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Post by doctorice on Jul 9, 2014 4:41:02 GMT -7
Looks great, Phil. No doubt you'll have a most pleasant pause. But not too long, please. We need your review!
Recapping: Mike (jaguarguy) has a proto as does English John. Jake @ Humbucker has #1, Pete's got #2 and Phil has #3. Who'll get #4?
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Post by Frankie Starr on Jul 9, 2014 9:34:30 GMT -7
Ok, put the guitar down and the bEveRaGes And give us the Phil man review already !
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Post by English John on Jul 9, 2014 10:14:47 GMT -7
I think we might have #4
I'll check
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 10, 2014 5:10:20 GMT -7
Wow. I'm going to take my time with the review. It'll probably be shorter than my past ramblings. Or maybe this is the review...as in " 'nuff said". My first impression...the folks who said this is quite a departure from other Dr. Z amps were right on the money. I'm not sure if it's the cathode biased big bottles or the use of non-traditional (for Dr. Z amps) capacitors...but man this amp's different. I think as cool as my amp looks, I picked the wrong color scheme for such a sweet amp. The Gothic look would be better suited to the evil Mazerati GT. This is one SWEET amp. It should come with a kitten. Volume wise this might be the one of the most usable amps Dr. Z has ever made. I still don't own the "once in a lifetime tone" Z-Wreck because it's SO loud. I didn't take my SPL meter to this amp but it seems to clock in between the MAZ 18 and 38...right where the 30W rating indicates...but it's SO sweet that you never feel like it's loud or harsh. The SRZ, "original" RX, and RxES just can rip your head off if you let them but the Therapy with it's non-harsh high end is never ear-fatiguing. My 30W-ish 1998 lower-power supply filtered Route 66 is VERY similar to it in some respects. C'mon, Doc...don't you hear a similarity there? It's like two totally different amps that achieve a similar end...the 66 uses an EF86 front end into an ultralinear KT66 setup (with low filtering on the older models) and the Therapy uses cathode biased 6L6's, a cool input circuit, great caps and they both arrive with soft pretty top ends, very smooth transitions into overdrive, touch sensitivity and piano like clarity. It does also sort of remind me in some ways of the Z28 with JJ 6V6's installed (a very "6L6-ish" 6V6). I can see the Dumble comparison...it does NOT sound like a Dumble (the Therapy has less gain than the "average" Dumble) but it's got the sweet overdrive that Dumble gets with his local feedback capacitors and other tricks (see "Dr. Z pedal friendly post in the Lounge). Dumble-like singing gain is only a good booster pedal away though with this amp. Stock gain is enough for classic rock and blues as others have said...right up to Van Halen 1 gain levels (VH is NOT as distorted as some folks think) but you'll need a pedal to get up to metal. Jimi would have LOVED LOVED LOVED this amp. I'm not talking about his fuzzed out tones...I mean the sound he went after on "Castles Made of Sand", "Axis", etc. He clearly loved those round tones and this amp is killer for that. It's a percussive amp but not quite as hard-hitting as some of Doc's other amps (like a SS rectified KT, the 'Wreck, and the original Rx). It's still early on for me. I need to get time to run it through my five different Z cabs and with effects (can't wait to try the Ethos Overdrive with her). I guess my first opinion is that Doc has proven that he can keep surprising me even after 16 years of Z Addiction. I think this one's gonna be a huge hit when word gets out. He's built another one of those classic Z amps that feels like your partner- one you never feel like you're fighting to get what you want out of it. It's like a Golden Retriever...always willing to please and deliver exactly what you want. It does that while exploring new tonal territory for the Doc's amps. What a cool amp. Thanks to Doc for making this puppy and to Brent and Guitar Riot for the great service!
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Post by doctorice on Jul 10, 2014 6:01:16 GMT -7
Thoughtful review, as always, Phil. Much appreciated. Feel free to expound at greater length.
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Post by markT on Jul 10, 2014 6:06:30 GMT -7
Thanks Phil. That is what I wanted to finally hear! Much more in line with what DRZ, Brent & Jake, Brian & Chris @ Humbucker say about it. Do I need to have my kitten ready?? Love it.... .....waiting patently on mines arrival...
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Jul 10, 2014 6:26:11 GMT -7
What's with all the prerequisites to buy Z-amps nowadays—first it was "big boy pants" and now I gotta go adopt a kitten?!?
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 10, 2014 6:35:13 GMT -7
I also didn't mention the tone controls. They're some of the most "musical" or useful BMT controls I've used...but then that's the norm for Dr. Z's. The treble control rounds perfectly without clarity loss, the mids can be either brought into line with the bass and treble or brought forward without peakiness or honk, and the bass control is never muddy. As I said in the review you're never fighting this amp.
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Post by dock66 on Jul 10, 2014 8:03:22 GMT -7
Thanks for taking the time for a great review. As always, I enjoy your posts.
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Post by KeithA on Jul 10, 2014 8:05:12 GMT -7
Thanks Phil.....your succinct review gave me the exact answers I needed.
Enjoy the new amp.
Keith
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Post by gplayer1965 on Jul 10, 2014 11:34:18 GMT -7
I also didn't mention the tone controls. They're some of the most "musical" or useful BMT controls I've used...but then that's the norm for Dr. Z's. The treble control rounds perfectly without clarity loss, the mids can be either brought into line with the bass and treble or brought forward without peakiness or honk, and the bass control is never muddy. As I said in the review you're never fighting this amp. 10-4
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Jul 10, 2014 12:18:44 GMT -7
... and Phil hits a home run from the other end of the park from me! It is all he says, and more! I've never played an amp which speaks to me so clearly, granted I have a (relatively) limited experience compared to the likes of Phil - "sweet" is so correct, even when seeking a HUGE sugar rush like I need, the Therapy delivers!
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Post by gotmojo on Jul 10, 2014 14:30:02 GMT -7
Thanks for a great review, Phil. I can't remember, do you have an Antidote? How about a Remedy? How about a Stang Ray? How does this Therapy tone compare to those amps? Does it have as much brilliance (glassy highs) as the Stang Ray?
I had a Route 66 years ago and remember it fondly, but felt it didn't have the gain I needed. And now it sounds like I need one of these. Dang.
jj
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suits
Junior Member
Posts: 52
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Post by suits on Jul 11, 2014 6:16:37 GMT -7
"It should come with a kitten"
Best statement during a review ever.
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Post by DRZ on Jul 11, 2014 7:48:01 GMT -7
Nice job as always Phil on the Therapy write-up. Glad you like it.
Z
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 11, 2014 11:29:54 GMT -7
Thanks for a great review, Phil. I can't remember, do you have an Antidote? How about a Remedy? How about a Stang Ray? How does this Therapy tone compare to those amps? Does it have as much brilliance (glassy highs) as the Stang Ray? I had a Route 66 years ago and remember it fondly, but felt it didn't have the gain I needed. And now it sounds like I need one of these. Dang. jj jj, The "review" I posted was probably based on the shortest playing time I've had before posting any of my previous reviews. I still need some time this weekend with different cabs and A/B comparisons with other amps. I'll post more observations after that. Also it's always a little awkward for me comparing amps and their tone using words. For one thing no two people hear things the same way. Some would call the Stangray too bright where others would call it articulate for example. Plus with a turn of a knob or two you can make even the brightest amp dark (just turn off the treble and cut...LOL! ) When I compare amps I try to compare where the amp "wants" to be played at...where it's voiced so to speak. At one point I owned (or had experience with) every amp Doc made. Then the great financial crisis of 2008 hit...no, not he housing crash...me losing compensated overtime! I've missed a few amps since then...MAZ 8, M12, Z-Wreck and Antidote. I wasn't going to pass up the Therapy no matter what. I'll still have a Z-Wreck someday. So...the Antidote. I only played one with Paul (6strang) at Z-Fest, so this is really going out on a limb...but from what I remember the Antidote's got more gain and more volume. The biggest difference is the Antidote sounds like a fixed-bias amp...it's got that AC/DC sound...and it's British sounding...where the Therapy is sweeter (there's that word again) as it's a cathode biased design. It also sounds to me like the Therapy is filtered less in the power supply relative to the Antidote (Doc?). The Stangray was voiced to play well with two Blues. It's a MUCH brighter amp. Any amp with the Doc's cut control is gonna have the potential to have a brighter top end though. The Therapy does not have those kinds of highs even at max treble...but I haven't run it through the 2x12 Blues cab yet. We'll see. The highs are nowhere near as "pointed" on the Therapy though. Remedy vs. Therapy is harder as they're both cathode biased and in the 20-40W range. The Remedy is of course more Marshally even with the "American" 6V6's. The Therapy has NO British DNA I can hear. The Remedy's still louder at the full wattage setting. Route 66 is tough because there's a couple of different versions out there. I'll report back later after A/B testing my 1998 66....and I don't have one of the post-2001 models. At the end of the day I tend to group Dr. Z amps into camps. He's made a few amps that have a really clear sound while at the same time having a softer attack..not TOO soft, but really "broken in"...sorta kinda like Tom Scholz distortion sound. The old Route 66 and Delta 88 fall into that category. Some who have not heard the Delta picture some bright man-eating distortion monster and nothing could be further from the truth. The attack is exactly like the old Route 66...defined and harmonic but you don't hear the pick transient stand out, and they've got a REALLY gradual onset of overdrive. I named it "the iron fist in a velvet glove". The Therapy is more along those lines...maybe not as round as the 66 and 88 but very pleasing on the attack. Then you've got the amps that are "harder" and percussive...like the SS recto KT-45, the RxES/Jr, Stangray, and arguably the original Rx. These have the potential for super brightness...but NOT harsh like some amps that use cheap caps, resistors, and trannies...that papery thin top end we all hate. Then there's amps kind of in the middle for me which include the Ghia, the MAZ's, JAZ, Remedy, Z28, and EZG-50. Those aren't as bright on the attack as the RxES or Ray but aren't as mellow as the old 66 or 88. Maybe the thing that makes the Therapy so different is the caps. Doc's proprietary orange caps had/have a certain sound...I don't know exactly how to describe it...but they have an almost grainy top end and midrange. You can really hear the difference (at least I can) in the amps that don't use them (Antidote, Z-Wreck, Therapy). So you add a cathode biased set of 6L6's to the new caps and, as everyone else has said, it's a new sound for Z. I've got to re-calibrate my brain now I hope this rambling helps.
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Post by jesslm02 on Jul 11, 2014 11:47:23 GMT -7
I named it "the iron fist in a velvet glove". Haha! Love that! Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Proboards
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 11, 2014 12:07:10 GMT -7
Oh, and all playing so far has been with the Z-Best cab.
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Post by KeithA on Jul 11, 2014 12:59:10 GMT -7
I'm really looking forward to seeing a demo of this amp now.
Keith
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 11, 2014 13:24:37 GMT -7
Y'know....I really hate to say this but demos don't do a thing for me. Even Dave Baker's, as awesome as he is. Myles Rose once said that amp demo videos are about as useful as test driving a car from the back seat and even that analogy didn't go far enough. I agree. First compression on Youtube tends to make everything flat to my ears. The worst part is that the gear in question is very player-specific and interaction, touch, feel, etc. are everything to a player. You get none of that from a demo.
I've seen a few videos that I feel did a given amp justice. Dean Parks did an Xotic Communications video once with the Ghia that I thought was fantastic.
I thought this video, as "average" as it looks really did the Trainwreck justice, especially for the dynamics:
However, I've never seen a demo of the MAZ 18 that gets the tones I get with it or gets across how unbelievably fun it is to play with single coil guitars. I've never seen a video do the KT45 justice at all...especially the neck pickup and notch Strat tones. I've never seen a video convey the three-dimensionality of the Stangray.
It seems like the ones I like best are not close-miked...you've got to have the room ambiance in there. Then it's either down to the skill/mike placement of the guy doing the recording/engineering or blind luck.
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Post by KeithA on Jul 11, 2014 13:42:25 GMT -7
Lol..I bought my Ghia unheard because of that Dean Parks video.
I agree with you on the demo aspect, for sure. However, where I live, most amps I buy I'll never hear because local dealers don't stock (and I live on a island in the North Atlantic so a day trip somewhere to hear them cant even happen.
So, with guitar amps (as with all audio gear I've bought over the years) a video demo that's reasonably done of a well written review (not unlike yours herein) is what most, if not all of my purchase decisions are based on.
I've never demoed or heard one of my Zs before I ordered them and most I ordered based upon decent demoes.
Its not an ideal situation, but it's worked out so far.
The demo of Therapy intrigues me because I'm still not sure of the ballpark this will land in when I finally get to hear it. So, I'm really curious on this one ( and for full disclosure, I had a Therapy ordered and cancelled it yesterday (something I've never done before) since the user experiences I was seeing seemed to conflict with what I thought the amp would be based on early indications). There's a good chance I'll re-order, but for now I've decided to wait (my wife would be shocked!)
But I agree completely that a demo video will never replace being able to play/fiddle with the amp in person.
Keith
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Post by nmz on Jul 11, 2014 13:52:10 GMT -7
Lol..I bought my Ghia unheard because of that Dean Parks video. I agree with you on the demo aspect, for sure. However, where I live, most amps I buy I'll never hear because local dealers don't stock (and I live on a island in the North Atlantic so a day trip somewhere to hear them cant even happen. So, with guitar amps (as with all audio gear I've bought over the years) a video demo that's reasonably done of a well written review (not unlike yours herein) is what most, if not all of my purchase decisions are based on. I've never demoed or heard one of my Zs before I ordered them and most I ordered based upon decent demoes. Its not an ideal situation, but it's worked out so far. The demo of Therapy intrigues me because I'm still not sure of the ballpark this will land in when I finally get to hear it. So, I'm really curious on this one ( and for full disclosure, I had a Therapy ordered and cancelled it yesterday (something I've never done before) since the user experiences I was seeing seemed to conflict with what I thought the amp would be based on early indications). There's a good chance I'll re-order, but for now I've decided to wait (my wife would be shocked!) But I agree completely that a demo video will never replace being able to play/fiddle with the amp in person. Keith +1, cannot try them in my area as well.
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Post by gplayer1965 on Jul 11, 2014 14:43:50 GMT -7
great words Phil
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Post by KeithA on Jul 11, 2014 15:33:00 GMT -7
For sure...I loved the kitten comment Keith
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Post by gotmojo on Jul 11, 2014 16:12:48 GMT -7
Nice rambling, Phil! I always enjoy reading your posts. Yeah, I agree it's hard to describe an amp to amp guys. And we do all love different aspects of 'em, so it's nearly impossible. You give an excellent account, though, thoughtful as always. I'm embarrassed to say that, with as many amps as I own and have owned through the years, I'm not technically hip enough to to know cathode biased from jack squat, I just know what amps I love, and the ones I don't love, I sell off. So ........... It looks like I'll have to just order one and play it and then sell something to fund it and that'll call for some decision making and regrets and in the long run, it won't matter what I get rid of if I end up loving the Therapy and play it a lot because anything I'd sell would be one I don't play much so I should be happy and I will be happy because I don't ruminate about the past gear I've foolishly sold or else I'd have to kill myself for selling that 1960 Les Paul Standard I let go of back in 1990. Shite.
jj (loser)
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 12, 2014 5:04:16 GMT -7
Yeah, I selfishly forget that not everyone lives close enough to get to a dealer (or the Z Shop!) to try out the amps before buying. At least you can get an idea of what a given amp sounds like with different guitars and how much gain it has. I hereby retract part (but not all) of my criticism of the demo concept
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Post by John on Jul 12, 2014 8:22:09 GMT -7
Remedy vs. Therapy is harder as they're both cathode biased and in the 20-40W range. The Remedy is of course more Marshally even with the "American" 6V6's. The Therapy has NO British DNA I can hear. No offense to the Doc's new amp, but this is enough to make me stay put with the Remedy . I've been a 4 input Marshall guy for decades. I don't see it changing.
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Post by markT on Jul 12, 2014 8:26:13 GMT -7
^^^ making me want the Therapy even more!
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Post by gotmojo on Jul 12, 2014 10:40:22 GMT -7
Yeah, I selfishly forget that not everyone lives close enough to get to a dealer (or the Z Shop!) to try out the amps before buying. At least you can get an idea of what a given amp sounds like with different guitars and how much gain it has. I hereby retract part (but not all) of my criticism of the demo concept No, no, no! Please don't misunderstand! I don't mean to knock your review at all Phil. I'm just saying that since I'm an amp geek and an amp snob, that I'll have to plug into and get a feel for this amp myself for me to really know if it's for me. And since there' no dealer nearby (like hundreds of miles), I'll just have to order one to try it out. It IS fun to get new gear in the mail, with all the anticipation fun of waiting for it to come in. Then I get to write my own review on the amp right here in the forum that still won't give any given reader the feel for the amp like pluggin' into it gives. Just the reality of being an amp geek. I did not see your writings as being selfish at all, quite the opposite - I absolutely appreciate you donating your time to write your reviews. Love 'em. jj
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jul 12, 2014 17:55:17 GMT -7
Review addendum... I said I reserve the right to add more or change my opinion as I got more playing time...well, I'd like to exercise that right Amy and the kids were away for the afternoon and I got some good uninterrupted playing time in with the Therapy. I'm pretty stunned actually. Really stunned. I've now got a different opinion of her. Maybe I should take back the kitten comment...or maybe the kitten grew up into a tiger. Back when the first reports came in about the Therapy's sound I PM'd Dr. Z and asked if he had applied the "Trainwreck philosophy" to a set of cathode biased 6L6's instead of EL34's or EL84's...making sort of an "American Trainwreck"...sort of a hot-rodded Bassman or Tweed Twin to the Trainwreck's hot-rodded Vox...and he said I hadn't nailed everything in my PM but I was on the right track. Well, I'm here to tell you after today's "wide open master volume" playing session that I think I was right It very much impresses me as an American sounding Tweed Wreck. It feels like one and sounds like one. World-class. I got to try her out with my three Groshes and I was stunned at the differences that the three guitars exhibited. The front end is VERY sensitive to pickup changes (and picking technique, and guitar volume changes) as you'd expect from a "Trainwreck" type amp. At full master volume and with the volume control from 1/2 to full there's way more gain available than I thought. It's definitely past VH1 territory. This is with my Grosh Set neck which sports Lollar High Wind Imperials. Even with the High Winds rolling back the guitar's volume and picking lighter makes a *stellar* clean sound. It does a GREAT early ZZ Top first album sound...you know, that "Brown Sugar" sound I've been chasing since BW turned me on to it! The thing is that now that I've had a couple of hours at full master I can tell you it's as loud as you'd expect such an amp to be...I think it's in full-power Remedy territory. It might be in Z-Wreck territory. Loud. My gut tells me the Z-Wreck is still louder but I don't have one to compare. The other thing that impressed me was the clarity when mastered full up. A few of you asked if she had Stangray-like highs...I think she does but in an American sounding way vs. the Stang's Voxy highs. It's very much got that Fender brilliant sparkle. When mastered up and with lighter pick pressure/and or guitar volume rollbacks there's a great "Lenny" or "Riviera Paradise" Fender sound but bearing down with the pick or rolling up the guitar's volume instantly puts you in his "So Excited" territory. Is that cool or what? The front end sensitivity VERY much reminds me of the Z-Wreck or Mazerati GT (with less gain available than the GT). Basically as far as dynamics go it nails the Glen Kuykendall living room Trainwreck video I posted above. It also at these higher volumes has some of the most fun and controllable feedback I've ever experienced...you just turn toward the amp for infinite sustain and a perfect feedback and turn away to stop it...or any degree in between. The Monza and Mazerati GT are also world-class in this area. I've spent way too much time practicing with my AxeFx (my "quiet wife pleasing rig")...it took me a few minutes for my brain and right hand to remember how to play an amp with this sensitive of a front end. Mastering her down emphasizes the "sweeter" aspect and also adds a little compression (due to less volume being ultimately available). Full-master settings keep your chops on their toes. The other thing I forgot to mention in my previous ramblings is something that I've come to take for granted with Dr. Z amps...even at the gain levels this amp is capable of at higher volume settings it's DEAD quiet. That's one of the things that make the dynamics stand out even more...the slam you get when picking is coming out of complete silence I just pretty much set the tone controls at noon, except for the bass which I rolled back to 8-9:00. Doc probably could have set all the tone controls at noon internally with fixed resistors and only had a master and volume controls on the front. It's one of "those" amps that sound great at every setting with different guitars...kind of like the Ghia whose tone knob I never touch. So basically to sum it up/restate what I said above my own opinion of this awesome amp is that of an American Trainwreck. If you ever wanted a Fender type amp taken to Heaven in the same way that Ken Fischer took the Vox there, this is the amp for you. You can do the entire "Live at El Mocambo" from clean Riviera Paradise to SRV's most distorted moments with just pick dynamics alone or with slight GV rollbacks. It's pretty much the ultimate Fender lover's "player's amp".
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