Soldano HR50+ vs SLO100 comparison clip

[godgrinder]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZvAl7imDvc[/youtube]

Not exactly a fair comparison as it's 50W vs 100W and I have different tubes in them. Also:
1. The HR50+ has a 1M gain pot and the SLO has a 500K gain pot. So under the same gain settings, the HR50+ would have a bit more gain.
2. Under the same EQ settings, the SLO has a metric fuckton more treble than the HR.

Both amps can be dialed in to have similar amount of gain and frequency response, but I used the same settings on both amps just to showcase the basic differences.
Settings: Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 5.5, Treb 4.5, Vol 4, Pres 6
(Channel 1 gain on 3. Channel 1 on Soldano amps bleed into channel 2 so the gain setting on ch1 has some influence on ch2.)

Cab: Krank SST412
Speakers: Eminence V12
Mic: Shure SM7B

LPF at 8kHz.

Re-amped from Ola Englund multitracks, taken from the deluxe version of Furor Incarnatus.

[Olderama]

great

the 50 seemed to be more bitey(if you know what i mean)

[Scooter13]

I prefer the SLO100 I think, if only for a tiny bit more saturation maybe? Especially in the couple of short lead licks.
Actually very bloody similar though my KRK Rokit 8s.

[willow13]

this will come across as a bit shit but (blame the cognac i'm drinking)...when I think soldano those tones aren't what come to mind. Don't get me wrong it sounds good for what it is and the tunings you use but it seems to be a bit of a waste amp wise. When I think soldano I think george lynch on wicked sensation...bite, saturation and a little fizz. Obviously thats just what I like so whatevers

But hey the tone suits the playing so good job

[godgrinder]

If you think about the fact that 5150 and Recto are basically watered-down consumer level Soldano ripoff's, there's nothing wrong with playing "modern" metal on Soldano. 5150 and Recto can't touch Soldano for clarity and for downtuning that's quite crucial.

Not my playing though, just being lazy and reamping Ola Englund's multitrack session.

[godgrinder]

BTW although I probably spend more of my daily time listening to 80's metal than most older guys who swear by 80's stuff on this forum, I just don't really care about 80's metal tones in general. Especially hair metal tones...

[willow13]

I just don't really care about 80's metal tones in general. Especially hair metal tones...

well there's the problem then ...............

[Danger Mouse]

A real hard one for me to pick, the HR has a low-fi awesomeness to it, the SLO by comparison is more modern and sounds that little bit more dynamic. The problem is, while the SLO is the better amp sonically, what makes it better also makes it a bit more generic (all those SLO copies at fault). So if I had to choose with my own money, I'd get the HR and enjoy the fact it has a bit more character than the SLO... even though I think the SLO sounds better...

[godgrinder]

I just don't really care about 80's metal tones in general. Especially hair metal tones...

well there's the problem then ...............

I mostly listen to early extreme metal from late 80's - early 90's where cheap solid state amps or nasty distortion pedals were the norm. So I've learnt to separate tone from actual music since early on.

And even the better sounding side of 80's metal often had tones generated from makeshift methods like adding solid state clipping diodes into the amp, which I really don't care for. Many 80's guitarist switched to modern high gain amps like Engl once they had the chance, although most of them have the tendency of using way more gain than needed so they still don't sound too great, haha.

[Olderama]

i love the tone that Rob Arnold got from Chimara but on investigation most of it was overlaid 4times
but tbh when i saw them live the 6505 sound was the basis of their tone

less gain yes but still needs a bit of a push with a OD pedal for me

Both amps to me have the definitive sound i would like from them

[godgrinder]

A real hard one for me to pick, the HR has a low-fi awesomeness to it, the SLO by comparison is more modern and sounds that little bit more dynamic. The problem is, while the SLO is the better amp sonically, what makes it better also makes it a bit more generic (all those SLO copies at fault). So if I had to choose with my own money, I'd get the HR and enjoy the fact it has a bit more character than the SLO... even though I think the SLO sounds better...

HR is a lot of amp for the money, and arguably a lot more usable than the SLO in a non-band situation. The SLO has a borderline harsh treble sizzle that only softens until you wind the volume up to 4, the HR has a lot less of that.

The SLO will help you slice through almost any band mix though.