps.....so one ir that is the sim of say....a g12t-75 loaded cab with a jcm900 dr played through it...will not sound appropriate when paired with say my Mesa Boogie with the same cab....i tend to view ir's as doing wayyy more to the tone than just a cab would(I have literally seen guys pair the wrong ir with a mesa amp and the amp sounded like a Marshall with a Jose mod....it turned out the guy was using an IR he had chosen because it sounded right for his Jose modded amp...it did...sounded very accurate.....but not when paired with a Mesa amp...it turned the tone of the mesa into something like a jose modded amp driven slightly differently(you could hear differences in driving strength ....like the frequency notches speeding up....but it still drastically transformed the way the Mesa sounded....change the ir to one more appropriate to a mesa paired with the same cab and the Mesa sound came back....like I said...the IR's tone took over). You have to correctly apply IR's to get the best outta them....that is my take on it (I am not a fan of IR's and probably never will be...but I live in the country and can crank all i want.)

Sorry to disagree, but that's the whole purpose of an IR, to digitally (and accurately) replicate a mic'd cab. If the IR does not react consistently (like a "real" cab) when placed in the signal chain (or added in the DAW), regardless of the amp being used, the IR was done poorly and is useless (IMO). All that aside, as the OP stated, he used an actual speaker, mic'd in an isolation box, so IR's played no part in his comparison.