Interesting new Hiwatt tube amp the t20

[frank57]

Interesting made in china amps they're putting out.
9 I know, made in china but nonetheless)
Fane speakers no less and two channels.Doesn't sound too bad either.
DC power on the filaments.
What do you guys think?
http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitarmag/issue5/page/106

[six el six]

1. Have you heard it in person? If you haven't, well, you have not.

2. You usually get what you pay for. This definitely applies to Chinese stuff. The dollar store isn't a bargain store. It's more like a fair price store because the merchandise is worth, uh, a dollar.

3. A Hyundai is not a 68 GTO regardless of the GTO sticker on it. You're probably paying $50 just to have the Hiwatt name on it.

4. Buy quality once OR buy compromise TIL YOU WISE UP.

5. If you've played electric guitar for a while you'll know that what sounds good for fifteen minutes, often sounds less than wonderful after 45 minutes.

6. I want to put DC power on Salma Hayek's filaments too. Who doesn't?

[Ritchie200]

Frank,

A buddy of mine owns a music store and started importing KLD amps, which are made in chine.  He got these to compete with the mail order/no overhead competition.  With a lot of attitude and an obvious smirk on my face, I checked them out.  Typical PC build with tube sockets soldered to the boards - just like 99% of all the other BIG manufacturers do.  Interesting to note, they had EH tubes in it.  They also used Celestion speakers.  Did not see any schemo's so I don't know how faithfully the original circuits were followed.  Played several versions of Marshall, Vox, and Tweed.  I was very surprised - and believe me, I needed to be impressed.  Would you tour with them?  Probably not, as the build was not what I would consider road worthy.  However, it fills a nitch.  The price was right for someone wanting the above listed "tones" at a reasonable price to play in the basement or bedroom.  AND it's an honest to goodness tube amp.  He also said he has never had a return - for failure or repair.  He figures that when the owners get a little more disposable income, they will be back for the Big Names, vintage, or boutique!

Heck, I don't know anymore.  Cars are sourced with worldwide components.  Marshall is sourcing its POPULATED boards from chine (and I'm sure many others are too).  All the electronics that everyone uses are made in chine.  The line is certainly blurred.  I would check out the t20 and see what it sounds like.  You might be pleasantly surprised.  If you do, post a review!

Jim

Jim

[HotBluePlates]

The video review is cheating a little...

They added a stereo delay that ping-pongs from left to right (about 3 repeats), plus a little bit of what sounds like a much higher-quality reverb than what the spring unit could manage. Probably a little extra digital reverb with a pre-delay they added during post-production.

But I agree with the reviewer; the gain channel sounds like a pretty good fuzzface copy, but it also seems like that's the only sound you can get from it. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a basically built-in pedal there.

[frank57]

Wonder if there's some room reverb maybe?Maybe some digital help inside the amp?
I wonder if that is what they did: put in a fuzz face pedal? Hmm.

So are you getting tube overdrive or just analog overdrive of some kind?
The fane speaker I don't think is made in China.

But they have quite a few of these new amps one of which is a pcb version of their studio stage.
Wonder what that sounds like?
It's an interesting amp but you really have to sit down and try it yourself if possible.

I'm still trying to find a jet city 20 watt combo that doesn't hiss, and that has pretty decent build quality(but tubes on pcb).So far no luck.
Here's a shot of their Higain pcb amps that they put out before, so in any event you can see the build quality of that one.But I'm wary of pcb amps having gone through at least 3 stinkers.