Marshall DSL401 vs JVM 215C

[Dr. Vic]

I own a Marshall DSL401. I love it's sound signature. And It's VERY pleasant to use at home level. Indeed I find the clean / crunch section excellent.  But a little lack of some boost for some metal riffage !

How does the JVM 215C compare to the DSL401 :

Is it a real improvment ?
Is it still usuable at home (50W instead of 40W but still with the same valves, I think) ?
Is the Overdrive section more pushing than the DSL401 ?
Are the programmable footswitches a good point ?
Which one is better : the JVM 215C or the 205C (with 2 HPs) still at home level ? Don't you need to push more the volume to make them move ?

Have you any other idea of other amp (100% valve - 40W) that are as versatile ? Mesa Express 5 : 25?

Thaanks !

 

[discofudge]

Hey dude, I had a 401 for the longest time and upgraded to a JVM as it had the same kind of sound(which i loved), but kinda did more. The 215c's the 2 channel one yeah? They'll be really similar in both volume and tone, but the 401 is simpler so the sound is kinda truer.

Is it a real improvment ?  Not as much as you might want
Is it still usuable at home (50W instead of 40W but still with the same valves, I think) ? yeah
Is the Overdrive section more pushing than the DSL401 ? a bit, not massive, more synthetic
Are the programmable footswitches a good point ? yeah, but not too much over the 401's
Which one is better : the JVM 215C or the 205C (with 2 HPs) still at home level ? Don't you need to push more the volume to make them move ? 205 will be MUCH louder and will not be great for home use

To be honest i would buy a second hand 2x12 cab whatever you do, as this will be plenty enough for ANY gig, with the option to not use it at home.

I went from 40w to 100w so that was a bigger difference, but I genuinly miss the drive ability of my 401, it's such a versatile little amp.

As far as metal riffage goes, just get either a MXR dist pedal (very organic still, but damn mental) or use your yellow channel in conjunction with a tubescreamer, and that will give you loads as long as you keep your amp gain about half to prevent buzzy overgain.

[Dr. Vic]

Thanks !

so it seems the extra cost between them 2 is not worth for me.

From what you said I am tempted to understand that the DSL 401 is better !  :lol:
 

[Dr. Vic]

As far as metal riffage goes, just get either a MXR dist pedal (very organic still, but damn mental) or use your yellow channel in conjunction with a tubescreamer, and that will give you loads as long as you keep your amp gain about half to prevent buzzy overgain.

Pairing different disorsion at the same time would not result in lack of definition of the sound ?

And it's true I've heard here a MXR GT-OD. It's a killer tone !

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14300.0

[discofudge]

It's difficult to explain, I love my JVM, it's versatile, powerful and sounds great, but I've got the 4 channel one and it does more than my old 401.

However there's something so honest about the 401's tone, it's as close to a vintage Marshall you can get these days without spending loads. I really loved it, and it's why in the end I stayed with marshall rather than going for a Mesa, for the price there's no contest.

Pairing different distortion at the same time would not result in lack of definition of the sound ?

Well the tubescreamer isn't really distortion, it's drive, and it will basically supercharge whatever sound you are currently making. This is why i recommended trying one with the amp dist on half.

[morgasm]

i have played through a few mesa express amps and was very impressed. they are very versatile indeed if your creative with the EQ. certainly better than the marshall for metal riffage lol. i think they come with 6L6s, but if they're anything like the rectifiers they have a bias switch on the back which would allow you to put some EL34s in, thus staying closer to your marshallesque sound but with added metal madness?
morgan