BE - HBE?

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ned

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What sound are these Friedman modules going for? Brown? I haven't spent much time looking at the Friedman stuff.
 
I don't have either of these ned, but I think that's... BrownEye and HairyBrownEye. So my guess is yes to the Brown. I know for a fact there's a few guys around here that have played with those modules. I'm sure someone will chime in with some more info.
 
The HBE has lots of gain and is in the brown realm. I would have probably liked the BE more as I don't really need or use all the gain the HBE has to offer. I will say that on its own, the sound is kind of meh... but in the band mix it really does cut through nicely. Other modules that I thought sounded fantastic on their own just did not work in a band mix nearly as well, FWIW.
 
I listened to some clips of the BE100, great sounding amp especially when the VH switch is engaged.

Wonder if we could get a dual channel with BE and HBE :) and a VH switch.
 
ned said:
I listened to some clips of the BE100, great sounding amp especially when the VH switch is engaged.

Wonder if we could get a dual channel with BE and HBE :) and a VH switch.

I know there was at least one dual channel made with the C45 on channel A and HBE on channel B but Dave once said in a post on RigTalk that he couldn't do both BE and HBE on the same module. Maybe that's changed? Maybe when the new Synergy line is released he'll do that.
 
I have one of two former HBE mods that were made for Steve Stevens (guessing one was a backup?)

It's a really fun mod to play. Has the simple Friedman circuit tweets, and two old-*** 12AX7 tubes, and a huge tone.

Wonder if he could do a 2nd channel accessing the same circuit in a different way? Essentially providing a lower gain voice.
 
I thought the Judge was BE anyways?

I own a BE100 and have an RM100 with Judge incoming.
 
hunter said:
I thought the Judge was BE anyways?

I own a BE100 and have an RM100 with Judge incoming.

Straight from Mr Friedman himself "Judge is a BE with a saturation switch"...but Im going to guess these new modules have more bells/whistles or maybe can get you a little closer? I've played the BE (50 watt) and have a Judge and they are pretty close- The feel is almost identical- but the real BE has a clearer, more organic tone...of course you can get closer by using EL34's.
 
They aren't looking like they'll have more bells & whistles in the prototypes, but no one really knows what is to come.
 
Not sure how this will apply to the Synergy versions, but Dave Friedman (2009) wrote:

"...the HBE is designed to give more gain to the BE. The voice is almost the same but just a little meaner. The BE with the sat switch has more compression and a little more scooped and metal sounding then the HBE. The regular settings in general are more organic and dynamic then with the Sat switch. They all are good sounds though. Dave"

http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=55256

I wonder if the BE would be the more versatile module if you plan to use a pedal in front of it (sometimes using the pedal and other times not).
 
I took modules to Dave back in 2011 that became a BE and an HBE and here are my impressions/thoughts.

The BE is similar to a 70's two input Marshall JMP 2203/2204 but it's brighter, the mids are in a different place and it has approximately 25% more gain that a stock Marshall. It's cool and definitely has more of a "Modern" sound. But if you're looking for the "Back in Black" tone, the EQ won't get you there, unlike an SG MK22, which can nail it.

The HBE, IMO, has too much gain and sounds overly compressed. The tone stack might be the same as the BE but it reacts differently due to the gain structure and compression. It's definitely more of a modified Marshall than the BE, IMO, although with a Floyd Rose guitar and a H949 harmonizer (or similar), it could nail the VH 5150 tone, which I consider buzzy and compressed.
 
Hmmm, so what do have the BE and HBE plugged into?

Is that a Synergy E2 or something, or a home built?

TIA!

drewiv said:
They aren't looking like they'll have more bells & whistles in the prototypes, but no one really knows what is to come.
 
djdayson said:
Hmmm, so what do have the BE and HBE plugged into?

Is that a Synergy E2 or something, or a home built?
Prototype E2 and right below it is the prototype power amp designed by Steve Fryette.
 
Are you referring to the modules only or the real amp as well?

I think the real amp is maybe the greatest distortion i've ever heard...does all of the Van Halen brown sounds as well as 80's rock tones. The problem is it's insanely expensive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T9uzDasXag

The Steve Stevens model also sounds awesome (this is about cabinet emulation but playing his signature Friedman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfbSyG05fHw

I don't have quite as much love for the Jerry Cantrell model...though still pretty good. The only other amp i'd put in this category is the Cameron CCV 100.
 
So, if your going for Marshall tones in one dual module, it sounds like there could be more flexibility with the BE if you use a pedal also--less gain for more classic tones, and more gain by cranking the gain on the second channel and by also stomping on a pedal for even more gain. The Xotic BB pedal is my favorite to use in front of my modules.

But what if we throw the Synergy (Egnater) 800 (JCM 800) module into the mix? I submitted my name for the BE back when the waiting list was first starting up. I wonder if I would like the 800 better.... ?

I've had both Judge and the Brahma. I liked the Brahma better, especially with a pedal in front of it. The Brahma is based on Lynch's 68 Super Lead. If that is roughly comparable to the BE, I'll be pretty happy with it.
 
I bet the 800 sounds great but IMO 'the' Marshall Friedman tone on the module platform is the Brahma modded to BE specs, sounds great by it's own but takes pedals like it was built for it.....can be crunchy, can be heavy and all with Dave's special sauce.

I once bought a Brahma for $150, paid $45 for the mod....the tone out of $195 was worth many more times that...of course I sold it like the ***** I am! :-D
 
JKD said:
I bet the 800 sounds great but IMO 'the' Marshall Friedman tone on the module platform is the Brahma modded to BE specs, sounds great by it's own but takes pedals like it was built for it.....can be crunchy, can be heavy and all with Dave's special sauce.

I once bought a Brahma for $150, paid $45 for the mod....the tone out of $195 was worth many more times that...of course I sold it like the ***** I am! :-D

Well, that sounds like it's just what I was hoping for. Looking forward to getting the module!
 
There are going to be three Friedman modules. I emailed Dave to ask if the channels will be identical or not.

"The Shirley has 2 different gain levels, the others are the same identical channels."

The other two, being the BE and HBE modules.
 
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