Bought my SLO in 1994, and have never, NEVER, considered another head… I’ve been working in a major music retail company since 91… Mike is a genius, and the SLO is legend for a reason.
If I were you, I'd be buried with that amp.....(if you don't have someone to leave it to). All the guys that have a Mike Soldano built amp (especially if it has the DeYoung transformers) have an heirloom amplifier.
Mike is super cool. Back in 2012, I called Soldano Amplification to ask some questions about the Hot Rod and Avenger heads. Mike himself answered the phone and answered my questions. It was pretty cool that he took the time to do that and was extremely friendly about it. I bought an Avenger 50 soon after and still have it.
Mike Soldano is always a pleasure to hear from.. To me, the SLO designs was and will always be the best of the best.. he should bring out the SLO in a pedal pre. 🤘🏼
Love it how Mike is so easy with interviews. Like you literally get to ask him a couple of questions and he covers a whole load of info in return. Hope you guys make it in another upcoming vids! Wonder how it sounds in real life with all knobs maxed out @11? I tried a software emulation version of this amp and so far it’s the only type of distortion amp/pedal/effect I’ve had my hands on both in real and emulated which follows ‘the Steve Vai recipe’. Which is if a maxed out dist pedal or amp is pleasing to your ears and usable, then it’s the one which suits you.
One can set the dials to be the same, but even the same exact model amp won't sound the exact same. I have two 5150's and two 1984 JCM 800's, and the differences between the amps in each pair are similar to what's going on here.. Maybe even more. Aire, the difences between these two SLO's follow conventional wisdom that the higher wattage amp will sound thicker, but the differences here are much smaller than I've ever heard between any 100 watt amp and its 50 watt sibling. Mike did an incredible job here. Sure, the difference might be more apparent through a cab in the room at high volume, but in this day and age, unless you need super loud stage volume, the differences could realistically be moot between these two. Crank some low end on the 30 and bring the mods down just a smidge.. I'm pretty impressed! Too bad the 30 is so expensive, I might just get the 100 anyway. 😬 If I'm gonna a get a second mortgage on my house to buy an amp, I might as well be able to bring the walls done and collect earthquake insurance. 😂
I'd say the SLO-30 almost sounds like it has EL-34s in this comparison. It's subtle, but to be honest I like the sound. Makes you wonder what an EL34 SLO-100 would sound like.
The SLO100 sounds just plain bigger and more open to me. It would be interesting to see if the SLO 30 could be brought closer by changing the EQ a bit.
I am late to the party, but I had to comment. I also hear the shift in the mid-range bump that John is talking about with the 30. The 100 sounds a bit more refined and open. I will only be using the head for recording in my studio. I was really wanting to go with the 30 because of the price and lower power, but I find myself leaning towards the 100. I have the purple 4x12 and can't wait to have the matching purple top. RIP bank account.
If your buying a SLO budget isn’t an issue so, listen to both and pick a fave. I’d go 100 just because I like the way too loud for this room sound( no matter how big the room is 🤘🏽)
Hi Max this is the first time I’ve seen your Chanel and I definitely enjoyed it. You came across very respectful and excited about what was going on. Like when you got to play Mr Brown’s guitar you seemed very excited and the interview with Mr Soldano was very interesting and enjoyable to watch. Keep up the great work. Definitely going to subscribe to your TH-cam channel. 👍🏻
The switch is noticeable, but honestly, the 100 is likely enough to overwhelm a concert hall on "high gain" (>3) and overkill for everything else. Lovely video and interview. John Browne was a great partner for this video.
Currently playing a modded SP-77II (SLO mod) into the SLS-105 50W/side soldano power amp. It's absolutely the sweet spot, IMO. More nuts than the 30, same power as a HR50 but with all the gain control of an SLO - in mono OR stereo with effects! I just wish I could have this sound in a head instead of a rack...
@@dougjacobson8135 1. It’s a 2 channel amp vs 1 (you can’t switch to the low input on the Hot Rod mid-song) 2. It’s has presence and depth controls. 3. The Hot Rod’s tone is noticeably darker. I prefer the SLO. 4. It’s smaller and lighter without much difference in headroom. 5. The SLO also has a bright switch. 6. Useable clean tones. The Hod Rod’s clean tone isn’t great while the SLO’s is fantastic. Hope that helps.
Is the Slo 30 loud enough for medium venues?? does it sound thinner at higher volumes? Ive seen a lot of lower wattage amps cranked up sound terrible compared to bedroom volume.
Judging by John Browne's video on it, it's ridiculously loud for a 30W amp. Depends on the use case though. A 15w combo amp is deafening when cranked, and the difference in volume between a 30w and a 100w amp is bugger all. The difference is headroom. If you play low tunings, heavy palm mutes ect, the extra headroom is needed, not the extra volume. I have a solid state modeling amp now, and it's switchable between 25, 50, and 100w. The volume difference is not even noticeable, but the headroom definitely is, lower wattage sounds more compressed, and that's a very well designed D class amplifier that never overloads. Power amp distortion in this case isn't really a factor. In the case of a tube power section, it's a different story, compression is always there to some degree, so cranking a lower wattage amp will indeed result in power amp distortion. Mike Soldano is one of the designers who tries to avoid power amp distortion though, and to me it sounds as if the SLO30 has good headroom for a 30W amp.
Yeah, the big one sounds a bit fatter and tighter at the same time. Definitely a bit better to my ears. But I'd still take the small one and be extremely happy.
Cool video. First I've seen comparing the 2. They are pretty close but with the DADGAD tuning, definitely noticed the low end difference. Guess I need to get the 100. I probably would've anyway since it's kind of a bucket list amp for me.
The heart of an amp is the power section which is why everyone got rid of their rack stuff and went back to amps. Even the mesa and Marshall stuff didn't sound like their amps. f you have the money for the 100, get it. If you dont, get one of the lesser expensive options.
You should watch the recent video by Zach Wish comparing the 30 vs 100. Got them to sound the same. I went for the 30 after hearing that and I am not needing to take it on a stadium tour so no need for 100 watts these days. Just recording/tracking with it.
That's the thing. I wanted to have all three for this video but the SLO module was nowhere find. I've briefly played it at TGU18 two years ago but never had a chance to compare it to any of these amp. It definitely had the right Soldano vibe
@@MaxSoloMusic thank you. i have it and compared to the VH4 and HBE modules it really kicks ass, so this is the only one i`ll need in this regard. the fryette and bogner modules are kick ass, to! perfect combination is the freidman bb/be paired with the slo or ecstasy, its so versatile and the sound is amazing in every aspect. i always found the VH4 is too bassy and boomy and the HBE is too thin and noisy, the slo and especially the newer synergy modules are much more versatile and better sounding to my ears.
Now take out the power transformer from slo100 and put it in slo30. Then try to find a difference. That is gonna be a proper comparison. I can assure you it's gonna be way harder.
@@MaxSoloMusic Heya Max, thanks for doing the comparison. I bet you had a blast at Henning's place. I played a show using my friend's old SLO100 a couple of nights ago and it was awesome! I wanted to hear if there was a difference to the SLO30 and stumbled on this :)
Hi what is the best noise gate for a soldano amp?...the effects loop of soldano is very particular, it is +4db....all noise gates which I have used does not found with soldano.....thanks
Hey. I'm not into noise gates, so I can't really recommend any. Soldano amps are pretty simple and therefore have less noise than others. I'd use it without any noise gate whatsoever
Yeah... even through my pc monitors (iLoud Micro from IK Multimedia) the mids on the SLO-30 pops out a little bit while the lows are just a bit less "omphff!". And the highs are the same to me. It's a kind of subtle "re-balancing" between lows and mids in the two models and i think that working just on the amps eqs the difference can be virtually canceled. As stated by Mike himself (btw guys... watta wandeful person is Mr. Soldano... well... just like every real genius!) that's a matter of the different power sections and the way the tubes works in the two amps. And yeah... according to you... maybe with a real cab "moving the air" ... the difference can be more pronounced. Anyway... two f***ing great amps with tons of tones for life... and with the SLO-30 an opportunity to have a more affordable (well ... a kind of) Soldano tone also with a better fx-loop section compared to the old 100 model.
2:27 “ we have a switcher that allows us to go from one amp to another right away in real time “ You mean your using an a/b box to switch between heads ? Poor Mikes getting old over there 😂
To me, 100 sound more opened, with more low-end. 30 sounds more harshly and a bit compressed. And interesting comparison slo 30 and slo 60,and why they stopped producing slo 60
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My SLO 30 through a Marshall qtr stack is RIPPING loud. More than enough to play any club or venue that would ever hope to play. At home and band practice I run it through a attenuator so I can drive it hard but not cause any deafness....lol
Hey man! ✌How does it sound with an attenuator on? Does it cutt any highs, or much tone that you notice? Super curious because i would have to run it the same way pretty much most of the time..✌ God i want one of these SO bad.. but depending on your living situation even 30 watts is LOUD i know haha! But....My Soul it..it needs this amp...Must find a way..😄
Having been an Edward Van fan, Soldano has been part of my rig since 1991. However.... still not satisfied, my search lead me to a late 60's JMP NMV. The output tube distortion I discovered is the Holy Grail I've been questing for. Hence my Soldanos are gathering dust. Tone chasing is subjective, but the heart of hi gain roar traces back to old Marshall Plexis, full up.
I love the 100, but I'll never understand why people think loud is impressive. It's not practical if it's too loud. Not impressed with that much volume. Completely unnecessary.
Is John Browne having limited mobility issues? He seems really rigid. He is not anywhere near as animated and free as Max. Does it matter...no. Which guy do I like as a player? That would be Max. What is John Browne looking at all the time in the bottom right corner. Who does that when someone is talking to them? It's kind of disturbing.
Bought my SLO in 1994, and have never, NEVER, considered another head… I’ve been working in a major music retail company since 91… Mike is a genius, and the SLO is legend for a reason.
If I were you, I'd be buried with that amp.....(if you don't have someone to leave it to). All the guys that have a Mike Soldano built amp (especially if it has the DeYoung transformers) have an heirloom amplifier.
That’s because you can’t afford another head
Kicking myself for not buying the SLO-100 back in the days when they were affordable used. Yes, there was a time.
SLO is LEGENDARY amp, and so coool, that you have got conversation with Mike Soldano! Really, that is awesome)
Mike is super cool. Back in 2012, I called Soldano Amplification to ask some questions about the Hot Rod and Avenger heads. Mike himself answered the phone and answered my questions. It was pretty cool that he took the time to do that and was extremely friendly about it. I bought an Avenger 50 soon after and still have it.
Mike is such a great guy. Famous in his industry and takes time to talk in detail.
Great interview with greatest amp builder of all time. Mike Soldano is a real class act.
Mr Soldano is always a joy to hear from. It is so cool how he still has so much passion for his amps, and you can hear it come through in the tone !
I loved hearing the subtle differences. The lower end of the 100 was wonderful.
Amazing interview I just ordered my SLO 30 super stoked! I’m having a tough time finding SLO 2X12 cab reviews with it though unfortunately.
Mike Soldano is always a pleasure to hear from.. To me, the SLO designs was and will always be the best of the best.. he should bring out the SLO in a pedal pre. 🤘🏼
Love it how Mike is so easy with interviews. Like you literally get to ask him a couple of questions and he covers a whole load of info in return. Hope you guys make it in another upcoming vids!
Wonder how it sounds in real life with all knobs maxed out @11? I tried a software emulation version of this amp and so far it’s the only type of distortion amp/pedal/effect I’ve had my hands on both in real and emulated which follows ‘the Steve Vai recipe’. Which is if a maxed out dist pedal or amp is pleasing to your ears and usable, then it’s the one which suits you.
One can set the dials to be the same, but even the same exact model amp won't sound the exact same. I have two 5150's and two 1984 JCM 800's, and the differences between the amps in each pair are similar to what's going on here.. Maybe even more.
Aire, the difences between these two SLO's follow conventional wisdom that the higher wattage amp will sound thicker, but the differences here are much smaller than I've ever heard between any 100 watt amp and its 50 watt sibling.
Mike did an incredible job here.
Sure, the difference might be more apparent through a cab in the room at high volume, but in this day and age, unless you need super loud stage volume, the differences could realistically be moot between these two. Crank some low end on the 30 and bring the mods down just a smidge.. I'm pretty impressed!
Too bad the 30 is so expensive, I might just get the 100 anyway. 😬 If I'm gonna a get a second mortgage on my house to buy an amp, I might as well be able to bring the walls done and collect earthquake insurance. 😂
Ha!
Thanks so much for sharing this! Mike Soldano is a legend :) Couldn't afford an SLO-100 but I love the one they made for Amplitube, sooo good!
You really should try out the SLO100 from Neural DSP. So near the real deal and many, many galaxies far from the Amplitube "approach".
I'd say the SLO-30 almost sounds like it has EL-34s in this comparison. It's subtle, but to be honest I like the sound. Makes you wonder what an EL34 SLO-100 would sound like.
Jet City did a JCA 100 which is a Soldano Hot Rod circuit with EL34's in the power section (Mike was licencing circuits to them for a time)
Nicely done. I had the SP77 and loved the tones. But I would have today I would get the SLO30 today. it sounds great!
Thank you for the comparison, it helped me on future purchase decisions
Which is??
The SLO100 sounds just plain bigger and more open to me. It would be interesting to see if the SLO 30 could be brought closer by changing the EQ a bit.
Or run the preamp out to a 100 watt Fryette power amp
would love to pair an SLO-100 with my Uberschall for best blended amp tones
Both are badass
@@GuitarsAndSynths blends are best !
So the SLO 100 has the lows you have to cut away in the mix and live anyway
What a great comparison and interview. I know they're expensive but it's the genuine article.
I am late to the party, but I had to comment. I also hear the shift in the mid-range bump that John is talking about with the 30. The 100 sounds a bit more refined and open. I will only be using the head for recording in my studio. I was really wanting to go with the 30 because of the price and lower power, but I find myself leaning towards the 100. I have the purple 4x12 and can't wait to have the matching purple top. RIP bank account.
If your buying a SLO budget isn’t an issue so, listen to both and pick a fave. I’d go 100 just because I like the way too loud for this room sound( no matter how big the room is 🤘🏽)
Haha, that's a good point! I'd still go for the 30 though :)
We got some really big halls (caves really) here on the Moon, but I’m sure the 100watt version would push all the air we got up here 🤘🏽😂
100 + attenuator
22:02 yeah, you're absolutly right!! 🤘😱 What a good ear!!
Great to see you at 42 gear street! You’re a great guy max; always glad to hear you play guitar.
Hi Max this is the first time I’ve seen your Chanel and I definitely enjoyed it. You came across very respectful and excited about what was going on. Like when you got to play Mr Brown’s guitar you seemed very excited and the interview with Mr Soldano was very interesting and enjoyable to watch. Keep up the great work. Definitely going to subscribe to your TH-cam channel. 👍🏻
Awesome, thank you!
Soldano seems like a cool guy. I prefer the extra compression of the 30 here.
Dude thats so cool you got Mike on the phone! These BOTH Kick butt! (Johns right 30 has a fun mid spike)
The switch is noticeable, but honestly, the 100 is likely enough to overwhelm a concert hall on "high gain" (>3) and overkill for everything else. Lovely video and interview. John Browne was a great partner for this video.
Oh yes! John is awesome. And I'd go for the 30
I own a pre-BAD SLO-100, and it slays 🤘🏻
fantastic interview!
fantastic review fellas
Thanks Al
Just got the slow 30. ❤ Playing with 2 212 orange cabs. With 7 and 8 string guitars 😊
Currently playing a modded SP-77II (SLO mod) into the SLS-105 50W/side soldano power amp.
It's absolutely the sweet spot, IMO. More nuts than the 30, same power as a HR50 but with all the gain control of an SLO - in mono OR stereo with effects!
I just wish I could have this sound in a head instead of a rack...
Fantastic review. To me the SLO30 has a little more brighrness
Great video guys!
I really like my SLO-30. It took the place of a Hot Rod 50 I’ve had for 15 years. Mike makes the best amps hands down.
If you could be so kind, how does the 30 beat the hot rod 50?
@@dougjacobson8135 1. It’s a 2 channel amp vs 1 (you can’t switch to the low input on the Hot Rod mid-song) 2. It’s has presence and depth controls. 3. The Hot Rod’s tone is noticeably darker. I prefer the SLO. 4. It’s smaller and lighter without much difference in headroom. 5. The SLO also has a bright switch. 6. Useable clean tones. The Hod Rod’s clean tone isn’t great while the SLO’s is fantastic. Hope that helps.
Is the Slo 30 loud enough for medium venues?? does it sound thinner at higher volumes? Ive seen a lot of lower wattage amps cranked up sound terrible compared to bedroom volume.
Judging by John Browne's video on it, it's ridiculously loud for a 30W amp. Depends on the use case though. A 15w combo amp is deafening when cranked, and the difference in volume between a 30w and a 100w amp is bugger all. The difference is headroom. If you play low tunings, heavy palm mutes ect, the extra headroom is needed, not the extra volume.
I have a solid state modeling amp now, and it's switchable between 25, 50, and 100w. The volume difference is not even noticeable, but the headroom definitely is, lower wattage sounds more compressed, and that's a very well designed D class amplifier that never overloads. Power amp distortion in this case isn't really a factor. In the case of a tube power section, it's a different story, compression is always there to some degree, so cranking a lower wattage amp will indeed result in power amp distortion. Mike Soldano is one of the designers who tries to avoid power amp distortion though, and to me it sounds as if the SLO30 has good headroom for a 30W amp.
@@Patrick-857 I purchase one and it is plenty of loud and even sounds better at louder volumes!
Yeah, the big one sounds a bit fatter and tighter at the same time. Definitely a bit better to my ears. But I'd still take the small one and be extremely happy.
SLO 100 for the win
It's soooooo subtle. I don't think I could even guess there was an amp change on hardly any of the switches if i wasn't watching.
Great review 👍🤘
Cool video. First I've seen comparing the 2. They are pretty close but with the DADGAD tuning, definitely noticed the low end difference. Guess I need to get the 100. I probably would've anyway since it's kind of a bucket list amp for me.
I can’t wait for soldano to re-release that pedal. Although a two channel (clean/dirty) slo preamp pedal would be sick.
The heart of an amp is the power section which is why everyone got rid of their rack stuff and went back to amps. Even the mesa and Marshall stuff didn't sound like their amps. f you have the money for the 100, get it. If you dont, get one of the lesser expensive options.
You should watch the recent video by Zach Wish comparing the 30 vs 100. Got them to sound the same. I went for the 30 after hearing that and I am not needing to take it on a stadium tour so no need for 100 watts these days. Just recording/tracking with it.
Nice amps. And Mike Soldano has a good ear.
Does the guy on the left (from Lost?) have a neck issue?
Yes he does
what do you think of the synergy slo module compared to the slo amps?
That's the thing. I wanted to have all three for this video but the SLO module was nowhere find. I've briefly played it at TGU18 two years ago but never had a chance to compare it to any of these amp. It definitely had the right Soldano vibe
@@MaxSoloMusic thank you. i have it and compared to the VH4 and HBE modules it really kicks ass, so this is the only one i`ll need in this regard. the fryette and bogner modules are kick ass, to! perfect combination is the freidman bb/be paired with the slo or ecstasy, its so versatile and the sound is amazing in every aspect. i always found the VH4 is too bassy and boomy and the HBE is too thin and noisy, the slo and especially the newer synergy modules are much more versatile and better sounding to my ears.
What is dead god tuning?
Now take out the power transformer from slo100 and put it in slo30. Then try to find a difference. That is gonna be a proper comparison. I can assure you it's gonna be way harder.
I'm pretty sure about that!
is there a lot diference between a slo and a hot rod ?.....I have a hot rod 50 plus with depth mode and it sounds brutal...
Фигасе! Жги Макс!
At 17:30 when they switch, I can hear the difference clearly. The palm mutes become more percussive.
Hey Rick, good to see you here
@@MaxSoloMusic Heya Max, thanks for doing the comparison. I bet you had a blast at Henning's place. I played a show using my friend's old SLO100 a couple of nights ago and it was awesome! I wanted to hear if there was a difference to the SLO30 and stumbled on this :)
I think the difference is low end headroom, but that's probably only becomes more noticeable the louder it gets.
Hi what is the best noise gate for a soldano amp?...the effects loop of
soldano is very particular, it is +4db....all noise gates which I have
used does not found with soldano.....thanks
Hey. I'm not into noise gates, so I can't really recommend any. Soldano amps are pretty simple and therefore have less noise than others. I'd use it without any noise gate whatsoever
Fortin Zuul!
All the "chunk" came with the 100. I'm not sure if the volume difference is tricking me here. I'm sure if the SLO 30 was higher I would hear less
Please bring back the SLO-100R
Yeah... even through my pc monitors (iLoud Micro from IK Multimedia) the mids on the SLO-30 pops out a little bit while the lows are just a bit less "omphff!". And the highs are the same to me. It's a kind of subtle "re-balancing" between lows and mids in the two models and i think that working just on the amps eqs the difference can be virtually canceled. As stated by Mike himself (btw guys... watta wandeful person is Mr. Soldano... well... just like every real genius!) that's a matter of the different power sections and the way the tubes works in the two amps. And yeah... according to you... maybe with a real cab "moving the air" ... the difference can be more pronounced. Anyway... two f***ing great amps with tons of tones for life... and with the SLO-30 an opportunity to have a more affordable (well ... a kind of) Soldano tone also with a better fx-loop section compared to the old 100 model.
2:27 “ we have a switcher that allows us to go from one amp to another right away in real time “
You mean your using an a/b box to switch between heads ?
Poor Mikes getting old over there 😂
To me, 100 sound more opened, with more low-end. 30 sounds more harshly and a bit compressed.
And interesting comparison slo 30 and slo 60,and why they stopped producing slo 60
Most don't know this, but Mike Soldano is the brother of Harry Bosch.
What is the riff he is playing at 23:09
I wish I knew. Must be one of their songs
@Uncouth Rapscallion Many Thanks!
@@joanesinu The riff is “Animus” by Monuments in case you never found it
the 30 sounds better I think
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My SLO 30 through a Marshall qtr stack is RIPPING loud. More than enough to play any club or venue that would ever hope to play. At home and band practice I run it through a attenuator so I can drive it hard but not cause any deafness....lol
I wish I had one :)
Hey man! ✌How does it sound with an attenuator on? Does it cutt any highs, or much tone that you notice? Super curious because i would have to run it the same way pretty much most of the time..✌ God i want one of these SO bad.. but depending on your living situation even 30 watts is LOUD i know haha! But....My Soul it..it needs this amp...Must find a way..😄
Having been an Edward Van fan, Soldano has been part of my rig since 1991. However.... still not satisfied, my search lead me to a late 60's JMP NMV. The output tube distortion I discovered is the Holy Grail I've been questing for. Hence my Soldanos are gathering dust.
Tone chasing is subjective, but the heart of hi gain roar traces back to old Marshall Plexis, full up.
Damm Though John was going to try the Friedman
I love the 100, but I'll never understand why people think loud is impressive. It's not practical if it's too loud. Not impressed with that much volume. Completely unnecessary.
I heard exactly what John heard
Макс, а зачем это стекло между вами?
Вирус...
@@MaxSoloMusic ааааааа, вот оно чё :)
so this is just an IR ...no mic'd cab ?
It's a Two notes Captor X with some stock IR
I’m here just to say „hi for example”. 😉
Awesome! Thanks
The 100 seems to “breathe” much better
Max, you look exactly like my cousin Manolo.
Haha :)
The 100 sounded much fuller.
Макс, давай перевод, пожалуйста.
The Slo 100 have more bass and punch, not a little difference in the video, it is more manageable in the studio but it is not the same amplifier
Eeeee boiiii
ну 30, по сравнению с 100 - хоть и похожая, но дрысня))
Unless you play stadiums, it is probably better getting the Soldano SLO-30 for half the cost of the SLO-100.
Slo 30 is decent price But I'd buy a slo 100 first if it wasn't 5 fn grand man f that
Is John Browne having limited mobility issues? He seems really rigid. He is not anywhere near as animated and free as Max. Does it matter...no. Which guy do I like as a player? That would be Max. What is John Browne looking at all the time in the bottom right corner. Who does that when someone is talking to them? It's kind of disturbing.
Some people with social anxiety do that.
He has an injury that limits mobility.
this amp is a one trick pony muddy etc not worth the money
No....and no! (multiple tones....cleans/crunch.....leads....all good) and worth the money if you play guitar! RIPS!
@@nickepp4078 the 20 watt astro is a better option in my opinion
Looks like you caught Mike halfway through his "transition"...... 😀
He's transexual?