Testipenkissä: Mooer SD75

Viime vuosina Mooer on onnistunut saamaan vankan jalansijan edullisien, mutta silti laadukkaiden kitaraefektien valmistajana. Brändinä firma tuli aluksi tunnetuksi mikrokokoisista pedaaleistaan, mutta Mooer valmistaa myös isompia multiefektejä.

Vuoden 2018 Hornet-mallisto antoi jo vihjeen siitä, että Mooerilta oli tulossa uusia tuotteita, ja nyt firman ensimmäiset ”täysikasvuiset” mallintavat kitarakombot ovat ilmestyneet – Mooer SD30 ja SD75.

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Upouusi Mooer SD75 (378 €) on hybridikombo digitaalisella etuasteella ja transistoripohjaisella päätevahvistimella (75 W; A/B-luokka).

Kauniista kaksivärisestä kaiutinkotelosta löytyy 12-tuumainen Mooer-kaiutin 100 watin tehonkestolla (8 Ω).

SD75 painaa vain 18 kiloa.

Kombon takapaneeli tarjoaa liittimet lisäkaiuttimelle, efektilenkille, balansoidulle DI-lähdölle (kytkettävällä kaiutinsimulaatiolla), sekä USB-portti firmware-päivitykseen.

Mooerin säädinpaneeliin pääsee ylhäältä:

Mustaan osaan on aseteltu vahvistimen näyttö, Value-pyörä, sekä taustavalaistut painonapit, joilla pääsee käsiksi kombon ohjelmamuistiin, sekä etuvahvistimen kaikkiin vahvistin- ja efektiosioihin. Napinpainaluksilla pääsee myös Mooerin Jam Mode -tilaan, jossa voi käyttää vahvistimen sisäistä audioloopperia (150 sekuntia äänitysaikaa) ja SD75:n rumpukonetta/metronomia (40 rumpupatternia; 10 eri metronomivaihtoehtoa). Uutuuskombossa on myös sisäinen kromaattinen viritysmittari.

Vahvistimen pääsäädöt tehdään tässäkin perinteisillä säätimillä – tarjolla on Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence ja Master. Kaikkien säätimien asetukset – paitsi Masteria – voi tallentaa efektiasetuksien lisäksi SD75:n presetmuistiin, joka tarjoaa 40 muistipaikkaa.

Mooer SD75 -kombossa on myös Bluetooth-valmius:

Kombon mukaan tulee Mooerin Airswitch jalkakytkin neljällä kytkimellä, jolla pystyy vaihtamaan presettejä ja ohjata loopperia. Bluetoothin kautta pystyy myös striimaamaan audiota älylaitteista.

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Veikkaisin, että käytännössä jokainen kitaristi kokeilee ensin tällaisen vahvistimen tehtaalla ladatut preset-ohjelmat läpi, ennen kuin kokeilee itse mallintavan vahvistimen ohjelmointia. Kyllä tehdasohjelmista saa jonkinlaisen käsitteen Mooer SD75 -kombon tarjoamista mahdollisuuksista, vaikka mielestäni lähes kaikki presetit ovat tässä liian bombastisia minun makuun.

Minusta tutustumista varten kannattaa valita yksi presetti ja painaa kaikki efektiosiot pois päältä. Tämän jälkeen voi ensin valita yhden vahvistinmalleista ja ruuvata sen parametreja rauhassa kuntoon. Seuraavaksi voi sitten mennä kaikki efektiosiot läpi ja kokeilla mitä kaikkea kivaa sieltä löytyy.

Mooerin vahvistinkokoelmaan kuuluu 25 eri mallinnusta. Pedaalivalikoima taas koostuu OD/DS-osiosta (yksi puhdas boosti, sekä seitsemän eri säröä), yhdeksän modulaatioefektiä (choruksesta kehämodulaattoriin), viisi viivettä (nauhakaiusta ducking delayhin), sekä kuusi eri kaikua. Jokaisesta efektiosiosta voi valita yhden efektin.

Parametrien säätäminen on hyvin helppoa taustavalaistujen nappien ja kätevän Value-pyörän ansiosta. Jokaisessa vahvistinmallissa pystyy vaikuttamaan seitsemään parametriin, joihin sisältyvät SD75:n kuusi fyysistä säädintä, sekä sen lisäksi kohinasalpa. Pedaaliefektit on jätetty tahallaan helppokäyttöisiksi, ja ne tarjoavat ainoastaan kolme parametria, niin kuin monet fyysiset pedaalitkin.

Myös muutoksien tallentaminen ja presetin nimeäminen on nopeaa ja helppoa, minkä ansiosta esimerkiksi asetuksien hiominen treeneissä on vaivatonta, ja muutokset voi tallentaa keikkoja varten kahdella painalluksella. Ohjelmamuistossa on tilaa 40 presetille – kymmenen pankkia neljällä presetillä – mikä tarkoittaa, että komboon pystyy ohjelmoimaan etukäteen vaikkapa koko bändisetin verran eri kitarasoundeja.

Mooer SD75:n Jam Mode -tila on kätevä lisä jammailuun, harjoitteluun tai uusien ideoiden kehittämiseen. Kombon sisäinen loopperi toimii todella hyvin. Rumpukoneen soundi ei ehkä ole parasta studiolaatua, mutta se toimii kokonaisuutta (ja hintaa) nähden hyvin.

Johdoton Mooerin Airswitch -kytkin on tässä hintaluokassa harvinainen herkku, jonka ansiosta kitaristin jalkoihin jää yksi johto vähemmän.

Mooerin SD75 kuulostaa todella hyvältä. Kombo tarjoaa mielestäni loistavaa vastinetta rahallesi. Kaksitoistatuumaisen kaiuttimensa ja tuhdin päätevahvistimensa ansiosta SD75 olisi fantastinen valinta coverbändin kitaristille tai bändiluokalle tai vaikkapa (vuokraus-) harjoituskämpälle.

Kuulen jo kysymyksen: ”Onko uusi Mooer parempi kuin kallis vahvistin ja muutama boutique-luokan pedaali?” Vastaukseni on – tietysti – ei ole! Hei, hieman realismia kehiin, tämä on todella edullinen peli.

Mutta:

Näillä spekseillä, tällä hinnalla, ja näillä soundeilla Mooer SD75 on erittäin hyvä valinta viikonlopun kitarasankareille, jolla on tiukka budjetti.

• Komppikitarat: Fender Telecaster (vasen kanava) & Arvo 2-P90 (oikea kanava)
• Soolokitara: Epiphone G-400 Bigsby-vibratolla
• Kitararaidoissa käytetään ainoastaa Mooer SD75 -kombon omia efektejä
• Äänitetty Shure SM57 -mikrofonilla

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• Komppikitarat: Epiphone SG (G-400; vasen kanava) & Fender Stratocaster (oikea kanava)
• Likkikitarat: Arvo Guitars 2-P90
• Soolokitara: Arvo 2-P90
• Kitararaidoissa käytetään ainoastaa Mooer SD75 -kombon omia efektejä
• Äänitetty Shure SM57 -mikrofonilla

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Mooer SD75

378 €

Maahantuoja: Musamaailma

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Plussat:

+ laaja soundivalikoima

+ helppo käyttää

+ sisärakennettu loopperi ja rumpukone

+ DI-lähtö kaiutinmallinnuksella

+ soundi

+ hinta

Minukset:

– rumpusoundien laatuSave

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24/06/2020 0

Review: Mooer SD75

Over the past decade Mooer has built a brand reputation for making cost-effective guitar effects of very decent quality. The company made considerable inroads into the market with its micro-sized pedals, but has since also introduced several successful multi-effect units.

Mooer’s Hornet-range of small practice amps – launched in 2018 – already hinted at things to come, and now the company has widened its product range by introducing two ”grown-up” modelling guitar combos – the SD30 and SD75.

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The Mooer SD75 (current price in Finland: 378 €) is a hybrid combo that combines a digital preamp section with a solid-state power amp (75 W; Class A/B).

The stylish two-tone, open back cabinet is loaded with a 12-inch Mooer speaker rated at 100 watts (8 Ω).

The SD75 weighs 18 kilos.

The SD75’s back panel sports connectors for an optional external speaker, a serial effects loop, a balanced DI output (speaker emulated) with a ground lift switch, and a USB-port for firmware updates.

The Mooer’s control panel is top-facing, with its black portion offering access to the combo’s patch memory, as well as all of the preamp’s effect blocks. The backlit buttons on the left of the display also let you activate the SD75’s Jam Mode section, which comprises a 150 second audio looper and a simple drum pattern player/metronome, featuring 40 drum patterns and 10 different metronome styles. The built-in chromatic tuner, on the other hand, is accessed by a button just above the Treble knob.

The combo sports seven control knobs – Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, and Master. All knob settings, save for the Master control, can be saved in one of the SD75’s 40 patch memory slots, along with all the other preamp parameters.

The Mooer SD75 also runs a Bluetooth section, which allows you to use a four-switch Mooer Airswitch unit for bank and patch preset switching, as well as for streaming audio from an external device, such as a smartphone.

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The first thing virtually all of us will do, when first trying out a programmable amp, is to make a quick journey through the factory-installed presets. The Mooer SD75’s presets will give you an idea of the combo’s scope of different sounds, even if they seem to have been concocted to wow teenage guitarists.

I would strongly suggest you try out the Mooer by selecting any of the patches and turning off all the preamp blocks. I would then start exploring all the effect blocks by choosing an amp model first, adjusting its settings to your own taste, and then experiment with the effects in the other blocks.

In addition to its 25 different amp models the Mooer offers eight gain effects in the OD/DS-section (a clean boost plus seven drives/distortions), nine modulation effects (including ring modulation and pitch shifting), five delays (from tape all the way to ducking), and six different reverbs. You are limited to one effect per block.

Editing is very easy using the backlit buttons and the black Value-knob. The amp models offer seven parameters each, namely the six storable physical knobs plus a noise gate. The pedal effect sections have been kept deliberately easy to programme by offering only three parameters each, just like on many physical effect pedals.

Saving (and naming) your own presets is fast and easy, too, which means that you can store your settings during rehearsals with minimal fuss, and then recall them on stage. The patch memory of 40 presets – arranged as ten banks of four patches each – means that you should probably be able to store all your amp settings for your band’s set list in advance.

The Mooer SD75’s Jam Mode is a cool add-on for getting your creative juices flowing. The looper works really great, while the drum machine serves its purpose in the context of this amp, even if the drum sounds are quite bassy.

Mooer’s Airswitch Bluetooth switch unit is a very classy addition reducing the number of cables at the player’s feet.

Mooer’s new SD75 guitar combo sounds great and really offers amazing value for the money. With a 12-inch speaker and a healthy 75 watts power section, the SD75 would be a fantastic choice for any covers band guitarist on a tight budget, or as the resident combo in a band school.

Will the Mooer trump a top-class guitar amp along with some boutique effect pedals? No, of course not! Look at the price tag and be realistic. But as an all-in-one solution for weekend warriors and guitar heroes on a budget, the Mooer SD75 is hard to beat.

• Rhythm guitars: Fender Telecaster (left channel) & Arvo 2-P90 (right channel)
• Lead guitar: Epiphone G-400 with Bigsby vibrato
• All guitar tracks use only the Mooer SD75’s internal effects
• Recorded with a Shure SM57

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• Rhythm guitars: Epiphone SG (G-400; left channel) & Fender Stratocaster (right channel)
• Lick guitars: Arvo Guitars 2-P90 (handmade Finnish guitar)
• Lead guitar: Arvo 2-P90
• All guitar tracks use only the Mooer SD75’s internal effects
• Microphone used: Shure SM57

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Mooer SD75

378 €

Finnish distributor: Musamaailma

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Pros:

+ wide variety of available sounds

+ easy to use

+ built-in looper and drum section

+ built-in DI-output

+ sound

+ price

Cons:

– mediocre drum soundsSave

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09/06/2020 0

Mooer SD75 – Rock Demo

DEMO TRACK

• Rhythm guitars: Epiphone SG (G-400; left channel) & Fender Stratocaster (right channel)
• Lick guitars: Arvo Guitars 2-P90 (handmade Finnish guitar)
• Lead guitar: Arvo 2-P90
• All effects on the guitar tracks come from the Mooer SD75
• Microphone used: Shure SM57

MOOER SD75

• Modelling guitar combo
• Power: 75W Class A/B
• Speaker Element: 1x 12” Custom 100W 8 Ohm Driver
• Controls: Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, Master, 4 Preset Buttons, 2 Bank Buttons, 5 Effects Buttons, 5 Function Buttons, Value Multi Function Knob, Power On/Off, Ground Lift
• Amp Models: 25
• Effects: 28 (DS/OD: 8, Mod: 9, Delay: 5, Reverb: 6)
• Presets: 40
• Looper: 150 Seconds
• Drum Patterns: 40
• Metronome Styles: 10
• Inputs: 1x 6.3mm Instrument In, 1x 3.5mm Stereo Aux In, 1x 6.3mm FX Loop Return, USB-B
• Outputs: 1x 6.3mm FX Loop Send, 1x Balanced XLR Out, 1x 3.5mm Stereo Headphones Out
• Speaker Out: 1x 8-16 Ohm 75W 6.3mm Jack (Unbalanced Speaker Cable)
• Power: 220V-240V AC /100V-120V AC
• Includes Mooer Airswitch Footswitch with 4 Switches

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05/06/2020 0

Mooer SD75 – Clean Demo

DEMO TRACK

MOOER SD75

03/06/2020 0

Nux mini-pedals – now on SoundCloud

Nux mini-sized guitar effects

• Drum loop: Nux JTC Drum & Loop
• Electric piano: Korg SP-200 through Monterey Vibe & Konsequent Delay
• Rhythm guitars (Strat + Tele): Konsequent Delay & Oceanic Reverb
• Lead 1 (Strat): Tube Man Overdrive & Konsequent Delay & Oceanic Reverb
• Lead 2 (Strat): Morning Star Overdrive & Konsequent Delay & Oceanic Reverb
• Lead 3 (Strat): Brownie Distortion & Konsequent Delay & Oceanic Reverb
• Amp used: Blackstar HT-1R

Info: Musiikki Silfverberg

10/09/2018 0

Review: Bogner Harlow, Wessex and Burnley

This time Kitarablogi has had the pleasure to review the fruits of a cooperation between two legendary designers:

Custom amp guru Reinhold Bogner…

…and the grand old man of recording studio electronics Rupert Neve have unveiled a line of three Bogner effect pedals (made in the USA), which were designed around Rupert Neve’s famous audio transformers.

Audio transformers are rarely seen (or mentioned) when it comes to pedal effects, for both reasons of price and mass production.

In valve amplifiers audio transformers play a crucial role, because they are the last stage before the signal reaches the speaker. Audio transformers ”translate” the signal for the speaker, which is why they have a direct impact on the tone and dynamic behaviour of a tube amplifier.

At the moment three different Bogner/Neve-pedals are available – the Harlow booster (current price in Finland: 235 €), the Wessex overdrive (229 €), and the Burnley distortion (235 €).

Each pedal has a glowing ”eye” indicating the current signal strength of the stompbox.

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The Bogner Harlow gives you two effects in one pedal:

In addition to it’s boost function, the Harlow also incorporates Bogner’s Bloom compression circuit, which promises to give you a very natural, three-dimensional and musical type of compression.

You’ll find three control knobs on the Harlow – a level control for the booster, a Bloom-control for the compressor, and a master tone.

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Bogner’s Wessex is the overdrive pedal in the Bogner/Neve-family.

In addition to its gain and level controls the Wessex also includes a two-band EQ, as well as a E/N-switch. ”N” stands for ”normal” and this mode will give you a slightly more traditional, mid-range centred sound. Switching to ”E” (for ”enhanced”) there’s more gain on tap, coupled with a fatter, more full-range tone.

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The third pedal, the Bogner Burnley, is a distortion effect.

The Burnley offers three controls – level, gain and tone – plus an F/T-switch. ”T” (for ”tight”) promises you a more aggressive distortion effect than the warmer and fatter ”F” mode.

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Both Mr Bogner and Mr Neve are known for their uncompromising commitment to both sound and workmanship. This commitment is well represented in this range of pedal effects.

In the Bogner-pedals the circuit board is hidden inside a black plastic box. This is a workable solution weighing the risk of direct backwards engineering against the possible future need for repair or servicing. Components completely covered in black resin (some boutique manufacturers do this) are the bane of any guitar technician!

As you can clearly see in the pictures, all three stompboxes can be run using a nine volt battery or an external PSU (using the Boss-standard).

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Bogner doesn’t divulge the precise amount of boost that can be had from the Harlow, but let me tell you it will most probably be enough to overdrive even the cleanest of amplifiers.

The Bloom-circuit in the Bogner Harlow sounds deliciously chewy and reacts very musically.

Bogner’s Harlow is the type of pedal you want to leave on the whole time, because any guitar will sound better with this box running. This pedal also reacts very well to changes in your guitar’s volume control setting.

There’s a nice attack click, when played with a Stratocaster:

The Harlow stays clear and clean, even when you play a neck humbucker (I’m using my Hamer USA Studio Custom):

The overdrive and distortion tones of Bogner amplifiers are already the stuff of legend, and the amp guru has managed to pack these sounds into two Bogner/Neve-pedals.

The Bogner Wessex luckily isn’t just another Tubescreamer clone; instead this stompbox gives you Mr Bogner’s vision of the perfect overdrive sound.

Even though there’s a healthy amount of gain on offer in the Wessex, the sound always stays transparent and well-defined. This pedal also keeps the inherent character of your guitar intact.

Wessex’s Enhanced mode will even make your vintage-styled Strat sing:

On the other hand there won’t be any boxiness, or mud, when using humbuckers:

If you’re a Hendrix fan you should definitely try the Burnley’s Fat mode. It will make your Strat sing and growl in Woodstock-fashion, even when played into a clean amp channel at bedroom volume levels:

Bogner’s Burnley, too, is sensitive to guitar volume changes. Using Tight mode and humbuckers will give you a modern distortion tone:

Here’s the audio track off the Youtube video. All guitar parts have been played on a P-90-equipped Gibson Les Paul Junior:

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Rupert Neve and Reinhold Bogner aren’t men ho do things by half – and these pedals are a fitting testament to this commitment!

The Bogner/Neve-series of guitar effects offers you Bogner’s boutique tones in a very compact guise, and at a very fair price. Try these pedals out – you won’t be disappointed!

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Bogner Amplification Harlow, Wessex & Burnley

Harlow – 235 €

Wessex – 229 €

Burnley – 235 €

Finnish distributor: Musamaailma

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Pros:

+ workmanship

+ compact size

+ genuine boutique amp tones

10/09/2015 0

Review: DV Mark Little Jazz + Jazz 12

Marco de Virgiliis’ company Markbass has made its mark spearheading the use of Class D power amps, which have made it possible to pack an amazing amount of output power into very small and lightweight bass amp heads. Markbass’ sister brand, DV Mark, concentrates on guitar amps, for the most part.

Markbass and DV Mark have recently changed their distributor in Finland. Their products are now distributed by Musamaailma, which celebrates its 30th year in business in 2015.

The combos in DV Mark’s Jazz series – the DV Little Jazz (current price in Finland: 393 €) and the DV Jazz 12 (462 €) – are very lightweight guitar amps, meant for professional use, and designed to concentrate solely on one thing – a top grade clean tone.

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The DV Little Jazz is a surprisingly small combo in the shape of a cube (27 x 27 x 26 cm). Thanks to its diminutive size and small weight (just under seven kilos), you can easily take it on a bus or tram on the way to your next gig or rehearsal.

The cream white cabinet is home to an eight-inch speaker that was specially designed for this amp.

The corner protectors and the Little Jazz’ sturdy metal grille give this small combo a suitably chunky look.

The DV Jazz 12 is a good deal larger in size (43 x 42 x 30 cm), with a more traditional guitar combo look and a stylish cloth grille.

Thanks to its special-design, neodymium 12-inch speaker, the Jazz 12 weighs in at just under nine kilos.

Both combos have a partially open back, and they share an identical, fan-cooled amplifier module dishing out 45 watts of power.

The back panel offers a speaker output, a balanced DI output (XLR), as well as a headphones output and an on/off-switch for the internal speaker.

In addition to the Master volume, the control panel sports a three-band EQ section, a level control for the built-in digital reverb, as well as an auxiliary input for your phone, tablet or mp3-player.

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The sound of both DV Mark Jazz-combos is really clean, warm and beautiful, but never lifeless or one-dimensional. The inherent character of your chosen guitar is kept intact, and the same holds true for all the intricacies of your playing technique.

You can then fine-tune the tone to your liking by using the musical EQ section.

A fantastically realistic spring reverb simulation works as the basis for the reverb sound in these DV Mark combos. To add even more character and depth to the overall tone, DV Mark’s designers have chosen to add some pitch modulation to the reverb. Adding reverb in moderate amounts, the modulation adds a chorus-like breadth to proceedings. At full-on Surf-style settings, though, the pitch modulation could prove to be a tad distracting to some guitarists.

My only real criticism regarding the Little Jazz and Jazz 12 combos has to do with their continuous fan-cooling. On stage the – relatively quiet – whoosh of the PC-type fan won’t be a problem, but in intimate recording studio settings some fan noise may end up on ”tape”.

I would really like to stress that, despite looking like a small practice amp, the DV Mark Little Jazz really is meant for active onstage use – it’s not a toy! The combo’s 45 W will be enough in many situations, and if you need more power, you can simply stick a mic in front of it or use the excellent built-in DI-output.

For such a small amp the Little Jazz sounds surprisingly big and warm, even though there’s a small trace of boxiness to the tone, when compared directly with the Jazz 12. DV’s Little Jazz sounds like the grown up guitar combo it really is.

Here’s a short clip using a Fender Telecaster and recorded with a Shure SM57:

This is what a double humbucker Hamer sounds like through the Little Jazz:

Here’s a short clip of the built-in reverb:

The DV Jazz 12 could be called the Little Jazz’ deluxe edition, thanks to its bigger and slightly more open sound. The larger speaker combined with a larger cabinet gives the brilliant clean tone more space to breathe. The end result is one of the best clean sounds I’ve ever heard.

The first clip has been played on a Telecaster:

Here’s a similar clip with my Hamer USA Studio Custom:

I’ve used an Epiphone Casino (equipped with Göldo pickups) for the demo track. The first pass is the Little Jazz, the second pass has been recorded with the Jazz 12:

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The DV Mark Little Jazz and Jazz 12 are two great combos for the gigging guitarist. And I don’t just mean Jazzers.

These DV Mark combos are also fantastic choices for players who like to get their sounds from pedals or multi-effect boards. By combining a pair of Little Jazzes or Jazz 12s you’ll end up with a great-sounding stereo rig, which will still be easy to transport.

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DV Mark Little Jazz + Jazz 12

DV Little Jazz – 393 €

DV Jazz 12 – 462 €

Finnish distributor: Musamaailma

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Pros (both models):

+ lightweight

+ compact

+ ample output power

+ workmanship

+ sound

+ DI-output

Cons (both models):

– continuous fan-cooling

03/07/2015 2

Testipenkissä: DV Mark Little Jazz + Jazz 12

Marco de Virgiliisin perustama Markbass on tunnettu edelläkävijänä D-luokan päätevahvistimien käytössä, mikä on mahdollistanut tehokkaiden bassovahvistimien tarjoamista erittäin kompaktissa ja kevyessä muodossa. Markbassin sisarbrändi DV Mark taas keskittyy kitaravahvistimiin.

Markbassin ja DV Markin edustus Suomessa on muuttunut hiljattain – uusi maahantuoja on Musamaailma.

DV Markin Jazz-sarjan kombot – DV Little Jazz (393 €) ja DV Jazz 12 (462 €) – ovat ammattikäyttöön tarkoitettuja, hyvin kevyitä kitaravahvistimia, jotka keskittyvät täysin yhteen asiaan – erittäin laadukkaaseen puhtaaseen soundiin.

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DV Little Jazz on todella pienikokoinen, kuutiomainen (27 x 27 x 26 cm) kitarakombo, joka kulkee erittäin helposti soittajan mukana. Paino pysyy jopa seitsemän kilon alapuolella.

Kermanvaalean kotelonsa uumeniin on asennettu 8-tuumainen, juuri tätä vahvistinta varten suunniteltu kaiutin.

Kestävä metallinen eturitilä antaa kombolle sopivasti tukevan ulkonäön.

Selvästi isomman (43 x 42 x 30 cm) DV Jazz 12 -kitarakombon ulkonäkö on perinteisempi, ja sen tumma etukangas kenties myös tyylikkäämpi.

Erikoisvalmisteisen, 12 -tuumaisen neodyymikaiuttimensa ansiosta Jazz 12:n paino pysyy jopa alle 9 kiloa.

Molemmissa komboissa on identtinen, tuulettimella jäähdytetty 45-wattinen vahvistinmoduuli, sekä puoliavoin takaseinä.

Takapaneelista löytyy lähtö lisäkaiuttimelle, balansoitu DI-lähtö, päälle/pois-kytkin sisäiselle kaiuttimelle, sekä kuulokelähtö hiljaista harjoittelua varten.

Etupaneeli taas tarjoaa master-volumen lisäksi kolmikaistaisen EQ-osaston, digitaalisen kaiun, sekä aux-tulon mp3-soittimelle.

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DV Markin Jazz-sarjan kombojen soundi on todella puhdas, lämmin ja kaunis, muttei koskaan tylsä tai yksiulotteinen. Käytetyn soittimen luonne säilyy täysin ehjänä, ja myös kitaristin soittotekniikan jokaista yksityiskohtaa vahvistetaan uskollisesti.

Erittäin tervettä perussoundia voi sitten maustella itselleen sopivaksi kombon oivilla Bass-, Mid- ja Treble-säätimillä.

Kaiun perustana toimii DV Mark -kaksikossa erittäin luonnollisen kuuloinen jousikaiun mallinnus. Kaikuun on kuitenkin lisätty pikkuannos sävelkorkeuden huojuntaa, joka syventää kaiun maltillisilla asetuksilla (chorus-efektin lailla) sopivasti vahvistimen soundia. Surf-tyylisillä asetuksilla (= kaiku täysille) kaiun modulaatio voi kuitenkin mahdollisesti häiritä huojunnalle herkkää kultakorvaa.

Ainoa kritiikkikohta koskee Little Jazzin ja Jazz 12:n tuuletinta – lavalla tuulettimen (sinänsä hiljainen) käyntiääni ei varmasti koidu ongelmaksi, mutta erittäin intiimeissä studiotilanteissa pieni annos aktiivituuletuksen suhinaa voi joskus päätyä ”nauhaan”.

Haluaisin korostaa sitä, että vaikkapa DV Little Jazz näyttääkin pieneltä harjoituskombolta, se on todellakin live-käyttöön tarkoitettu kitaravahvistin, eikä lelu! Kombon 45 wattia riittävät mainiosti moniin tilanteisiin, ja lisätehoa saa helposti joko mikittämällä tai mainion sisäänrakennetun DI-lähdön kautta.

Soundiltaan Little Jazz on yllättävän iso ja lämmin, vaikka suorassa vertailussa Jazz 12:een pikkuinen annos soinnillista ahtautta on toki havaittavissa. DV Little Jazz kuulostaa kuitenkin aikuiselta kitarakombolta.

Tässä Telecasterilla soitettu esimerkki:

Ja tältä humbuckereilla varustettu Hamer kuulostaa:

Tässä yksi lyhyt näyte kaikusoundista:

DV Jazz 12 -komboa voi mielestäni kutsua Little Jazzin deluxe-versioksi, sen isomman ja hieman avoimemman soundinsa ansiosta. Jazz-sarjan loistava perussoundi saa suuremman kaiuttimen ja isomman kotelon kautta yksinkertaisesti enemmän tilaa hengittää. Lopputulos on vaikuttavaa.

Ensimmäinen esimerkkipätkä on soitettu Fender Telecasterilla:

Toisessa soi Hamerin Studio Custom -kitara:

Demobiisissä käytin (Göldo-mikrofoneilla varustettua) Epiphone Casinoa. Ensimmäinen läpimeno on äänitetty Little Jazzilla, kun toisessa puoliskossa kuullaan Jazz 12 -komboa:

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Kauniilla clean-soundilla varustetut Little Jazz- ja Jazz 12 -kombot ovat mielestäni loistava valinta monille kitaristeille, ei ainoastaan Jazz-musiikin ystäville.

DV Mark -kombot tekevät nimittäin myös erinomaista yhteistyötä pedaalilaudan (tai multiefektin) kanssa. Kahdella kombolla voi rakentaa itselleen tehokkaan ja hyväkuuloisen stereojärjestelmän, joka on silti vielä todella helppoa roudata.

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DV Mark Little Jazz + Jazz 12 -kombot

DV Little Jazz – 393 €

DV Jazz 12 – 462 €

Lisätiedot: Musamaailma

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Plussat (molemmat mallit):

+ alhainen paino

+ kompakti koko

+ vahvistinteho

+ työnjälki

+ soundi

+ DI-lähtö

Miinukset (molemmat mallit):

– tuuletin aina päällä

29/06/2015 1

DV Mark Little Jazz & Jazz 12 – SoundCloud

Lisätiedot: Musamaailma

24/06/2015 0

Review: Morley M2 Wah, M2 Wah Volume + M2 Passive Volume

US brand Morley are best known for their pro-quality wahs and volume pedals that many players – like Steve Vai, George Lynch and Mark Tremonti – rely on in their setups. Morley’s original series uses electro-optical electronics, instead of traditional potentiometres. The big advantage in going electro-optical lies in the fact that such a pedal won’t ever become scratchy or intermittent, because there is no mechanical control pot to wear out or become dirty.

There are quite a few guitarists, though, which – for some reason or other – prefer the ”feel” and ”sound” of a mechanically controlled pedal to that of an electro-optical one. Morley’s new M2-series is a nod to the more traditional players.

Nevertheless, Morley still like to do things their own way, which is why the company has come up with a different type of mechanical control for their M2-pedals:

Traditional pedals (and their descendants) use a rack, mounted beneath the treadle, to turn the pinion of a large control pot attached to the top of the pedal’s casing. Hanging in this exposed position, the pot is prone to take in dirt, moisture and dust, which in turn shortens its lifespan and affects signal quality. Sooner or later you will have to change the old pot for a brand-new one.

Morley’s M2-pedals use a top grade, sealed fader, tucked away neatly inside the pedal’s casing. The fader is moved by sturdy nylon strings attached to the front and back of the treadle.

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For this review we got three M2 models from Vantaan Musiikki:

The first pedal is the Morley M2 Passive Volume (current price in Finland: 76 €), which works without the need for a battery.

The second model is the Morley M2 Wah (83 €), which promises to deliver vintage-toned wah-goodness.

And, last but not least, there’s a cool twin-mode pedal – the Morley M2 Wah/Volume (94 €).

This trio of M2-pedals share the same basic build:

The housing is made from folded, cold-rolled steel, resulting in very sturdy and trustworthy pedals. The treadle sports a thick cover of non-slip material that will keep your foot safely on the pedal, no matter what.

The guitar input is on the Morley’s right flank.

The two active pedals – the M2 Wah and the M2 Wah/Volume – additionally feature a standard 9 Volts DC input.

You can also run the active pedals using a 9 V battery. The battery compartment comes equipped with an easy-to-open quick clip lid.

The output has been placed on the left side of the M2-pedals.

The M2 Wah features an On/Off-switch for the wah-effect (with a red indicator LED), as well as a dedicated level control for the effect signal.

The control setup on the M2 Wah/Volume looks identical, but it functions a bit differently:

The footswitch toggles between volume mode (LED off) and wah mode (LED on). The level knob works only on the wah side of things.

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Morley’s M2 Passive Volume-pedal works extremely smoothly, evenly and precisely. There are no jumps or wobbles in the volume level, instead the Passive Volume works just as it should, and without having any noticeable effect on your guitar’s inherent tone. The M2 Passive Volume clearly is a pro-quality choice at a very fair price.

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Morley’s M2 Wah comes equipped with an internal active buffer (the Morley True Tone Buffer), which stays on, even with the wah-effect turned off. An active buffer will prevent audible signal deterioration, even if you’re using a long line of (true bypass) effect pedals or a very long cable between you effects and the amp. The only ”drawback” of an active buffer is that the pedal will draw a tiny bit of current, even with the effect turned off.

Oh, boy, Morley’s wah-sound is just what the doctor ordered! The M2 Wah’s filter sounds really juicy, and the pedal works in a very musical and organic way.

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The M2 Wah/Volume combines both volume control and wah-wah with an active buffer, meaning you do need a battery (or power supply) to run the pedal’s volume side, too.

Morley’s Wah/Volume-pedal manages to combine both effects in an easy-to-use, handy package. This pedal’s volume mode works just as evenly and smoothly as the M2 Passive Volume, while the wah side of things sounds just as tasty as in the stand-alone M2 Wah.

The M2 Wah/Volume was simply too good to let go – I had to buy one!

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For some reason, I’ve always dug Morley’s straightforward and unsentimental design. The new M2-series, too, has that famous big, black and square ”Morley look”. Morley’s M2-pedals sure don’t look cute, but they more than make up for it when it comes to roadworthiness and reliability.

Many professionals rely on a Morley for their sound. I’m sure that these M2-series pedals will find their way into many a musician’s arsenal.

I’d suggest you go and check them out!

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Morley M2 -series

M2 Volume – 76 €

M2 Wah – 83 €

M2 Wah/Volume – 94 €

Finnish distributor: Musiikki Silfverberg

Many thanks to Vantaan Musiikki for the loan of the review pedals!

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Pros:

+ excellent value-for-money

+ made in USA

+ sturdy build

+ work smoothly

+ sound

+ buffered output (M2 Wah and M2 Wah/Volume only)

07/05/2015 1