Big Daddy
Well-known member
Panic in Detroit
Knowing Bruce has always had its upside.
Two weekends ago, it really paid dividends in a way I had never imagined.
Some of you came to town for Bruce?s amp seminar. I wish LoD21 and I had the chance to meet more of you, but we did get to spend some serious quality time with Mr. Jaded Faith himself, Rob DeAntonio. Rob makes it pretty obvious on the phone that he is a great guy, but if you?re passionate about tube amps and get the opportunity to drink several beers with him, I HIGHLY recommend it
Great guy! But, that?s not what this post is about. Don?t get me wrong, spending time with Rob was a hoot, but spending time with his modules was very enlightening. It?s fun to get a new module and put it through the ringer, but to have the designer help you tweak it in and give you immediate feedback was simply amazing. It gave us insight far beyond what we are able to accomplish via email and landline and we found a couple gems we might not have even tried based on the amps they were modeled after. So here we go, this is my review of the modules that really grabbed me. There were a few surprises. Hopefully, you guys find this information useful.
These are in no particular order
59RR Custom
This guy really nails Marshall tones! From AC/DC to Whitesnake and everything in between. I spent a lot of time playing the 59RR Custom. It was a lot of fun switching mode and gears and playing the appropriate tune with it. Highway to Hell in the JMP mode, switch the voicing and you?re playing Crazy Train. Go to the JCM mode and pull out the Appetite for Destruction catalog. Kick in the diode clipping, turn on the Haze and you?re ready for Zakk 101, turn off the diode clipping and you?re John Sykes. Great Marshall rhythm tone, awesome Marshall lead tone. Fantastic module! I really enjoyed it
Voxless
I have a good buddy who really needs some good old Rock & Roll tone. I had a feeling this module was for him and I was right. I?ve never actually heard a Matchless, but the Matchless side of the Voxless is very cool. When you push it it really reminds me of great 70?s tone. Clean up either side for some spectacular cleans. The rotary switch is a trip. Cool Module.
Texas Special
This is one of the one I really wanted to try and expected to buy. I was not at all disappointed with this module, very versatile clean tone. It was fun to switch up modes and mid-voicing for huge variety of flavors. I really liked Cali mode with the Texas eq and Texas mode with the Cali eq. Unfortunately, I realized that I just don?t use clean tone enough to justify a module that only does clean, even one that does it this well. All is not lost though, I found other modules to buy LOL
EV Trilogy
LoD21 has had one these guys for a few months. You have no idea how I want to love this module. Like the 59RR Custom, this covers a huge range of 5150?s and does them all pretty faithfully. I like modes I and III equally, but ? just like the Peavey?s themselves ? I just find myself wishing for different low end. The mids are dry and cut wonderfully, the highs are a tad more smooth than the 5150s I have played, which is good, the gain is plentiful and I love the overall sound, until I try to get the low end right, that?s when love turns to like. We have decided, after hearing how well this module tracks, to keep it around for the studio to do a more thorough evaluation, but I?m just not sure I would use it in my live rig. If it sounds great in the studio that?s what we bought it for anyway. I will update you guys when we get a chance to record it either way.
Quick Mod
This is one of the two modules I expected to buy based on description alone. I?m a Splawn fan and had high hopes for this. I lean more toward the Nitro, but who am I to question Rob?s wisdom? LOL His description is pretty accurate, this guy is boutique high gain Marshall Plexi and 800 tone and then some. The presence knob is a killer feature I hope he will offer as an ala? carte mod some day, it adds that upper air that big, fat, compressed, distorted amps can really use to sweeten up a bit. The Deep switch is a very interesting new feature on this amp as well. It does exactly what it says it does, it doesn?t change the low end per se, it just adds depth. Pretty cool new features, pretty cool new module.
Stein +
This is one of the modules Rob has been steering me toward from the beginning. Knowing my love for Dimebag and all things Pantera he has been touting this as his go to super heavy, riff for days module and he is 100% accurate! This thing eats, sleeps and craps METAL! Crank the gain, sweep the mids, balance the highs with the presence and TURN IT UP! This module is not for anyone with a heart condition. It?s just brutal, or should I say Vulgar LOL
XMG+
Another metal powerhouse, but in a different way. This module has very dry mids and a very modern metal sound. I guess the best comparison I can give is Staind. The gain is sneaky because it?s so dry. It may not sound like you have as much gain as you do, but it plays like you have a ton of gain. Great for solos, super tight low end, more gain than one guy could ever need. I couldn?t decide which one I liked better between this and the Stein+, so I didn?t bother. I like ?em BOTH LOL
RVerb
When I told LoD21 that this module was based on an Orange amp, he was like ?Yeah? Whatever, let?s try the Ultra Lead?. Luckily I insisted on trying the RVerb. WOW! The tonality on this module is cool. I mean like round sunglasses, lava lamps and black light cool. Awesome Brit voiced tone. Smooth, saturated, mid growl that cuts through with power and authority. Many of the harder edge guys form the early 70?s that I associate with Marshall?s used Orange amps in the studio. I?m almost positive Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi did. It seems too many of us 80?s/90?s metal heads dismiss Orange as vintage amps. Personally, I always lumped Orange in with Vox, boy was I shortsighted! This may have been my favorite module, not just because it surprised me, but because it packs such a whollop! GREAT Module, yeah? I bought one
Ultra Lead
Next to Egnater, VHTs are probably my favorite boutique amps. LoD21 has a JF Pit that I really like, but the Ultra Lead obliterates everything in its path! This module was everything I was looking for in the Trilogy. The mids are dry and cut like everything I like about the Trilogy, but the lows are just where I want them to be, big and tight. Kick in the Edge Switch and the module snarles and bites, I wouldn't leave this module alone with my four year old unattended! :lol: It has slightly less gain ? which is still more than I will ever use ? and compression which allows it to open up just enough for my live rig to sound killer, but it?s still aggressive and concussive. For others who wanted to love the Trilogy, but just don?t, this may be the module for you. All of the modules were very cool, but, to me, this and the RVerb were the stars if the show! I can?t wait for our order to come in and really put this module to the work!
There were other modules that we just didn?t get to, which doesn?t mean they aren?t cool, we just had a specific agenda. I hope this review helps more than it hurts LOL
Thanks again to Rob for this wonderful opportunity and for his dedication to the Randall MTS line and his customers!
Your opinions are welcome
Keep the Faith!
H
Knowing Bruce has always had its upside.
Two weekends ago, it really paid dividends in a way I had never imagined.
Some of you came to town for Bruce?s amp seminar. I wish LoD21 and I had the chance to meet more of you, but we did get to spend some serious quality time with Mr. Jaded Faith himself, Rob DeAntonio. Rob makes it pretty obvious on the phone that he is a great guy, but if you?re passionate about tube amps and get the opportunity to drink several beers with him, I HIGHLY recommend it
Great guy! But, that?s not what this post is about. Don?t get me wrong, spending time with Rob was a hoot, but spending time with his modules was very enlightening. It?s fun to get a new module and put it through the ringer, but to have the designer help you tweak it in and give you immediate feedback was simply amazing. It gave us insight far beyond what we are able to accomplish via email and landline and we found a couple gems we might not have even tried based on the amps they were modeled after. So here we go, this is my review of the modules that really grabbed me. There were a few surprises. Hopefully, you guys find this information useful.These are in no particular order
59RR Custom
This guy really nails Marshall tones! From AC/DC to Whitesnake and everything in between. I spent a lot of time playing the 59RR Custom. It was a lot of fun switching mode and gears and playing the appropriate tune with it. Highway to Hell in the JMP mode, switch the voicing and you?re playing Crazy Train. Go to the JCM mode and pull out the Appetite for Destruction catalog. Kick in the diode clipping, turn on the Haze and you?re ready for Zakk 101, turn off the diode clipping and you?re John Sykes. Great Marshall rhythm tone, awesome Marshall lead tone. Fantastic module! I really enjoyed it
Voxless
I have a good buddy who really needs some good old Rock & Roll tone. I had a feeling this module was for him and I was right. I?ve never actually heard a Matchless, but the Matchless side of the Voxless is very cool. When you push it it really reminds me of great 70?s tone. Clean up either side for some spectacular cleans. The rotary switch is a trip. Cool Module.
Texas Special
This is one of the one I really wanted to try and expected to buy. I was not at all disappointed with this module, very versatile clean tone. It was fun to switch up modes and mid-voicing for huge variety of flavors. I really liked Cali mode with the Texas eq and Texas mode with the Cali eq. Unfortunately, I realized that I just don?t use clean tone enough to justify a module that only does clean, even one that does it this well. All is not lost though, I found other modules to buy
LOLEV Trilogy
LoD21 has had one these guys for a few months. You have no idea how I want to love this module. Like the 59RR Custom, this covers a huge range of 5150?s and does them all pretty faithfully. I like modes I and III equally, but ? just like the Peavey?s themselves ? I just find myself wishing for different low end. The mids are dry and cut wonderfully, the highs are a tad more smooth than the 5150s I have played, which is good, the gain is plentiful and I love the overall sound, until I try to get the low end right, that?s when love turns to like. We have decided, after hearing how well this module tracks, to keep it around for the studio to do a more thorough evaluation, but I?m just not sure I would use it in my live rig. If it sounds great in the studio that?s what we bought it for anyway. I will update you guys when we get a chance to record it either way.
Quick Mod
This is one of the two modules I expected to buy based on description alone. I?m a Splawn fan and had high hopes for this. I lean more toward the Nitro, but who am I to question Rob?s wisdom?
LOL His description is pretty accurate, this guy is boutique high gain Marshall Plexi and 800 tone and then some. The presence knob is a killer feature I hope he will offer as an ala? carte mod some day, it adds that upper air that big, fat, compressed, distorted amps can really use to sweeten up a bit. The Deep switch is a very interesting new feature on this amp as well. It does exactly what it says it does, it doesn?t change the low end per se, it just adds depth. Pretty cool new features, pretty cool new module.Stein +
This is one of the modules Rob has been steering me toward from the beginning. Knowing my love for Dimebag and all things Pantera he has been touting this as his go to super heavy, riff for days module and he is 100% accurate! This thing eats, sleeps and craps METAL! Crank the gain, sweep the mids, balance the highs with the presence and TURN IT UP! This module is not for anyone with a heart condition. It?s just brutal, or should I say Vulgar
LOLXMG+
Another metal powerhouse, but in a different way. This module has very dry mids and a very modern metal sound. I guess the best comparison I can give is Staind. The gain is sneaky because it?s so dry. It may not sound like you have as much gain as you do, but it plays like you have a ton of gain. Great for solos, super tight low end, more gain than one guy could ever need. I couldn?t decide which one I liked better between this and the Stein+, so I didn?t bother. I like ?em BOTH
LOLRVerb
When I told LoD21 that this module was based on an Orange amp, he was like ?Yeah? Whatever, let?s try the Ultra Lead?. Luckily I insisted on trying the RVerb. WOW! The tonality on this module is cool. I mean like round sunglasses, lava lamps and black light cool. Awesome Brit voiced tone. Smooth, saturated, mid growl that cuts through with power and authority. Many of the harder edge guys form the early 70?s that I associate with Marshall?s used Orange amps in the studio. I?m almost positive Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi did. It seems too many of us 80?s/90?s metal heads dismiss Orange as vintage amps. Personally, I always lumped Orange in with Vox, boy was I shortsighted! This may have been my favorite module, not just because it surprised me, but because it packs such a whollop! GREAT Module, yeah? I bought one
Ultra Lead
Next to Egnater, VHTs are probably my favorite boutique amps. LoD21 has a JF Pit that I really like, but the Ultra Lead obliterates everything in its path! This module was everything I was looking for in the Trilogy. The mids are dry and cut like everything I like about the Trilogy, but the lows are just where I want them to be, big and tight. Kick in the Edge Switch and the module snarles and bites, I wouldn't leave this module alone with my four year old unattended! :lol: It has slightly less gain ? which is still more than I will ever use ? and compression which allows it to open up just enough for my live rig to sound killer, but it?s still aggressive and concussive. For others who wanted to love the Trilogy, but just don?t, this may be the module for you. All of the modules were very cool, but, to me, this and the RVerb were the stars if the show! I can?t wait for our order to come in and really put this module to the work!
There were other modules that we just didn?t get to, which doesn?t mean they aren?t cool, we just had a specific agenda. I hope this review helps more than it hurts
LOLThanks again to Rob for this wonderful opportunity and for his dedication to the Randall MTS line and his customers!
Your opinions are welcome
Keep the Faith!
H
