Santiago Alvarez (electronics engineer, JVM, YJM, AFD...)

santiall

Roadie
Gear Pro
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205
Hi all, it is my pleasure to have been invited to have my own thread here in The Gear Forum.

I'm electronics engineer mostly known for my woks for the 'big M' company including several signature amps, JVM, MG, CODE series, etc. I've also been employed by Behringer and I've been running my own consultancy firm for a few years. My works include companies like Softube, Blackstar, Harmony and Teisco, Acoustic, Harbinger, Sterling Audio, Darkglass, and Neural among others.

Happy to chat about anything, learn something and hopefully help others as well :)

As a disclaimer, any views or opinions represented here in the forum belong solely to myself and do not represent those of other people, institutions or organizations that I may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated.
 
Nice to have you here Santiago!

What’s the backstory on the JVM amps? What was your original aim? Was it always intended to be a comprehensive examination of vintage + modern Marshall tones, or were you designing a new high gain amp and it snowballed to its final form? Is there anything you would like to change or tweak about the amp today? Plans for a new version?

Regards.
 
Welcome! The JVM calls to me. Constantly. I grew up loving music that was built on Marshall but somehow never crossed paths with one like I should have. How does the JVM gain structure/tones compare to gainy tones in the DSL?
 
I remember the first time I heard of the JVM. It was on the radio, advertised in a Guitar Center commercial. Struck my ear right away!
 
If you were given carte blanche, and could build any amp, regardless of cost or time, what would it be?
Master Volume? Non Master Volume? Channel switching? Gain stages? Tube type?

No one over seeing you and your work, or asking you to pinch pennies. :)
 
Do you have one? :love:guiness
Would you believe I do not? Haha, had the chance a couple years ago to buy one for $900 and I foolishly passed. I regret it but I tell myself to hold out for the HJS version. I'll be damned if there isn't one to be found for $900!
 
JVM205 vs 410, obviously the 205 is only a 2-channel version of the 4-channel 410, but does the 205 mimic two specific channels of the 410 (if so which ones) or are the 205 channels and modes configured to cover as much of the 410 tones as possible?

Also, Tonemaster Marshall!?!? Any thoughts on what Fender is doing with their digital amps, and if you think something similar might work for Marshall, like a 212 Marshall ToneMaster JCM800TM Combo, or Plexi, Silver Jubilee, JVM etc.
 
Welcome Santiago! How come Joe Satriani's JVM didn't become a regular model for Marshall? It's a real shame it's no longer available.

As far as your consulting work goes, would you be willing to mod my Peavey JSX and supercharge it?
 
Nice to have you here Santiago!

What’s the backstory on the JVM amps? What was your original aim? Was it always intended to be a comprehensive examination of vintage + modern Marshall tones, or were you designing a new high gain amp and it snowballed to its final form? Is there anything you would like to change or tweak about the amp today? Plans for a new version?

Regards.
it's rather simple actually. When I joined M back in 2005 they already that a plan to upgrade the TSL and make it the new flagship. The starting point I was given to "take a TSL and add a 4th channel with more gain", so pretty much I took a TSL, put it on a shelf as reference and got a JCM800 2203 as starting point. Then everything snowballed from there, since the circuitry I was working on was quite flexible the three-modes-per-channel idea and the 1 wire controller came by themselves. Initially it was just 4 channels and there were always issues with the multipin connector for footcontrollers...
It is always easy to think that I should have done this and that but the JVM is about 16 years old already... I guess the main change I'd have done is to add the noise gate that I designed for the Kerry King amp (and that now everyone uses in the gate pedals :D) and that was developed just after the JVM was approved for production. The parallel loop is also anachronic nowadays, it made sense in 2000 but it is outdated, it is not necessary anymore and many users don't understand it.
Plans?, I don't work there anymore... lips sealed!

Welcome! The JVM calls to me. Constantly. I grew up loving music that was built on Marshall but somehow never crossed paths with one like I should have. How does the JVM gain structure/tones compare to gainy tones in the DSL?
I always found the DSL a bit boomy/loose on the lower and scooped or perhaps fizzy. I understand that it records quite nicely and for some rock music is very good but it was just not my thing (apart then being an engineer it always bothered me the mess of wires inside...)
Actually the DSL has 1 more gain stage than the JVM but I'd say the JVM is tighter, heavier than a DSL

If you were given carte blanche, and could build any amp, regardless of cost or time, what would it be?
Master Volume? Non Master Volume? Channel switching? Gain stages? Tube type?

No one over seeing you and your work, or asking you to pinch pennies. :)
I guess that'd change every week, no, every day :D but probably I'd end settling in single channel, master volume but with some sort of power amp attenuator so you can use the master to control the power amp distortion, high gain, 3 or 4 stages and most likely with a simple booster and gate, FX loop and probably EL34s


Awesome.

Doing an in-depth demo with the JVM is something I've been meaning to do for a while so I'm also interested in how it's similar to and how it differs from the DSL.

How was working with Yngwie?
Hi Leon, looking forward to that demo, hopefully with a Sony V77 haha. It is actually a completely different amp to the DSL, there may be some similarities like the tone controls and cathode follower but I haven't used any DSL circuitry in the JVM, not even the transformers, we went back to JCM800 magnetics.
I did not have any single issue working with Yngwie, actually it was real fun and I just wish we had worked in more projects. I guess we came along quite well and there has been mutual respect in both directions from day one. Even I was so intimidated when meeting him first time, you know, he is one of my ever-favorite players, but he was also sooooo excited to talk to a Marshall engineer
He came to us with a clear idea of what he wanted and the whole process was very smooth. As said, I just wish there were more together

JVM205 vs 410, obviously the 205 is only a 2-channel version of the 4-channel 410, but does the 205 mimic two specific channels of the 410 (if so which ones) or are the 205 channels and modes configured to cover as much of the 410 tones as possible?

Also, Tonemaster Marshall!?!? Any thoughts on what Fender is doing with their digital amps, and if you think something similar might work for Marshall, like a 212 Marshall ToneMaster JCM800TM Combo, or Plexi, Silver Jubilee, JVM etc.
They are pretty much the same amp. The only difference is the JVM2 clean green which is designed specifically for that amp as the JVM4 has a different clean channel that can't be easily integrated in the 2-channel version. Other than that, I think JVM2 CH1 orange and red are JVM4 CH2 orange and red, JVM2 OD channel is JVM OD2. The main pcb is actually the same in all the amps with different firmware and number of tubes of course.

Welcome Santiago! How come Joe Satriani's JVM didn't become a regular model for Marshall? It's a real shame it's no longer available.

As far as your consulting work goes, would you be willing to mod my Peavey JSX and supercharge it?
thanks! I actually don't know myself. I think I was already out of M when the HJS was discontinued and, just speculating, probably the numbers were low when compared to the standard JVM and someone thought it didn't make sense to endorse him anymore? Personally, I think it was a mistake but hey, there you go. In any case, those sorts of commercial decisions were always taken without R&D input, it is not that some parts were obsolete and difficult to find in numbers.
sometimes people ask me to do some experiments/mods but the main problem is that I'm based in Hong Kong, just thinking of shipment costs will make you think twice about that idea... as said, I've done some work for some artists and other players but there is the logistics and sometimes my own available time issues. Thank you so much for the proposal, as said I'm open but it may not make any sense...
 
it's rather simple actually. When I joined M back in 2005 they already that a plan to upgrade the TSL and make it the new flagship. The starting point I was given to "take a TSL and add a 4th channel with more gain", so pretty much I took a TSL, put it on a shelf as reference and got a JCM800 2203 as starting point. Then everything snowballed from there, since the circuitry I was working on was quite flexible the three-modes-per-channel idea and the 1 wire controller came by themselves. Initially it was just 4 channels and there were always issues with the multipin connector for footcontrollers...
It is always easy to think that I should have done this and that but the JVM is about 16 years old already... I guess the main change I'd have done is to add the noise gate that I designed for the Kerry King amp (and that now everyone uses in the gate pedals :D) and that was developed just after the JVM was approved for production. The parallel loop is also anachronic nowadays, it made sense in 2000 but it is outdated, it is not necessary anymore and many users don't understand it.
Plans?, I don't work there anymore... lips sealed!


I always found the DSL a bit boomy/loose on the lower and scooped or perhaps fizzy. I understand that it records quite nicely and for some rock music is very good but it was just not my thing (apart then being an engineer it always bothered me the mess of wires inside...)
Actually the DSL has 1 more gain stage than the JVM but I'd say the JVM is tighter, heavier than a DSL


I guess that'd change every week, no, every day :D but probably I'd end settling in single channel, master volume but with some sort of power amp attenuator so you can use the master to control the power amp distortion, high gain, 3 or 4 stages and most likely with a simple booster and gate, FX loop and probably EL34s



Hi Leon, looking forward to that demo, hopefully with a Sony V77 haha. It is actually a completely different amp to the DSL, there may be some similarities like the tone controls and cathode follower but I haven't used any DSL circuitry in the JVM, not even the transformers, we went back to JCM800 magnetics.
I did not have any single issue working with Yngwie, actually it was real fun and I just wish we had worked in more projects. I guess we came along quite well and there has been mutual respect in both directions from day one. Even I was so intimidated when meeting him first time, you know, he is one of my ever-favorite players, but he was also sooooo excited to talk to a Marshall engineer
He came to us with a clear idea of what he wanted and the whole process was very smooth. As said, I just wish there were more together


They are pretty much the same amp. The only difference is the JVM2 clean green which is designed specifically for that amp as the JVM4 has a different clean channel that can't be easily integrated in the 2-channel version. Other than that, I think JVM2 CH1 orange and red are JVM4 CH2 orange and red, JVM2 OD channel is JVM OD2. The main pcb is actually the same in all the amps with different firmware and number of tubes of course.


thanks! I actually don't know myself. I think I was already out of M when the HJS was discontinued and, just speculating, probably the numbers were low when compared to the standard JVM and someone thought it didn't make sense to endorse him anymore? Personally, I think it was a mistake but hey, there you go. In any case, those sorts of commercial decisions were always taken without R&D input, it is not that some parts were obsolete and difficult to find in numbers.
sometimes people ask me to do some experiments/mods but the main problem is that I'm based in Hong Kong, just thinking of shipment costs will make you think twice about that idea... as said, I've done some work for some artists and other players but there is the logistics and sometimes my own available time issues. Thank you so much for the proposal, as said I'm open but it may not make any sense...
Excellent breakdown. Thank you! Cool tidbits on the Kerry King gate as well! I have always wanted to own one of those amps well. I guess I better get on it already :satan
 
While you were with M, did you ever hear of any talk of an Eric Johnson signature Plexi?
 
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