Why did the MG series get worse?

[cokekolev]

I played a few new MG CF series a while ago and the clean channel sounded fine. But the overdrive sounds like a real cheap digital overdrive, like there's a blanket on top. The phone output sounds excellent though. The old MGCD series had way brighter and crunchier overdrive.

What could be theproblem with the new ones? Is there a clip mod to add more treble and take away the mud? Or do they deliberately make bad sounding amps to make people buy more of the expensive tube amps?

 

[BowerR64]

The speakers in em for one are not any good, and i think they just have way to much gain.

The old ones used LED clippers the new ones use the old germanium clippers

 

[Vinsanitizer]

I loved the original MG series because of the Contour control, and they sounded great for solid state. I had a particular affection for the MG15DFX's, and had two of them. I sold them when I was unloading about a dozen combos I wasn't using at the time. Later, I went to buy the new CF and I couldn't stand them. They look silly and sound just as bad to me. They're just toys now. I went through two 50 watters and gave up because they sounded so bad that I thought something was wrong with them. I'd rather have a Fender Frontman than one of those CF's. It looks like they might be discontinued now that the CODE modelers are out.

 

[Bloodrock]

I've still got one of the MG100dfx heads I plug into from time to time. Still sounds great. My son used to gig with it all the time. I tried the newer ones as well and I liked the clean/crunch, but the OD channel was awful IMO.

 

[cokekolev]

The speakers in em for one are not any good, and i think they just have way to much gain.

The old ones used LED clippers the new ones use the old germanium clippers

I tried a MG10CF through an external 1x12 celestion and it sounded just as bad. So it's not the speaker.

 

[Ghostman]

To make way for the CORE....ahem....CODE line of amps.

 

[iron broadsword]

Makes sense.. LED vs germanium is a pretty big difference. In the pedal world, germanium usually wins out in fuzzes, and LED takes the cake for distortion boxes.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I kinda wanna check out a first-generation MG series. Static-X's Shadow Zone and Start a War were recorded with an original Marshall MG Running into a Marshall 1960A with V30s and T75s. That **** sounds heavy.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4iZhYtBSRI[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNZF2wsW-fI[/ame]

Edit: It's worse noting that after these two albums, Wayne's tone got worse and worse. It can't be a coincidence that his tone went to **** as the MG series did as well.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwWXTB58QtQ[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djmAg7hBHVM[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK7ya_xZXFc[/ame]

 

[Bloodrock]

The first 2 StaticX albums were recorded with a valvestate 8100, killer amp! After that they did switch to the MG's, but to get that tone you will need an EQ in the loop. Those Mg's are very similar in tone to the older "good" Randall amps and can get very similar tones using an EQ just like Dimebag Darrell did.

But the 8100 valvestate still sound much better.

 

[EBF]

I've got the 100 watt carbon fiber head and 412 cab that everybody hates and it is the best amp I have ever used for my application. (guitar and pedal steel) I will admit I don't use the distortion channels for anything though, I use a Zevex pedal for dirt on guitar and run clean with a touch of verb and delay on pedal steel. I also use the programmable pedal on this amp. Got a channel programmed for steel and a few for guitar and use the Morley AB switch to switch instruments. This rig could be a little lighter though but I am very happy with the sound so I'll take the extra weight. I am a little curious about the Code head though.

 

[mbell75]

Tried some SS amps this morning actually and the MG100HCFX was one of them. Played it thru a 1960A like I have at home. What an awful amp. Clean is decent, the overdrive channels are horrible in every way. Made my old AVT50H sound amazing in comparison.

 

[iron broadsword]

I've never played a CF, but IMHO the MG's from before that sounded great if you put it through a decent speaker. Should'a seen the owner's eyes when he plugged his 15w MG into my 1960a. Went from terrible to probably the best solid state tone I've ever heard.

 

[mbell75]

I've never played a CF, but IMHO the MG's from before that sounded great if you put it through a decent speaker. Should'a seen the owner's eyes when he plugged his 15w MG into my 1960a. Went from terrible to probably the best solid state tone I've ever heard.

See my post above yours

 

[iron broadsword]

Well, fwiw I had an AVT150h that I disliked through the AVT speakers, and then when it went through the 1960a it sounded great for ss. It was shortly after that that I tried the MG through it. I don't remember which one sounds better from memory now, but both impressed me that's for sure.

Is it possible that the 1960a wasn't broken in yet? They can sound pretty stiff until they are.