I finally had an opportunity to demo a Trans Atlantic head and I have to say I was most impressed! There are a lot of really great tones in this little amp! I just can't understand why they didn't include an effects loop, especially at this price point. I still think the price would be a little steep for what it is even with a loop but without one it's a no-go for me. Drop the price to $550 and I just might grab one and install an Iron Sounds effects loop (assuming there's room in the chassis). I've no interest without a loop however. Bummer.
The Trans Atlantic is one effects loop away from awesome...
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94Tremoverb
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I'm sure Mesa would have fitted a loop if it was possible, which it isn't with the circuit design they chose. (Or at least not to make it work properly.) But it's funny, I used to think an FX loop was absolutely essential until I started doing small gigs with my V-Twin pedal into any borrowed amp or the PA. I even modded the V-Twin for a loop (unsuccessfully, it caused a noise issue), but eventually I worked out how to use it with all the FX up front. It does need some compromises in settings but in the end I'm not sure I don't actually prefer it... I often run my effects in front with my Tremoverb now too. It's probably not going to work if you're running as much gain as you can get on the amp though.
I was very interested in the Transatlantic too, but the deal-breaker for me is that they want $1,500 for it in the UK :shock:.
I was very interested in the Transatlantic too, but the deal-breaker for me is that they want $1,500 for it in the UK :shock:.
Triple Cheeseburger
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94Tremoverb said:
$2000 in aus
allphourus
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I've had my TA15 since June, so I've lived with it for a little while. I know that different styles of music require different Styles of amplification. So if that's what your after, so be it, this is not the amp for you. No argument there, not from me, to each his own.
The most sought after amp I know of, The holy grail of amps, The 59 Bassman four ten didn't have an effects loop or reverb for that matter, I guess you would pass on one of those also.
This amp is a real tone goldmine. I love it just as it is for what it is, works just fine in the right place, for the right thing. I don't want it to be something it's not, If that's what I need I'll use whats needed for the job at hand. ( Note from my list at bottom that I have A variety of tools to choose from for the job at hand )
There is a way around the lack of a loop. About 15/20 years ago I became dissatisfied with the stuff in my loop sucking all my tone. I tried every thing Compression, BBE sonic maximizer, Aphex Aural Exciters, External custom made switching systems,series and parallel loops. Never was satisfied. I evolved into a three amp system , first Amp dry no effects, Second two amps stereo effects feed from either preamp out from main amp or speaker in direct box line level out (With or with out mixer ), Some even use Mic in front of first amp into mixer, add effect with mixer then to stereo amp, as complicated as or as simple as you want. never suffered for tone again.
Currently my signal chain is Guitar to amp (some times with Compressor and/or Fulltone Fat-Boost first), amp to speaker cab of your choice ( Two 12 Fender Vibro-King Extension Cab or four ten cab ) with Weber MiniMas in speaker line, direct line level out of Minimas to Limiter, Rocktron Intellifex , BBE Sonic Maximizer, Boogie 20/20, to either two 12" gauses in bag end cabs or to a four ten cab with two speakers attached to the TA 15 and one each to left and right outs from the 20/20. Pure Sonic Heaven.
The most sought after amp I know of, The holy grail of amps, The 59 Bassman four ten didn't have an effects loop or reverb for that matter, I guess you would pass on one of those also.
This amp is a real tone goldmine. I love it just as it is for what it is, works just fine in the right place, for the right thing. I don't want it to be something it's not, If that's what I need I'll use whats needed for the job at hand. ( Note from my list at bottom that I have A variety of tools to choose from for the job at hand )
There is a way around the lack of a loop. About 15/20 years ago I became dissatisfied with the stuff in my loop sucking all my tone. I tried every thing Compression, BBE sonic maximizer, Aphex Aural Exciters, External custom made switching systems,series and parallel loops. Never was satisfied. I evolved into a three amp system , first Amp dry no effects, Second two amps stereo effects feed from either preamp out from main amp or speaker in direct box line level out (With or with out mixer ), Some even use Mic in front of first amp into mixer, add effect with mixer then to stereo amp, as complicated as or as simple as you want. never suffered for tone again.
Currently my signal chain is Guitar to amp (some times with Compressor and/or Fulltone Fat-Boost first), amp to speaker cab of your choice ( Two 12 Fender Vibro-King Extension Cab or four ten cab ) with Weber MiniMas in speaker line, direct line level out of Minimas to Limiter, Rocktron Intellifex , BBE Sonic Maximizer, Boogie 20/20, to either two 12" gauses in bag end cabs or to a four ten cab with two speakers attached to the TA 15 and one each to left and right outs from the 20/20. Pure Sonic Heaven.
I wonder, if there becomes a strong enough demand for the TA to have an effects loop, Mesa might just incorporate one to it's design. Just like any other business model, filling in that demand within design constraints has always been an advantage for musicians in general in order to contribute to the bottom line. We'll see what happens, or Mesa might just stick to their guns and let the TA be what it is for what it is.
Sebber
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I bought the TA-15 Transatlantic head with two 1x12 Lonestar (black) cabs yesterday and I've got to say I'm utterly blown away by it: what an amazing, astonishing piece of kit! Ease of use and a multitude of fabulous tones available at my fingertips, and MUCH easier to lug around compared to the Lonestar Special 2x12 combo that's been my main squeeze for over 2 years (VOX AC30 2x12 combo before that, Marshall TSL 122 2x12 combo before the VOX... I've had some heavy amps in my time).
So I gave the TA-15 a proper run through its paces last night at band practice and I've got to say this thing is worth every penny I paid for it. No 'verb? No loop? No worries for me. I'm not a huge reverb user myself, although I do like a little to warm up a dry signal so I'm now looking at a Neunaber WET Reverb for that. I also tend to keep my amps relatively clean: one channel crystal clean the other just on the verge of break-up, then add overdrive or distortion from my pedal board, so I'm not to worried about reverb in the signal chain between guitar and amp muddying up a higher gain preamp settings.
I'll be gigging it tomorrow afternoon (without reverb but with a little echo) and I can't wait.
So I gave the TA-15 a proper run through its paces last night at band practice and I've got to say this thing is worth every penny I paid for it. No 'verb? No loop? No worries for me. I'm not a huge reverb user myself, although I do like a little to warm up a dry signal so I'm now looking at a Neunaber WET Reverb for that. I also tend to keep my amps relatively clean: one channel crystal clean the other just on the verge of break-up, then add overdrive or distortion from my pedal board, so I'm not to worried about reverb in the signal chain between guitar and amp muddying up a higher gain preamp settings.
I'll be gigging it tomorrow afternoon (without reverb but with a little echo) and I can't wait.
Hi Sebber,
I bought a Transatlantic two days ago, and I agreee with everything you said
To me, for an amp like this, the effect loop isn't so necessary....and about the reverb, you can always add one later if you want.....personally I set the first channel clean, and add on the top of that and overdrive/booster to make a fat vintage lead sound and a delay at the end of the effect chain....the second channel is set crunch for rythm parts, and it needs no reverb or delay, so its' fine
a question: did you noticed a "pop" sound when you switch from chanell two to channel one?
I opened a post yesterday about this issue.
Thank you very much
Bye
I bought a Transatlantic two days ago, and I agreee with everything you said
To me, for an amp like this, the effect loop isn't so necessary....and about the reverb, you can always add one later if you want.....personally I set the first channel clean, and add on the top of that and overdrive/booster to make a fat vintage lead sound and a delay at the end of the effect chain....the second channel is set crunch for rythm parts, and it needs no reverb or delay, so its' fine
a question: did you noticed a "pop" sound when you switch from chanell two to channel one?
I opened a post yesterday about this issue.
Thank you very much
Bye
Sebber
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Hi Tommo, I've not noticed the "pop" when channel switching as yet but I did read in the manual that it only happens when switching from one channel that's at either 15 or 25 watts to a channel set to 5W, it says something about the "radical voltage changes" between the different output levels. Like my Lonestar I've typically been setting both channels to the same output wattage so I can't say I've come across the phenomenon.
Don
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I gig with an Express 5:50 and a tweed Deluxe clone depending on the situation. When I use the Express I use the effects loop. When I use the tweed Deluxe, everything goes in front. The audience (and even the band) can't tell the difference.
I don't "need" an effects loop (though it's a nice feature to have).
Maybe because I don't use a huge amount of gain?
I don't "need" an effects loop (though it's a nice feature to have).
Maybe because I don't use a huge amount of gain?
Sebber
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Yeah, in over fifteen or so years of having amps with effects loops, I have to admit I've never actually used them aside from very rarely, and even then, never in a band or gigging situation. All these amps had built in spring reverb though, but I use reverb sparingly anyway: the reverb on my Lonestar sounds absolutely gorgeous when set high in the mix, but when playing with the band I set it extremely low, you can barely detect it with the naked ear.
94Tremoverb
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The more amp gain you use, the more necessary an effects loop becomes. The less you use, the less different it is from running all the effects in front.
Effects loops work best on amps which get all or most of their distortion from the preamp; less well when the power section is distorting as well, and are more or less useless when all the distortion is coming from the power stage (phase inverter and power tubes), because then all the distortion is after the effects, so it's basically the same as running them in front of the amp. (A loop can even be counterproductive in this case because of the need to lower the signal level then re-amplify it, so you can end up with more noise.)
Since the Transatlantic falls into the third category, and probably into the second in the higher -gain settings - but never into the first - that's why it doesn't have a loop. Really, there is no point in thinking about modding it or whether Mesa will one day fit one, it just won't work with this type of circuit design.
Effects loops work best on amps which get all or most of their distortion from the preamp; less well when the power section is distorting as well, and are more or less useless when all the distortion is coming from the power stage (phase inverter and power tubes), because then all the distortion is after the effects, so it's basically the same as running them in front of the amp. (A loop can even be counterproductive in this case because of the need to lower the signal level then re-amplify it, so you can end up with more noise.)
Since the Transatlantic falls into the third category, and probably into the second in the higher -gain settings - but never into the first - that's why it doesn't have a loop. Really, there is no point in thinking about modding it or whether Mesa will one day fit one, it just won't work with this type of circuit design.
Well, I did worry about the lack of a loop before I finally got the TA but I don't even give it a thought now. I have so many great tones to play with and even think that if Mesa did incorporate a loop then the extra circuitry might detract from the pure tone - and I know which I would chose! I do need delays and verbs ahead of distortion sometimes - so use an OCD up front and it does the job nicely!
Also it's made me realise that I had got into the habit of leaving the verb on all the time and now i've discovered how much a completely dry tone cuts!
Also it's made me realise that I had got into the habit of leaving the verb on all the time and now i've discovered how much a completely dry tone cuts!
Hendog said:
Me 3
Edit 9/23: The more and more I listen to this little gem, the less concerned I am becoming about the lack of a loop or reverb. I am waiting for my local GC to get one in so I can get personal with it for 30 days....I feel the G.A.S. building up. :mrgreen:
tommo said:Hi Sebber,
I bought a Transatlantic two days ago, and I agreee with everything you said
To me, for an amp like this, the effect loop isn't so necessary....and about the reverb, you can always add one later if you want.....personally I set the first channel clean, and add on the top of that and overdrive/booster to make a fat vintage lead sound and a delay at the end of the effect chain....the second channel is set crunch for rythm parts, and it needs no reverb or delay, so its' fine
a question: did you noticed a "pop" sound when you switch from chanell two to channel one?
I opened a post yesterday about this issue.
Thank you very much
Bye
This is a very sensible approach. But for me, I would like not to get my drive/lead from a pedal with an amp of this form factor. For me the idea would have been to just add a small pedal (delay or chorus) for my leads. But I agree the crunch/rhythm does not need verb.
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