Post by doctorice on Jun 5, 2015 13:22:16 GMT -7
As previously threatened, I sat down with both amps today side by side. Used a Radial Headbone (VT) to feed both amps into the Z-12 speaker in the Z-Lux cab. Used identical PCNS guitar cables from Headbone to both amps. Speaker cables were different, though, so that's one variant to keep in mind as you read the following. (I should probably swap the speaker cables in the next round.)
Before you ask, I didn't do a video / audio ... yet. I wanted to feel the amps out today.
First thing was to set the amps up to be close in sound, both output volume and tone to create some reference baseline. I started with Volume knobs at noon, Master at 9 (o'clock), all tone knobs at noon, reverb and tremolo all set to min and switched off. (Boost off on the Z-Lux, of course.) But at those settings, there are differences: (1) JAZ has a lot more low end, so I dialed its Bass back to about 9:30 and (2) Z-Lux was louder, so I pushed JAZ Master up to about 10/10:30. I then spent a lot of time trying to hear differences. I played snippets of tunes, I did full strums, I plucked low notes, mid notes, high notes, etc. They are really, really, close to my ears. I asked my wife to come in for a moment, promising I wouldn't deafen her . I ran through some stuff, switching along the way. She said she couldn't tell a difference, other than a bit of smear when I was playing a note and switched the Headbone.
So now, I've got my baseline spot.Time to move some things around.
Reverb: JAZ at 9 o'clock is close to Surf City. Z-Lux verb is quite present but not nearly as prominent; you have to crank it up to noon or more to get as wet a sound, at least with the way I have the amps set. It sounded like the JAZ's verb was set as though it were in a larger room, i.e., longer time before sound reflection came back and also seemed a bit longer decay. I don't know that I'd give one amp the nod as I only use a bit o 'verb most of the time. Z-Lux probably a little more "linear" as you dial up reverb.
Tremolo: Both amps have lovely sounding tremolo. Speed ranges seem different. JAZ at min speed seems to pulse more slowly, and that carries over to max as well. Put another way, Z-Lux trem speed = JAX trem speed + X, where X is a positive number. I will grant that it may be just my ears. Perhaps Dr Z can confirm/deny. Z-Lux depth struck me as a bit "deeper", "more throb" or something. As Z aimed to do, Z-Lux trem comes on without the slight delay the JAZ has.
My last stop in the session was to max both Volumes. The JAZ had a little more crunch or grit. I wouldn't assume this as an absolute "fact", though, becauseI did have different Bass settings and Master was higher on the JAZ.
I expect a couple more listening sessions in the next few days, so if you like this, stay tuned for more.
Final note: I only used my Les Paul, for now, and both amps were on their 20-watt settings. (They're loud in a small room.)
Before you ask, I didn't do a video / audio ... yet. I wanted to feel the amps out today.
First thing was to set the amps up to be close in sound, both output volume and tone to create some reference baseline. I started with Volume knobs at noon, Master at 9 (o'clock), all tone knobs at noon, reverb and tremolo all set to min and switched off. (Boost off on the Z-Lux, of course.) But at those settings, there are differences: (1) JAZ has a lot more low end, so I dialed its Bass back to about 9:30 and (2) Z-Lux was louder, so I pushed JAZ Master up to about 10/10:30. I then spent a lot of time trying to hear differences. I played snippets of tunes, I did full strums, I plucked low notes, mid notes, high notes, etc. They are really, really, close to my ears. I asked my wife to come in for a moment, promising I wouldn't deafen her . I ran through some stuff, switching along the way. She said she couldn't tell a difference, other than a bit of smear when I was playing a note and switched the Headbone.
So now, I've got my baseline spot.Time to move some things around.
Reverb: JAZ at 9 o'clock is close to Surf City. Z-Lux verb is quite present but not nearly as prominent; you have to crank it up to noon or more to get as wet a sound, at least with the way I have the amps set. It sounded like the JAZ's verb was set as though it were in a larger room, i.e., longer time before sound reflection came back and also seemed a bit longer decay. I don't know that I'd give one amp the nod as I only use a bit o 'verb most of the time. Z-Lux probably a little more "linear" as you dial up reverb.
Tremolo: Both amps have lovely sounding tremolo. Speed ranges seem different. JAZ at min speed seems to pulse more slowly, and that carries over to max as well. Put another way, Z-Lux trem speed = JAX trem speed + X, where X is a positive number. I will grant that it may be just my ears. Perhaps Dr Z can confirm/deny. Z-Lux depth struck me as a bit "deeper", "more throb" or something. As Z aimed to do, Z-Lux trem comes on without the slight delay the JAZ has.
My last stop in the session was to max both Volumes. The JAZ had a little more crunch or grit. I wouldn't assume this as an absolute "fact", though, becauseI did have different Bass settings and Master was higher on the JAZ.
I expect a couple more listening sessions in the next few days, so if you like this, stay tuned for more.
Final note: I only used my Les Paul, for now, and both amps were on their 20-watt settings. (They're loud in a small room.)