I just LOVE my amp!

[hunter]

I admit it officially, I dearly love my Ecstasy.

After going through this shocking list of gear in the last 20 years:

80s/90s:
Marlboro 2x12 SS
H&K ATS 112
Boogie Caliber 50+
Soldano Atomic 16
Peavey 5150
Rivera KnuckleHead

2000s:
Engl Screamer
THD Univalve
Bogner Shiva
Diezel Einstein
Marshall Vintage Modern
Orange Tiny Terror
VHT 50ST
Budda Superdrive 30
Axe FX/VHT2502 (still have)
H&K Triamp MkII (still have)
Bogner Ecstasy 100B (still have)

I can now officially say I have a great piece of kit that gives me both the versatility and depth of tones I need.
It's got its quibbles, the loop is a bit strange until you understand how it works, the volume control isn't the best for bedroom wanking, and it's recently burned some parts which made me hand it in for complete overhaul. It's now in great shape, biased hot and sweet, and sounds better than I ever heard it do.

Just love it.

Here's some (rather uninspired but gives you the idea) noodling of today at low volume. Red Channel, no effects: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZycLBFPtsw&fmt=18

Believe me, if you turn it up, it gets so fat, it's unbelieveable, and the notes just bloom, super touch responsive but clear and super usable sustain for days.

Sorry, thought I'd share a bit.

[FernandoDuarte]

Great tone, as always!!

[Dazza1004]

Hunter,

how would you rate the xtc in terms of plug and play. Is it something you would need to spend a fair amount of time setting up at each gig or is it pretty quick assuming you know the amp ?

Have you ever played a 5153 ? I have one at the moment and I have been told by people who have had both xtc and 5153 there are a lot of similarities between the 2.

Have you tried it with different speakers ?

cheers

[hunter]

Hunter,

how would you rate the xtc in terms of plug and play. Is it something you would need to spend a fair amount of time setting up at each gig or is it pretty quick assuming you know the amp ?

Have you ever played a 5153 ? I have one at the moment and I have been told by people who have had both xtc and 5153 there are a lot of similarities between the 2.

Have you tried it with different speakers ?

cheers

Hi Dazza,

I played the 5150III for about 30 minutes in a shop once, so my experience with it is not that great. Loved the cab!! On the amp I liked Channel2 very much, and from what I can recall, Ch2 was in the ballpark of the blue channel. Though I couldn't tell if it was on par or different than the XTC.

Also worth noting my XTC is voiced differently than the new 101B. My model is the same as Vai and Cantrell used in the 90s, the first series. Sounds more open and organic than the 101, which is more compressed and modern sounding. Also the 100B runs on 570V plate voltage and it's not easy to find tubes that survive this nowadays. So far so good with Ruby EL34BHTs. From what I hear the new 20th Anniversary XTC is more similar to the 100B again.

In terms of setting up it's probably a bit more tricky, as it doesn't have a real master volume. The channel volumes on Blue and Red on my amp also have never been higher than 9 o'clock since I have it, it's just so damn loud. So getting the levels set takes a few minutes, and then the return volume of the loop with the two switchable volumes on send and return, which interact with the channel volumes, are a bit tricky on my model. I think the 101B is a bit easier in that perspective.

In rehearsal it takes me maybe 2-3 minutes to get it right, and the more I use it I get quicker. It has a lot of switches and stuff, speaker excursion on the master, 3 way bright switches per channel, something called "Air" on the drive channel, etc. The 101B also has two assignable presence controls. All these change the character of the amp or single channels quite drastically, so you can tweak forever if you wish. But the sounds are all usable and most of them great in their own right. 

[Dazza1004]

thanks Hunter, that's good info

[Jonny]

Do you remember why the Knucklehead wasn't for you?

[hunter]

Do you remember why the Knucklehead wasn't for you?

It was too hard sounding. I came from a 5150 and mainly changed because of the cleans and the loop of the Peavey, but the drive on the Rivera had no sag and was harsh.

Maybe the issue was also due to me having used a G12T75 loaded Marshall 4x12, from which I didn't know at that time that it wasn't the best cab out there.

Mind you that was before the internet, ebay and daily GAS attacks. GAS was monthly at that time, with the arrival of Gitarre & Bass Magazin. By the way I had bad GAS for an XTC at that time, I read the review sth like 1994.

[Dazza1004]

dammit now I want an XTC

[bucketbot]

Ever tried Carvins??

[d1dsj]

I'd love your amp too!

[camf]

I'm the same... after a long, long search I've found the perfect amp for me. A little Mesa Boogie Maverick. I just LOVE it!

[hunter]

Ever tried Carvins??

Yeah, like teh Legacy, a little dark and unspectacular though for my taste.

[viking]

I'm the same... after a long, long search I've found the perfect amp for me. A little Mesa Boogie Maverick. I just LOVE it!

Oh,i believe you  :)!I loved the Maverick i  tried !The owner was a friend of mine and he was selling a MKIII,but not his Maverick!No way!Sweet ClassA sound...

[JamesHealey]

Do you remember why the Knucklehead wasn't for you?

It was too hard sounding. I came from a 5150 and mainly changed because of the cleans and the loop of the Peavey, but the drive on the Rivera had no sag and was harsh.

Maybe the issue was also due to me having used a G12T75 loaded Marshall 4x12, from which I didn't know at that time that it wasn't the best cab out there.

Mind you that was before the internet, ebay and daily GAS attacks. GAS was monthly at that time, with the arrival of Gitarre & Bass Magazin. By the way I had bad GAS for an XTC at that time, I read the review sth like 1994.

My friend Chantelle plays a Rivera and It sounds horrid, very stiff and neutral with no complexity to the mids.. She loves the thing but I can't stand the sound it puts out.. She's a great player though so it makes up for it.

[camf]

That xtx sounds sweet though. Never heard one in the flesh before.