Darkglass Microtubes 900 Class D Amp

[Anachronism]

For a grab-and-go amp I think being fully functional without a pedalboard is a big plus. The master volume works great for your cabs, but not so great for the DI!

Sorry, this is one of my pet peeves. I'll let it go and wait for the final version.

Won't you want a footswitch anyway for live use? I think consolidating and minimizing pedals is a more realistic goal than eliminating them.

 

[guitarflinger]

I made the Kessel run in under 12 parsnips.

I have a bad feeling about this

 

[fast slapper]

As far as "misrepresentation" of his amps, I bet the actual production ones wont be much different, just smaller!! If you seen the gut shots you'd realize that the internal components only take up *less* than a 3rd of *these* enclosure's...

He originally planned on an announcement for *last summer*, but it was delayed for various reasons. So I'm sure Doug (along with myself and others) were anxious for this release, but he didn't want to prematurely announce anything until it was 100% certain!!

Another thing, those NAMM demo amps *dont* have cooling fans as they are in a controlled indoor environment but they were used for heat testing! After NAMM the PCP will be modified/redesigned for space and cost efficiency in addition to the cooling fan and FX loop in the back... so I think the demo amps are just to get the news out there, I'm pretty damn sure the actual ones will be much smaller but still look the same with the unibody enclosure!

Edit: I think these pics are "vague" enough that the schematic can't be copiedView attachment 778567 View attachment 778596

Power amp isn't hard to figure out. Should perform well.

 

[hintz]

For a grab-and-go amp I think being fully functional without a pedalboard is a big plus. The master volume works great for your cabs, but not so great for the DI!

Sorry, this is one of my pet peeves. I'll let it go and wait for the final version.

IIRC, there will be a level for the XLR...it just might be on the back

 

[monsterthompson]

Class D with 700w, VMTD & B3/7K built in, and a small form factor, expected in the sub $1,000 range? It's a no brainier if I'm looking at DG pedals to get this instead.

There must be a deluxe model with a built in compressor in the plans.

 

[Ric Vice]

That phrase is unfortunately marketing forked tongue speak... as there are some killer Class D powered amps currently or coming onto the market. I'm thinking of the Mesa Boogie D800 in particular.

+1 I've been fortunate enough to own and gig with two different Walter Woods amps a MI-400-8 and a Woods Electrocoustic Ultra. They produce 400/600 watts at 8 ohms respectively. The Mesa D800 is one of the only new amps that impresses me. They took their time desigining it.

Ric

 

[pablomigraine]

How many amp manufacturers have come out with this same marketing hyperbole....

"None of the compromises of previous Class-D designs... Our unique design allows our Class-D to do what none other could do before now...."

....pop the case open and its the same OEM output board as ever other micro amp.....

Edit: I think these pics are "vague" enough that the schematic can't be copiedView attachment 778567 View attachment 778596

I'll say that I am a BIG fan of DG pedals, and this amp is attractive to me at a certain price point, but as I kinda mentioned above, I hope they change their marketing approach. That previous post was a little grumpy so I'll rephrase: The description / marketing release doesn't give the customer much credit.... trying to position this amp as being a newer, more advanced and better soudning breed of class-D amp, when you're using the EXACT SAME power amp section 80% of the rest of the micro amps out there have been using for years is not only deceptive, it makes you look bad. (The recently posted guts pictures show the B&O ICEpower 250 ASXII, which many companies advertise as putting out as little as 400w and as much as 900w into 4ohms). Why not just say you're using what's universally regarded as the best output board, instead of the hoodwinkery?

 

[Lammchop93]

Does anyone know what cab configurations are being made? Really hoping for a 2x12.

 

[JGR]

I'll say that I am a BIG fan of DG pedals, and this amp is attractive to me at a certain price point, but as I kinda mentioned above, I hope they change their marketing approach. That previous post was a little grumpy so I'll rephrase: The description / marketing release doesn't give the customer much credit.... trying to position this amp as being a newer, more advanced and better soudning breed of class-D amp, when you're using the EXACT SAME power amp section 80% of the rest of the micro amps out there have been using for years is not only deceptive, it makes you look bad. (The recently posted guts pictures show the B&O ICEpower 250 ASXII, which many companies advertise as putting out as little as 400w and as much as 900w into 4ohms). Why not just say you're using what's universally regarded as the best output board, instead of the hoodwinkery?

It's the 700ASC.

 

[Nic.]

unfortunately it isn´t class AB or all tube... maybe a future line of darkglass amps.

IMHO that would be foolish for them. The market has plenty of those kinds of amps, and their R&D to bring something competitive to market would make pricing even more prohibitive. They have pre amps that people love. Grab a chassis and a class D power section, and they have minimal development to do. This amp makes all the sense in the world for them as a company.

IMO there's another good reason to use the class D power section.

This is likely to be an unpopular opinion around this part of the forums, and I'm probably not a very good representative of the primary target audience of the Darkglass products, but I often feel like I get the sound I'm looking for better from modern class D amps (Genz Benz, GK MB800, etc.) than traditional tube amps. Honestly, I think Ampeg SVTs and Markbass amps sound great, and I use them from time to time, but while it's the perfect sound for classic rock, it's not the sound I'm looking for. I'm looking for really harsh, bright, clear, articulate and slightly brittle tones, and I don't really appreciate the tube sag or tube compression or tube warmth as much as getting a brutal sledgehammer tone. To be honest, I would rather run my B7K into a mixer rather than into an SVT, which seems to take some of the edge off my tone.

So when I heard rumours of a Darkglass amp coming up, I was really hoping that it WOULDN'T be a tube power section or one of those heavy rail sections. Having it run into an ICE module fits my needs perfectly (I was considering upgrading to the GK MB800 for some time, but hesitating because I don't really need to spent money at the moment, and then when the rumours came up I decided to just wait and see).

Maybe my ears are just immature at the moment and I'll come to love tube power sections eventually, but for now it's just not me.

 

[Jeff Moote]

It's the 700ASC.

Thanks for clarifying JGR. That's what I thought but I don't know them well enough to know from seeing it.

 

[Justice Graves]

Don't ruin the joke before you've read the canon.

You are correct, but also incorrect.

Also, the fact that I instantly knew the correct riposte to that comment is yet another reminder that I need to get a life.

Thanks to both of you for increasing my nerd levels. Yep bass player that's into comic books, horror movies and random star wars trivia. No wonder I'm always fighting the ladies off.

 

[MoonQuake]

Any info on the cabs ?

 

[husky123]

Man, I played the DG amp today. I'm not easily impressed but it was f'ing stellar. Punchy as all get out. Clean tone was insanely good. Not enough words right now. I'll chime in later.

 

[seamonkey]

ICEpower is a very smart choice!
Well designed, well supported
they are not cheap
They come with one of the most important features for any pre-amp maker - A fantastic power supply.
There is no compromise using ICEpower, and not every amp maker is able to buy and use them. B&O is selective about who they sell to.
If a maker does a bad job and slaps them in a box and ends up with thermal problems, or some induced noise, B&O would not be happy. They'd cut you off.

 

[teemuk]

...trying to position this amp as being a newer, more advanced and better soudning breed of class-D amp, when you're using the EXACT SAME power amp section 80% of the rest of the micro amps out there have been using for years is not only deceptive, it makes you look bad.

Just because certain modules are utilised doesn't mean the complete circuit of each and every design works the same way. A class-D module has a certain purpose, it amplifies with decent linearity and most of all with remarkable efficiency. ...But you one can complement the module with all kinds of external circuiry, which in the end defines how things really work.

Anyone familiar with electronic design knows "modules" or "integrated circuits" merely have a certain basic functionality, like, say, operational amplifiers. But what you configure around that basic functionality is not usually limited by the module, but by designer's imagination. For example, those basic "opamp" modules can be amplifiers, or they can be comparators, or they can perform analog mathematics... Whatever the designer chooses to do with them.

Power amp IC's are good example, being pretty much analogous to class-D amplifier modules. The module, as is, pretty much does what it's supposed to do. But if you complement it with circuit of different functionality the end result is not what the module does. The end result is what you designed the circuit to do. If you look at amplifiers from, say, Quilter, Vox or Peavey you'll find them using same "modules" or "ICs" what wide range of other amp use... but you'll also find external circuitry around those modules or ICs, which is the thing that makes the manufacturer's design unique from those of other manufacturers.

Saying that because amp A and amp B use the same module they must perform identically is pretty much equivalent to saying all amps that use same tubes must also perform identically. Many tube amps happen to have surprisingly similar tube configurations, yet they can can still sound widely different. Because they are designed differently.

It's not about the module. It's about how it's used. Class-D or certain power amp module, to me, really doesn't indicate anything concrete about a design. It's just a tiny part in entire design.

 

[Darkglass]

Just because certain modules are utilised doesn't mean the complete circuit of each and every design works the same way. A class-D module has a certain purpose, it amplifies with decent linearity and most of all with remarkable efficiency. ...But you one can complement the module with all kinds of external circuiry, which in the end defines how things really work.

Anyone familiar with electronic design knows "modules" or "integrated circuits" merely have a certain basic functionality, like, say, operational amplifiers. But what you configure around that basic functionality is not usually limited by the module, but by designer's imagination. For example, those basic "opamp" modules can be amplifiers, or they can be comparators, or they can perform analog mathematics... Whatever the designer chooses to do with them.

Power amp IC's are good example, being pretty much analogous to class-D amplifier modules. The module, as is, pretty much does what it's supposed to do. But if you complement it with circuit of different functionality the end result is not what the module does. The end result is what you designed the circuit to do. If you look at amplifiers from, say, Quilter, Vox or Peavey you'll find them using same "modules" or "ICs" what wide range of other amp use... but you'll also find external circuitry around those modules or ICs, which is the thing that makes the manufacturer's design unique from those of other manufacturers.

Saying that because amp A and amp B use the same module they must perform identically is pretty much equivalent to saying all amps that use same tubes must also perform identically. Many tube amps happen to have surprisingly similar tube configurations, yet they can can still sound widely different. Because they are designed differently.

It's not about the module. It's about how it's used. Class-D or certain power amp module, to me, really doesn't indicate anything concrete about a design. It's just a tiny part in entire design.

If you're the Teemu I believe you are, your book on solid state power amp design was amazingly enlightening!

Thanks for chiming in!

 

[boomertech]

ICEpower is a very smart choice!
Well designed, well supported
they are not cheap
They come with one of the most important features for any pre-amp maker - A fantastic power supply.
There is no compromise using ICEpower, and not every amp maker is able to buy and use them. B&O is selective about who they sell to.
If a maker does a bad job and slaps them in a box and ends up with thermal problems, or some induced noise, B&O would not be happy. They'd cut you off.

I don't think it is very hard to acquire these amps since they are distributed on ebay and other on-line parts suppliers.

-Frank

 

[rufus.K]

I don't think it is very hard to acquire these amps since they are distributed on ebay and other on-line parts suppliers.

-Frank

Most of those don't come with power supplies, and most of the ones that do are the lower output modules. ICEpower modules aren't "distributed " to the general consumer, however there are some being resold.

 

[morebassbaby]

Is there a footswitch for this amp? I'd really love to see it. Any pictures Namm Goers?