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New Laney Digbeth range


Merton

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This really caught my interest. I was hoping it was another affordable British made hybrid amp to consider. However, I am sure Fenn says that the “tube” circuit is actually emulation, rather than real tube(s). Disappointing.
 

Like others have said, I want more than grit/distortion. I love the clean sound you can get from a valve amp. I have yet to hear tube emulation that does a clean warm valve sound convincingly. 
 

Shame: with the choice of FET and “tube” channels, plus the ability to blend them, it would be a real winner… if it really was a tube channel.

i checked the spec on the Laney website but it is pretty vague. Normally manufacturers list what valves they use. I assume the absence of this information confirms that there aren’t any actual valves involved. All that weight (7KG) and no valves?

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20 hours ago, Obrienp said:

This really caught my interest. I was hoping it was another affordable British made hybrid amp to consider. However, I am sure Fenn says that the “tube” circuit is actually emulation, rather than real tube(s). Disappointing.
 

Like others have said, I want more than grit/distortion. I love the clean sound you can get from a valve amp. I have yet to hear tube emulation that does a clean warm valve sound convincingly. 
 

Shame: with the choice of FET and “tube” channels, plus the ability to blend them, it would be a real winner… if it really was a tube channel.

i checked the spec on the Laney website but it is pretty vague. Normally manufacturers list what valves they use. I assume the absence of this information confirms that there aren’t any actual valves involved. All that weight (7KG) and no valves?

To be honest, much as I like valve amps, I find that sometimes an emulation of a full valve amp (i.e. capturing preamp and power tube overdrive) will deliver a more authentic 'all valve' sound than placing a single 12AX7 valve into the preamp circuit and labelling it as 'all tube drive circuit'. It really depends on how good the overall circuit is, rather than whether it is a real valve of not. 

Laney have been running their Nexus Tube and Fet range for years. So I have no issues with them on trying something new here with class D technology. 

Edited by thodrik
the usual poor grammar and punctuation
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Yeah, experience has taught me that Laney know how to make a great sounding preamp, and are also good and sneaking valves into tiny spaces (and running them at high voltage) so I wouldn't rule out a real tube being in there or a solid state preamp sounding good.

Shame about the name 🤦‍♂️

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hmm. I take the point that just putting a valve in the preamp doesn't necessarily guarantee a valve amp sound. All the reviews I have read of the Markbass Tube say it seems to make no difference at all. However, it works pretty well on my old Vox guitar amp and I hear good things about the Orange Terror, whereas some of the "tube" amp emulations on my Positive Grid Spark are horrible. 

Maybe I need to put my prejudice against emulation to one side but I'll wait until somebody puts up a positive review before I am fully convinced. If Laney have got it right, they are onto a winning formula with the amps IMO.

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35 minutes ago, jonno1981 said:

I agree. This comment sticks out to me as it really shows how times change! 

True. I’ve got spoilt by solid state amps that weigh 3-4 kg, or less. I can’t remember how much my Sound City 120 weighed. It didn’t bother me when I was young. I guess the SVT 300 Classic puts it in perspective: 80 lbs, that’s a bit over 36 kg and 2 foot wide!

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4 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

There's no 15" cab... Why? Two 4x10 configurations, a 2x12 and an 8x10. But no 15s.... Why? I'd have thought this was the most popular cab config, but obviously I'm wrong. 

Yeah, not sure 15" rule the roost any more.

I've just had one 15" cab in the past decade. The rest have been 212, 112, 410 and 210. My fav is the 212, but for convenience I use a 112.

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4 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

There's no 15" cab... Why? Two 4x10 configurations, a 2x12 and an 8x10. But no 15s.... Why? I'd have thought this was the most popular cab config, but obviously I'm wrong. 

I would've thought a nice 1x12 would've been a sensible option, the 500W head and 2 1x12s would be a sensible, modular setup.
I actually asked if anything like that was in the post, but no, not for a while at least, the range is cooked and done.

Eude

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2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yeah, not sure 15" rule the roost any more.

I've just had one 15" cab in the past decade. The rest have been 212, 112, 410 and 210. My fav is the 212, but for convenience I use a 112.

Am sure they've done their research and I reckon it's the portability thing. Everyone seems to do 12s. Personally I like a 15 or two but they didn't ask me so... Their loss? 🤔

Edited by uk_lefty
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I would have liked a 1x18 and a 1x12 speaker in a single enclosure with an internal crossover to deliver full range response but that is because I have been looking at old Trace Elliot brochures and have lost all sense of reason and sanity.

Edited by thodrik
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On 26/06/2021 at 21:38, BassmanPaul said:

All I see is the same old, same old stuff that manufacturers have been marketing for decades. The tone, full of distortion, is what I spent years trying to get away from! :(

That said I do like how they actually look. Are the speakers referred to as HH the same manufacturer as the old IC100 range of amplifiers?

Laney HH Studiomaster are all part of the same group.

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On 25/06/2021 at 16:15, Matt P said:

it's where Laney first started out i believe.

The more I think about this range the more I like the name. Rather than trying to be flash and glamorous they’re going with their heritage, well done to them, and I hope it proves successful.

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9 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

The more I think about this range the more I like the name. Rather than trying to be flash and glamorous they’re going with their heritage, well done to them, and I hope it proves successful.

Me too, I'm tempted. Well priced as well! 

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Merton said:

New Andertons video:

I must say they really have nailed the aesthetics for me, they look great. And sound great too to be fair ;)

I agree. If theres any heft to those (and not just tone) that's a winner!

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Nice -  am I right in thinking that they are made in China, like so many other models.   

I wonder whether there's a "gap" in the market for a new UK built amp and what the real increase in costs would be?   

I'd certainly be more interested if that were the case ..........

 ...... I'll get my coat .......

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1 minute ago, Pirellithecat said:

Nice -  am I right in thinking that they are made in China, like so many other models.   

I wonder whether there's a "gap" in the market for a new UK built amp and what the real increase in costs would be?   

I'd certainly be more interested if that were the case ..........

 ...... I'll get my coat .......

No idea TBH. Ashdown still build their flagship amps and cabs in the UK and I suspect when Barefaced join the market they will too. But no idea about Laney…

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4 hours ago, Obrienp said:

After watching that I am going to have to eat my words. It’s still not clear if it actually has a valve in the tube circuit but it sounded pretty amazing through headphones. I feel the GAS coming on!

I’m 95% sure there’s no tube at all, it’s just emulation; the spec sheets don’t make any reference to a valve type and normally you’d expect that to be shouted from the rooftops. Certainly the preamp pedal doesn’t, so I’d be surprised if they’d separately developed that without. Happy to be proven wrong though…

I’m seriously toying with the idea of the 500W head and 212 cab as my new “big rig” for a new band….

Edited by Merton
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17 minutes ago, Merton said:

I’m 95% sure there’s no tune at all, it’s just emulation; the spec sheets don’t make any reference to a valve type and normally you’d expect that to be shouted from the rooftops. Certainly the preamp pedal doesn’t, so I’d be surprised if they’d separately developed that without. Happy to be proven wrong though…

I’m seriously toying with the idea of the 500W head and 212 cab as my new “big rig” for a new band….

That 4x10 off set vertical looks ace too!

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