Jon S. wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:03 pm
wpmartin1979 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:21 pm
Jon I’m pretty sure the DCM 150 has the button as well. Also the HT 150 has it as well.
Exactly, as those, like the DCM200L, are among the smaller, lower wattage Carvin power amps they foresaw guitarists using (i.e., I should not have said "all" in my prior post).
The bigger, more powerful units designed for sound reinforcement alone, e.g., DCM 1000, lack the EQ expand function.
Jon I totally see your point now, thanks for clarifying. In my estimation these lower power models were probably designed for use as studio reference amps, not guitars, but the same features that make them great for a small studio environment also make them great for use with guitars. You are probably correct, however that they new some guitar players would be using them!
These features include:
-No fan for cooling (quiet operation)
-Lower power output 100- 200w (perfect for clarity of sound in a controlled environment)
-Flexibility (a nice diversity of input and output jacks allowing use of 1/4” jacks, xlr, traditional speaker wire, etc)
-Small footprint (easily fits in 1u or 2u rack space)
-An eq expander option to allow a boost in mid range to color the sound as desired
The manuals make no mention of guitar and have diagrams showing the amps hooked up to studio monitors. This is the primary evidence I am using to base my conclusion on.
Not trying to be contradictory, just trying to share what my research has found and dig up more info to assist people in the future who may read this.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a power amp to couple with your guitar preamp, you may want to look at studio reference amps. They seem to fit the criteria well when it comes to what guitar players are looking for. In addition, Carvin has made some great amps that serve this purpose well and are made in the USA.
Curious, does anyone have any other recommendations besides Carvin? Would love to hear about some other options/alternatives!