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Jad Freer Sisma Mega Thread.
- Thread starter gtirard
- Start date
@Danny C I'm having trouble tracking down the right picture. I'm interested in how you have your pedals attached on top of the Sisma! Would you be willing to share a recent picture with a birds eye view of the amp and pedals?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Here ya go Ian. The velcro is from Home Depot, 10 or 15 lbs rating. The wired order is tuner, comp, Lowrider, para eq (not always used but it can get me outta trouble in certain venues...or in trouble, haaa. Then HPF to Sisma. It travels all wired so a very easy setup and tear down for me. If this isn't what you're looking for or if ya have any other questions please hit me up. Enjoy!
That is really cool! You've inspired me to do something similar with my set up. Thanks so much!
Just chiming in after my test run with the Sisma.
It’s a very nice amp that fits into my tone goals of the last 3 years. Which are more old-school fidelity with new-school clarity, performance, and build quality. It was a joy to play through. If I had money, it would have stayed with me and a new tester would have needed to be sent back out on tour!
Hopefully we’ll hear from the next guy I sent it on to, to hear his observations!
It’s a very nice amp that fits into my tone goals of the last 3 years. Which are more old-school fidelity with new-school clarity, performance, and build quality. It was a joy to play through. If I had money, it would have stayed with me and a new tester would have needed to be sent back out on tour!
Hopefully we’ll hear from the next guy I sent it on to, to hear his observations!
How did it compare to you WD800?Just chiming in after my test run with the Sisma.
It’s a very nice amp that fits into my tone goals of the last 3 years. Which are more old-school fidelity with new-school clarity, performance, and build quality. It was a joy to play through. If I had money, it would have stayed with me and a new tester would have needed to be sent back out on tour!
Hopefully we’ll hear from the next guy I sent it on to, to hear his observations!
This is going to be hard to make it make sence.
I found there were similarities in both and I can go on and on about it, but I won't.
Part of it could be I used the same cabinet on both Mesa Subway 115, which could have contributed to the similarities.
I could get the WD to sound similar to the Sisma with some tweaking, as well as the other way around. But that isn't something I strive for, getting amps to sound the same. I like each thing in my quiver to bring something different to the table. Sameness is not my thing. One reason I roll my eyes every time I hear about a new amp out that “sounds” like an SVT
Now here’s my observation based on my tone goals and should not be viewed as a criticism of the Sisma but more of me.
I found the Sisma had the fabled “Slam” and “Heft” based on the varied definitions given to the terms by the kids.
Here comes the crazy talk so be aware.
I found that the Sisma was too full or fat on the low-end, for me. I'm used to the built-in HPF on the WD and use that as part of my tone shaping. I missed not having that, especially as I ramped up the volume on the Sisma, through that speaker cabinet. It is probably like how some in the Mesa world like the D 800+ over the WD 800 for the D+ thickness.
Other than that, its a very toneful, warm sounding, loud amp. If I had the extra scrilla, I’d get on to add another voice to my collection.
So thick, warm, loud, kinda of vintagey with modern quickness. Touch-sensitive, nice breakup tube warmth.
If you can suffer along with those qualities, this amp is for you. If that sounds like something you can't hang with, look elsewhere!
It all makes sense.
Just a small comment about that part:
I also think that it's not very interesting for modern amps to copy legacy amps, but I can see at least good 3 reasons if you love the SVT tone to look for a modern alternative: weight, ease and cost of maintenance, and also ability to sound equally good a any volume (tube amps tend to sound best at their optimal volume). So my eyes don't roll when I hear about new amp that sounds like an SVT - there's a market for that obviously.
That said, I haven't played a SVT or a Mesa 400+ for more than 20 years, but I think I prefer the tone I got with Sisma, if I remember well, not to mention the much geater versatility. It could be also due to modern cabs, I think they are not only much lighter, they also sound much better.
Just a small comment about that part:
One reason I roll my eyes every time I hear about a new amp out that “sounds” like an SVT
I also think that it's not very interesting for modern amps to copy legacy amps, but I can see at least good 3 reasons if you love the SVT tone to look for a modern alternative: weight, ease and cost of maintenance, and also ability to sound equally good a any volume (tube amps tend to sound best at their optimal volume). So my eyes don't roll when I hear about new amp that sounds like an SVT - there's a market for that obviously.
That said, I haven't played a SVT or a Mesa 400+ for more than 20 years, but I think I prefer the tone I got with Sisma, if I remember well, not to mention the much geater versatility. It could be also due to modern cabs, I think they are not only much lighter, they also sound much better.
I have a friend who is uh... round... loves to eat ice cream, yet drinks skim milk. Never understood that. Skim milk is essentially flavored white water.
Anyway, it would be interesting to hear the Sisma through a fEARful or similar cabinet with deeper than average low frequency response. I like hearing those deep fundamentals, with less emphasis on 1st and 2nd harmonics like most cabinets.
Anyway, it would be interesting to hear the Sisma through a fEARful or similar cabinet with deeper than average low frequency response. I like hearing those deep fundamentals, with less emphasis on 1st and 2nd harmonics like most cabinets.
I know huh?
After rolling my eyes at sound-a-like SVTs, I get getting the modern equivalent. In fact my getting my WD 800 and SW 115 was to hang on to and recreate the vibe of the B-15n I sold to get it. Silly huh?
SVT-CL head with a modern Bergantino HT322 cabinet.
I love this sound but it's 184 lbs all in.
I have a Quilter coming next week! Curious about it and my GR 1x12 cabinet.
I love this sound but it's 184 lbs all in.
I have a Quilter coming next week! Curious about it and my GR 1x12 cabinet.
You're going to love Quilter + GR Bass. The Quitler and Sisma are completely different animal, but I love my BB800 too. It's super transparent, but it has something that reminds me of the "tube feel", in the dynamics.
If we come back to DJ Bebop comment, for me the Quilter and Sisma are both inspired by tube amps, yet resolutely modern.
But they do that in a very different way:
- The Quilter retains the dynamics of a tube amp, while the Sisma retains the color
- Quilter focuses on simplicity, Sisma on versatility
I never used a HPF, but when I want to tighten the lows with Sisma, I reduce the Low and compensate by increasing the Low Mids at a frequency between 40 and 100 hz, it works well for me.I found that the Sisma was too full or fat on the low-end, for me. I'm used to the built-in HPF on the WD and use that as part of my tone shaping. I missed not having that, especially as I ramped up the volume on the Sisma, through that speaker cabinet.
I did discover that right away. In doing that thing of trying to get each amp to sound like the other that I don't care to do but was asked a few times if it was possible.
It's not a deal-breaker that the Sisma does not have an HPF, a lot of amps don't. I was just use to my WD having one. If I was able to buy a Sisma, I would just get an external one to go with.
An HPF works differently than a Shelf EQ so while a Shelf EQ will lower the Bass frequencies, the HPF will do it at a specific EQ point, lowering the bass at that point and everything below that selected point, walling it off if you will, yet not affect anything above it. It’s different.
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I have a BB800 coming but also use one of these filter based pedals to really dial things in.
I figured out what I don't like about the Sisma and it my not be their fault because of the fans. I wish it had a handle on the side.
There are several lightweight Ampeg models that should fit the bill. They're Ampegs, after all, and many of them even have SVT in the model name right on the front panel.
My test speakers (previosly posted somewhere here in this thread). Not a Greenboy design, but sonically fits the bill, IME.
Maybe, on the top.I figured out what I don't like about the Sisma and it my not be their fault because of the fans. I wish it had a handle on the side.
Haaa....I didn't notice there was a handle missing. In my scene it's working without one and would probably get in my way.
