DV Mark 50 watt amp- gig report

[Jim Cohen]

Wow. Interesting. I stand corrected.

[Len Amaral]

It is a bit confusing with all the bells & whistle between models. With the same power section on the 50 watt DV Mark amps, I was interested in the Jazz version especially if it could be used for steel.

[George Kimery]

I’m fascinated but confused. How can a 50 watt solid state amp possibly cut the mustard for pedal steel?

I have just about give up on relying on amp wattage. My Steelaire is 200 watts. My Katana set at 50 watts blows it away on volume. I just worked an outdoor festival and kicked it up to 100 watts. Didn't need it, so backed it down to 50. I know a 50 watt tube amp can be really loud, but my Katana is too. 100 watts on my Katana gives me maybe 20% more volume.

[Tony Prior]

loud is subjective. The difference between lower wattage amps and higher wattage amps is not necessarily VOLUME but the clean profile. How far up the dial can we go and maintain a NO saturated or distorted profile .

I believe the difference between the models is EQ voicing, just like many amps. The 50 watt Micro and Micro II are voiced for traditional tones is what I am understanding

Regarding this amp being rated 50 watts, comparing it to a Katana 50 watt is not in the cards, its not a combo, doesn't come with a speaker, cabinet and modeling. Its a head only. On many other forums the users of the 50 watt Katana are complaining that when pushed it does NOT perform and does not keep up. Which gets back to LOUD is subjective. They like the amp but wish it had more Umphhh if needed.

As a tube amp guy, I own many, 15, 40, 50 and 60 , this DV amp performs beyond what was expected, it can keep up.When you think it is out of gas, it's not , there's more. I also own a 200 watt (supposed) GK MB200, I like it, it has plenty of zing, but not MORE than the 50 watt DV. I also own and WAS a fan of the 90 watt Fender 1x12 Solid State Deluxe, it FAILS in comparison. Good to a point but runs out of steam .

I don't know what the DV people are doing but whatever it is they should keep it up. They are on to something. Is it the answer to all scenarios for all users ? Certainly not but it fits a window of users very well.

[George Kimery]

Tony, for the record, my Katana is the head only version paired with an Eminence PF-350 speaker cabinet.

[Tony Prior]

George, it's not a diss, but it's still a modeling amp, unrelated. It's clarity.

[John Sluszny]

Tony,any pedal steel guitar sound clips with your DV amp ? Thanks !

[George Redmon]

I have also been checking this little feller out. I sure hate to go back to a SS amp, but this one with all it's features may just be a game changer. And Tony, i have the same rule you do. It has to sound good with my Tele, my Les Paul, and my Carvin jazz box, as well as steel, or i don't want it.

[Tony Prior]

Tony,any pedal steel guitar sound clips with your DV amp ? Thanks !

I'll put a few together over the next few days.

thx

[George Macdonald]

Just wondering. Is the clean channel the same on both the Mark 50 ll and the Mark 50 jazz? By the way, it's actually 60 watts into a 4 ohm speaker.

[Tony Prior]

Comparing the DV Micro 50 to the Micro Jazz, to me it appears that they are probably the same but the JAZZ head doesn't not have the OD channel. They do refer to the Jazz series as having some sort of WARM TONE for jazz guys.

I bought the Micro 50 II on a whim from GC for $249. , I've used it on a few gigs now and it will most likely replace the 40 or 50 watt tube combo amp on my bimonthly shows. I just haven't used it enough yet to be 100% certain but it certainly delivers. No regrets, like I said above. It's not going back.

My take on this Micro 50 head for Jazzers is that it has enough warm clean tone to fill the bucket. The EQ profile , Lo, mids and Hi's, have more than enough sweep to cover pretty much any requirement.

And yes, 60 watts into 4 ohms , not that we would notice it.

[Tony Prior]

I’m fascinated but confused. How can a 50 watt solid state amp possibly cut the mustard for pedal steel?

well it probably can't on a big stage , traditionally we use amps that fit the room, no ? I had the same thought, 50 watts, especially Solid State which means it runs out of gas fast and turns into some sort of saturated sterile sounding entity which CLAIMS 50 watts.

All I can say is, not this one . I didn't make the purchase for this amp to be the one and only, it is specific, small room moderate volume 2x a month. I generally use a 40 or 50 watt tube amp, they do fine at 40 pounds each.

I grabbed this one not really knowing what to expect and was quite surprised, it holds up really strong with the 40 and 50 watt tube amps. More volume than required.

maybe its more than 50 watts and they rated it lower, who can say. I have a so called 90 watt fender SS amp, this little bugger blows it away @ 4 pounds.

[Doug Palmer]

Do you like it more than your nv112?

[Tony Prior]

Do you like it more than your nv112?

YES ! The mid range is much more controlled compared to the N112. This week I'm going to start using it on my bi-monthly gigs , with a 1x12 cabinet , for regular duty. The N112 is a nice amp I just can't find any 6 string guitar tones with it. Others can and do, I just can't.

I also started using the amp for daily practice using the MP3 input for play along tracks/songs. Then the option of phones or speaker is there if I am annoying the family !

Overall, it may not be the answer for all gigs but certainly it has it's niche .

[George Macdonald]

Tony, How does the tone, for pedal steel, [clean channel], compare to the MB200? Does one sound better then the other?

[Tony Prior]

George, I feel the tone that we can dial in is more than acceptable, as I stated above the EQ controls have a ton of flexibility either direction. Compared to the MB200 , which I carry as a spare amp, it's comparable. Remember though the MB200 is a BASS voiced front end while the DV is a Guitar amp. I could never use the MB200 for my E guitars while the DV Micro 50 is very acceptable. Thats the difference in the amps, for me. Obviously the MB200 claims 200 watts while the DV only claims 50, but as I stated above, it's a strong 50. I was not looking for a Steel amp, I'm always looking at amps that can serve both worlds . Truthfully, I wasn't even looking at this amp, it just came across my email from GC and sparked my interest.

Jim above used one on a show with Lucky Oceans, it appeared Lucky liked it and took ownership leaving Jim to go get another ! I think thats a pretty good endorsement.

[George Macdonald]

Thanks Tony, Yes that is a good endorsement. I think I'm going to take the plunge.

[b0b]

I'm thinking of getting the Little Jazz for small rooms and jams. Is there enough bass out of that 8" speaker to handle a low D, just below guitar range? (I tune to D6th.)

[George Kimery]

I am on the notify when available list at MF for the DV Mark 250. Supposed to be availab!e to ship July 16, but you know how that goes. It looks like it will fit in my gig bag as a back-up amp. Sounds awfully good on the guitar reviews.

[John Sluszny]

Sound clips ? Thanks !

[Tony Prior]

Sound clips ? Thanks !

Sound clips only represent what we feel is the right tone setup and with which speaker. It can easily be subjective. I'll be on my way out the door to my afternoon gig in just a bit , I'll record the whole gig, see what comes out of it !

If I play in tune I'll post something. If not, well, "not".

[Tony Prior]

I'm thinking of getting the Little Jazz for small rooms and jams. Is there enough bass out of that 8" speaker to handle a low D, just below guitar range? (I tune to D6th.)

bob , I can't answer that but if you grab the head and a 1x12 cab I think you will be well pleased. I would ask the same question with a single 8. But heck, we may be quite surprised.

[George Macdonald]

Just changed my MF order from the Jazz head to the Micro 50 ll head with the second channel. I may not use the "drive" channel very often but the two heads are the same price, so why not have all the bells and whistles. I think the clean channel on the two heads are probably the same. The DV Micro heads are on sale right now from MF at a really good price but they won't ship till mid July. 60 watts into a 4 ohm speaker will be plenty of power for pedal steel at home, and probably enough for at Church. I also have an MB200 if more power is needed, although their claim of 200 watts may be a bit overstated. My Boss Katana 50 on the 25 watt setting is more then enough for my lap steels

[Tony Prior]

I'm seeking another, the 50w in a combo 1 x 12 cabinet . They sell new for $429. At some point a used one will show up for much less. ( yes GC has one now)

I'm sold on these amps for light to medium duty with portability for both Guitar and Steel. 19 pounds , neo speaker . It may not be the perfect solution but it's way in front of many other small amps for double duty where excessive output power is not required. The tones are there, it may take a few minutes to dial them in but they
are there and CLEAN.

The current 50W head that I own will remain as a spare amp in the gig bag.

I do see one or two of my other amps being sold at some point down the road. I'll be breaking up the family .

Nashville 400 anyone ?



https://www.guitarcenter.com/DV-Mark/Gu ... ductDetail

[Paul Honeycutt]

I'm trying to find the Guitar Friend II in the US. MF and GC have the original, but I need the effects loop that the II has. It's basically the Micro 50 in a 1 x 12 cab with a neo speaker of their own design.

A friend has the Frank Gambale signature model for guitar. It has more power and a larger cabinet. Some of you guys might be interested in it for PSG.