As there is not much information in the web or press about STEAVENS amps, I invested a bit of time to give it a proper covering and share my views with you guys. I hope you appreciate it. Please bear in mind that the videos will only give a rough idea of the tones that can be had, I would have loved to do some proper ones at higher volume, in a good studio and with quality video gear ... still the vids as they are will be a good information source.
Overview Manufacturer: STEAVENS
Model: Poundcake 100 MkIII
Tubes: 4xEL34 or 4x6L6, 6x12AX7
Features:
-4 channels (Clean/Crunch/Meat/Heat)
-2EQs for drive and Clean
-3 Boosts (Gain/Mid/Bright) alternatively or in combination usable
-FX loop serial or parallel, with mixing and (master) level control, swtchable
-2 master volumes for drive, separate Clean master
-7button foot switch for direct access to channel, boost, master and effect loop, or in PGM mode: 12 Programs
-Midi out for control of external effects
-Presence and Depth controls in the master section
-Switch for 6L6 or EL34
-RRP: 2,890€
-Made in Germany by
http://www.steavens.com Preface: The Steavens Poundcake has been around in different variations since the early 90s, and the Amp has a very loyal fan base. Even if the commercial break-through (so far) is still missing, Steavens has world-wide reputation for the quality of the product and their great sound. Here we have the youngest incarnation of the Poundcake evolution - in its version MkIII with 100W and 4 channels.
I received the Steavens 1 week ago. In this time I had enough opportunity to test it at two rehearsals and three gigs (a Cover/Top40 band and a Metal band). The Amp was run both with the factory JJ12AX7 and JJ6L6GC, as well as with a Quad RFT EL34 - and for the sound examples/videos it was finally equipped with 4xSED=C= EL34, a GT12AX7M in V1, TungSol 12AX7 in V2-V5 and a Chinese G9 12AX7 in the phase driver.
The Amp more than convinced within this short time and proved to be a real allround talent, more about this below.
Basic concept: The Amp is designed to be at the center of your rig, providing all the tone and switching - a midi capable external FX device in the loop and you can well be set. 99 Midi Programs can be stored with settings for channel, master, combinations of the existing boosts and the switching status of the FX loop. The front panel seems a bit weird at first sight, since all 4 gain pots are placed on the far right of the amp, the EQs for drive and clean on the left, between them the two masters for the drive channels and the clean master. However one can already tweak without thinking after a few minutes of getting used to it. It feels like EQs and gains, once adapted to your guitar and sound preference, can be left alone and I found myself doing most of the changes to switches and boosts rather than the other settings.
The absence of an overall master volume is not such a major issue, since with the loop engaged, the loop level can work as a master. However, in a live situation and in order to adjust the volume balance with and without loop engaged, you'll have to set levels for Master1, Master2, CleanVolume and FX Level, which can take some precious minutes of your sound check time.
The amp's workmanship is on a high standard, cleanly developed with generously dimensioned transformers and high-quality parts, as well as a clean internal structure on PCB. The ceramic power tube sockets are mounted on PCB, which might disturb some. Nevertheless the whole thing looks very rugged and IMO there's no reason to doubt the durability and road-worthiness of the Steavens.
The looks of the Amp is a matter of taste. The tolex doesn't remind me of the smoothest of leathers, but it is finished properly and clean. The case is quite high and not very deep, somehow the proportions are weird, inside there is a lot of space above the transformers/power tubes - so the head could have been smaller - at the cost of air flow. However it's quite nice to be able to install a Bias Rite without taking the amp out of it's head shell.
Function as well as sound of the loop are outstanding - as well with rack effects as with pedals.
Tone The Poundcake is not a soft contender. It is a mean and beasty amp that pumps a lot of air and packs a punch. You gotta be careful with the bass and depth controls as well as with the master, if you don't wanna kill those famous small animals in the close surroundings with the first power chord. However, the beast can be tamed if you use the master volume in the loop to bring it down to TV levels if that is what you're up to. The basic character of the Amps is rather dry and transparent, i.e. on the modern side of the spectrum. It feels rather like a JCM800 on steroids than a hotrodded JTM45, tight and punchy! However, with the various channels and their different basic characters as well as the three Boosts there is an extreme sound pallet at your disposal. The Steavens has its own character- its highgain may be somewhere between Marshall and Diezel, but it retains a certain creaminess in the mids, which sounds expensive, without being mushy or diffuse. Transparency and dynamics of this amp are really absolute top class. Gain wise, the four channels overlap quite generously, thus everyone should be able to find a preferred balance of rhythm and lead tones. If that is not sufficient yet, designer Bernhard Stephan offers to adapt the Amp to subjective preference of the buyer once and free of charge.
The Boosts The Boosts are all three very different animals. Boost 1 (Gain Boost) pushes the gain stage and adds also a good portion of bass content. I like this boost more in combination with the Mid and/or Bright Boost. The Mid Boost acts in the upper mids, and feels a bit like a down shifted bright switch. Mid Boost doesn't add loads of gain but seems to shift the mid focus more towards a Marshall flavour, as you can hear in the attached videos. The Bright Boost adds brilliance and a good portion of Gain. Somehow it's similar to turning up the bright channel on a Plexi, the sound opens up and gets more agressive, and used with low gain settings it also makes louder quite a bit.
Channels and sounds: The cleans in the Poundcake are not to be understood as necessary add-on. It sounds marvellous and gives the competitors in my amp collection (Triamp MkII and Bogner XTC 100B, as well as a Axe FX) a run for their money. This channel alone covers a huge array of tones. Hyper clean sounds for picking Marillion style, funk chords etc. are no issue as well as driven blues tones from Stevie Ray Vaughn up to Free are no problem. I do not exaggerate, if I say that I repeatedly switched on the Amp and remained just on this channel, because dynamics and transparency of the sound are so breathtaking - and I hate playing clean in general! With all three boosts on and the gain cranked you already get a lead sound, which would be sufficient for many.
Video 1: Intro & Clean-Channelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plyh6aPL-nACrunch takes over where clean left, however initially it charms you with a softer, somewhat more compressed character while being more fundamentally British than channel 1. This is perfect if you like Marshalls but find them too harsh. However things change once you up the gain and make use of the boosts. With the Mid Boost you get right away a Marshall crunch of the most addictive kind, amazing cut and punch with loads of body, tone and character. If that is not enough you can crank the gain further and let the walls shake with any combination of the three Boosts to go from early Fleetwood Mac to Iron Maiden and already cover pretty much everything, that was derived from marshal and their fellow followers from the 60s to the 80's. With the gain boost engaged and the gain cranked (on the Steavens that means to 25) you can also obtain a beautiful, creamy lead sound à la Santana, that is already so fat and has so much meat, you have to ask how much the "Meat" Channel can still put on top of this.
Video 2: Crunch-Channelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8OvId4VPZAThe Meat and Heat channels have similar gain reserves, with Heat giving perhaps 20% more "felt gain". The main difference of the two channels is in the voicing, as Meat is a tad more open and dry, with somewhat more focus in the upper in the mids, while on Heat the center frequency shifts somewhat downward, moving more air on single notes. Heat is also less "tight" in the lower frequency than Meat. Both channels can go from Scorpions, via Metallica to Killswitch:Engage kinds of gain, and with use of gain, EQ and boosts you have infinite sound variations at your disposal. Meat can also pull off some serious metal, especially if the amp is opened up a bit and you add mid and bright boost to give you crunch and cut even at extreme gain settings. With all three Boosts engagde in the Heat channel there is some serious, blistering gain happening, and surely Steve Vai would enjoy this sound as much as Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth. At 2/3 gain in the Heat channel there is an imprint on the front panel that says "go nuts!", and this is by all means not an empty promise! The sustain is endless and the individual notes drip over to their harmonics with ease, while always retaining a transparent and dynamic basic character. Only with deafening volumes the response gets softer and more spongy - similar to an SLO100, which also must be cranked to smoothen out. Bedroom w**kers should should look out for a good attenuator unless they like the rougher feel of the tones at low volume. Without exaggerating I gotta say that Mr. Stephan (Steavens) has created a true master piece here!
Video 3: Meat-Channelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAS7NJ_MueQVideo 4: Heat-Channelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLW3SpQ6jfIVideo 5: Meat & Heat Channel (alternative take)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShMrHHtzoyIResult: With 4 channels, 3 Boosts and 2 Masters the combinations of possible sounds with the Poundcake are endless already without even touching any tone controls. The very effective EQ and the dynamic reaction of the amp towards different guitars, cables, tubes and cabs make sure, the Steavens deserves a place right at the top of the hit list of the most versatile monster amps. It masters all disciplines with quality, finesse and character, and has no weaknesses! One might assume that on such a high gain amp perhaps there'll be an average clean channel or a lack of character in the crunch tones, but this is not the case. It's one of very few multi channel amps that have the balance right to get amazing tones in all disciplines. It masters recording duties, the Top40 gig, as well as the metal band each with mouthwatering tones. Verdict: A true master piece with addictive tones, absolutely professional performance and a refreshing own tonal character that plays in the major league of multi channel amps!
PROs +Sound
+Dynamics
+Transparency
+Punch and volume
+Versatility
+Sound shaping with 3 different boosts
+Effects loop (sound & function)
+Midi and provided foot switch
CONs -No overall master volume (except with use of the loop)
-Midicontroller (other than the foot switch provided) only usable via adaptor cable
-Looks could be more luxurious (though this is subjective)
Gut Shots 
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