Overall Rating: I would definitely replace this amp if it were stolen, for the price you cant beat it. Especially in my situation, where it is essentially just a power amp. You wont find anything even remotely comparable in a 100W EL34 power amp for ...
Overall Rating: I would definitely replace this amp if it were stolen, for the price you cant beat it. Especially in my situation, where it is essentially just a power amp. You wont find anything even remotely comparable in a 100W EL34 power amp for this price.
I look at it as a great power amp, with a pretty decent Marshall style preamp as a bonus. The value for the $$ is immense in this case.
Features: Peavey Windsor head
2008 model I assume
All tube signal path(? might be some diodes in there...)
4 x EL34 for roughly 100-120W into 4/8/16 Ohms (Ruby EL34BSTR)
3 x 12AX7 - 3 gain stages, one FX loop driver, and a phase inverter. (I assume - they are all JJ ECC83S)
The amp is not at all versatile. You can get some different flavors using the Texture control, but its like adding a bit of salt to fries - makes them better, but they are still fries. Of course, some people REALLY love fries...
The preamp is single channel, ostensibly Marshall style. It CAN clean up - with the low gain input, and pre gain on less than 1. Even then, it has some edge on it. Typical Pregain/low/mid/high controls with a boost switch that seems to only boost mids, plus Peavey's power amp EQ controls - Resonance for added low end, Presence for added high end, and Texture for whatever it is that Texture actually does. It seems mostly like a mid scoop/contour control to me.
It has a mono FX loop on the front panel. This is a good design choice IMO. What is NOT good design is that the Master volume is BEFORE the FX loop. I use a separate preamp with the Windsor into the FX return, so having the Master volume function would be nice. I change my overall volume quite a bit during the course of a gig, depending on the song, so not being able to have a master volume knob is a huge PITA.
I use the Windsor head with an Avatar 212 at home, and an Ampeg 412 at rehearsal and gigs. It can get obscenely loud.
There arent many "features" to this amp, but whats there works very well. The master volume->FX loop flow is the only thing I would change.
Its not missing anything vital, so with a base of 5, I'll give it a 6 on features, due to the power amp EQ section.
Sound Quality: Jackson Dinky/EMG85b/Duncan Jazz n
Into the front end high gain input with stock tubes, its like a Marshall JCM800 crossed with a Peavey Butcher or early Ultra on the Crunch channel, with a nonstop TS in front of it. The Presense control is where the Peavey part lives - crank it up and its got that Peavey high end buzz that some love, while other hate. Take the Presence off, and its kind of almost exactly like a Marshall, but not exactly. It seems to have a bit more gain/edge on the attack, but not nearly as much on the decay. Harmonic content isnt as rich, but that might be the tubes.
Into the low gain input, its got more of a round character, you can hear the Marshall influence more than the Peavey influence. Other than that, its about the same.
HOWEVER
I use it as a power amp only, with a Peavey ROck Master preamp into its FX return.
THIS sound is very, very nice.
With the Texture control on "AB" position, the power amp stays clean up to ludicrous volume levels, perfect for amplifying an outboard rig. It always has that bit of EL34 edge to it, which makes clean parts sparkle and sing with the right EQ. The crunch channel gets creamy and smooth saturation, and gets a nice bluesy drive with the volume on the guitar rolled off. The Ultra channel just jumps out and strangles you, its amazing. I dont use the word "amazing" a lot due to its overuse on the internetz, but it literally amazed me how good my RM's Ultra channel sounds through this head.
I give it a solid 9 for sound. The preamp is good at what it does, but the power amp is SWEEET.
Reliability/Durability: Its a Peavey. It will probably outlive me.
I am a bit wary of it being made in China... but I will give it the benefit of the doubt for now, and say it gets a 10, simply because its a Peavey.
Using ANY tube amp without a backup is dicing with death IMO. Put it this way - Ive been using my Rock Master for about 18 years, it has never died or given me trouble at a gig. I STILL pack a backup preamp.
Ive been using this head for about three months, and I always have a backup SS head just in case. This is not a comment on the amp, it is common sense.
Customer Support: I have dealt with them once, it went very well.
Purchased From: Musicians Friend
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