My wish list for future ED amps!

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MBJunkie

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This is kind of a follow up to my post, "Who is using their ED for rehearsals/gigging", but I thought it appropriate to start a new thread asking for feedback from all ED owners!

There are really only 2 additional features that I would like to see incorporated in the ED design that would allow much greater flexibility without changing the basic concept of the original design...."Keep it simple, while sounding great"!

1). Offer a 10W setting along with the 45 and 90W settings. I am not saying that it has to be Class A Single Ended (as is the MkV in 10W mode). Let's face it, many ED users have mentioned how loud the ED is with the master volume set at 9 o'clock even when set to 45W. IMO, the current design makes the amp inherently difficult to balance the clean mode with the lo/hi gain modes....even with the gain trim toggle switch and clean volume level knob provided on the back. Clearly, without these features....the whole concept of 3 great footswitchable and balanced sounds (clean, lo gain and hi gain sounds) while playing live would not have been possible. I feel if MB also offered a 10W mode with the ED, it would allow many other people to obtain great footswitchable sounds at lower volumes....whether practicing at home or playing live.

2). Provide the solo boost feature that is offered on many other MB amplifiers. This feature alone would allow much greater mode volume balance on the fly....even without a 10W option as mentioned above. During live performances, there are times I want to "step out" with my clean sound or lo gain or hi gain sounds for that matter. While it is true, one can certainly add a boost pedal in front of the amp, but it would be nice to have this excellent feature offered on many other MB amps. Many guitar players (including myself) will always experiment with boost pedals for different sounds, but I feel the solo boost would be a very useful feature in a future ED amp design to greatly add to its gigging versatility without much fuss.

I am interested in other thoughts from ED owners! :D
 
Great ideas! I'd like to see a three button foot switch instead of the current two button one. I don't know how many times I went from the clean channel to the Red or Blue Channel only to find I was not in the channel I wanted to be in. It would be nice not to have to remember...okay, I'm in Blue right now, then Clean for the bridge part, then I need to go to Red for the lead so I need to hit the Hi/Lo switch before I get to the Red so I'm actually on the Red channel when I need it....
 
Another excellent point Hi Gain Junkie! While they are at it....let's add a 4th button "Solo Boost"! :lol:

Thanks for the response.
 
In theory, these are all great ideas. In reality, it would require a special footswitch cable, and that is going *** backwards from the Electra-Dyne simplistic concept. The OCD pedal should be sold as an ED option from Boogie, though. :shock:
 
Hilarious Joey B! And yes, I too agree that the OCD should be "optional equipment" provided by MB. Without question, it really enhances the great tones already available with the ED!

Conversly, I don't think that either my suggestions of High Gain's suggestions are asking for an overhaul of the already good ED design. Being offered a 10W setting (for all modes) just as the existing design offers 45 or 90W doesn't seem to me that it would be that big of a deal. Also, the Solo Boost feature offered by several other MB amps is all about being able to boost the master volume setting via footswitch (as I am sure you know).

In my mind, neither of these suggestions, nor High Gain's suggestion to add another footswitch for dedicated control of all 3 modes would require a significant "redesign" by MB. Sure, a new footswitch, cable and another pot on the amp for the solo boost would be required, but none of the genious preamp volume, tone control, presence settings to accomodate the fantastic sounds out of all 3 modes using the same controls would need to be changed. The simplicity of the amp would still be there. The versatility of the amp would be greatly improved IMO.

All this being said, I am not an amp designer....so the complexity of my suggestions may be greater than I perceive! :shock:

Just curious as to why you think these suggestions would significantly change the simplistic approach of this amp? It my be a PITA for MB, but for the user it wouldn't complex things in my mind.
 
A clean boost in the effects loop will give you the desired solo function. A pentode/triode switch for the outer pair of power tubes would give you a lower wattage and a softer attack without getting into the single ended 10W complexity. The footswitch can be a little bit annoying, but at least it uses a readily available TRS cable, unlike the Mark V.
 
A clean boost in the effects loop will give you the desired solo function

I recently purchased a Craeation Audio Labs MK 4.23- it is easily the best in the business for this...but lack of a solo switch is still the biggest oversight in this amps design IMHO

My ED wishlist would be:

1) Solo switch
2) Reverb to be selectable for "clean" only instead of with Low or High...or as part of a STOCK footswitchable design without after market switches (although Payne makes one with LED fairly inexpensively...)
3) I also think that if you are cool enough to get an ED, it should come in your choice of custom coverings/colors....(yeah, I know, wont happen without the scratch $$$)
 
+1 Laskyman, the lack of the solo boost function is the biggest oversight with the ED for me.

Having the option to just have reverb on in the clean mode is another good idea Laskyman. Personally, I run my amp with the reverb in hard bypass, but would probably engage it (at a low level) in the clean mode if that were an option. Hey, it would be nice to offer the reverb footswitchable in all 3 modes with the standard footswitch pedal.....as most MB amps offer this option.

JOEY B., while I do agree that some of these ideas may not be easy for MB to offer with the ED.....the basic concept of simplicity by MB on this amp design was for the player not the designer IMO. After all, being able to achieve an excellent clean, lo gain and high gain sound with common tone controls was certainly not an easy thing to achieve by MB in their design.

However, I still think my idea of offering a lower watt setting (say 10W or 20W for that matter) is a good one. Once again, I am not saying the lower watt setting needs to be Class A Single Ended. That probably would be a major undertaking given the current design.

BTW...the Lonestar used to only offer 90W and 45W modes in the channels......now it also offers 10W and I believe it is Class A single ended! Personally, I probably would have liked my LSC a lot better if the version I owned had the 10W setting.

Laskyman, I am sure MB would custom make an ED amp to your heart's content if you are willing to shell out more cash! :lol:
 
I think they should take the Vintage Lo/Hi "section" and make it into it's OWN CHANNEL....resulting in a two channel monster that is much easier to dial in...as I hate trying to get the Trim switch dialed in so the outputs are balanced. That is a pain in the *** at gigs as the trim changes with volume and every gig is different. At home this is not an issue as I dont play around with the volume much, but on the road at gigs it IS! I HATE trying to play during a set and once I get my Clean volume set I have to reach around (thats what SHE SAID) and get the trim balanced.
 
I think the reverb should be switchable included in the mode footswitch (button for both blue as well as red/ and reverb and clean)4 total… Solo boost would be cool but not really needed as I already use a pedal for that. Unless it was a second high gain channel(but again not really needed but would be cool… I think the trim as well as the reverb controls should be on the front of the amp instead of the rear for on the fly adjustments while gigging…….I love the idea of a 10watt switchable as well as the 45 / 90…. The 10 watt was the big selling point for me on the MarkV…that was until I tried out a Dyne and loved the sound a metric ton more..10 watts would be great for home/ practice and recording option…other than that I love the simplicity of the amp and the great range of sounds with-in it…

Bill
 
MBJunkie said:
...IMO, the current design makes the amp inherently difficult to balance the clean mode with the lo/hi gain modes....even with the gain trim toggle switch and clean volume level knob provided on the back...

Really? I don't find it hard at all to balance the volume of the clean mode with the two distortion modes. You do have to change the level of the clean mode when you go from bedroom to stage volumes, but once it's set, it's good. At least, that's what I think?

I agree about the footswitchable volume boost, although my MXR 10-band EQ works perfectly for that in the effects loop. I wouldn't mind the extra pedalboard real estate I'd get by not needing to use that pedal, though.
 
1) Separate Clean and Gain Channels
2) 10 Watt option
3) Solo boost with effects loop more like the current LoneStar

....but otherwise I am very happy with my ED combo!
 
I've some thoughts on changes, too, but:

How many of you think Mesa already has another version of the ED in the works?
 
Just pure conjecture, but I would guess that they may incorporate the gain channels into other amps. The simplicity of the ED is something they may not want to change.
 
I might be in the minority here, but it totaly works for me.
Wouldn't change a thing.
 
Great comments guys!

Birdy, I don't think you are alone....I am sure many ED owners are very happy with the amp as it is designed.

Personally, I love playing this amp and switching between modes while playing at home. It is not my preferred gigging amp for reasons mentioned above, but that is not to say that I don't love the great sounds I can get out of it!

Just to clarify a comment I made that was responded to by Sgthump (I think?). Yes, I am able to balance the clean mode with the hi/lo gain modes reasonably well using the trim toggle and clean level knob in the back of the amp while practicing and playing live. However, during live performances, I typically adjust channel volume levels and sometimes even the master volume level to suit my needs for particular songs. (i.e. louder clean sound compared to mid gain and / or hi gain sounds, or vice versa, for example). I find this to be very easy to do with 3 channel amps that have dedicated volume controls, but challenging with the ED.

I find that a slight increase in the master volume does usually require that I fiddle with the clean level knob in the back for the balance I am after in all 3 modes. I do feel that an added "Solo Boost" feature in the ED would minimize my need to tweak the clean level knob and would provide greater flexibility while playing this amp live. This is just my opinion.

I am happy for those that are digging the ED for your gigging needs! :D
 
The 10 watt option would be absolutely incredible.

My other beef is that I would like independent settings for each channel or at least separate volume and master pots for each channel. I know this goes against the design philosophy but I prefer the flexibility of being able to dial in tones independently on each channel. Oh, also props on the solo boost!
 
Gotcha Yellowjacket. It is good to know there are a few of us that would prefer some improvements to the ED. For those that are happy with the ED as is.....I am very happy for you as well!
 
Foot switchable reverb is all I want. It doesn’t even have to be channel specific though that would be a bigger plus.

As this is a wish list….. I notice the amp sounds darker with the reverb disengaged most notably on the Vintage Low mode and at low volumes (1x12 combo). This bugs me as I don’t think turning reverb on should make an amp sounds brighter. Does anyone else experience this?

Yes I know I could just use a reverb pedal but the ED reverb sounds so good.
 
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