Bob Zaod
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,872
The 2203 JCM800 in MX5 is outstanding into the return (not power amp in) of my Katana MKII head. As someone who owned a real one for over 10 years I can say once I got all the gain staging right, Headrush got this model pretty damn spot on. I did have to add a lightly staged compressor at the beginning of the chain to give it a tiny bit of sag but it's a tremendous do it all amp block that cleans up perfectly and grinds at various degrees through the guitar volume knob travel.
It feels perfect too. Responds great to touch dynamics and the tone is spot on to the 2203 I had with a V30 loaded cab. I am running it into my V30 loaded 2x12 horizontal cab and it's kerrang city. This one amp alone in the MX5 makes it well worth the 500 bucks. I let the Katana do the reverb thing because I cant find one in the MX5 that pleases me. It's easily as good as any of the ones I tried in the FM3 and way better (to my ears and hands) than any Marshalls in the Helix LT.
I just wanted to sing it's praises because I know the Headrush stuff gets slagged on a lot and I understand most of the slagging, but this model in particular is truly awesome. It does make me want a full headrush unit so that I can properly set up all the delays and modulations I want in one patch BUT I am learning how to work with the MX5 so that I only need 3 patches for a gig. Now I gotta figure out how to get it on one of my boards with all the other stuff I use to run a gig for the cover band.
No I am still not trading my LT for a HR PB lol. Just leaving the LT at home for now once I get my everything board together.
It feels perfect too. Responds great to touch dynamics and the tone is spot on to the 2203 I had with a V30 loaded cab. I am running it into my V30 loaded 2x12 horizontal cab and it's kerrang city. This one amp alone in the MX5 makes it well worth the 500 bucks. I let the Katana do the reverb thing because I cant find one in the MX5 that pleases me. It's easily as good as any of the ones I tried in the FM3 and way better (to my ears and hands) than any Marshalls in the Helix LT.
I just wanted to sing it's praises because I know the Headrush stuff gets slagged on a lot and I understand most of the slagging, but this model in particular is truly awesome. It does make me want a full headrush unit so that I can properly set up all the delays and modulations I want in one patch BUT I am learning how to work with the MX5 so that I only need 3 patches for a gig. Now I gotta figure out how to get it on one of my boards with all the other stuff I use to run a gig for the cover band.
No I am still not trading my LT for a HR PB lol. Just leaving the LT at home for now once I get my everything board together.
