[Jon S.]

Today's Class D has evolved in positive ways and I expect will continue to do so. Pat Quilter, in particular, seems to be leading the charge for guitarists.

[strumminsix]

I have a pair of old MosValves, but if I had to replace them I would look for something that is also NOT class D like so many small light and cheap amps these days. The Orange Pedal Baby is a current production and reasonably priced Class AB amp that I would consider.

Its hard to describe, but I think there is something different about the sound and "feel" of Class D amps vs a tube power section or a transformer based class AB like the MacIntosh amps.

I'm with you. Don't like Class D for guitar or bass. But do like them for PA's. Tried a handful of pedal sized ones on my board, their tone was below what I get from my old TubeWorks.

[Jturbide]

So an old carvin, tubeworks or rocktron are not class D and would likely sound better than my interblock?

My offer was declined. It is a rocktron 150. There is also a carvin dcm150 for a similar price and a dcm200l for like $100 more. No tubeworks that I can see. There is also a crate spa200 for cheaper than any of these. Might be good?

Any suggestion on which one to get? Or should I keep looking?

[lbpesq]

Two posters on this thread, (I’m one of them), use and recommend the Carvin DCM200L. IMHO you can’t beat it for the combination of sound and convenience. 1 rack space, four pounds, mono or stereo.

Bill, tgo

[Jturbide]

Got a dcm150 (ordered). Could not find a dcm200l that was not about twice the price so I went with the 150. Hoping it will be good, if I'm not satisfied I'll look for something else, compare it and keep the one I prefer.

I now have 2U free (since I'll have to remove my 3U Hilbish preamp.

...what should I fill it with?
Maybe a power conditioner and some fx unit or another preamp?

[Jon S.]

The 150 is an excellent alternative choice. Like its slightly more powerful brother, it has the EQ Expand switch Carvin included on its power amps it anticipated would also be used by guitarists.

[Jturbide]

Thanks Jon!

Yeah the dcm150 seems popular with w/d/w rigs. Apparently recommended by Bob Bradshaw. I think people use it for the wet signal most frequently but I guess it should sound fine in my setup. The interblock is actually really nice too imho but I just wanted to try something else so as long as it is not worst.

The interblock might have been a bit underpowered for jamming too if I wanted to keep the gain on the SMS under 12 o'clock.

Also being 1U I can put a power conditioner (I don't have one right now) and a 1U fx unit, compressor or second preamp since I already have pedals and do not use fx that much, which I would probably use more than the hilbish anyway (it is amazing for stoner riffs but the cleans are meh).

[Jon S.]

BTW, FWIW, although Carvin anticipated guitarists pushing in the EQ Expand switch to change the sound from full to relatively scooped, experiment with it both ways. Myself, playing Dead with single coils, I prefer the full range setting. With HBs, definitely scooped. But YMMV.

[Jturbide]

Just received it, spent the last 30 minutes playing with it and maybe it is just the excitement but I feel it sounds better then the interblock and it has so much power

As I said I've only played 30mins with it but so far I prefer the eq expand on (at least, button pressed) with single coils. It kind of reminds me of my lovely mesa mark iib I had until a few months ago (I miss it). I really like a mid scooped tone (V shaped GEQ) for cleans and the eq expander sounds like that to my ear. Maybe not the most Jerry you can get because it adds a bit of bass but for playing at home alone it certainly feels better to me. Also my not be the case at all but I feel it smooths the super ice picky highs a bit, so I don't brace myself as much when playing on the high E and B strings for example. Just a more pleasing sound to my ears thus far.

All in all, small playing sample size but would recommend so far

[Jon S.]

Great that you’re digging the amp. We can agree to disagree re: the EQ expand switch with single coils (remember, though, I based my recommendation to leave the switch out as the outcome of A-Bing the tone both ways with my MC50 that I owned at the time!).

[Jturbide]

Sure, I am not saying it sounds more like a mcintosh with the expander on. It just sounds smoother to my ear with my setup. Maybe my closed back 4x12 with british voiced speakers (accentuating the mids more than jbl for example) might be the cause. Or not, either way thanks for the recommendation! I'll keep switching between both in case I change my mind

[cyrusj83]

Wow it's never occurred to me to use the EQ button on my Carvin (which I love and recommend!). I have single coils. You guys find that the button gives you a sound closer to the Jerry tone??

[Jon S.]

Too many variables to generalize. You own the power amp. Try it both ways and choose the best sounding setting for you.

[Chocol8]

Wow it's never occurred to me to use the EQ button on my Carvin (which I love and recommend!). I have single coils. You guys find that the button gives you a sound closer to the Jerry tone??

It shouldn’t be technically closer necessarily, but the curve might make it sound closer when playing at lower volumes due to the way our ears perceive change in volume for highs and lows differently than mids.

[lbpesq]

I hosted a jam today and tried yet another incarnation of “my rig”. Alembic F-2B stereo pre into Carvin DCM200L. One channel to a 1x12 JBL K120, the other channel to my newly acquired 1x15 Eminence 1518. During a song, I recalled this thread and reached out and pushed the expander button to the out position. (I’ve always left it in based on the recommendation in the manual). I have to say, I really liked the tone with it out. I’m also really digging the 1x15!

Bill, tgo