NAD: 1987X - JiveTurkey & La Szum are to blame! 😭

[la szum]

OMG. I used to wear the same. Super handy and flexible. Can't seem to find them now.

 

[FuzzyAce]

There are nuances to a cranked Plexi that no modeler can emulate, a certain squish, bounce, swirl, harmonics, compression.
Call me a fool, gas light my ass, I don't care, modelers are great but there is something very special about a real Plexi under the fingers.

 

[DrewJD82]

Holy shit! The 1987X + Reload II has fully exceeded my expectations!



Signal chain:

My modified HSS Cutlass / Hemmelight's Tyler Studio Elite
1987X High Treble input -> 16 Ohm speaker output
Two Notes Reload II reactive load, set to 16 Ohm
RME Fireface UCX II @ 96 kHz
Macbook Air M4 + Mainstage
IR: York Audio KW 412 M25 Mix 16 @ 96k
Valhalla Delay in "digital" mode.

GLORIOUS!!!

@hemmelight and I played the Plexi for 2 hours striaght without any breakfast and we only stopped for lunch because we were hungry.

The sounds and feel that we've been getting here today is pretty much what we've both been searching for... for YEARS.

I was super worried that I'd wasted a shit load of money on yet more gear, but that fear has instantly evaporated. The dynamics and sensitivity to guitar volume knob is everything that the Plexi circuit promises. Very satisfied.

We didn't even get around to jumping the inputs or using my pedals in the Reload's FX loop, because what we already had going on was so satisfying. I'm looking forward to doing that though.



View attachment 47284

Can confirm, this thing is ridiculous. Plexi is the truth and the light.

After we got the routing and IRs figured out we moved everything on the amp to my normal go-to settings in the Axe-Fx (as pictured.) It was basically instant love. As much as I adore the Axe-Fx, this setup very quickly became my favourite thing I've ever played through. It's got the perfect amount of compression and squish while still staying articulate and musical. If it sounds like I'm gushing (both verbally and in the crotch-region) it's because I absolutely am.

Playing a classic Plexi circuit working properly is like the guitar amp equivalent of driving an air-cooled 911 Turbo.
It's old school and analog and dynamic and sexy AF.

Hahahahaha I'd have to set a timer to know when it's appropriate to pass the guitar back or else it'd be a continuous "Come on, I've only been playing it for a minute!". Getting to enjoy a new amp with someone who understands the details is quite the gratifying experience, especially when you're both chasing down tones you know the amp is capable of. Good fuckin' times!

There are nuances to a cranked Plexi that no modeler can emulate, a certain squish, bounce, swirl, harmonics, compression.
Call me a fool, gas light my ass, I don't care, modelers are great but there is something very special about a real Plexi under the fingers.

There's some squeaks and squawks that pop out at total random that are awesome, what I love the most about a Plexi though, is that I strongly feel they're the ultimate 'tone is in the hands' amp. You can slap gobs of distortion on one via pedal and make it a bit easier, but there's only so far you can go without before it's not sounding like a Plexi anymore.