Well, I guess I'm gonna officially chime in here, NOT and expert by any means but, I was kinda in the same boat with the same questions and,
in a word...
YES.
It can be loud...
But, in a LOT more words... So far I have found it can also sound
GREAT at lower volumes...
I must say I'm looking for clean singing tones with a little hair... then hit with a pedal if needed.
I primarily play a Maz Jr and I've been working with the EZG for a bout a month now... and it took a while to find the sound "I" wanted out of it, especially playing with the band, but I have zero'd in on it and at the last practice I was LOVING it. Been wanting to use a Tele more and it works nicely.
The PRE vol is the key to dialing in the "
HAIR" / edge at any volume level...
The POST volume sets the overall volume level. These work really well and
seems simple...
BUT it's kinda like dialing in the Maz settings, some of the best settings are not the ones you would think would work... so close your eyes and use your ears, don't worry about traditional type settings or worry about where the dials are at, etc...
Just those two Pre / Post knobs can do so much and interact with each other that you really have to give it some time to figure out how they work together
at different volumes with "Your" set up, speakers, guitar and pedals... I'm still finding things out myself and probably will continue to.
It just takes a little time playing it (
preferably WITH your band) to find your own sweet spots with it and figure out how to dial it in.
Now it seems if you need the amp to give you more "
Breakup" than just some "
Hair" or edge,
it's gonna be a little loud even with the Pre up a lot and the Post down... so you may need to use an airbreak or use an OD pedal for more of a "breakup" at really low volumes... but this works well too and remember different speakers make a HUGE difference in lowering the overall volume.
so depends on how you're wanting to use it also,
I'm still having to work with getting my sound at different volume levels with out the airbreak, but it is possible... and fun getting there.
And working with it and giving it a little time has rewarded me with some fat, clean w/ hair tones that actually balances VERY well with the volume level of the Maz Jr, using both with single 12" speakers.
It sounds great with pedals... as good as both Maz amps in my opinion. I've been running the Flying Dragon Draconis a lot, along with the Luxury Drive and also the BB pre with wonderful results...
I was looking for a Z that would give me a different sound than the Maz / EL-84 I love so much, to combine a bigger bottle with that sound for a change up... but not be SO different that I couldn't find the sound I like out of it... Bingo.
After bugging EVERYONE about what I was looking for... the general consensus was the EZG was what I was looking for... and so far I believe it is. I still wouldn't mind a RT 66 and think that amp could have worked just as well, but I think so far the EZG was the perfect choice.
And with Shannon playing the Ghia and his KT 45 mainly... the Maz Jr and the EZG / Maz Sr is a good balance to what he's using. But if he brings out the Delta... I'm bringing out an RX.
Hope this helps some, sorry I wrote a novel... but I think it'd do what you're wanting. So far I've really found some great tones.
Jason