Ibanez Thermion opinions please

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stratkiwi
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Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by stratkiwi »

Looking at buying one of these amps as I am wanting to upgrade the laney cub head to another valve head with more than one channel and have been tossing up between the Ibanez thermion, marshall DSL heads or another laney head (ironheart) and just needing an opinion on the ibanez heads are they any good or should I avoid.

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Re: Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by jeremyb »

Ibanez amps don't have a great reputation for reliability, either do early DSL's, the Ironheart stuff is fantastic tho'!
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Re: Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by Mr Davison »

Can't comment on the Laney but I used to own a 100W DSL head (UK made) & a Thermion full stack.

Tried the DSL because I had read many favorable reviews of the amp tone wise but I wasn't that impressed with it. I gigged the amp a few times & achieved a good tone but it was far from a great inspiring tone. I had no issues with mine but apparently the older models have a common problem of leaking plate voltage onto the board. Sold the amp very easily for what I had paid for it (I purchased used).

Got the Thermion full stack new for a crazy price once music works realized that no one was going to buy them. I believe full retail new was $3000 for the head. The cabs were loaded with v30s, built solidly but we're not good sounding cabs in my opinion. I liked the head, gigged it & found some very useful tones. I never used anything in the fx loop but with the loop engaged it drives the signal thru an extra preamp tube & gave the amp a lot more punch & definition. Even then it still lacked a bit of note clarity & definition. Once again I had no problems with my amp but there is a common issue with dry solder joints in these amps. Sold the head for $450 & it took a while to sell.

Good luck with your amp hunt/tone quest & if I may offer advice it would be to try out any possible contenders with your own guitar & some volume. Amps in the 100w category generally don't come to life till the volume is at a gig level. Also, trust your ears as only you know what your tone is.
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Re: Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by hamo »

Are we talking 100w heads? That's a big jump from the Cub! Or is it more in the DSL15/40 and Ironheart 30 kind of range?
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Re: Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by willow13 »

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Re: Ibanez Thermion opinions please

Post by stratkiwi »

hamo wrote:Are we talking 100w heads? That's a big jump from the Cub! Or is it more in the DSL15/40 and Ironheart 30 kind of range?
no talking 120 watt valve amp for the thermion and a little bit less wattage for the others. my son has discovered that he can drown out the cub at full power and volume with his drums so I am going to fix the little shit for once and for all :D plus I want something that has a second channel so I do not have to rely on distortion/overdrive pedals

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