NAD: It's here! AFD100 in the house!

[Twinfan]

No I agree with you... but I think the sales jargon with power scaling and similar features is more often than not about obtaining 'that cranked tone at bedroom level'...

Which is exactly what it does.  Cranked AMP tone at bedroom level.

[Dmoney]

hahaha. come on, man. A cranked amp through no speakers is NO tone.

If you define "cranked amp tone" as playing the head cranked with a complete disregard to the speakers or cab you use then fair enough, technically you're right. Nobody says "cranked amp and speaker tone".

For me, the tone that phrase refers too is stuff like Hendrix & Townshend. To me, THAT is cranked amp tone, and when you hear it, it is inclusive of the speaker tone. Without that part, you can crank the amp up all you like, but at the LOWEST volumes, its still going to be nothing like the above, no matter what method of attenuation you use.

If I'm wrong for thinking that because I'm not interpreting that phrase literally, whatever.

[Twinfan]

I'm speaking about what the Power Scaling system is designed to do - have the amp cranked at low volumes.  Which is what is does superbly.

An amp with PS can't replicate speakers cranked can it!  :lol:

Everything is a compromise, for me PS is the best compromise there is :)

[Dmoney]

 :D

I don't think im disagreeing.

No doubts power scaling does what it does well when installed well, and you can get good tone at low volumes with or without PPIMV's, Power Scaling or Attenuators but you do need to compromise. I think the "best method" varies from person to person and amp to amp.

I never imagined it could replicate speakers either.:D I just think for me, cranked amp tone is something different to overdriven power stage tone and PS etc are not really methods for replicating a loud gigging kind of sound at tiny practice amp levels, It's another tool in the box and handy for getting to a similar place, but when I read some stuff it just seems like people think it's going to make their amps sound like they are pumping out the watts at knebworth, when in fact their squeaking out the power in the bedroom, and we both agree that isn't going to happen.

[Twinfan]

Nope  :)

Nothing can replicate pumping out the watts at Knebworth!

[Dmoney]

Nope  :)

Nothing can replicate pumping out the watts at Knebworth!

Haha... when you do that I expect a guestlist spot.

[purpleplexi]

Secret then are they?  ;)

I found the schematic online and it seems pretty simple - just some bypass stuff.  That would explain the extra hiss and noise too...

nah, not a secret, they're freely available online if you search for them.  they're just tweaks to a JCM800, nowt flash.

Are they the kind of mods that can be  errr, un-modded in the traditional way - like changing resistor values or whatever? Or would I need a new specialised chip made in a top secret lab in NASA HQ?

I'm jus thinkin - a little less difference betweeen the 2 modes might help. It's not supposed to be a JCM anyway is it? I though #34 was a plexi with an extra tube in the gain stage.

[Twinfan]

#34 is a bog stock JCM800 (Plexi + a gain stage) with three brightness mods, as far as I can tell.

AFD has one extra stage over a Plexi (i.e. same as #34 and a JCM800) but a different EQ structure.

I think that's the difference?  The EQ changes around the gain stages of the modes is why the AFD100 needs 5 preamp valves instead of the usual 3.  They probably share the Phase Inverter?

[HTH AMPS]

#34 is a bog stock JCM800 (Plexi + a gain stage) with three brightness mods, as far as I can tell.

AFD has one extra stage over a Plexi (i.e. same as #34 and a JCM800) but a different EQ structure.

I think that's the difference?  The EQ changes around the gain stages of the modes is why the AFD100 needs 5 preamp valves instead of the usual 3.  They probably share the Phase Inverter?

the #34 spec is just a JCM800 2203/2204 with a few circuit mods.

the #36 and #39 specs are the same JCM800, but with an additional gain stage added.

[Philly Q]

Not directly related to the problems with Dave's own amp, but has anyone seen the review of the AFD100 in the new issue of Guitar & Bass magazine?

We've often commented that magazines never seem to give bad reviews, but here's an exception!  The reviewer wasn't keen at all - just 13/20 for sound.  Of course it's all a matter of personal taste, but he thought the amp sounded very "harsh and spiky".

[Twinfan]

Yep, I saw that.  Did you also notice that they tested the amp with the power scaling "off"?  That's why it sounded thin  :roll:

I also wondered what cab they played it through...

[Dmoney]

I would have hoped the reviewer would have had the amp loud then?
Also, the power scaling is a major feature, does the article look over it completely?

[Twinfan]

It mentions it towards the end of the article, but I was really surprised with the review to be honest...

[HTH AMPS]

maybe the power scaling wasn't working properly - ouch!  :lol:

sorry, had to be said.

[Brow]

Yep, I was surprised with the 'less than glowing' review GnB gave the AFD100 too.

I've been getting that magazine pretty much constantly for the last 12 years or so and don't remember reading an amp review quite as scathing as that 1 came across as being  :?