Marshall enters the entry level tube amp arena
(Press Release | Posted 2009-12-13)
For many guitarists, guitar tone starts and ends with the sound of a roaring Marshall amp. Heck... there isn't enough space on this page to list the pro guitarists who have relied on Marshall amps to craft legendary tones for the past 50 years. But recently, brands like Peavey, Bugera and Randall have captured the ears (and wallets) of younger guitarists looking for their first tube amp by building affordable products. Marshall now throws its hat into the ring with the introduction of the MA series of amps...legendary Marshall tube tone at a very affordable price. Street prices for these amps seem to be around $800, and they should be available by the end of the year. Here's more info: With a classic ECC83/EL34 pre and power amp combination at its heart, the UK designed and engineered MA range is indeed built on solid pure-valve foundations. The MA Series provides both head and combo versions in either 100W or 50W outputs, all sharing the same trusty feature set. The dual channel design provides an abundance of tonal possibilities, while the straightforward front panel layout and individual EQ sections means achieving the sounds you want couldn’t be simpler.
With single coil pick-ups the Clean channel delivers clear
bright notes, whilst cranking the volume pot and switching to humbuckers leads to natural signal break up, ideal for both cutting Indie-style rhythm and vintage rock riffing respectively. Hit the Channel selection switch and the uniquely voiced Overdrive channel lets you experience the full potential of Marshall valve power,from glorious bluesy crunch to hard driving rock with all points in-between. Engaging the Overdrive’s Boost function provides extra gain for both pounding metal madness and fret-burning solos alike.
The difference between your overdrive and ‘boosted’
sound is governed by the MA’s Crunch Balance control.
Increasing the Crunch Balance moves your normal overdrive sound closer to that of your ‘boosted’ tone. Alternatively, backing off the CB control decreases the
amount of gain in your overdrive tone, allowing the jump from say crunch to metal instantly, via either the front panel or the included 2-way footswitch. Used in this manner, the Crunch Balance has the ability to create
a pseudo third channel from the Boost function, further
increasing the MA Series’ tonal spectrum and versatility.
Additional tonal fine tuning is provided by a Master
section consisting of Presence, Resonance and Reverb,
and if pedals, FX boards and stomp boxes are your thing, then a serial FX loop is also included across the range. The 2x12" MA100C and 1x12" MA50C combos both contain the newly developed AX-75 speaker, created by Eminence and custom voiced to match the tone, feel and response of the whole MA Series. These speakers can also be found in the new full-sized M412A and M412B 4x12" speaker cabs, which have been specifically designed for the MA range. Finally, both the MA100H and MA50H heads feature semi-transparent
baffles and illuminated chassis’, allowing your valve
powered tone to literally shine.
Whether you’re finally realising a full Marshall stack
dream, searching for a rugged gigging workhorse, looking for your first valve amplifier, or all three, the Marshall MA Series provides the answer. Now is the time to discover valve tone.
