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Author Topic:  DV Mark 50 watt amp- gig report
Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 1 May 2018 12:48 am    
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SEE THE UPDATE IN COMMENTS BELOW

https://www.guitarcenter.com/DV-Mark/Micro-50-II-50W-Guitar-Amp-Head-1500000046367.gc

While I have no experience with these amps at all this one got my attention, especially the reviews and the demo's. I'm literally not easy to impress but this one gets the nod.

I'm always looking for a double duty "something or other" amp.

50 watts, channel switching, two sets of EQ ,( clean side and drive side ) on board reverb, headphones out, two speaker outs, AUX in ( for CD/MP3 player) , effects loop and 4 pounds.

These are solid state amps and a sister company to the MARK Bass products. Typically I am not a SS amp guy for the Telecaster but certainly for the Steel.

GC is currently running a sale on them ($249) so I took a chance.I plan to run it with 2 / 1x12 cabs, one on each side of the stage.

we'll see, but it sure offers all of the features that are important to me . Hopefully 50 watts is enough for the target gig I have in mind.

I will report back.

t



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Last edited by Tony Prior on 11 May 2018 1:58 am; edited 4 times in total
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 1 May 2018 2:17 am    
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I hope its better than their solid state bass amps. I tried one a couple years ago and my impression was it was "sterile". I returned it to M/F.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 1 May 2018 6:29 am    
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I hear ya Jack, there are a few pretty savvy players around here using the MarkBass amps, they sound pretty dang good ! Who can say... Regarding the 50 watter, consider it a temporary loan from GC until it goes thru it's paces. It has great reviews so who knows

t
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 1 May 2018 7:02 am    
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Tony, I was looking for a steel amp. Many bass amps make good steel amps. Sadly, the one I tried didn't.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 2 May 2018 12:59 pm    
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Amp arrived today, I've been fooling with it for just a brief time.

WOW !!! is all I can come up with at this point . And I am not a WOW person, my WOW factor is very low ....

The clean side, for Steel, plenty of power for a small to medium gig, clean all the way up. Tons of EQ , more than needed , Lo end , mids and high end. The mid scoop is excellent . Dial it in or dial it out.

Reverb on both the clean and drive channels. Digital reverb, not bad, actually pretty darn good !

The Drive side, very little or really out there ! Drive, Bass, High, level ( Master) plus each of the Clean channel controls interact , thats a nice feature. Excellent flexibility.

4 pounds and very "usable" for double duty. I'm currently running it thru a 1 x 12 cab with a Fender Gold Label Emmi speaker which tend to lean bright. No issues, no issue getting a very strong bottom end or ridiculous high end.

I kinda expected that the amp would be reasonable for the Steel, it's more than reasonable and for the Telecaster, I am more than OK with it. Thats the deal maker for me right there.

I checked the phones out briefly and this can seriously be used for direct recording , quiet and clean. The AUX in is for an MP3 or CD player.

I'll post some sound clips maybe tomorrow.

It's a keeper. The reviews and U Tube demo's were spot on for this little bugger. It's going to the gig next week, it will perform.

How long will it last ? Now thats a totally different story.



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Last edited by Tony Prior on 3 May 2018 12:54 am; edited 5 times in total
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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 2 May 2018 1:18 pm    
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I see just one 1/4" input so will you put your steel and Tele into an ABY box and then put the output of that into the one input of the amp?

Is there a foot pedal to switch channels?
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 2 May 2018 2:15 pm    
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Yes Jim, an AB Box up front and indeed it has a foot switch jack on the rear panel for the channel switching.

I'm using a Morley AB box now with my other amps ( Fender/Carvin) which only have a single input. These are actually single channel amps with a channel switch which is very common these days. The legitimate Dual Channel amps left the building with Leo !
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Larry Dering


From:
Missouri, USA
Post  Posted 3 May 2018 5:16 am    
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Tony, sounds like a great choice. Waiting to hear how it performed live with both instruments. Nice lightweight option.
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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 4 May 2018 7:52 am    
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I like the idea of buying through GC,,,,gives 45 days to test drive. IMO the only way to buy an "unknown" amp.
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robert kramer

 

From:
Nashville TN
Post  Posted 4 May 2018 9:20 am    
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Thanks Tony - Also looking forward to your reports with a steel. There is also this - which should also work if the Micro 50 sounds good.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/dv-mark-little-gh-250-greg-howe-signature-250w-guitar-amp-head
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 5 May 2018 12:20 am    
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Robert, you are correct, if the 50 is indeed short of power the GH 250 model will certainly fill the role ! even at $399 it would be a deal.

Perhaps they are thinking of an intermediate model as well, like 100 watts.

Next week will be interesting, small room, Steel and Guitar thru 2 x 1 x 12 cabs split across the stage. I bought this 50 watt amp specifically for this gig which is twice a month on going. Been doing it now for 3 years !

We'll see...
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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 5 May 2018 4:03 am    
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Tony, did you consider the small,. 2-channel Quilter heads too before deciding on the DV?
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Skip Ellis


From:
Bradenton, Fl USA
Post  Posted 5 May 2018 12:52 pm    
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I've got the DV Mark Micro 50 Jazz head (single channel) and love it! The reverb could be a little better but it has an effects loop so you can plug in whatever you want. Been using it with all sorts of cabinets (8,10,12,15) and it works great with all of them. Way better than the Quilter (tried twice and sent back both times) and it's right up there with my MB200.
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Last edited by Skip Ellis on 9 May 2018 5:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 6 May 2018 12:29 am    
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Jim Cohen wrote:
Tony, did you consider the small,. 2-channel Quilter heads too before deciding on the DV?


Jim, no I didn't. I suspect the Quilter products are somewhat similar in nature but I was more drawn to the way DV does the EQ's and drive with their amps. When in the DRIVE channel both sets of EQ's function as well as both level controls. It reminds me of the Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive which I use in my pedal rack. Very flexible .

I have not played with a Quilter . As stated, the interactive EQ on both channels was the factor for me, as well as the on line demo's and reviews.

When I took it out of the box first thing I did was play guitar thru it for a bit, checking out the bottom end, mid range scoop and hi end. Then on to the drive of which I use just a tad. Thats where my initial WOW factor came from, I was very impressed. Still am .

What I use for gig duty is an amp that can satisfy two worlds, with good EQ's , a reasonable bottom end and reverb. The Telecaster world has to be satisfied or it's no deal. I'm not as anal as others may be with regard to the Steel, if an amp can deliver good headroom at the appropriate gig level I can generally dial in an acceptable tone. I gig with an 81 Push Pull, it sounds the same to me all the time, very consistent.

I have been using one of my tube amps, the 40 watt Blues Deluxe or the 50 watt Carvin Nomad with an AB box on the front end. They both perform just fine, maybe a tad short on the bottom end for the Steel, but very do-able.

I wasn't even looking at the DV until the email came across last week from GC. So curiosity got me to look at it. Plus the sale price of $249 , free shipping and no hassle return got my attention . 4 pounds was also something that made me look more than once.

I also own an MB200 which I like OK for Steel but not at all for guitars. I use it for BASS only gigs and carry it in my gig bag to all gigs as a spare amp. Skip above compares the DV to the MB200, thats quite an endorsement !

These days, if company's like GC, MF and Sweetwater are willing to let me BORROW an item for 30 or 45 days , well then thats what I am gonna do !

So far so good, I am thinking the 50 watts will cover my regular duty gig, but I won't know until next week. As far as tones and feature set, it fits my needs perfectly.

Remember though , if you are considering this amp, there is the early version micro 50 and the recent version micro 50 II , which has some enhanced EQ or something like that as well as the effects loop. The one I have is the "II" version.

Who knows, maybe I'll keep using one of the tube amps and carry the DV as the spare amp.

there are no rules !

Smile
_________________
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Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website


Last edited by Tony Prior on 7 May 2018 12:25 am; edited 1 time in total
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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 6 May 2018 3:51 am    
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Thanks, Tony.
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David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 8 May 2018 2:52 pm    
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I was looking for a good music room low powered amp when I read this thread and figured that at $249 with the return policy, it was worth a shot. I got the amp today, and I've got to say it's nice. It's dead quiet, so it will be good for recording. I still have to turn it pretty low for music room volume--I think it would be more than ample for most of the venues that I ever play (small). The EQ is good, the reverb isn't at all bad (my freestanding spring reverb in the effects loop is better). The "drive" channel is not bad for lap steel, but the clean channel is very nice all around for E9 or C6 pedal and 6 string too.

All in all, I give it a big thumbs up. Especially for the price. Small, plenty powerful for my needs, good clean tone, quiet.

Dave
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David Gertschen

 

From:
Phoenix, Arizona
Post  Posted 9 May 2018 11:07 am    
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Tony, the GC link you posted mentions an XLR line out on the amp, but I don't see one in the pics? Then again, I am easily confused, lol...
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Dave Mudgett


From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
Post  Posted 9 May 2018 12:02 pm    
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There is an XLR on the original version of this amp, but not version II. The original version has XLR out but no effects loop. Version II trades off the XLR out for an effects loop.

Original: http://www.dvmark.it/product-detail/dv-micro-50/

Version II: http://www.dvmark.it/product-detail/dv-micro-50-ii/

I went ahead and ordered the DV Mark Micro 50 CMT Ciro Manna Signature 50W Guitar Amp Head. It has a 6205 micro tube in the preamp. This is one of those subminiature tubes similar to those used in the Duncan Twin Tube Classic/Blue overdrive pedals, which I like a lot. Probably 2-3 weeks before I get it, they're on backorder right now.

The CMT is $50 more - cheap enough if it warms up the overdrive tone. Ciro Manna is an Italian guitar player of some note. He has a bunch of demos of various versions of these amps. The clean sounds all sounded pretty similar, but I liked the demos he did with the CMT best, especially overdriven. But he'd probably sound good through most anything. This is the main demo for the CMT - https://youtu.be/WU1zMgi5Auo

Like Tony, I need the guitar to sound good too, and this might be a nice choice for grab-and-go small gigs or even recording sessions. Or as an emergency spare for the gig bag when traveling.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 11 May 2018 2:02 am    
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gig report

Well I took it out to the gig last night ,it performed as well or better than expected. It's a low to moderate volume gig, small room . The 50 watt rating is way beyond what I required , Very clean, tons of EQ . I used the clean side for the Emmons P Pull, dialed in a tone I was very happy with, very pleasing with an excellent amount of mid range +/-. Kinda reminds me of the N112 and N400 without the mid range nuances or rather annoyances ! For the Telecaster I used the drive side , I was expecting it to be a much different than the Blues Deluxe or Carvin Nomad that I typically use. Well, no. Dialing in what I felt was a good tone and level was pretty easy. I did spend a good deal of time PRE gig with the amp so I did have a reference.

This 50 watt head is not like a typical SS amp where we wonder where the 50 watts is. It performs more like a 50 watt tube amp with regard to gain, it can easily compete with my 40 and 50 watt tube amps.

What I really like about this amp is the interactive EQ's used for the two channels. When using the drive side the starting point is the clean side EQ and levels. Add a tad of DRIVE , adjust the HI and Lo and overall output level on the drive channel and it was quite easy to dial in my sound. No it's not like a driven Fender amp but with the ability to limit the amount of overall drive (0 to full bore) it's quite flexible.


Keep in mind that this is a solid state amp and does not respond like a tube amp pushing the V-knob, but this little bugger is tons better than any other SS amp I have tried on gigs previously. Being Telecaster anal I can use this amp with satisfaction.

In the photo it's sitting on top of the Carvin 50 watter but I'm only using the speaker which is an EMMI Fender Gold Label 12 . These speakers tend to lean bright overall but can handle a good amount of power without breakup. Next gig I'll just use a 1x12 cab, no need to bring out the Carvin or Blues Deluxe for backup. I used an AB box on the front end and I did use a foot switch for the drive/clean on off. When I use the Carvin or Blues Deluxe, they are great for the Telecaster but short on bottom end for the Steel. Also the drive channels for both amps are a tad lacking.

Nice amp, glad I have it. 4 pounds with excellent performance for both the Steel and the Telecaster.

This is the DV Micro 50 II , no it does not have an XLR output and I don't much care !






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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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robert kramer

 

From:
Nashville TN
Post  Posted 11 May 2018 8:29 am    
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Tony - Thanks very much for report. Very helpful in my search for an "ultra-portable" set-up.
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Jerry Gleason


From:
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 12 May 2018 3:26 am    
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Has anyone tried the DV Mark "Little Jazz" combo amp, specifically for non-pedal steel? It's basically the Micro 50 jazz head in a tiny 1x8 combo cabinet. I'm interested in it for lap steel. I like that it has XLR line out, and can power an extension cabinet. Jazz guitarists seem to dig it, but I've never heard one.

http://www.dvmark.it/product-detail/dv-little-jazz/
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 12 May 2018 8:23 am    
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Oh Well sorry
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Last edited by Richard Sinkler on 13 May 2018 12:42 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 13 May 2018 9:04 am    
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Lets clarify here... The DV Mark Micro 50 , which is what I am talking about here is not a MarkBass amp, it's a guitar amp. EQ'd for guitars. It's a totally different beast from Italian amp designer Marco De Virgiliis It's not a BASS amp. It's a guitar amp.

OK ?

Years back I had what was deemed a very robust and excellent sounding Bass rig, a 350 watt Hartke thru a 4 x 10 cab. It rocked with the Jazz Bass. But it was the absolute worst Steel guitar amp on the plant but clearly thats not what it was intended for either.
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CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website


Last edited by Tony Prior on 14 May 2018 12:21 am; edited 2 times in total
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John Sluszny

 

From:
Brussels, Belgium
Post  Posted 13 May 2018 10:25 am    
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Tony,any sound clip with your DV Mark Micro 50 ? Thanks !
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 13 May 2018 10:54 am    
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Skip Ellis wrote:
I've got the DV Mark Micro 50 Jazz head (single channel) and love it! The reverb could be a little better but it has an effects loop so you can plug in whatever you want. Been using it with all sorts of cabinets (8,10,12,15) and it works great with all of them. Way better than the Quilter (tried twice and sent back both times) and it's right up there with my MB200.

What differences do you hear between the DV Mark Micro 50 Jazz and the GK MB200, Skip?
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