I'm close to pulling the trigger on an AO900 - does anyone know what options the Darkglass suite actually unlocks? I can't seem to find a whole lot of documentation out there for it - compressor parameters, fancy switching options, cab sims, etc...
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Darkglass Microtubes 900 Class D Amp
- Thread starter Spector2112
- Start date
Had both but not at the same time or with the same basses and cabs. Anything particularly of interest?
I had a Puma in the past. Really liked the warm but articulate clean tone. I haven’t had a chance to try an MT, so wondering if they were in similar neighborhood without the MT circuits engaged?
I’d say they are both articulate and clean but the Puma is a tad smoother and the MT900 can be a bit more “brittle” or “sterile” sounding with just the clean tone. It isn’t overly so, but moreso relative to the Puma IME. The Puma might’ve had a bit come compression squish to it. This is just my impression after owning them both but not at the same time and not with the same gear.
I’d think with the gain and EQ and engines, you could probably dial in similar tones with each, though not with all knobs at noon.
I’d think with the gain and EQ and engines, you could probably dial in similar tones with each, though not with all knobs at noon.
Hello to everybody,
this is the first time i write on the Forum, and i do this because i have to ask you a question about my DG 900 V1.
I have bought the head one week ago and yesterday i was making some sound test with my rack compressor Samson S-Com 2 usually connected in a loop effect, but i connected accidentally the ouput of the Samson in the Footswitch In jack of the head.
For a few second the channel 1 of the compressor is turned on (despite it wasn't connected).
When i realise what was happened i turned off the head, but now i am afraid to have made some kind of damage. I have tried every knobs and it seems that everything work, except for the Gain that let pass a little bit of volume even when it's completely turned of a 0 level.
I've asked about that in a Facebook Chat "DARKGLASS USERS" and it seems that it's normal (even Douglas says that it's normal).
Can anyone tell me if everything it's ok and i can get some good sleep?
Really thanks!!
Luca
this is the first time i write on the Forum, and i do this because i have to ask you a question about my DG 900 V1.
I have bought the head one week ago and yesterday i was making some sound test with my rack compressor Samson S-Com 2 usually connected in a loop effect, but i connected accidentally the ouput of the Samson in the Footswitch In jack of the head.
For a few second the channel 1 of the compressor is turned on (despite it wasn't connected).
When i realise what was happened i turned off the head, but now i am afraid to have made some kind of damage. I have tried every knobs and it seems that everything work, except for the Gain that let pass a little bit of volume even when it's completely turned of a 0 level.
I've asked about that in a Facebook Chat "DARKGLASS USERS" and it seems that it's normal (even Douglas says that it's normal).
Can anyone tell me if everything it's ok and i can get some good sleep?
Really thanks!!
Luca
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,952
- 5
- 220,599
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
I extensively compared both amps with my Barefaced Super Twin, and agree with what MonsterThompson said; the Puma is a bit warmer, smoother and more refined in the high frequencies, which I preferred for most music genres, but for my hard rock/metal bands, I liked better the more agressive top end of the Darkglass, especially since my Super Twin doesn't have a tweeter or a horn. Both amps have a very versatile and well thought EQ section, and IMO, they can approach each other's tone quite a bit, except in the higher mids and highs...even with drastic EQ, the Puma won't give you the agressive or harsh top end of the DG, and vice versa, the DG won't give you the smoother, more refined and crystalline highs of the Puma.
With all knobs at 12 o'clock, the Puma has slightly more punch in the lower mids and upper bass, and the DG has deeper lows, which at high volumes can actually become a problem, since there's no HPF on that amp, and it can make the cones move quite a lot and even struggle in some situations, especially if you like an upper bass bump like I do. Unless your cab can handle those deep lows really good with long excursion drivers like the cabs from Barefaced, Fearful, Fearless, AK, etc., then it can be really dangerous for the speakers on conventional bass cabs if you are not careful. (I don't know if the v2 has a HPF built in, but if so, it may be a better option). For that, the Puma is more useful, since I can just turn the taste knob a little bit to the right, boost the lows on my bass onboard preamp, and cut the bass knob on the amp to use it as a HPF of sorts, since it is set very low, at 30 hz if I remember correctly. That, combined with the Barefaced ability to reproduce those deep lows gets me in low end nirvana for my 6 string basses.
Another thing to consider is that the Puma 900 gives me, with these EQ settings, a little bit less overall output than the DG, since it comes a point (at REALLY loud volumes), where it shuts down for a couple seconds to protect itself if you play very low notes with a hard attack, for example, although it maintains a very even sound quality throughout all of it's volume knob's range. The DG can deliver slightly more output in this case, before reaching the same shutdown point, although it begins to sound a bit more compressed than the Puma and loses some of it's tone quality faster. I believe this shutdowns happen sooner with the Puma, due to the smaller size and less ideal ventilation on the interior of the amp, though I may be wrong. (If that is the case, then perhaps the Eich T-900 might be another option to consider, since that's supposed to be one of it's improvements over the Puma, a better internal air flow and thermal handling).
So, to sum it up, I would based the decision on the type of music you play (agressive vs smooth tone), the max volume you need, and on the importance or added benefit of having the built in distortions and the 2 ohm capability of the Darkglass.
Hope this helps.
I’d love some insight on how the MT900 compares to the AO900... I’ve owned the MT, & have reviewed both for features etc but wonder the AO features really change the Amp’s sound characteristics... any insights?
Luca C, your crossed cables were still signal cables. I imagine your gear is fine.
I once had a band mate try to set my amp up on a gig to noodle around. He plugged the speaker output in the instrument input, and turned it all the way up trying to get sound to come out. That head didn't survive.
I once had a band mate try to set my amp up on a gig to noodle around. He plugged the speaker output in the instrument input, and turned it all the way up trying to get sound to come out. That head didn't survive.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,952
- 5
- 220,599
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
The part that you don't understand, and the reason that there is a risk to the devices is because the footswitch control is not an audio signal but is generally a D.C. or logic signal that can be incompatible with the audio signal path.
Just because they were signal cables doesn't really matter.
I have a early M900 v1 ran into the hiss problem today too some other people reported.
Much more noticeable with the distortion engaged but still exists when running clean.
So looks like the solution was a new cable or lower gain?
My gain was about 2 o'clock, Lowering treble seemed to help too.
Much more noticeable with the distortion engaged but still exists when running clean.
So looks like the solution was a new cable or lower gain?
My gain was about 2 o'clock, Lowering treble seemed to help too.
I just switch back from having a helix and got the v2 of this amp my only complaint is so stupid and its this doesn’t have a tuner. It literally does everything I need in a amp to do it’s amazing how many sounds you can get with this amp. I mainly use this for practice at home. I plug this in with the aux cable into my Mac and go to town. I put mine into my 4 space rack with the 1 space holder and instead of drilling it in I just put a good amount of dual lock on it and it’s not going anywhere it literally hasn’t moved since I put it on. And it’s almost impossible to get it off. I use it with my rack tuner and power conditioner.
For those of you who have a V1 Microtubes 900 - just how loud is the fan? I just got a second hand one and the fan is very loud and easily audible even 5 meters away with a old fridge compressor running nearby. If they are normally quiet with a small amount of fan noise like a quiet computer, I can live with putting a new fan in. If not, will need to return it.
I have never heard the fan in mine, when practising with the band. I don’t use it at home, so can’t say how it sounds then.
Thanks guys. I'll keep the amp. Changed the fan - stock part is a Sunon MF5015V2 50mm x 15mm 12V fan. Runs off a drive circuit that is isolated from ground so I couldn't get a oscilloscope read on it, but multimeter read 10.5V. Put in the only 50mm (24V) elcheapo fan I had from my 3D printer stockpile. Still not quiet, but about 1/3 as loud and now acceptable to me. Used a 2 pin header on the existing lead so that swapping out for a quieter fan will be super easy. The internal height of the case is 57mm so I can't quite get one of the Noctua 60 mm fans in that would be super quiet.
Besides the super tidy internal layout of this amp, there is a cool poem on the PCB.
Once just an idea,
Uncertain and fragile,
Is now loud and real,
So loud it rumbles the earth beneath it.
Ideas can shake the earth.
Nice work Mr Castro and the Darkglass team.
Once just an idea,
Uncertain and fragile,
Is now loud and real,
So loud it rumbles the earth beneath it.
Ideas can shake the earth.
Nice work Mr Castro and the Darkglass team.
