NAD: Morgan MP200

[fu22ba55]

Since I already spilled the beans in another thread, I figured I should start a "proper" NAD thread.

Morgan MP200
200 Watts
4 x KT88 (6550s in my case)
3 x 12AX7
42 lbs.

Some sound clips vs. my 70's SVT here.
Some FUZZ clips here.



I ordered mine with a 2-Ohm tap and a teeny "boost" switch for my less-hot basses.

My one-sentence review: Brighter than an SVT with more mids overall and tighter in the low end... and more "gainy" than the Reeves 225 (even when running with KT88s).

I plan to do lots of sound clips soon with the 6550s, and I plan to put KT88s back in it for a sound-clip shootout with the Reeves 225. To my recollection, the Reeves circuit sounded more "refined," this thing is a bit more raw, but I'll wait 'til the shootout to refresh my memory.




I wanted a "200 Watt SVT" and I got way more than that...

I love this thing.

More pics than you could ever want here.

Special thanks to TB user JKoehler for making me aware of this amp.

[KramerBassFan]

I love it!

Especially the super tidy insides.

[s_mcsleazy]

want

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

I love it!

Especially the super tidy insides.

Thanks man.

I like the simplicity, for sure.

I think there are tidier amps out there, but this one's definitely boo-tique.

[koobie]

Enjoy your new amp! Morgan amps have gotten a lot of good reactions from guitarists over at the Gear Page forum. The Morgan sounds like a fun amp to play through, but I'd probably prefer the cleaner textures of the Reeves. Do either of these amps have fans? I'd think they'd get pretty hot otherwise. Have you tried the Divided by 13 bass amp?

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by koobie

Enjoy your new amp! Morgan amps have gotten a lot of good reactions from guitarists over at the Gear Page forum. The Morgan sounds like a fun amp to play through, but I'd probably prefer the cleaner textures of the Reeves.

Yeah, guitar players seem to love his stuff for sure. And it shows in this amp: it has really brilliant high-mids, lots of top end... lots of gain.

The Reeves is a clean machine. The Morgan will give you plenty of clean (especially if you leave the KT88s in it). I imagine you could use it forever and never push it into the fuzz... but I like having the option.

No doubt, though, the Reeves is in a class by itself.

Originally Posted by koobie

Do either of these amps have fans? I'd think they'd get pretty hot otherwise.

Not to my knowledge. This one does not, and I'm pretty sure the Reeves 225 doesn't either.

At sane volumes, the Morgan doesn't get too hot (it radiates out the top of the headcase), but when I crank it into the red, it does get a bit toasty.

Originally Posted by koobie

Have you tried the Divided by 13 bass amp?

I haven't, but I've heard great things about it. Theirs has push/pull for "Bright" and for "Deep Bass", the Morgan basically has both on all the time. You just have to cut what you don't want. (The mids in the Div by 13 are cut/boost. The tone stack in the Morgan is 100% subtractive. You just dump what you don't want to ground.)

[bassboysam]

Cool looking amp, I bet it sounds great, looking forward to the clips. But I have to admit the guts of my matamp seem to be much cleaner.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by bassboysam

But I have to admit the guts of my matamp seem to be much cleaner.

No lie. I've seen inside a Matamp... and AwkwardLoudness's Hiwatt gut shots are pristine, and the Reeves gut shots are gorgeous too.

For the money, I'm with you. I kind of did want to be blown away by over-the-top OCD wiring when I looked inside... I know what you're saying 100%.

He knows what he's doing (the amp is dead quiet... 20 times quieter than my Ampegs), so it must be a function over form thing. But it's not turret-board porn like those Hiwatts/Reeves/Matamps/Electric Amps.

[bassboysam]

Don't get me wrong I don't think wiring plays a huge role on sound/performance, it's all a little overhyped. I do however think it's cool.

[Boot Soul]

Simms-Watts amps have wiring in the same level of clean as HiWatts and Matamps. Rare items however.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by bassboysam

I do however think it's cool.

I understand 100%... I wanted it too.

Joe Morgan seems really utilitarian in his design... so if something's not necessary, he doesn't include it. I can't even find a serial number on the amp! When we went over specs for the build, I went with non-master because he liked the sound better. I asked if I should bother with an XLR-out, and he said he could do one, but he didn't like doing it, so we left it out.

This thing is basically two huge trannies strapped to a board. Not a lot of moving parts. I even feel sheepish having the boost switch on there.

@bassboysam, is your "Green" the 200-watter that was on eBay last year? I'll admit that I lingered on that auction more than once...

[SactoBass]

Holy smokes, fu22ba55! I have been drooling over the MP200 for months (dreaming about owning one)! I even e-mailed Joe a couple of times with questions. So I was really glad to see you post up.

I am REALLY looking forward to your sound clips and further evaluation/comments on the tone and power. So far, the only thing I can find is one you-tube vid of the MP200, and the tone is very nice!

I had a Reeves 225 for a bit. It was just too clean for me, so I ended up selling it. I like a little more "beefy grrrrr" in the low mids. However, I do not like fuzzed out distortion ala Jack Bruce (that's too fuzzy for me).

I will be checking back regularly in this thread.

[bassboysam]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

@bassboysam, is your "Green" the 200-watter that was on eBay last year? I'll admit that I lingered on that auction more than once...

No, I purchased mine straight from Matamp. Built in July 2010. It is a GT200, which is essentially the same as their 200 watter from the 60s. They have some info on their website matamp.co.uk.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by bassboysam

It is a GT200, which is essentially the same as their 200 watter from the 60s.

Killer.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by SactoBass

I had a Reeves 225 for a bit. It was just too clean for me, so I ended up selling it. I like a little more "beefy grrrrr" in the low mids. However, I do not like fuzzed out distortion ala Jack Bruce (that's too fuzzy for me).

I'm really trying to withhold comparisons to the Reeves for two reasons: 1) The Reeves is its own thing... and it is an amazing and spectacular thing. 2) I've only played through the Reeves once, for about 20 minutes, so I'm waiting to get both amps in the same room to hear for myself. (And record clips for y'all)

That said...

I also wanted more dirt from the Reeves, (which is why I didn't order one).

The Morgan, with KT88s in the power section, is super-clean but gets dirty... well not so much dirty, as gain-y. It's not Jack Bruce, but it's more aggressive than the Reeves. (more raw? less refined?)

With 6550s in the power section, it seems to have a taste less power, and it "gives up the goods" a bit sooner. (Which is what I wanted.) Joe's never run one with 6550s, so he said he'd have to put one on the scope to see for sure if there's a power difference. It could just be that there's less clean volume.

So I'll record a bunch of clips with the 6550s, then I'll put the 88s back in and re-bias so I can compare it a bit more directly to the Reeves.

[GregC]

Nice! I've been curious about these. Only 42 lbs??? I had no idea they were so light. Really looking forward to the clips.

What does the "focus" control do--select the mid frequency for the mid knob? I didn't see any numbers around it.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by GregC

Only 42 lbs??? I had no idea they were so light.

The trannies are near the front of the amp, so the first time I picked it up I was not expecting that... it caught me off guard. It feels a little "tippy" if you pick it up from the rear, but feels fine if you pick it up from the front. (I'm an SVT guy, so I'm accustomed to not using handles since I don't trust them. I just pick up the headcase.)

Originally Posted by GregC

What does the "focus" control do--select the mid frequency for the mid knob? I didn't see any numbers around it.

I thought the same thing. Not the case.

The "Focus" knob shifts the ENTIRE tone stack to the bassier side of things or to the treble side of things. It's pretty potent. It moves the center frequency of the entire tone stack, not the mids only.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

The trannies are near the front of the amp, so the first time I picked it up I was not expecting that... it caught me off guard. It feels a little "tippy" if you pick it up from the rear, but feels fine if you pick it up from the front. (I'm an SVT guy, so I'm accustomed to not using handles since I don't trust them. I just pick up the headcase.)



I thought the same thing. Not the case.

The "Focus" knob shifts the ENTIRE tone stack to the bassier side of things or to the treble side of things. It's pretty potent. It moves the center frequency of the entire tone stack, not the mids only.

Ah, gotcha on the unbalanced aspect. I've got a V-4B, and the handle is useless unless you're moving it a few feet or feeling studly enough to one-hand it for a while.

That focus knob sounds pretty interesting. The one Youtube clip of the amp is impressive, nice range of clean to dirt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdUlbj4hmUo

[garmenteros]

Those guts look really neat and pretty...

[StayLow]

Awesome amp !!!

A little o/t, but I was wondering this very thing today. Do the casters rattle at all when they're hanging to the side like that?