Randall V2 and T2

[braintheory]

Can anyone who has played these amps tell me about them.  I'd think they'd probably be good amps for the price, but can they really hold their own with amps like Splawn, Engl, Mesa Boogie, Diamond, or Bogners.  I know they're hybrid amps, but that doesn't automatically make them inferior.  I've played a bunch of other Randalls like the Cyclone and RX ones and if the V2 and T2 are anything like those (which they probably are not) I'll pass.

[dave_mc]

i think i tried one of the hybrid randalls a fair while ago (v2, i guess? Not certain). I thought it sounded pretty good for a hybrid... but would I take one over one of those other ones you mentioned? Probably not.

[Crunch]

Randall makes the only solid state/hybrid amps I can stand. They're built like tanks, too.
Just try to see if you can find one on Craigslist- it'll run like new at 250k.

[schantist]

They're built like tanks, too.

I object.

I bought a brand new T2 back in 2008, which died after 2 hours of playing.
Got another brand new T2 as replacement a few days later which didn't even make it out of standby without blowing the fuse, out of the box mind you.

After that Randall supplied me with a RM100, which lastet for a good month
before developing serious feedback issues that not even an ISP Decimator could come by.

All three had production faults and proven mechanical issues(due to warranty repair protocols), never ever touched a Randall since that time;
Built like tanks my @ss ;)

[Nadz1lla]

V2 is an amazing sounding amp and the extra EQ is a big selling point, but I have also heard these models have huge issues with the fuses going all the time. Not sure if they ever did get around to sorting out that problem or not.

[braintheory]

I guess I gotta try these amps.  The problem is I live in New York and I don't know of any guitar store within a three hour driving distance that has either the V2 or T2.  There are stores nearby that carry randalls, but not the V2 or T2.

[Madsakre]

damn i thought that a place like that would be filled to the breaking point with mesa, randall etc.

Over here its Engl, marshall, Orange.. All over the place!

[braintheory]

There are a lot of mesas here and there are plenty of randall dealers too, but they don't have the more expensive ones like the v2, t2, RM, etc. 

[Madsakre]

i hope you can convince them to order one home for you for you to try.

i was actually quite suprised. but the best i've tried of them i the Gus G signature. Its tight as a nuns anus!

[HTH AMPS]

I had a Randall Titan head a few years back which was an absolute monster, I have a lot of time for Randall gear - they do their own thing and do it well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO0SJAlx6tE&feature=related (V2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY4YXaUL0as&feature=related (T2)

Some great metal tones going on in these amps.

[Stevepage]

I had a T2 for a while. One of the best amps for metal I've come across. Imagine how aggressive the 5150 can get but then remove the fizz and you have the T2 sound. It was extremely quite too, I never needed a noise gate even when turning the gain to maximum.

I only sold it because I really wanted a Marshall JVM as it was more versatile but if I joined a metal band again I'd try and get one.

[Nadz1lla]

Steve, did you ever have the dreaded fuse issue with it? If it weren't for the trouble I had heard about, then I would seriously consider putting the V2 on my list of amps to buy later on. Even the one in my local axery that I tried needed the fuse changed before I could have a go on it, heh.

[JacksonRR]

Huh. I always thought Randall's were a pretty good amplifier construction wise. I did have a run-in with their customer service about a cab I bought second hand. It's the XL one with 2 12's and a 15 on the bottom and all speakers were 16 ohms. They didn't even ask for proof of purchase and agreed to send me two correct ohm Vin30s at no cost. Here's where I get my mind blown. They sent Seventy-eighties. I called and the guy said keep em, I'll get the Vin30s out to you. This happened 2 more times, each time I was begging for them to give me a return authorization number because I felt guilty. I ended up with 6 Seventy-Eighties and 2 Vin30s all new in the box to resolve an issue on a cab I bought for $250 second hand and had already loaded with two G12T-75s to mate with the 15" Eminence. Randall rules if you ask me. I absolutely adore the cab as well.

[Stevepage]

V2 is an amazing sounding amp and the extra EQ is a big selling point, but I have also heard these models have huge issues with the fuses going all the time. Not sure if they ever did get around to sorting out that problem or not.

I didn't have a single problem with mine. But then I only had it for about 9 months.

[braintheory]

So I just bought a used Randall T2 for $380.  At first I really liked it.  It has decent, but definitely not great cleans.  However, both distortion modes on Channel Two lack the rawness and aggression that I usually look for.  I compared it to my Bogner XTC 101B side by side with the randall with the same guitar and cab etc. and the randall got crushed to say the least.  The randall sounded almost artificial in comparison to my Bogner.  I never thought of my Bogner XTC as being raw or aggressive, but compared to the randall it really was.  The randall overall sounded smoother and I always thought of the XTC as a smooth sounding amp.  Before doing the side by side comparison I thought the randall T2 sounded great and maybe even in some ways better than the Bogner XTC.  Do any you guys know how the V2 compares to the T2?  Maybe the V2 is better, but I hear the T2 is meaner and more direct sounding, which would make me think the V2 is even worse.