"Long for loud, short on cash? Or just wanting kickass tones? HERE! HERE!"
Sound:
Basically this thing brought the missing ingredient to my crunch tones. The clean channel is mighty nice, and the crunch channel will serve your metal needs as well as meek overdrives. Each channel having their own VERY active EQs making sure you can get whatever you want out of it. The lead channel has more gain you'll ever need, which on the other hand is good - you don't want to run out of it when you need it. The XL switch adds an ever so slight low mid boost. It comes through pretty distinctively in a band mix.
This thing can play nice, low volumes without losing the tone... However, you needn't worry about playing loud enough either. This thing doubles as a wrecking crew.
Feature:
The baby has a footswitch including each channel and the FX loop. Unlike some sources suggest, this amp DOES NOT remember which channel you had the FX loop on and which not. However, the built-in reverb will. The toy has a master presence and master volume, and the lead channel has a noisegate which cleans the sound up quite a bit, but not all the way. The FX loop has input and output controls, and the amp also features a lineout. And, high and low gain inputs for your guitar.
Basically I was mostly disappointed by the FX loop thingy, because I was looking for an assignable FX loop, hence losing the master point from the rating. However... dude, you still get a million sounds out of it!
Ease of Use:
I didn't have a hard time finding my tone with this thing. The funny thing was that I had to cut down the gain quite a bit when using the lead channel, because the rate and quantity of the distortion is HUGE! The instruments I use have EMG active pickups, so that of course throws in its own monkeywrench where this review is concerned.
At any rate... It shouldn't be any difficult than any other hand. I might cut off a point for the fact that while the reverb is assignable, you have to reassign it every time you turn the amp off.
On a final note, they advertise the tubes being easily replaceable if you wished to use the alternative. Just replace the tubes, switch the biase switch and you're ready to go.
Quality:
I would say it's spotless where this category is concerned. Sure, there will be people complaining over the plastic knobs, but it wouldn't be the only amp with that. What might be worrysome is how the pots move around kinda easily. It will remain to be seen how easily those may break. Other than that, this amp looks like it was built to take a few knocks... Stupid me put it in the back of my station wagon standing, and on some turn it fell over... Well, it could take that.
Manufacturer Support:
I exchanged a number of emails with these guys, not always being very coherent, I admit. However, they addressed every point and every suggestion I had, and I really felt I was talking to a proud worker instead of an office rat. That felt really nice. And, thanks for the T-shirt, Bugera team. ;)
So, I haven't had any problems with my amps yet... And while the customer service is good, don't we all hope we never have to deal with them? ;)
Value:
I suppose any other manufacturer would charge much more for this toy! Behringer is always Behringer, and they have their reputation. However... it looks like they've really blown up the bank this time. You don't get these tube tones with this money! I would probably get another Bugera if I had to. And I AM considering about getting the head version of this too. Surely the reliability will remain to be seen, but I'm not exactly worried.
The Wow Factor:
This thing has the brightest LEDs you'll ever see. ;) Seriously, though. It looks very sleek, and the logo on the grid looks very nice aside from the fact that it's plastic... Who cares, actually? It still looks damn good. Of course, the word Behringer being associated with this thing, the sex appeal gets a big, BIG hit... But I really suggest you give this thing a testdrive before dissing it!
Overall:
Well, the thing that would make me seek for another toy altogether would probably be the assignable FX loop thing. There is, to my knowledge, ONE manufacture that creates assignable FX loops. However, I think I can learn ro live without my chorus (I came from multi effects processors to this). But at any rate... You want a versatile amp? This is your toy! I've played gigs which required a really low overdrive from me, and this amp delivered. I've played gigs with required a moderate distortion that covers all the bases, and this amp delivered... Hell, I had to play downright metal, and this amp delivered! All this while maintaining a pristine clean, uh, clean channel! This thing is worth a shot, and I feel it was worth the buy too! I would probably go for another Bugera if I needed to get another amp for a reason or another.
Thanks for your vote. Can you specify what about this review did or did not help you?