Marshall MG15FXMS

[Monkus]

Has anyone heard this micro stack?

GC link: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Marshall-MG15FXMS-Micro-Stack-105475487-i1479945.gc

Inquiring minds wanna know?

[Katastrophe]

I've played briefly on one of the newer MGs recently, and they are far better than the previous version.

However, for the price I would look at the 75 watt Line 6 Spider IV. It just sounded better to my ears, and was more versatile with the different models and effects. With the 4 button footswitch, it would cost a little more than the MG alone (you would have to buy a separate footswitch for it, too), but it would make for a nice, compact, versatile amp package for practicing at home or rehersals. IMO you would get a lot more bang for your buck with the Line 6.

[Monkus]

Thanks, Kat, one of the kids in the group asked me after it!

[Katastrophe]

Cool, Monkus!

What did he or she decide to do?

[Monkus]

"He" is 15, but with loads of talent. Getting into the gearhead stage. luckily, he takes my advice, so most likely he'll settle for something smaller and more manageable, he really hasn't decided yet. He has however a spanking new Agile 2500 on the way, so he's amenable to accepting advice...lol

He has one of those small Spider IV's that comes in a starter pack with a Laguna Electric. He seems to think that he has outgrown it :running Nice kid though.

[rylanmartin]

Has anyone heard this micro stack?

GC link: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Marshall-MG15FXMS-Micro-Stack-105475487-i1479945.gc

Inquiring minds wanna know?

I currently work in a music store that sells anything Marshall. To be honest, anything Marshall MG, in my opinion, is a piece of crap...or at least I thought, until I tried out the MG FXMS.

Not only is it a really cool looking piece (a tiny Marshall stack), but this is the ONE MG unit I've found in the store that I actually like the sound of. I think it has more personality than anything Line6 or Peavey or Vox in it's category.

That said, I think it's overprice because of the name "Marshall" on it. If you can get a good deal on one, used, or a few dollars off, you'll be happy. But I think Marshall is priced a little too high for it's low end stuff simply because of the name attached.

It's a very fun little amp, and I suggest going and trying one out, if anyone is doubtful.... :poke

[Duffy]

I played the fifteen watt Marshall stack and really liked it.

The two ten inch speakers really put out some great sound and it gets loud.

It sounds way better to me than the million in one Peavey Vypoffs and Line sixes. The Vox VT series sounds fairly good for a modelling type amp though.

I would think that the Marshall little stack would be an incredible amp to have, even in days to come when the guy owns a big amp. That Marshall little stack will still sound good and be great to have in the living room.

For probably around the same price you could get that Bugera V22 Spud talks about. That sounds like a serious amp, all tube, that will put out some quality non digital sound and be a very good amp to use with outboard pedals for more distortion, etc. There is nothing like a decent tube amp and for the price that V22 gets some very good reviews, except for the footpedal, unless they fixed that problem. Don't uses the footpedal unless they fixed the problem and you can verify that they did fix it.

That Marshall Class 5 is also a very great sounding amp.

[Katastrophe]

BTW, here's a great demo of the Marshall Microstack:

http://www.marshallamps.com/marshall_theatre_popup.asp?clipCat=mg4 demo

Sorry, not on YouTube, can't embed.

Here's a demo of the Line 6:

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Here's a demo of the Peavey Vypyr 75, for comparison:

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[Duffy]

If I'm not mistaken those digital modelling amps don't even reproduce the sound of your guitar: they digitize the input signal from the guitar and change it into computerized digital info and then convert it to a signal that gets sent to the speaker; whereas an analog amp actually reproduces the vibe of the actual guitar thru the speaker, without converting it into digital digitized units and then deciphering the digital info and reproduces a modeled sound thru the speaker.

I might be wrong about this but I don't think I'm far off.

Doesn't the digital amp or stompbox remove a lot of the natural nuance and tone shaping of the guitar and turn it over to the digitization? Seems like my tone controls have almost no noticeable effect on my guitars when I'm playing thru a digital multipedal. Seems like the sound gets replaced by the model in the pedal.

This is why lately I have been plugging straight into a good amp and using the amps tube overdrive, etc.

Am I really wrong on this or are analog amps not really reproducing the actual input signal of the guitar and adding some tonality, etc., even less tonality with a really clean Fender amp?

Don't digital amps convert the analog guitar input, digitize it, manipulate it, shape it, and then convert it back to a signal that the speaker can reproduce?

[Katastrophe]

That's a great question, Duffy. I have no idea how they work...

I will say that to my ear the tones coming from a tube amp do generally sound more complex, with more harmonic overtones than a solid state amp. They also tend to do that "clean, but with a hint of grit" tone better, but modelers seem to be making progress in that area, too.

That's not a knock on SS amphs, btw... I'm a die hard solid state fan. Because of my use of SS amphs, I guess I never got used to manipulating the tone knob on my guitar. I've always just used the amph's onboard EQ to find a good tone, and left it. I've never met a guitar's tone knob that didn't sound muddy and / or muffled when left on anything other than wide open.

[Duffy]

Modeling amps come in two distinct varieties as far as I know: digital and analog. Analog modelling amps are supposed to sound way better but the new Vox VT series sounds pretty good. How the digital modelers work though is what I'm wondering about.

Also, "solid state" amps are usually analog if I'm not mistaken, and therefore will reproduce the signal of the guitar, amplified.

Digital modeling amps, I am wondering, may not really reproduce your guitar's output signal, but rather digitize it by conversion to digital info., process the digital info by modelling it, adding effects, etc., and then converting it back from a digitized signal to an analog signal to be sent to the speaker. These are called DA converters if I'm not mistaken. They use a DA converter to change the signal from digital back to analog.

I'm wondering if the actual guitar signal remains the same after the digitization and return to analog. You know how we spend a lot of money on great aftermarket pickups and expensive guitars. It would be a shame if we wasted our money if we play thru a digital modeling amp that completely converts the output signal from our guitars into digital info that is then sent to the speaker in the totally reconstructed form.

Also, many of the worlds greatest guitarists are constantly manipulating the tone and volume controls while playing. Watch Santana or any of these guys closely. They are always reaching quickly down and tweaking the tone and volume knobs while playing, in the middle of the song.

I have also noticed that the better guitars I have have way different acting tone and volume controls. Some of them clean up the sound big time when you just back off the volume some and THE VOLUME does not decrease. Also, active pickups and built in guitar preamps greatly increase the usability of the tone and volume controls on your guitar. The better guitars do not cause "muddiness" when the tone control is turned down. Check it out on your best guitar and see if the tone and volume controls work better than on your less expensive or less well built guitars. It isn't, of course, always the price of the guitar that determines the quality of the guitar. Look at the Classic Vibes and others.

So my question is: how much does the digital modeling amp alter the original output signal of the guitar, even on the clean channel with no modelling or effects?

[bcdon]

I'm wondering if the actual guitar signal remains the same after the digitization and return to analog.
This very same process (analog to digital and back again) occurs when a band is recorded on CD. As long as the sampling rate is high enough you will lose very little information going from digital to analog and then back again. There is most certainly loss but even "pure" analog is not a "perfect" representation as every element in a signal path impacts the overall signal quality.

[NWBasser]

If I'm not mistaken those digital modelling amps don't even reproduce the sound of your guitar: they digitize the input signal from the guitar and change it into computerized digital info and then convert it to a signal that gets sent to the speaker; whereas an analog amp actually reproduces the vibe of the actual guitar thru the speaker, without converting it into digital digitized units and then deciphering the digital info and reproduces a modeled sound thru the speaker.

I might be wrong about this but I don't think I'm far off.

Doesn't the digital amp or stompbox remove a lot of the natural nuance and tone shaping of the guitar and turn it over to the digitization? Seems like my tone controls have almost no noticeable effect on my guitars when I'm playing thru a digital multipedal. Seems like the sound gets replaced by the model in the pedal.

This is why lately I have been plugging straight into a good amp and using the amps tube overdrive, etc.

Am I really wrong on this or are analog amps not really reproducing the actual input signal of the guitar and adding some tonality, etc., even less tonality with a really clean Fender amp?

Don't digital amps convert the analog guitar input, digitize it, manipulate it, shape it, and then convert it back to a signal that the speaker can reproduce?

I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to technological matters, but this does seem to fit my experience. My digital Korg recorder has some built-in modelling software and it always has the same sound for each amp model no matter what's plugged into it. Completely different guitars, for example Les Paul and Strat, will sound nearly identical. The bass amp models are the same way. No responsive dynamics to it at all.

If recording guitar, I'll mic up my Cube 30 which seems to do a much better job of an "analog sound" than most modelling amps. Still, not a tube amp though.