The Studio Vintage Head sells for about £739 (roughly $920) in the UK. It's not bad value over here, where the Suhr and Friedman's are about twice that price for the head versions. So it has much less competition at the price here. In the UK, it lives in roughly the same price range as Fender Blues Jr, Bassbreak 30R, Orange Rocker 15, Blackstar HT-20R, EVH 5150 40W, and Vox AC-15 C1 combos as well as Marshall's own DSL40CR. And I'm thinking of those it's probably best to go Marshall (DSL40/SV20) or Vox here. At least the SV20 head can be partnered with a cab with bigger and better speaker(s). Then the head can be upgraded over the years, for tone and reliability improvements, as the warranty runs out.
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for all of the fantastic insight and explanations. Your videos have answered some of the things I hav wondered as a guitarist who looks to understand more completely what is under the hood. I'm looking forward to the continuing journey of your examinations on the different tiers of amps, their involved components, and the insight into the schematic layout of materials to construct the sounds.
The Studio Vintage 20 is a fantastic amp and my main gigging amp....never had any issues with it and sounds amazing. Just look at what most owners are saying about these amps...that speaks volumes.
Hi. Do you find the Studio Vintage 20 to be overly loud? I don’t have a chance to check one out. I play in a moderately loud band but don’t want to blast 😮
@@scottm3775I played one in my local music store a couple years ago. Let me tell you, it’s not quiet, the shoppers in the shopping center could hear us in the store next door (I was impressed with how loud it was, and so were the music shop employees, in fact they were all for turning it up and boosting the amp to the max.) I may or may not have heard ringing for an hour after I left the store lol 😂
I’ve a spine injury from an accident, and some orthopedic ones as side orders. I’ve recently do e into music and guitars specifically as both have always been passions unfulfilled. Your channel is extremely helpful with both! I learn so much? I e a tiny wee bit of electronics background so I can follow a tad, and it makes sense. Not just helpful with what to purchase or the fascinating inner workings and how it all blends, Pain can get a little daunting, and just the whole manner of the presentation y the almost ASMR quality of it, it’s very soothing , even your exasperated moments! Thanks for the information and escape into the adventure if it all.
The pricing of these in the States is crazy. Of course you can only compare them with similar priced amps in your market, but here in Europe they are under $1000, about half the price of the Suhr and Friedman, which is probably a more accurate reflection of their quality.
Exactly this. I paid 699€ (around 725 USD) for a brand new SV20H few years ago. Definitely the best "mini Plexi" in the market for that price. Must be some sort of import tax thing.
I paid $1299 USD for the handwired Friedman PT20. Vs the SV20 at $1799. I dont see why anyone would be be buying these Marshalls in the US besides the branding.
A number of years ago I built a Trinity TMB kit head. Bluesbreaker 18 watt style amp but with no tremolo. One channel is tone control only the other it treble middle bass - and you can jumper them. If it breaks I can fix it. I run it through a 12 inch speaker acquired on sale from Carvin. Built an open back plywood cabinet for the speaker. Great Marshall tone in a rig that's easy to carry. Everyone should learn how to solder and read prints.
Great video, i was curious about this amp. In Germany this amp costs 900€ while the Suhr Hombre 2150€ and the Freedman Runt 20 head 1700€ . The exchange rate is almost 1 to 1 so the Marshall is a much better deal.
I took the 500pf peaking capacitor out of the board where the two 47k mix resistors feed into the first pre amp stage and replaced the 5nf bright cap across the bright volume pot with a 250pf one - it instantly made it sound more JTM45 -like and got rid of a lot of the nasty metallic fizzy-ness. I then replaced the speaker with an old 70's Celestion (G10 55 I think?) and it certainly did the trick. - great video as always!
I don't know why people don't do this, but I always put a 220K resistor in series with the bright cap, and problem solved. You can choose the bright cap size you like without it getting too bright. I actually have 4 bright caps on a switch for various voicing.
@@qua7771 bet, man. I think something like that would be incredibly successful if an amp with that capability were mass produced. One tube amp with a wide range of voicings like that is the only way to compete with all these modeling amps coming out.
@@cbrindle91 I usually play with the gain maxed so the bright cap isn't in the circuit at that point. With it turned down a bit, you can hear the bright cap. My amp is a 2ch Ceriatone that I wired one ch as a '68 Plexi circuit with a lot of switches for voicing. The other channel is a modified JCM 800 circuit. It is versatile.
Love the work you're doing here, and hoping there are executives at Marshall taking note. For the price point in the US, this amp doesn't seem to be in the same league as it's competition.
That’s because you’re comparing it against US-made amps. A huge chunk of the price of this in the US is down to transport and customs costs. The reverse is the case in the UK.
this is one guys opinion and he is talking about a plexi which even as a downsized reissue is still a plexi and behaves and sounds like a plexi, one of if not the most sought after guitar -amp tones of all time. If he inspected EVH's amp he used on 1984 or claptons used on BEANO etc ....he probably would find negative things to say about all of em
It actually had quite a bunch of gain/crunch for no pedals. Usually stock plexi amplifiers I have heard sound quite a bit cleaner than all the Marshall lore I have heard of over the years.
@@gbbruno596 you use the word "an" when you only should use "a" . I'm "a" Marshall guy. Same with the other time you used "an" instead of "a" in your last sentence.
@Mr Nobody , I don't know exactly which model of Marshall it was, but a kid living across the street from my folks in the 80's had a Marshall head and cab that would grind really well when pushed but went right back to a chimey clean like say Hendrix playing Little Wing just by backing off the volume control on his Gibson SG. It did the exact thing that most guitarists want from their amplifiers but very few people are able to get. I wish I knew exactly what model it was. I'm guessing it was probably a 50 W head and not a 100 W, but that's just a guess.
@@auntjenifer7774 He used “an” before a word that begins with the letter “h” in both instances. This is correct usage, though it may sound foreign to most westerners. “An” is used before open consonants and “h” is an open consonant.
@@t3r080 Solid, cast dress washers are relatively expensive compared to the ones that are stamped out of sheet metal; and bean counters for manufacturing facilities being what and who they are.....
I own the head version of this amp. I run it through a G12M or a Scumback 1265 clone 4x12 cab. It sounds way better than the combo. With that being said, years back Bob Reinhardt built me a hand wired 1987x clone with Heyboer iron that sounded way better than my SV20. Lesson learned: When you have a kickass sounding Marshall clone, don’t sell it.
Hey Lyle! My favorite part of your videos is seeing the insides of these amps. No amp company highlights that the guts of their amps look like personal computers. You’d think more of these amp companies would be bending over backwards to show their amps are the best built, toughest for gigging guitarists, and most straight forward to maintain and repair. That Suhr Hombre you showed us before seems to win the PCB stakes!-a PCB that still somehow looks rock’n’roll. I have a mid-eighties Marshall 5005 and it’s PCB looks rather luxurious compared to this Marshall amp-and it’s a cheap (though UK made) solid state practice amp! I had been in the market for a lower wattage Marshall type amp … I opted for the last of the new Friedman Pink Tacos. A few years ago I bought two low wattage Marshall tube amps (class 5, and a 1 watt anniversary) and it’s pretty difficult to pull a “Marshall” sound out of them! They are off to the chipper!
I’ve watched the price with both the SV20c and SV20h (head) increase 150-200 in price since the COVID related supply line issues and the Russian/Ukraine madness causing an apparent tube shortage. I’ve played both versions of this amp and they do a pretty good job IMO of accomplishing what I think Marshall tried to do, a smaller, less loud, home friendly Plexi. Personally, I was left scratching my head as to why they elected to go with a 10-inch speaker and not a 12-inch. It’s closest competitor the Blues Jr has less power (15watts) and a 12 inch speaker. I think that is the first thing I would do if I get this amp is swap the speakers out and then address the bias issue. Overall I’ve been waiting for you to do a review on this amp, great review and Thanks for doing it!
You seriously have the best reviews on YT and you don’t mess around. I love it. What’s crazy is I was looking at those Origin amps coming out. They’re only $750 in the US. Would you be able to review the Origin 20?
@@PsionicAudio Wow the lack of low end is very disappointing. I was thinking it would be great for my first Marshall but maybe not…have you ever reviewed their Bluesbreaker?
Your amp reviews are always spot on. Based on the Asian sourced components, I'm convinced that the PCB assemblies are manufactured in Asia for the Studio series. The chassis and cabinet are most-likely made in Asia too. Marshall is currently charging $1,800 for the heads in the US. That's a huge markup for an amp that's only assembled in the UK. Construction and quality are the same as the DSL and origin amps that cost way less. Friedman, Splawn, & Suhr offer better quality in the price range of the Studio series for sure!
The thing is, those Marshalls are less than half the price in the U.K… Not sure if they’re just marking up an insane amount for the US market, or whether there’s some kind of import tariff on them?
Just a heads up everyone, Russian tube's have long been back and were only subject to the embargo for literally about a week and are really getting great....tung sol and exh have been awesome..also Svane a Chinese co. That was an offshoot of shuguang (much more high-end) came online in late may, enjoy!
Hi Lyle, another great review. Interesting about the pricing in the US. Here in New Zealand the Marshall 20 watts are around 2k NZ$ new. The only new 20W Friedman I can find here is a JJ Jr head for $3600. Saw a Runt 20C for sale recently 2700 used. Exchange rate and freight (particularly in the last couple of years) are killer. Here, compared to marshalls Friedmans are rare and Suhrs are like hens teeth.
@@void_snw that’s a great idea. Overall I’ve been very pleased with the results of removing the bright cap but at times I’ve wondered what a cap of a different value from stock might sound like.
I own one. Snakeskin tolex, for 900€ it's a bang for the buck. It's built wonderfully and it sounds great both clean and crunch. I don't understand the hate for this amp, It's one of the most dynamic and at the same time portable amp ever made. It sounds a lot better than a deluxe reverb 65, which here in Europe costs 1900€ (2000$).. anyway good job with the in-depth review
I really like mine. Here in Singapore it cost me half of what you guys are paying in the US. I got the head and the 12” cab - and then put a ‘70s Celestion G12H 30W 55Hz in it. Sometimes I also run into another 1x12”: the 1974CX with the Celestion Heritage G12M 20W. Both cabs together with that head sound absolutely huge! Longevity is a bit of a worry but it does sound and look great to my ears. Sadly never got to play a genuine vintage Marshall Plexi!
Awesome video, I always get excited when I see a video of yours pop up that's of an amp I own or have owned. I picked up my SV20C when they released a few years ago and still love it. I've used it for countless gigs, recording sessions & rehearsals with no issues. I echo the sentiments about it sounding bright and the 10" speaker being a bit of a let down. My main complaint is how much volume is needed on the Normal channel to counter all the brightness that is added with small adjustments of the bright channel. I find it to be a difficult amp to dial in on the fly because of that. Altogether though, it's great as my grab & go for rehearsals & shows. I've noticed these have also undergone a price hike, this was $1499 when I picked mine up and I got a little off of that from my local music store, so I do think there are better options out there when you start approaching the $2k price point.
i had the head version of this and it was soo bright (through vintage 30's) i thought it was broken and i returned it. Maybe some greenbacks would smooth it out? I ended up with a Friedman Pink Taco. Couldnt be happier.
Crazy. I got one earlier this year off of a forum. 900 shipped. I will never sell it. I don’t use it for everything, but when I need Marshall… I get Marshall.
@@gbbruno596 to me, it's better than a plexi. more tonal options and plus master volume with internal adjustable jumpers. I've played and owned many Marshalls. PRS knocked it out of the park with this one.
I bought one. I haven’t played it much yet. I’m able to get a nice AC/DC type sound, but I haven’t gotten the more “glassy” tones I expected. It’s going through a 1x12 with a creamback
@@sgmarshall3 on the prs the bass should be no higher than 9 o clock as it overpowers some of the mids. With the bass lower the rest of the upper frequencies stand out better
Price is relative! Marshall's are quitte expensive in the US compared to here in The Netherlands. This year I bought the SV20H for €825 and a design store 20W Silver jubilee with 2x12JVM cab, both in black snakeskin for €1324. The Friedman Runt 20 head is about €1800 and €800 for a 1x12 cab. So in total I paid €2149 for two heads and a 2x12 cab vs the €2600 I would have to pay for a 20w head and 1x12 from Friedman. Of course the Friedman stuff might be higher quality but sound and bang for buck wise it is just too much. A Suhr head is between €2000-€4000 and therefore too expensive as well. The PRS HDRX20 is a bit more expensive than the SV20H, but also affordable.
I paid £599 for mine when they first came out. I replaced for a 12" v type. I was a very tight fit! The only speakers that would fit were the v-type or a neo cream back.
Damnit! I just bought the sv20h not too long ago. Validate my purchase!!! ;) I play it through a 4x12 and it does sound good, though. Was just bummed it was not of better build quality. I also picked up a slo30 though so I can't really complain. Pretty much set on amps for my style. Really enjoy your videos.
I got one for 750€ in Belgium and i played for about 40 min in the store . It sounds good it feels good it looks great offcourse i don't have a techicians ear but it feels a lot of good tone for the price , unless you wanna talk Boss katana price/tone . Since it gave me all sounds i wanted from An Amp i'm glad i got it
Great review, Lyle! Wow, trippin' on the U.S. price tag also. Been in Czech Republic for the last year and even with their 21 percent VAT tax I saw a used SV20 on the local buy and sell asking less than 800 Euro. Beautiful Marshall dress on the outside, Blackstar uber cheap on the inside.
PS while I didn’t mention it in the video, a real Marshall doesn’t have to be turned up all that much to get the real version of that sound - it’s just past the point of clean really. Just loud and harmonically complex and percussive. This amp has none of that, so you have to compensate with more overdrive, which brings out the cold bias nasties and compression.
Leafblowers are really annoying in my neighborhood. Really appreciated and enjoyed this video. Unfortunately, Marshall like many others, have gone "corporate" but the brand is so strong, it still sells.
Hi Lyle - enjoy your in-depth reviews and tinkerings. You mention the 'fizziness' about this amp, could it be the speaker itself? I've had new 12" Vintage 30s which have sounded fizzy at first, but get fuller sounding after being played-in.
My first tube amp was a Marshall JTM 30. Have you ever worked on the JTM 30 or 60s? They had a reputation for overheating. My amp was fine though the reverb never worked.
Big markup in shipping, distribution and dealers I would guess - These are under £800 in the UK (and UK manufactured for all the studio models), so that would translate to sub $1000 in a direct way exchange rate. Keep in mind too, that UK prices are all advertised including sales tax (20%) so the base price would be more like £650 pre-tax!
@@NFMorley $1000 is more like it. That's more like what I had in mind. Also, it bugs me that it's cathode biased at 50%. Nothing vintage Marshall about that.
Hey now! These are great videos and helped me decide on a used Swart Antares (pristine like new actually) after watching a Swart inspection and review from you, very cool. Price was in this particular range of amps coming in at $1500. Love this amp .. Fender guy Tele and Strat and this, to me, sounds like a more articulate brown deluxe, love this amp! That 3-way switch has that pop you pointed out on the space tone. Anyway, price used was in this in-depth look range, hence the comment. Thanks and keep on keepin' on!
Thanks for showing us the inner workings of these newer amps, it does help with eventual basic servicing. It would be good to see the chassis etc on the new Gibson Falcon amps. The Marshall does sound amazing though , that 10" works petfectly with the circuit. Looks cool too. Expensive yes, should be 1400 max.
Lyle- Just seeing this vid now, as was considering buying the tube head version and swapping out the EL34’s for Gold Lion KT66’s. Would that work with the Studio Vintage, or should I just pony up the extra $$$ for a Bogner Helios JB45? Love your vids- has me thinking about buying my first amp kit.😁
Exchange rates or import duties must play a part in the price.. if you buy one brand new in Australia and simply convert to USD it will be much closer to $1100 USD, which is exactly price point you talk about
The sv20 sound really good for a little practice amp. The Friedmans and Suhrs are fine but not a marshall sound. Played in ACDC tribute for 11 years all over, so kind of familiar with the tone. Maybe cut out the sound board and but a 12 inch greenback in there, and replace some caps and parts that you pointed out for better ones. Cheers.
A little off topic maybe. But my two absolute favorite AmpTubers (just made that up) are our host here, Lyle of Psionic Audio and Jason from Headfirst Amplification. Oh, there are others I really enjoy such as Uncle Doug for example, but Lyle and Jason are such a joy to watch and we are privileged to a lot of the knowledge they share. Thanks Lyle!
Thanks man. Jason is a good bloke. I took a break between the last internal shot of this and doing the playing bit, and watched the second part of his ‘70 Marshall Bass restoration. And the difference between this SV20 and a real Marshall is just painful.
@@PsionicAudio I have the Silver Jubilee 2525H which brand new cost about half what a Runt 20 head costs here in NZ. Friedman is considered boutique here due to the very high prices. Import costs are cranking prices of Marshall in the USA I guess and the opposite here, so in the USA you end up with the bizarre situation of an amp that is meant to be affordable costing more than a higher end product. BTW. Your favourite amp brand also costs a mint here. Mesa :P My other amp is a fairly good attempt at a JMP 1987 replica build. Mustard caps and all that so called cork sniffer stuff. It's in a different league to the mass produced Silver Jubilee amp. Better sounding and better built (the builder was having a clear out, nobody else understood its value and bid, so I got it quite cheap and the builder was grumpy about it).
@@PsionicAudio did a comparison my 76 metalpanel 1959 with two tubes pulled and a buddy of mines new SV20. We played the SV20 first and thought, yeah ok its a Marshall, sounds ok. But compared to the real deal there’s really not much comparison and sadly enough not that much difference in volume
@@PsionicAudio did a comparison my 76 metalpanel 1959 with two tubes pulled and a buddy of mines new SV20. We played the SV20 first and thought, yeah ok its a Marshall, sounds ok. But compared to the real deal there’s really not much comparison and sadly enough not that much difference in volume
The Marshall Studio Vintage 20 is my gigging amp, I have never had any problems and I love it a lot. It cost me 800 Swiss Francs which is about 890 US Dollars. A comparison with a Suhr or Friedman amp does not really add up. Different price levels.
Hi Lyle, Interesting difference in price to the UK... Marshall SV20 around £850 - £900, Friedman Runt 20 £1429 (or even more in some retailers, that was the cheapest) Suhr Hombre £1899. Worth bearing in mind if you don't live in the US, as the Marshall is by far the least expensive here. I wonder how that would change your feelings about the amp if you lived over here in the UK? Generally speaking Marshall's are a relative bargain in the UK, especially used.
That pricing aligns with the quality you get. The SV20 is a reasonably good $1000 amp these days, though I would choose other amps over it at that price. It’s not a good $1900 choice.
@@PsionicAudio For sure, over here they are seen as 'a good amp' but nothing that would compare to something 'higher-end'... and Marshall are so plentiful here used prices are always great. I paid £200 for my JCM2000, a Marshall is a cheap amp here if you want something loud and gig-able with a decent rock tone.
@@rocket69218 He did not seem to get your point. Oh well. Busy guy. I grew up in Milton Keynes, but live in NZ now. Friedman is boutique amp prices here. This series of Marshall is just a mass produced amp and this combo is about half what a Friedman one would cost. The free trade thing that evened out prices around the world is breaking down. Lots of tariffs are being introduced, with the goal of protecting domestic industry and jobs. I suspect that's what is happening here (another factor is high roller investor types are fleeing to the USD for better bond returns et cetera, which is putting a lid on US inflation, bolstering the USD, and weakening almost every other currency in the world and increasing inflation -- logistics costs are also higher due to those weaker currencies and high energy costs etc). P.S. Tariffs and import costs in reverse duing the 1960s is why Marshall exists in the first place. They made Fender amps too expensive, which made space in the market for Jim Marshall. Same here in NZ. Several Kiwi amp brands existed, like Holden that AC/DC began on (Angus said his favourite ever amp was NZ made). We moved here when I was 15. Tariffs were removed and all the big brands began appearing in the music shops. I would go from shop to shop like a tourist checking out Marshall, Fender and Gibson etc (that stuff was rare here before then). The downside is factories closed. Lots of them. I got laid off at 19 years old and did not get back to work until 22 (the economy tanked -- several factors, but it was just after NZ permanently banned the US navy coming here).
According to the UK/EU commenters this is about a $1000 amp over there. While that’s much more realistic than the $1900 in the US, the DSL40CR would be the much better choice for the same or less price. Same build quality level but a louder better more flexible sound.
Having owned both of them, I would say they sound different. DLS is more flexible? For sure. It has a clean channel that stays very clean (which I don't like), a gain channel which does not clean up (which I dont like either) and some variations in between. "Better" however is a matter of taste and for my ears the SV sounds better than any DSL. I just love the plexi sound.
@@PsionicAudio you are right, Let's say the 1987x is the modern Plexi sound (the JTM45 is different cause it does not have solid state rectifier to being with). To my ears the SV is much closer to the 1987x than any DSL which compress in a very different way. But if your point is that the SV has its own tone I agree. And you need to break in the speaker to hear it properly. At which point if you like it or not is a matter of taste.
@@PsionicAudio The combo doesn't, but the head played through the same speakers and cab of a Super Lead sound almost identical. I don't know why they went with the 10" speaker here, massive mistake.
Very comprehensive review. The Marshall SV20 and the entire Studio Series from Marshall are pretty good amps despite the build issues that you've pointed out. The cold power tube biasing is quite perplexing though. The problem I have with them is not so much that and not that Marshall themselves is charging too much for them, it's more the tariff and import/export issues that drives the pricing up on all Marshall products. This should really be about a $1300-1500 amp and at that price point it would be a great buy.
@@jdl2180 I don't know if you bought yours new or used, but since I posted my comment 6 months ago, tariff and import/export taxes have changed bringing the price of these amps more in line with where they should be priced.
I'd like to see someone do a tag board version of this amp, with 6V6 Output tubes. I'm really interested in which Superlead spec they went for in the pre-amp, not sure any Schematics have been spotted in the wild yet. All the clips I've heard of this amp with a Stratocaster, sound great, very Blackmore tone. I think any complaints about the tone will be more related to using the combo, the head is where it's at. It'd be interesting to get a 50w Marshall Clone kit and build it to this 20w Spec. In the UK, the Marshall head is £735. By comparison, other heads: the PRS HDRX is £799, Friedman Runt £1399, Suhr Hombre £1449! So the Marshall is much better value in the UK.
I have the head version; that 1x10 combo configuration was not an attractive option and I already had a fairly nice 2x12 cab loaded with Heritage Greenbacks to run it through anyway. Great amp...I love the snot out of it.
Thanks again for this unbiased review, Lyle. Literally the only spot on the internet are your channel and Brad's where you're not bought and sold or beholden to "free" loaners from the companies for reviews. I've essentially written off the big companies now for building a decent amp, no matter the price point. Fender, Marshall, Vox...they're all under-built and over-priced. You're paying for the name, not the sound or build quality. Shameful, and without folks with integrity like you, we'd all be plunking down thousands based on their historic reputation. This will eventually catch up to them, and they'll lose that reputation prestige.
Hi. I really enjoy your videos - thanks for putting them up - very informative, and your baritone voice has a relaxing quality to it... I have one of these amps, a head, that I run into a 1×12 Reverend cab loaded with a Celestion G12M Greenback. With Hendrix as my first love and Eddie as my second, I'm digging how I can get in the ballpark with those and other classic tones. My question is, what would YOU do to one to make it sound better? 🙏🏻
I have this amp, but in a head. I play it through an Orange 1 x12 cab and it sounds 'bigger' and more open with the 12. Also, i dont think this is a great bedroom amp, but opened up with a full band it kicks big time! Easy as loud as my old 50w jcm 800( 1x12) if that helps
Here in NZ it costs $1177 USD including tax. Friedman is currently out of stock, but usually costs more than twice that just for a Runt 20 head. I suspect import costs are messing with prices. The reverse situation in the 1960s is why Marshall, Hiwatt and Orange exist. It was too expensive to import Fender due to tariffs, so English amps appeared (I grew up with the Marshall factory just down the road in Milton Keynes). Other stuff made in the USA is super expensive here too. It was a while ago, but a AxeFX was also double what US folks pay and you lot get free shipping as well. Another example is my Freyette Power Station PS-2A. It cost a small fortune to import. Fender, Gibson and EVH tend to be more expensive here too. Computer parts as well.
@@cpfs936 Shipping was quite cheap. I had mine sent from Peach Guitars in the UK. lt tends to be cheaper and faster for some reason, e.g., Royal Mail got an Audient interface here in just a few days. About $1500 NZD total incl taxes I think, which is about $900 in USD funny money. Buying it from the NZ distributor that is not even in NZ was going to cost a lot more (in Australia). We are 4150 kilometers from that Aussie lot, but folks lump us in with them all the time. We do not have the snakes, spiders, crocs, or that silly accent either :P
It took some time to dial in the sound of this amp. Ultimately the amp needs the SV112 cabinet which I purchased from Thomann. Thomann sells the cabinet for under $400.00 plus shipping to the US. The combination of the combo and the cabinet looks cool and sounds great to my ears. Agreed the combo is only worth buying at used prices.
As it has been stated the price of this amp in the states is not caused by quality of the part. Most likely it’s distribution and such. In the uk this and the import PRS HRX 20 are the same price for example
In spite of the price that is a good amp, at least to my ears. I am looking for my first tube amp an am between this and the DSL40CR… Well, My heart fells to a tweed blues deluxe, specially because of the set in reverb (it’d be good if it had tremolo but…). Of course I can always change speakers on those Marsha’s to my taste with green or cream. Thanks(again) for the Fiat Lux on the behinds and honest pragmatic reviews, your channel is a true jewel in YT. Cheers m8.
I owned one of these for about a year. I was able to get great sounds at home but never really liked the way it sounded on a stage. The salesperson where I bought it told me that Marshall had specifically spec'd it with a 10" speaker because they thought it cut a bit more. I felt it was a bit strident in the top end. It did take pedals pretty well.
Debating between this, a 1959HW and a Friedman (small box or little sister) - curious which you’d go with. Which one is built the best and most importantly does “the thing” the best . Thanks
Love to hear your thoughts on the build quality of the Marshall Class 5 that was trying to do a similar low watt Plexi style sound that came out years ago.
I wouldn't buy one of these because I'm still happy with my dsl40cr. Thank you so much for this in depth review. It's a shame that Marshall doesn't have you as their designer and engineer!
My Marshall DSL 40 on 20 watts setting sounds better than the SV 20 here in this video ! I would be very disappointed with the SV 20 paying $1,000+ for it like what they are charging for it today ! My Marshall DSL 40 is the best amplifier for my taste and style !
Marshall prices have dropped across the board since this video. And the SV20 head is currently at $1,299 USD. I think the head, along with a better 12" speaker (not the V-Type) is pretty compelling. And a few light mods to the circuit can work wonders to really get it to that sound. However, the inherent build quality and how it holds up over time is another story.
Hi from Scotland. Love these videos. I would be interested to hear your views on the PRS HDRX models. Thinking about buying one. The 20 watt version, just for home playing.
I just bought the JTM Studio combo sounds great but the amp rattles when you hit it hard with a pedal I think speaker is to close to the tubes. I hooked up a speaker cab and no rattle I love Marshall so I may try the head/cab set up
Hey Lyle, I've played the head version of this amp at a shop local to me and have really enjoyed the amp. I usually play a JTM45, but have been wanting a more 'lead circuit' plexi style amp as well. The lower wattage of the SV20 is appealing, but I worry about some of the things you've mentioned about the build quality and transformers (Not sure if mentioned in this video, another, a livestream, or in your tone-talk episode with Dave..). Would I be better off going in the direction of something like a 1987x or Suhr SL68? I appreciate any perspective you or anyone in the comments can lend me.
When you use a variable voltage regulator power supply to reduce power you also must reduce dissipation as you scale down, I think? Could you consider this a permanently 'power scaled' amp with its low(?) plate voltage or is the cold bias way beyond what could be accounted for by that way of looking at it?
@@PsionicAudio Plug the amp into a single TWELVE INCH 25 watt Celestion Greenback cabinet. Makes all the difference in the world. None of these small cab amps sound good to me, too boxy, but once you pair them up with an outboard speaker cab, the sound is way way better. I watched a lot of demos of the combo and head, the combo just sounds like somethings wrong, ten inch speaker in a little box mostly never works for me.
The Jackson Ampworks Britain has a power mode of 25W cathode bias with 2 EL34 tubes so pretty similar. That Britain is not a meh amp in my opinion, neither is the SV20
Hello Lyle, having watched one particular cap wearing UK reviewer provide a fairly questionable review of the build quality of the Friedman JJ Jr, I would love to see you do the same and report your own experience. I’m intrigued to know if the JJ Jr typically has the faults reported with the model sourced on the UK, or if this was a ‘bad luck’ example.
Appreciate the tutelage …yr in depth knowledge…helps with the overall realistic value of the product….the sound is of course at the players discretion…yep these aren’t hand wired ..and damn expensive…
I was able to buy the SV20 Head at cost through a buddy who worked at a big box music retailer. For my needs, it’s a fantastic amp at ~$1000. I run it exclusively through my Iron Man mini attenuator and into either a 4x10 or 1x12 cab. I was much happier with the head and running it into my choice of cab than when I played the combo, for sure. Perhaps I should have it serviced by my local tech to take better advantage of those EL34s and get even more satisfaction out of it 😎 Great video!
The Studio Vintage Head sells for about £739 (roughly $920) in the UK. It's not bad value over here, where the Suhr and Friedman's are about twice that price for the head versions. So it has much less competition at the price here. In the UK, it lives in roughly the same price range as Fender Blues Jr, Bassbreak 30R, Orange Rocker 15, Blackstar HT-20R, EVH 5150 40W, and Vox AC-15 C1 combos as well as Marshall's own DSL40CR. And I'm thinking of those it's probably best to go Marshall (DSL40/SV20) or Vox here. At least the SV20 head can be partnered with a cab with bigger and better speaker(s). Then the head can be upgraded over the years, for tone and reliability improvements, as the warranty runs out.
Ha, that's very practical. Lol.
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for all of the fantastic insight and explanations. Your videos have answered some of the things I hav wondered as a guitarist who looks to understand more completely what is under the hood. I'm looking forward to the continuing journey of your examinations on the different tiers of amps, their involved components, and the insight into the schematic layout of materials to construct the sounds.
The Studio Vintage 20 is a fantastic amp and my main gigging amp....never had any issues with it and sounds amazing. Just look at what most owners are saying about these amps...that speaks volumes.
Hi. Do you find the Studio Vintage 20 to be overly loud? I don’t have a chance to check one out. I play in a moderately loud band but don’t want to blast 😮
@@scottm3775I played one in my local music store a couple years ago. Let me tell you, it’s not quiet, the shoppers in the shopping center could hear us in the store next door (I was impressed with how loud it was, and so were the music shop employees, in fact they were all for turning it up and boosting the amp to the max.) I may or may not have heard ringing for an hour after I left the store lol 😂
@@theamateurfurry4735 Haha 😂 That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
Agreed. Something is off with the audio quality or recording of this video, it doesn’t capture the sound accurately in my opinion.
I’ve a spine injury from an accident, and some orthopedic ones as side orders.
I’ve recently do e into music and guitars specifically as both have always been passions unfulfilled.
Your channel is extremely helpful with both!
I learn so much? I e a tiny wee bit of electronics background so I can follow a tad, and it makes sense.
Not just helpful with what to purchase or the fascinating inner workings and how it all blends,
Pain can get a little daunting, and just the whole manner of the presentation y the almost ASMR quality of it, it’s very soothing , even your exasperated moments!
Thanks for the information and escape into the adventure if it all.
The pricing of these in the States is crazy. Of course you can only compare them with similar priced amps in your market, but here in Europe they are under $1000, about half the price of the Suhr and Friedman, which is probably a more accurate reflection of their quality.
Exactly this. I paid 699€ (around 725 USD) for a brand new SV20H few years ago. Definitely the best "mini Plexi" in the market for that price. Must be some sort of import tax thing.
No taxes… just greed by Marshall USA.
I came here to say the same thing. These are REALLY affordable over here.
I paid $1299 USD for the handwired Friedman PT20. Vs the SV20 at $1799. I dont see why anyone would be be buying these Marshalls in the US besides the branding.
All the Marshall stuff went way up in price over the last three years. This amp was $200 to $300 cheaper not too long ago
A number of years ago I built a Trinity TMB kit head. Bluesbreaker 18 watt style amp but with no tremolo. One channel is tone control only the other it treble middle bass - and you can jumper them. If it breaks I can fix it. I run it through a 12 inch speaker acquired on sale from Carvin. Built an open back plywood cabinet for the speaker. Great Marshall tone in a rig that's easy to carry. Everyone should learn how to solder and read prints.
Great video, i was curious about this amp. In Germany this amp costs 900€ while the Suhr Hombre 2150€ and the Freedman Runt 20 head 1700€ . The exchange rate is almost 1 to 1 so the Marshall is a much better deal.
Your vids are always interesting. Thank you for your time and your expertise!
I took the 500pf peaking capacitor out of the board where the two 47k mix resistors feed into the first pre amp stage and replaced the 5nf bright cap across the bright volume pot with a 250pf one - it instantly made it sound more JTM45 -like and got rid of a lot of the nasty metallic fizzy-ness. I then replaced the speaker with an old 70's Celestion (G10 55 I think?) and it certainly did the trick. - great video as always!
I don't know why people don't do this, but I always put a 220K resistor in series with the bright cap, and problem solved. You can choose the bright cap size you like without it getting too bright. I actually have 4 bright caps on a switch for various voicing.
@@qua7771that is pretty genius, tbh.
@@cbrindle91 Thanks for the kind words. A few people I know have tried this, and they like it.
@@qua7771 bet, man. I think something like that would be incredibly successful if an amp with that capability were mass produced. One tube amp with a wide range of voicings like that is the only way to compete with all these modeling amps coming out.
@@cbrindle91 I usually play with the gain maxed so the bright cap isn't in the circuit at that point. With it turned down a bit, you can hear the bright cap. My amp is a 2ch Ceriatone that I wired one ch as a '68 Plexi circuit with a lot of switches for voicing. The other channel is a modified JCM 800 circuit. It is versatile.
Love the work you're doing here, and hoping there are executives at Marshall taking note. For the price point in the US, this amp doesn't seem to be in the same league as it's competition.
That’s because you’re comparing it against US-made amps. A huge chunk of the price of this in the US is down to transport and customs costs. The reverse is the case in the UK.
@@jackmoulder1801 fair point.
this is one guys opinion and he is talking about a plexi which even as a downsized reissue is still a plexi and behaves and sounds like a plexi, one of if not the most sought after guitar -amp tones of all time. If he inspected EVH's amp he used on 1984 or claptons used on BEANO etc ....he probably would find negative things to say about all of em
I recommend trying these amps before writing them off, they sound great in the flesh. Thanks for the video, very enjoyable👍
Very nice review! It would be nice to see an in-depth look for the Studio JTM.
It actually had quite a bunch of gain/crunch for no pedals. Usually stock plexi amplifiers I have heard sound quite a bit cleaner than all the Marshall lore I have heard of over the years.
Being an hardocore Marshall guy myslelf, I would say you are right. The SV is crunchier than a 50W Plexi. It is an headroom thing, I believe.
@@gbbruno596 you use the word "an" when you only should use "a" .
I'm "a" Marshall guy.
Same with the other time you used "an" instead of "a" in your last sentence.
@Mr Nobody , I don't know exactly which model of Marshall it was, but a kid living across the street from my folks in the 80's had a Marshall head and cab that would grind really well when pushed but went right back to a chimey clean like say Hendrix playing Little Wing just by backing off the volume control on his Gibson SG. It did the exact thing that most guitarists want from their amplifiers but very few people are able to get. I wish I knew exactly what model it was. I'm guessing it was probably a 50 W head and not a 100 W, but that's just a guess.
@@auntjenifer7774 He used “an” before a word that begins with the letter “h” in both instances. This is correct usage, though it may sound foreign to most westerners. “An” is used before open consonants and “h” is an open consonant.
@@AndrewGonzalesArtistryspelling bee ,,,very rockn roll guys😂😂
The idea of putting the extra washer under the dress washer is fantastic!
Or simply have dress washers with flat bottom like I did ;)
@@t3r080 Solid, cast dress washers are relatively expensive compared to the ones that are stamped out of sheet metal; and bean counters for manufacturing facilities being what and who they are.....
Cool to see that a 12" would fit that cabinet. I would definitely route it, and put a greenback in there.
The vintage spec G12M @ 20 watts. that way when it's up you get that just right speaker distortion.
The g10 just looks wrong, lost in empty space. Not that it sounds bad, it doesn't.
I own the head version of this amp. I run it through a G12M or a Scumback 1265 clone 4x12 cab. It sounds way better than the combo. With that being said, years back Bob Reinhardt built me a hand wired 1987x clone with Heyboer iron that sounded way better than my SV20. Lesson learned: When you have a kickass sounding Marshall clone, don’t sell it.
Hey Lyle! My favorite part of your videos is seeing the insides of these amps. No amp company highlights that the guts of their amps look like personal computers. You’d think more of these amp companies would be bending over backwards to show their amps are the best built, toughest for gigging guitarists, and most straight forward to maintain and repair.
That Suhr Hombre you showed us before seems to win the PCB stakes!-a PCB that still somehow looks rock’n’roll. I have a mid-eighties Marshall 5005 and it’s PCB looks rather luxurious compared to this Marshall amp-and it’s a cheap (though UK made) solid state practice amp! I had been in the market for a lower wattage Marshall type amp … I opted for the last of the new Friedman Pink Tacos. A few years ago I bought two low wattage Marshall tube amps (class 5, and a 1 watt anniversary) and it’s pretty difficult to pull a “Marshall” sound out of them! They are off to the chipper!
I’ve watched the price with both the SV20c and SV20h (head) increase 150-200 in price since the COVID related supply line issues and the Russian/Ukraine madness causing an apparent tube shortage. I’ve played both versions of this amp and they do a pretty good job IMO of accomplishing what I think Marshall tried to do, a smaller, less loud, home friendly Plexi.
Personally, I was left scratching my head as to why they elected to go with a 10-inch speaker and not a 12-inch. It’s closest competitor the Blues Jr has less power (15watts) and a 12 inch speaker.
I think that is the first thing I would do if I get this amp is swap the speakers out and then address the bias issue.
Overall I’ve been waiting for you to do a review on this amp, great review and Thanks for doing it!
I'd rather get a head and pair with whatever cab you fancy.
@@geomusicmove that’s an option too and not a bad one
You seriously have the best reviews on YT and you don’t mess around. I love it. What’s crazy is I was looking at those Origin amps coming out. They’re only $750 in the US. Would you be able to review the Origin 20?
Thanks. I did about a year ago. Very meh.
@@PsionicAudio Wow the lack of low end is very disappointing. I was thinking it would be great for my first Marshall but maybe not…have you ever reviewed their Bluesbreaker?
Your amp reviews are always spot on. Based on the Asian sourced components, I'm convinced that the PCB assemblies are manufactured in Asia for the Studio series. The chassis and cabinet are most-likely made in Asia too. Marshall is currently charging $1,800 for the heads in the US. That's a huge markup for an amp that's only assembled in the UK. Construction and quality are the same as the DSL and origin amps that cost way less. Friedman, Splawn, & Suhr offer better quality in the price range of the Studio series for sure!
The thing is, those Marshalls are less than half the price in the U.K… Not sure if they’re just marking up an insane amount for the US market, or whether there’s some kind of import tariff on them?
@@Jonathan_Doe_ No US tariffs that I'm aware of on UK goods.
It would be a great amp in the USA for about $1200
Tried the orgin terrible tones. Bought this and I’m heaven
Just a heads up everyone, Russian tube's have long been back and were only subject to the embargo for literally about a week and are really getting great....tung sol and exh have been awesome..also Svane a Chinese co. That was an offshoot of shuguang (much more high-end) came online in late may, enjoy!
Hi Lyle, another great review. Interesting about the pricing in the US. Here in New Zealand the Marshall 20 watts are around 2k NZ$ new. The only new 20W Friedman I can find here is a JJ Jr head for $3600. Saw a Runt 20C for sale recently 2700 used. Exchange rate and freight (particularly in the last couple of years) are killer. Here, compared to marshalls Friedmans are rare and Suhrs are like hens teeth.
I had the bright cap on the high treble volume removed and it improved the amp considerably. Still bright enough without being unpleasant and shrill.
I stuck a rotary dial through one of the input holes to pick and choose my input cap. Can only recommend :)
@@void_snw that’s a great idea. Overall I’ve been very pleased with the results of removing the bright cap but at times I’ve wondered what a cap of a different value from stock might sound like.
I own one. Snakeskin tolex, for 900€ it's a bang for the buck. It's built wonderfully and it sounds great both clean and crunch. I don't understand the hate for this amp, It's one of the most dynamic and at the same time portable amp ever made. It sounds a lot better than a deluxe reverb 65, which here in Europe costs 1900€ (2000$).. anyway good job with the in-depth review
It's probably just people in the States complaining. If we could get it for 900 Euros that would seem like a steal to us Yanks.
but they fitted very cheap pots...what dd that save? hardly anything...the same applies to other brands. A few pennies more is no big deal
It's a great amp, I have the head and it is _inspiring_ to play.
A few of us changed the 4.7na bright cap to a 100pf to cut down the 'hiss' with the High Treble channel. Love mine, a great amp.
I really like mine. Here in Singapore it cost me half of what you guys are paying in the US. I got the head and the 12” cab - and then put a ‘70s Celestion G12H 30W 55Hz in it. Sometimes I also run into another 1x12”: the 1974CX with the Celestion Heritage G12M 20W. Both cabs together with that head sound absolutely huge!
Longevity is a bit of a worry but it does sound and look great to my ears. Sadly never got to play a genuine vintage Marshall Plexi!
I have been looking into Marshall amps of late and am really happy I ran across your channel. Really nice informative work. Will stay tuned. Cheers.
I have the head through a 1974cx, sounds really good. Prices in the states seem way off so I can see why you are critical on components.
Awesome video, I always get excited when I see a video of yours pop up that's of an amp I own or have owned. I picked up my SV20C when they released a few years ago and still love it. I've used it for countless gigs, recording sessions & rehearsals with no issues. I echo the sentiments about it sounding bright and the 10" speaker being a bit of a let down. My main complaint is how much volume is needed on the Normal channel to counter all the brightness that is added with small adjustments of the bright channel. I find it to be a difficult amp to dial in on the fly because of that. Altogether though, it's great as my grab & go for rehearsals & shows. I've noticed these have also undergone a price hike, this was $1499 when I picked mine up and I got a little off of that from my local music store, so I do think there are better options out there when you start approaching the $2k price point.
There's enough space for a 12" speaker, though.
@@walterrizotto8668 Um… correct, I didn’t dispute that. 😂
Love your detailed look at the amp, so insightful, look forward to more of your videos 🍻
Thoroughly enjoying your content. Thank you.
i had the head version of this and it was soo bright (through vintage 30's) i thought it was broken and i returned it. Maybe some greenbacks would smooth it out?
I ended up with a Friedman Pink Taco. Couldnt be happier.
Crazy. I got one earlier this year off of a forum. 900 shipped. I will never sell it. I don’t use it for everything, but when I need Marshall… I get Marshall.
I just got the new PRS HDRX 20 head and cab. It is phenomenal! One of the best tube amps I've owned. You should do a review . Price is $1200 for both.
I tried one myself. Good amp, but it does not sound plexi at all. I would say it tends more towards the JCM800 sound.
@@gbbruno596 to me, it's better than a plexi. more tonal options and plus master volume with internal adjustable jumpers. I've played and owned many Marshalls. PRS knocked it out of the park with this one.
I bought one. I haven’t played it much yet. I’m able to get a nice AC/DC type sound, but I haven’t gotten the more “glassy” tones I expected. It’s going through a 1x12 with a creamback
@@sgmarshall3 on the prs the bass should be no higher than 9 o clock as it overpowers some of the mids. With the bass lower the rest of the upper frequencies stand out better
Price is relative! Marshall's are quitte expensive in the US compared to here in The Netherlands. This year I bought the SV20H for €825 and a design store 20W Silver jubilee with 2x12JVM cab, both in black snakeskin for €1324. The Friedman Runt 20 head is about €1800 and €800 for a 1x12 cab. So in total I paid €2149 for two heads and a 2x12 cab vs the €2600 I would have to pay for a 20w head and 1x12 from Friedman. Of course the Friedman stuff might be higher quality but sound and bang for buck wise it is just too much. A Suhr head is between €2000-€4000 and therefore too expensive as well. The PRS HDRX20 is a bit more expensive than the SV20H, but also affordable.
I paid £599 for mine when they first came out. I replaced for a 12" v type. I was a very tight fit! The only speakers that would fit were the v-type or a neo cream back.
Damnit! I just bought the sv20h not too long ago. Validate my purchase!!! ;) I play it through a 4x12 and it does sound good, though. Was just bummed it was not of better build quality. I also picked up a slo30 though so I can't really complain. Pretty much set on amps for my style. Really enjoy your videos.
I got one for 750€ in Belgium and i played for about 40 min in the store . It sounds good it feels good it looks great offcourse i don't have a techicians ear but it feels a lot of good tone for the price , unless you wanna talk Boss katana price/tone . Since it gave me all sounds i wanted from An Amp i'm glad i got it
kinda weird comparison but what do you think compared the build to DSL40CR?
That little bugger sounds amazingly good through the studio speakers... RJ
Great review, Lyle! Wow, trippin' on the U.S. price tag also. Been in Czech Republic for the last year and even with their 21 percent VAT tax I saw a used SV20 on the local buy and sell asking less than 800 Euro. Beautiful Marshall dress on the outside, Blackstar uber cheap on the inside.
Hearing "Finding my Way" was a bonus to an already great video
Sorry for the rust on that. ;)
PS while I didn’t mention it in the video, a real Marshall doesn’t have to be turned up all that much to get the real version of that sound - it’s just past the point of clean really. Just loud and harmonically complex and percussive.
This amp has none of that, so you have to compensate with more overdrive, which brings out the cold bias nasties and compression.
Thanks for the review great job! I was curious about your take on these now I know. You answered a lot of my questions.
Leafblowers are really annoying in my neighborhood. Really appreciated and enjoyed this video. Unfortunately, Marshall like many others, have gone "corporate" but the brand is so strong, it still sells.
Cordless leafblowers are far less unpleasant and intrusive; great if your yard, or neighbor's yard, isn't enormous.
Really looking forward to the amps under $2k video. Thanks for all the work you put into this great channel!
Hi Lyle - enjoy your in-depth reviews and tinkerings. You mention the 'fizziness' about this amp, could it be the speaker itself? I've had new 12" Vintage 30s which have sounded fizzy at first, but get fuller sounding after being played-in.
My first tube amp was a Marshall JTM 30. Have you ever worked on the JTM 30 or 60s? They had a reputation for overheating. My amp was fine though the reverb never worked.
Have you ever been really happy with the build quality/ specification of any amp out there ? 🤔
I can't help but look at that 10" speaker and the pcb guts of the amp and think "where is $1900?"
Big markup in shipping, distribution and dealers I would guess - These are under £800 in the UK (and UK manufactured for all the studio models), so that would translate to sub $1000 in a direct way exchange rate. Keep in mind too, that UK prices are all advertised including sales tax (20%) so the base price would be more like £650 pre-tax!
That makes this amp a much more reasonable choice in UK/EU.
But for the US market this is not enough amp for the price.
@@NFMorley $1000 is more like it. That's more like what I had in mind. Also, it bugs me that it's cathode biased at 50%. Nothing vintage Marshall about that.
Shareholder pockets
I've had my eye on these a while but that 10" speaker is a big turnoff
Hey now! These are great videos and helped me decide on a used Swart Antares (pristine like new actually) after watching a Swart inspection and review from you, very cool. Price was in this particular range of amps coming in at $1500. Love this amp .. Fender guy Tele and Strat and this, to me, sounds like a more articulate brown deluxe, love this amp! That 3-way switch has that pop you pointed out on the space tone. Anyway, price used was in this in-depth look range, hence the comment. Thanks and keep on keepin' on!
Antares owner here (ocean sparkle) with no regrets. Awesome amps with great build quality.
Thanks for showing us the inner workings of these newer amps, it does help with eventual basic servicing. It would be good to see the chassis etc on the new Gibson Falcon amps. The Marshall does sound amazing though , that 10" works petfectly with the circuit. Looks cool too. Expensive yes, should be 1400 max.
Lyle- Just seeing this vid now, as was considering buying the tube head version and swapping out the EL34’s for Gold Lion KT66’s. Would that work with the Studio Vintage, or should I just pony up the extra $$$ for a Bogner Helios JB45? Love your vids- has me thinking about buying my first amp kit.😁
Exchange rates or import duties must play a part in the price.. if you buy one brand new in Australia and simply convert to USD it will be much closer to $1100 USD, which is exactly price point you talk about
The sv20 sound really good for a little practice amp. The Friedmans and Suhrs are fine but not a marshall sound. Played in ACDC tribute for 11 years all over, so kind of familiar with the tone. Maybe cut out the sound board and but a 12 inch greenback in there, and replace some caps and parts that you pointed out for better ones. Cheers.
Love these reviews. Also love the Finding My Way bit!!!
A little off topic maybe. But my two absolute favorite AmpTubers (just made that up) are our host here, Lyle of Psionic Audio and Jason from Headfirst Amplification. Oh, there are others I really enjoy such as Uncle Doug for example, but Lyle and Jason are such a joy to watch and we are privileged to a lot of the knowledge they share. Thanks Lyle!
Thanks man. Jason is a good bloke.
I took a break between the last internal shot of this and doing the playing bit, and watched the second part of his ‘70 Marshall Bass restoration. And the difference between this SV20 and a real Marshall is just painful.
@@PsionicAudio I have the Silver Jubilee 2525H which brand new cost about half what a Runt 20 head costs here in NZ. Friedman is considered boutique here due to the very high prices. Import costs are cranking prices of Marshall in the USA I guess and the opposite here, so in the USA you end up with the bizarre situation of an amp that is meant to be affordable costing more than a higher end product. BTW. Your favourite amp brand also costs a mint here. Mesa :P
My other amp is a fairly good attempt at a JMP 1987 replica build. Mustard caps and all that so called cork sniffer stuff. It's in a different league to the mass produced Silver Jubilee amp. Better sounding and better built (the builder was having a clear out, nobody else understood its value and bid, so I got it quite cheap and the builder was grumpy about it).
@@PsionicAudio did a comparison my 76 metalpanel 1959 with two tubes pulled and a buddy of mines new SV20. We played the SV20 first and thought, yeah ok its a Marshall, sounds ok. But compared to the real deal there’s really not much comparison and sadly enough not that much difference in volume
@@PsionicAudio did a comparison my 76 metalpanel 1959 with two tubes pulled and a buddy of mines new SV20. We played the SV20 first and thought, yeah ok its a Marshall, sounds ok. But compared to the real deal there’s really not much comparison and sadly enough not that much difference in volume
The Marshall Studio Vintage 20 is my gigging amp, I have never had any problems and I love it a lot. It cost me 800 Swiss Francs which is about 890 US Dollars. A comparison with a Suhr or Friedman amp does not really add up. Different price levels.
Hi Lyle, Interesting difference in price to the UK... Marshall SV20 around £850 - £900, Friedman Runt 20 £1429 (or even more in some retailers, that was the cheapest) Suhr Hombre £1899. Worth bearing in mind if you don't live in the US, as the Marshall is by far the least expensive here. I wonder how that would change your feelings about the amp if you lived over here in the UK? Generally speaking Marshall's are a relative bargain in the UK, especially used.
For heads.... SV20 head for £699, Runt 20 head £1399. ... so exactly double the price.
That pricing aligns with the quality you get. The SV20 is a reasonably good $1000 amp these days, though I would choose other amps over it at that price.
It’s not a good $1900 choice.
also sorry, after scrolling down I see I'm not the only one to say this.
@@PsionicAudio For sure, over here they are seen as 'a good amp' but nothing that would compare to something 'higher-end'... and Marshall are so plentiful here used prices are always great. I paid £200 for my JCM2000, a Marshall is a cheap amp here if you want something loud and gig-able with a decent rock tone.
@@rocket69218 He did not seem to get your point. Oh well. Busy guy.
I grew up in Milton Keynes, but live in NZ now. Friedman is boutique amp prices here. This series of Marshall is just a mass produced amp and this combo is about half what a Friedman one would cost.
The free trade thing that evened out prices around the world is breaking down. Lots of tariffs are being introduced, with the goal of protecting domestic industry and jobs. I suspect that's what is happening here (another factor is high roller investor types are fleeing to the USD for better bond returns et cetera, which is putting a lid on US inflation, bolstering the USD, and weakening almost every other currency in the world and increasing inflation -- logistics costs are also higher due to those weaker currencies and high energy costs etc).
P.S. Tariffs and import costs in reverse duing the 1960s is why Marshall exists in the first place. They made Fender amps too expensive, which made space in the market for Jim Marshall. Same here in NZ. Several Kiwi amp brands existed, like Holden that AC/DC began on (Angus said his favourite ever amp was NZ made).
We moved here when I was 15. Tariffs were removed and all the big brands began appearing in the music shops. I would go from shop to shop like a tourist checking out Marshall, Fender and Gibson etc (that stuff was rare here before then). The downside is factories closed. Lots of them. I got laid off at 19 years old and did not get back to work until 22 (the economy tanked -- several factors, but it was just after NZ permanently banned the US navy coming here).
According to the UK/EU commenters this is about a $1000 amp over there. While that’s much more realistic than the $1900 in the US, the DSL40CR would be the much better choice for the same or less price. Same build quality level but a louder better more flexible sound.
Having owned both of them, I would say they sound different. DLS is more flexible? For sure. It has a clean channel that stays very clean (which I don't like), a gain channel which does not clean up (which I dont like either) and some variations in between. "Better" however is a matter of taste and for my ears the SV sounds better than any DSL. I just love the plexi sound.
The Plexi sound? Which Plexi? Black Flag? JTM45? Super Bass? Lead? Major?
This little thing doesn’t sound like any of them.
@@PsionicAudio you are right, Let's say the 1987x is the modern Plexi sound (the JTM45 is different cause it does not have solid state rectifier to being with). To my ears the SV is much closer to the 1987x than any DSL which compress in a very different way. But if your point is that the SV has its own tone I agree. And you need to break in the speaker to hear it properly. At which point if you like it or not is a matter of taste.
@@PsionicAudio The combo doesn't, but the head played through the same speakers and cab of a Super Lead sound almost identical. I don't know why they went with the 10" speaker here, massive mistake.
I tried it through my real cab too. Still compressed and crossover nasties.
It’s closest to a 1987 Lead.
But not very close.
Very comprehensive review. The Marshall SV20 and the entire Studio Series from Marshall are pretty good amps despite the build issues that you've pointed out. The cold power tube biasing is quite perplexing though. The problem I have with them is not so much that and not that Marshall themselves is charging too much for them, it's more the tariff and import/export issues that drives the pricing up on all Marshall products. This should really be about a $1300-1500 amp and at that price point it would be a great buy.
I just bought one for $1,300
@@jdl2180 I don't know if you bought yours new or used, but since I posted my comment 6 months ago, tariff and import/export taxes have changed bringing the price of these amps more in line with where they should be priced.
Would be great to see a video on the Marshall SC20, but I suspect it’s a very similar build to this. Enjoyed the video.
I'd like to see someone do a tag board version of this amp, with 6V6 Output tubes. I'm really interested in which Superlead spec they went for in the pre-amp, not sure any Schematics have been spotted in the wild yet. All the clips I've heard of this amp with a Stratocaster, sound great, very Blackmore tone. I think any complaints about the tone will be more related to using the combo, the head is where it's at. It'd be interesting to get a 50w Marshall Clone kit and build it to this 20w Spec. In the UK, the Marshall head is £735. By comparison, other heads: the PRS HDRX is £799, Friedman Runt £1399, Suhr Hombre £1449! So the Marshall is much better value in the UK.
FX Amps in Greece do a couple of handwired 20W Plexi amps for around £1500. Look very nicely built as well.
I have the head version; that 1x10 combo configuration was not an attractive option and I already had a fairly nice 2x12 cab loaded with Heritage Greenbacks to run it through anyway. Great amp...I love the snot out of it.
The head is fantastic !
Thanks. , Makes me wonder if the new JTM Studio suffers the same drawbacks…..the heads and 2x12 cab rigs certainly look good…
Thanks again for this unbiased review, Lyle. Literally the only spot on the internet are your channel and Brad's where you're not bought and sold or beholden to "free" loaners from the companies for reviews. I've essentially written off the big companies now for building a decent amp, no matter the price point. Fender, Marshall, Vox...they're all under-built and over-priced. You're paying for the name, not the sound or build quality. Shameful, and without folks with integrity like you, we'd all be plunking down thousands based on their historic reputation. This will eventually catch up to them, and they'll lose that reputation prestige.
Just here getting my daily dose of Psionic.
Hi. I really enjoy your videos - thanks for putting them up - very informative, and your baritone voice has a relaxing quality to it... I have one of these amps, a head, that I run into a 1×12 Reverend cab loaded with a Celestion G12M Greenback. With Hendrix as my first love and Eddie as my second, I'm digging how I can get in the ballpark with those and other classic tones. My question is, what would YOU do to one to make it sound better? 🙏🏻
I have this amp, but in a head. I play it through an Orange 1 x12 cab and it sounds 'bigger' and more open with the 12. Also, i dont think this is a great bedroom amp, but opened up with a full band it kicks big time! Easy as loud as my old 50w jcm 800( 1x12) if that helps
For all those cheaper components, it still sounds incredibly good 👌
Great video thank you. If you had one and it was outside of warranty would you change to make it great?
Here in NZ it costs $1177 USD including tax. Friedman is currently out of stock, but usually costs more than twice that just for a Runt 20 head. I suspect import costs are messing with prices. The reverse situation in the 1960s is why Marshall, Hiwatt and Orange exist. It was too expensive to import Fender due to tariffs, so English amps appeared (I grew up with the Marshall factory just down the road in Milton Keynes).
Other stuff made in the USA is super expensive here too. It was a while ago, but a AxeFX was also double what US folks pay and you lot get free shipping as well. Another example is my Freyette Power Station PS-2A. It cost a small fortune to import. Fender, Gibson and EVH tend to be more expensive here too. Computer parts as well.
PS-2s weigh a ton! What godawful price did they get to ship that to NZ?
@@cpfs936 Shipping was quite cheap. I had mine sent from Peach Guitars in the UK. lt tends to be cheaper and faster for some reason, e.g., Royal Mail got an Audient interface here in just a few days. About $1500 NZD total incl taxes I think, which is about $900 in USD funny money.
Buying it from the NZ distributor that is not even in NZ was going to cost a lot more (in Australia). We are 4150 kilometers from that Aussie lot, but folks lump us in with them all the time. We do not have the snakes, spiders, crocs, or that silly accent either :P
I really like your channel. I just subscribed! Keep up the good work. 👍
It took some time to dial in the sound of this amp. Ultimately the amp needs the SV112 cabinet which I purchased from Thomann. Thomann sells the cabinet for under $400.00 plus shipping to the US. The combination of the combo and the cabinet looks cool and sounds great to my ears. Agreed the combo is only worth buying at used prices.
Great video, Lyle. I had been lusting after a plexi... but this one (and the head) definitely don't seem to be the way to go.
I would love to see you check a Marshall ST20 Studio head! I've been considering one.
As it has been stated the price of this amp in the states is not caused by quality of the part. Most likely it’s distribution and such. In the uk this and the import PRS HRX 20 are the same price for example
You’re doing the Lord’s work, sir. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🤙🏽
In spite of the price that is a good amp, at least to my ears. I am looking for my first tube amp an am between this and the DSL40CR… Well, My heart fells to a tweed blues deluxe, specially because of the set in reverb (it’d be good if it had tremolo but…). Of course I can always change speakers on those Marsha’s to my taste with green or cream.
Thanks(again) for the Fiat Lux on the behinds and honest pragmatic reviews, your channel is a true jewel in YT.
Cheers m8.
Sounds great! Glad I bought the head & matching cab! I do need a guitar with humbuckers though.
Yeah..Oh Yeah! Whooo!! I'm coming out to get you!!
I owned one of these for about a year. I was able to get great sounds at home but never really liked the way it sounded on a stage. The salesperson where I bought it told me that Marshall had specifically spec'd it with a 10" speaker because they thought it cut a bit more. I felt it was a bit strident in the top end. It did take pedals pretty well.
Hope you and yours are safe and healthy!🇨🇦
Debating between this, a 1959HW and a Friedman (small box or little sister) - curious which you’d go with. Which one is built the best and most importantly does “the thing” the best . Thanks
Love to hear your thoughts on the build quality of the Marshall Class 5 that was trying to do a similar low watt Plexi style sound that came out years ago.
the cleans sound exactly like Pearl Jams "Black"
Finding my way. Yeah Ooooo yeah. I caught that early Rush lick
I wouldn't buy one of these because I'm still happy with my dsl40cr. Thank you so much for this in depth review. It's a shame that Marshall doesn't have you as their designer and engineer!
Check out the history of Paul Rivera, in his Fender time.Maybe than you understand,what's going on,inside these companies.
My Marshall DSL 40 on 20 watts setting sounds better than the SV 20 here in this video !
I would be very disappointed with the SV 20 paying $1,000+ for it like what they are charging for it today !
My Marshall DSL 40 is the best amplifier for my taste and style !
Marshall prices have dropped across the board since this video. And the SV20 head is currently at $1,299 USD. I think the head, along with a better 12" speaker (not the V-Type) is pretty compelling. And a few light mods to the circuit can work wonders to really get it to that sound. However, the inherent build quality and how it holds up over time is another story.
Hi from Scotland. Love these videos. I would be interested to hear your views on the PRS HDRX models. Thinking about buying one. The 20 watt version, just for home playing.
Excellent learning experience. Thank you Sir
I just bought the JTM Studio combo sounds great but the amp rattles when you hit it hard with a pedal I think speaker is to close to the tubes. I hooked up a speaker cab and no rattle I love Marshall so I may try the head/cab set up
Hey Lyle, I've played the head version of this amp at a shop local to me and have really enjoyed the amp. I usually play a JTM45, but have been wanting a more 'lead circuit' plexi style amp as well. The lower wattage of the SV20 is appealing, but I worry about some of the things you've mentioned about the build quality and transformers (Not sure if mentioned in this video, another, a livestream, or in your tone-talk episode with Dave..).
Would I be better off going in the direction of something like a 1987x or Suhr SL68? I appreciate any perspective you or anyone in the comments can lend me.
Thanks Nick.
Suhr, Friedman, Germino, Dr Dan, Metropoulos. These are your best bets.
Ceriatone over current production Marshall.
Looks like an Origin inside. Same quality at a premium price?
Great info on here
Id love to see you do the new JTM Studio as well (the ST20C)
This is a plexi combo I own it and its true sound comes out at higher volumes Great amp!!
When you use a variable voltage regulator power supply to reduce power you also must reduce dissipation as you scale down, I think? Could you consider this a permanently 'power scaled' amp with its low(?) plate voltage or is the cold bias way beyond what could be accounted for by that way of looking at it?
Nah, this is just trading long tube life for meh sound.
Not a “scaled” or “variac’d” sound.
@@PsionicAudio Plug the amp into a single TWELVE INCH 25 watt Celestion Greenback cabinet. Makes all the difference in the world. None of these small cab amps sound good to me, too boxy, but once you pair them up with an outboard speaker cab, the sound is way way better. I watched a lot of demos of the combo and head, the combo just sounds like somethings wrong, ten inch speaker in a little box mostly never works for me.
The Jackson Ampworks Britain has a power mode of 25W cathode bias with 2 EL34 tubes so pretty similar. That Britain is not a meh amp in my opinion, neither is the SV20
Hello Lyle, having watched one particular cap wearing UK reviewer provide a fairly questionable review of the build quality of the Friedman JJ Jr, I would love to see you do the same and report your own experience. I’m intrigued to know if the JJ Jr typically has the faults reported with the model sourced on the UK, or if this was a ‘bad luck’ example.
I wouldn’t give that guy’s review any attention. It was kind of nuts. The JJ is a great amp for the price point.
Appreciate the tutelage …yr in depth knowledge…helps with the overall realistic value of the product….the sound is of course at the players discretion…yep these aren’t hand wired ..and damn expensive…
I was able to buy the SV20 Head at cost through a buddy who worked at a big box music retailer.
For my needs, it’s a fantastic amp at ~$1000. I run it exclusively through my Iron Man mini attenuator and into either a 4x10 or 1x12 cab.
I was much happier with the head and running it into my choice of cab than when I played the combo, for sure.
Perhaps I should have it serviced by my local tech to take better advantage of those EL34s and get even more satisfaction out of it 😎
Great video!
It is indeed fantastic.
What about kt66 on these?
Will they cause long term issues?
With they last as long as the el34?
Hi Lyle. You said the SV20 is biased cold but it is cathode biased so what needs to be done to get the bias where it needs to be? Thank you.
First it would need a larger power transformer. Really not feasible.