FYI, mine is supposed to be getting finished up this week. I ordered in late Feb (#12 I think). Mine has the Jensen DI as well.
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Demeter VTBP M 800D @ NAMM
- Thread starter Mark Sacchetti
- Start date
Still weirded out that my email contact to Demeter via their website contact messaging never got me a reply. I know another contact or a phone call is probably in order. Still.
Judging by the number of orders ya'll talking about, they are probably too busy to be responding. I wouldn't worry about it. When I sent my unit in, I sent a message through the site just to confirm they received it and they never responded. I was a little concerned because my unit was so old that it didn't have a serial number to track it. I gave it two weeks and then finally called. They told me they were just finishing it up and would send it out tomorrow. I asked if they could email me a tracking number. They said, sure... Never did get that email, but a big box of amp came a few days later.
I have traded a few emails with JD about technical questions and he has always responded within a day or two, always in quick four or five word answers like he is trying to get through forty other emails and doesn't type too fast to begin with. Lol
I have traded a few emails with JD about technical questions and he has always responded within a day or two, always in quick four or five word answers like he is trying to get through forty other emails and doesn't type too fast to begin with. Lol
Hey, Tom, nice and succinct comparison. I was fortunate to pick up a lightly-used HBP-800D recently. Formidable little amp, though I'd love if it came in a non-rack version. (I'd also like a gain control, but it seems to work fine without.) Thought about putting it in a 1u or custom rack, but don't know if that would give it room for proper ventilation.
The amp came with a long-plate Sovtek in there, which sounded decent but was microphonic. Tried a JJ, Tung Sol, and an Electro-Harmonix in there and settled on the EH tube. JJ was smooth and punchy, with very little string noise, but didn't have a lot of bass or treble extension. Tung Sol was the most extended top and bottom, with the prettiest high end and the clearest harmonics (which I love), but the bottom end was too loose for me. Electro-Harmonix is very punchy with extension between that of the JJ and the Tung Sol. Sound is grittier than either, with some more string noise. Harmonics are clear, but don't pop in the same way they do with the Tung Sol, which brings them out beautifully.
I've been running the HBP with the bass boosted slightly (1:00-2:00), treble around noon (give or take), Presence boosted slightly (9:00) and mids almost all the way up (85%-95% of the way). The resulting tone is plenty thick in the mids -- I'd be more comfortable with more room on the mid control, but I'm sure I could accentuate the mids further by cutting bass and treble. There is also the two-band parametric, which is nice to have for certain basses/cabs. With my EMG-loaded P/J, though, I've been leaving it switched out of the circuit half the time.
Coming back to the comparison of the 201 and the HBP, do you notice much different going on in terms of feel/harmonic complexity with the 2nd tube? Transient response? You mention that it's a little more scooped -- too much more would be a concern. The form factor and the description of the high end sound appealing -- and I've thought that an Empress Para-EQ pedal (or something similar) could get me most of the functionality of the HBP (still wouldn't have that switchable effects loop with send/return levels). Then again, I might be able to get some of those singing highs with the right tube in there (differences among the three I tried were readily noticeable).
Any thoughts that way? Is there much to be gained sonically in terms of feel/tone with the second tube? While we're at it, any recommendations for tubes to try in the HBP?
Appreciate your opinion. Thanks!
-Mark
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Tom eluded to this as well, although I don't quite understand it. Put handles on the rack mount ears, and then throw a set of cheap feet on the bottom and its a stand-alone. It's odd that people don't often say the same about the Blue Soul or Blue Sky heads .... which, if only you took a steamroller to, would then have the HPB form-factor :>D
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That's a thought -- just want to make sure it's adequately protected. Maybe if I found the right bag...
Did you try the TS while engaging the Para and rolling off the deepest low end to perhaps (re) tighten the bass range a bit?
EDIT: The more i think about it, you might need more of a shelving type control to pull that off.
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- Apr 3, 2003
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Well, I'm not sure how much is due to the two extra valve stages and how much is due to different circuit designs, but the 201s is notably scooped in the mids compared to the HBP-1. The decision to make the 201s more mid-scooped than the 201 is, I believe, an intentional one. Given the time that the 201s came out, mid-scoop was all the rage, so I can see this being the case. Personally, I prefer the tonal balance of the older 201, but the 201s does have some addicting high-end sweetness (which can't really be replicated with EQ, IME/IMHO).
Mine is in transit as we speak! Should have it my hands early next week. I have a gig the following Friday where I've played plenty of times and used a Walkabout, M6, Prodigy and DeMonique in the past. I'll let you guys know how it works out.
I'm right on the edge of putting in an order for VTBPM800D. Not sure about the Jensen DI upgrade since I have a nice Radial JDI I've been using for years which has a Jensen.
I just picked up a Berg HD112 stack and currently using a GK MB800 Fusion amp which sounds pretty good. Hoping the Demeter amp would sound spectacular with the HD112 stack ..
I just picked up a Berg HD112 stack and currently using a GK MB800 Fusion amp which sounds pretty good. Hoping the Demeter amp would sound spectacular with the HD112 stack ..
Has anybody preordered or intend to order the "cage style amp package" version? Kind of neat - not sure if it has a nifty handle though...
