Hughes and Kettner blonde or matrix?

stu

So Ive decided to get a solid state amp because, realistically I wont be able to afford a valve amp and even if I could I dont think I could bring myself to blow R6000 on an amp...

Anyway Ive read that Hughes and Kettner make very good sounding solid state amps. Ive found these two for sale (Matrix 100 and Blonde Edition) and Im not sure which one to go for. The matrix is 100 watt with a few effects (Chorus, Flanger, Tremolo, Delay, Reverb) and four channels and the blonde is 40 watt with two channels and reverb. And they will cost the same. (Ive also looked at prices in the USA)

So the chose seems obvious, but since the blonde seems inferior it might be a better amp, because it costs the same but has less power and effects.
Therefore more money is spent on the sound quality then the power and effects?

Any thoughs?

aja

Quick question - will you be jamming with drums etc or is this just for practice?

stu

Ill be jamming. Wont 40 watts do?

aja

stu wrote: Ill be jamming. Wont 40 watts do?

That's plenty! I just wanted to make sure ?

Just an aside, try get a hold of a Laney VC-15. It is a 15watt tube amp with a simple but very good arrangement of channels and so on. It has great tone and is not too expensive, I think about R4500 or so. Watch a youtube video to get an idea of the sound. Music connection had one last time I was there

I dont know anything about those amps you are talking about, sorry ?

Lethe

don't think that 40w solid state has enough power in a band scenario. at least not in a metal/ rock band when everything especially the drummer is loud. You'll be pushing your amp too much.

JK

Shew, i would say 40 watts is plenty of power. If you jamming with a band and its not loud enough, i recon you playing too loud. For a gig, you would mic it anyway. I say 40 is plenty, just my opinion though, and i play Blues and rock, not metal as Lethe mentioned.

aja

Lethe wrote: don't think that 40w solid state has enough power in a band scenario. at least not in a metal/ rock band when everything especially the drummer is loud. You'll be pushing your amp too much.

Well well well. Look who isn't studying!!! >☹

haha.

We used to jam with a roland cube15 and a very loud drummer. Didn't work too well, but not too bad. 30W would probably have been enough.

But I think 30W is absolute minumum...

Lethe

lol. i guess we did practise quite loud... i am studying... tons of theory off by heart. the dumbest thing ever. used to have one of those marshal mg 100w . always had to push it to more than halfway to be heard... but yeah, i guess it all depends on the scenario... and what about your self mr? hit those books!

stu

With my Fender 15r I could jam with a drummer. But the drummer wasnt that loud.