Matamp Slave Unit with an Engl E530?!

[samincolour]

Hello all,

I don't think that this question has been asked yet...

I've just got rid of my Marshall power amp and I'm in the market for a new power amp. I was going to go with one of the Matrix units, but then I found a guy selling an old Matamp Slave Unit for a wee bit less than the Matrix's (which gives me a bit of spare cash to go to a new rack case which I desperately need!). I've always been curious about Matamps, so I have one or two questions for the people that know what they're talking about!

Here we go:

1 - A slave unit is just a power amp right? It works the same?

2 - Any idea what the result of a modern hi gain through a (relatively) vintage amp would sound like? I'm a bit 50/50 on what would happen...

What are your thoughts people?

I'm in a technical hardcore band, so it'll be used for music kind of halfway between The Chariot and SikTh, but it will be used for other heavier projects too probably. I'm not looking for something that's razor sharp and super clear. I like having some grit in my tone!

Cheers in advance guys

Sam

 

[samincolour]

Anyone?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

You didn't need to bump this soon.

1) Yes, it should work just like a power amp.
2) Given how Matamps sound, it'll probably sound massive.

But be wary; It'll probably way a fucking ton.

 

[samincolour]

You didn't need to bump this soon.

1) Yes, it should work just like a power amp.
2) Given how Matamps sound, it'll probably sound massive.

But be wary; It'll probably way a fucking ton.

Only bumped cos the guy wants a quick sale and I got him to hold it for me lol my bad

As long as it works like a power amp I'm happy with that... If it sounds huge then it'd be something I'd keep and run other heads through it in the future!

 

[Mprinsje]

well, the least it'll do is look awesome.

 

[petereanima]

Yeah, the Slave is a power amp!

I'm not looking for something that's razor sharp and super clear. I like having some grit in my tone!

You should love this then. Is it a 120 or 300 unit? The 300s are KT88 loaded iirc.

If you want to get an idea of how it will sound in advance, search someone with an Orange tubeamp and plug your Engl into its loop.

 

[Mprinsje]

hey btw, how much is he asking for that matamp?

 

[Zado]

Honestly? i would give to Matamp not even a bitchslap in the face.

A fried of mine ordered from Pan Music a GT Retro Matamp.He was supposed to wait 4-5 weeks for the delivery.He waited a whole year,cause ,apparently,Matamp factory had "no more trasfos".

When the head arrived he found out:

-a tube was burned (well,may happen right?)
-a socket was defected and caused problems
-the capacitors were broken.He asked a friend who said one of them could explode
-the pots were extremely fragile,and could not be fixed (he said the pot's axes were too short and could not be fixed i any case)
-everything felt extremely cheap

he got fixed the whole thing (€€&#8364 and the whole thing sounded just bad for a 1200€ amp anyway.

The customer support was one of those "don't give a fuck" like.

 

[samincolour]

Ok the original deal fell through... I have two options now:

1 - Buy a brand new one direct from Matamp, or

2 - Buy something like an Orange Rockerverb 50w, I heard the power section is built similar, could be wrong?

Thoughts guys?

 

[wolffejohn]

Hey bro , came accross your thread , bummer about the matamp fall through ,BUT you have a gnarlier come back , check out ELECTRIC AMP USA .... go to their website and check out their POWER UNIT ..... these things are beasts ....they are all about HEAVY music , and if you are using an engl pre amp pumped through an ELECTRIC AMP POWER UNIT , man you are going to blow off peoples heads . also what you had said about clean or distortion in your post ,ALL power amps are clean ,your pre amp is what is creating your tone .until you push the power amp up to destructive volumes then you get power tube break-up. me personaly i use one of my many amp heads (boogie dual rectifier,soldano avenger,vht ultra lead or my electric amp master volume unit) cranked up to 10 (or 11 on the soldano) then go into a palmer pdi03 speaker simulator (load box)then into a mesa boogie strategy 400 watt power amp .that way since my amp head is at maximum volume i get pre amp and power amp distortion sound(im talking death metal sounds)and my boogie power amp just used for volume . but one day i want to get an electric amp power unit to replace my boogie power amp .... hope you dig this info .