Marshall MG 50 DFX (Info pls)

[pinky78]

I want to buy this amp but I'm not sure if is it good as the other series of marshall or not.Any info is wellcomed ))))))))))))))

[DoctorJ]

The MG is the lowest end of amps from Marshall. Middle grade amps are the AVT and the tube amps are at the high end (JCM2000 etc).

[voivodata]

Check if there's any user reviews about the amp at www.harmony-central.com.

My opinion is that solid state amps just don't have "it", especially for rock guitar playing. Tubes are the way to go. There are all -tube amps that are not so expensive, such as the Peavey Valve King series, and a few other brands that I can't remember.
V

[DoctorJ]

Don't have any experience with the MG line. The AVT20 and AVT50 are good. Stay away from the AVT150 and AVT275.

[icurays1]

Really, for the money, you have a lot of more interesting (and better sounding) options. I would check out the Epiphone Triggerman - its 60 watts with a 12" speaker and some dsp to boot - and about $100 cheaper than the marshall. Fender has some decent 1x12 options as well for that price range - shoot, you could get a blues junior all-tube for a little more than 300, then get a digitech all-in-one effect pedal and still be under $400. Kustom has a great 65 watt digital/solid state for only $270. crate also has some great options in that price range.
whatever you do, remember these things:
- more watts does NOT = louder, espically with tubes - 15 watts can acctually be louder than 50.
- it's okay to buy old, used gear - the old solid state peaveys were nice and burly!
- don't play brand name favorites - marshall makes some fine gear, but just because their name is on something doesn't mean its good.

good luck!!

[DoctorJ]

Originally posted by icurays1
- more watts does NOT = louder, espically with tubes - 15 watts can acctually be louder than 50.

Well 15 watts clean will sound much better than a distorted 50 but a tube amp at 15 watts is no louder than a solid state at 15 watts. Amplifier output ratings in RMS/Watts is the same for all amplifiers no matter what the technology used.

[Enzo]

Not quite. If you send a clean signal out of each type amp at the same power level, yes they will be equally loud. But that is not how we listen to amps. You crank a SS amp up and it eventually clips and sounds like hell and you don't turn it up further. The tube amp does not clip so much as it compresses, which rounds off the low end peaks and allows the highs and mods to grow with the raising volume levels. A 30 watt tube amp can easily keep up with a 60 watt SS amp. it isn't about the watts being different in some magic way, it is about how the amps perform with in their limits.

In other words the average powr across the spectrum of a cranked tube amp will be greater than the average power of a SS amp run up just to clip.


The old rule of thumb is NOT that a tube amp will be louder at watt per watt of output POWER, it is that the tube amp will be louder watt per watt of output RATING.

[DoctorJ]

If you are refering to el'cheepo SS amps you are correct and they will be in horrible distortion when they are at the rated output. However with a better quality amp their ratings are not at peak and 20% or worse THD at their rated output.

Marshall for instance rates their solid state amps at well below their capability and in most cases well above their output impedance. Their current models use chipamp designs which are rated at half the databook output in watts and double the impedance. ie a device may be capable of 40 watts but they rate and design it for 20 and capable of 4 ohm load but they specify a minimum of 8. Most of this is to keep the 13 year olds from blowing up their amp and speaker but it also helps to keep the power amp clean at higher volumes.

Many solid state guitar amps suffer from power supply sag at high volumes where the power supply section cannot keep up causing all kinds of problems. Even down to the $100 Fender Frontman which can easily be upgraded with larger caps and cure this problem. In most cases the amp will have much better bass response which requires the most from the power supply.

Take a Behringer GMX210 for instance - designed in Germany but made in China amp that is $199 and you might expect it to be a piece of junk. However it has almost no power amp distortion even at max volume as well as no power supply sag. Not sure how they do it for the money but its a very good design.

[pinky78]

Most of this is to keep the 13 year olds from blowing up their amp and speaker

))))))))))))))))))))))
That's a good one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've heard that all marshall amps have at least a tube in preamp for the drive. Is it true?

[Craig405]

Hi,

The MG series are quite low performance, cheap amps i would avoid them. The AVT series is much nicer, i think from 50 watts up you get a preamp tube in the distortion channel(s).. which is nice
I have an all tube marshall and i think its awesome, personally i have never played through a nicer sounding amplifier ( although the distortion channels do seem to lack sustain which does annoy me for soloing).

You are looking for the lower end solid state amps though and they too can sound awesome, I would check out fenders range. I have an old Ultimate Chorus which is a 2x12 inch 130 watt combo, i think this is still made and i think is definatly worth a look.

The Laney TF series are also good bang for buck (avoid HCM series they are crap) as are some of the transtube peaveys.

Regards
Craig