Henriksen Blu-10 demo

[skiboyny]

I don’t think this line of thinking is really about studio recording vs live sound, but about natural vs contrived. Not that I agree with the assessment either way. To my ears, two main things are happening differently on the Henriksen; the mid range has more presence and there is a chorus-like detuning in the reverb tails. Meanwhile, keep in mind I haven’t begun to touch the eq on the BLU, but then again, on the Clarus I’ve had the eq left at flat for 20 years

Natural vs contrived you are the only one who would truly know that. You don't agree with the assessment either way but your description is pretty much the same. I'm sure you can get the two much closer in sound but what for? Maybe it's just not the amp for you. You are not alone on that assessment. Most people say it's not the "Best" sounding amp but given the size and portability, it's a real usable package. It's about what inspires you in the end. The listener hears the performance, and doesn't break down the particulars.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Natural vs contrived you are the only one who would truly know that. You don't agree with the assessment either way but your description is pretty much the same. I'm sure you can get the two much closer in sound but what for? Maybe it's just not the amp for you. You are not alone on that assessment. Most people say it's not the "Best" sounding amp but given the size and portability, it's a real usable package. It's about what inspires you in the end. The listener hears the performance, and doesn't break down the particulars.

Is there an amp that most people agree is the “best”? I’d given up the idea long ago that any one could be “the one”, but chasing by the holy grail(s) of better is part of who we are

[wintermoon]

it’s a Pittsburgh thing, but no I’m not. Visited a few times.

Correct, no one from Philly says, yinz, which is supposedly derived from "you-ones" which is kinda dumb anyway. What the heck is that?
Youze is the local term, from you-guys.

Now that we got that cleared up I hope youze enjoy yer Henriksenz.

[bluejaybill]

Is there an amp that most people agree is the “best”? I’d given up the idea long ago that any one could be “the one”, but chasing by the holy grail(s) of better is part of who we are

There is probably no consensus of "what amp is best", since everyone has different ears. Some like a pristine, hifi, almost clinical sound. Some like the coloration of tubes.

For me, the best sounding amps are the ones that are too big to move, like a BF Twin, or Vibrolux. I Use smaller variants on those. The newer breed of SS amps were mainly created for an acceptable sound at a very light weight.

I haven't had a chance to listen with my good headphones, but one thing I would say is to turn off the reverb if it's chorusy. The Little Jazz is. like that as well. Fine for playing but not for recording, maybe get a better studio reverb for that if you don't have one.

[Cunamara]

Remember we all think we know what we like but the truth is we like what we know.

Truth to that! Which is why progress (for good and ill) comes from the few who are not constrained by liking and sticking to what they know.

[Cunamara]

Correct, no one from Philly says, yinz, which is supposedly derived from "you-ones" which is kinda dumb anyway. What the heck is that?
Youze is the local term, from you-guys.

I always enjoy listening to Pat Martino's accent.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

There is probably no consensus of "what amp is best", since everyone has different ears. Some like a pristine, hifi, almost clinical sound. Some like the coloration of tubes.

For me, the best sounding amps are the ones that are too big to move, like a BF Twin, or Vibrolux. I Use smaller variants on those. The newer breed of SS amps were mainly created for an acceptable sound at a very light weight.

I haven't had a chance to listen with my good headphones, but one thing I would say is to turn off the reverb if it's chorusy. The Little Jazz is. like that as well. Fine for playing but not for recording, maybe get a better studio reverb for that if you don't have one.

I like recording with amp reverb and high quality convolution reverb (Altaverb) plug-in in my DAW. I just can’t get why engineers started making chorus effects as part of reverb.

[Gitterbug]

Interesting double helix thread on accents: American and amplifiers'. I've been listening to guitar sounds almost daily for the past nine years, and it just beats me how firm opinions people can form on the basis of tone clips pushed through the web. (A B&O HiFi dealer once told me that a customer decided between two pairs of €€€€ speakers on the basis of how they sounded through his cellphone.)

So much depends on the player, and how and where the recording was made. An amp's character - sound, projection and dynamics - can only be properly appreciated on the spot. And yes, what works well in a studio may not be the best choice for the stage. Don't we all know this?

Mark, a few years ago you were enthusiastic about the Raezer's Edge Luna 200R. Was that also just a test?

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Interesting double helix thread on accents: American and amplifiers'. I've been listening to guitar sounds almost daily for the past nine years, and it just beats me how firm opinions people can form on the basis of tone clips pushed through the web. (A B&O HiFi dealer once told me that a customer decided between two pairs of €€€€ speakers on the basis of how they sounded through his cellphone.)

So much depends on the player, and how and where the recording was made. An amp's character - sound, projection and dynamics - can only be properly appreciated on the spot. And yes, what works well in a studio may not be the best choice for the stage. Don't we all know this?

Mark, a few years ago you were enthusiastic about the Raezer's Edge Luna 200R. Was that also a just a test?

I was enjoying the RE Luna, but wound up going back to the Clarus SLR for what sounds better to my ears. They’re so close sounds, but in time the choices become clear.

[Gitterbug]

Many happy returns to the Clarus!

[ccroft]

I've tried to compare what I can hear thru the web on 2 different speakers and headphones. I do hear what SkiBoy is talking about. There is some small diff that could likely be EQ'd in or out. Thru YouTube I think they're not different enough for me to have much of a preference.

If I were in Mark's shoes it would come down to feel and sound in the room. Any difference in how the guitar responds to the amp and vice versa. Maybe it's closed VS open back?

Or maybe it would come down to which one I like the looks of better.

I will continue to listen to and enjoy all his offerings here no matter which amp he decides to go with.

[SOLR]

Interesting double helix thread on accents: American and amplifiers'. I've been listening to guitar sounds almost daily for the past nine years, and it just beats me how firm opinions people can form on the basis of tone clips pushed through the web. (A B&O HiFi dealer once told me that a customer decided between two pairs of €€€€ speakers on the basis of how they sounded through his cellphone.)

So much depends on the player, and how and where the recording was made. An amp's character - sound, projection and dynamics - can only be properly appreciated on the spot. And yes, what works well in a studio may not be the best choice for the stage. Don't we all know this?

Mark, a few years ago you were enthusiastic about the Raezer's Edge Luna 200R. Was that also just a test?

Actually, unless Mark has changed his mind on performing and recording, He does play for the WEB, (phones and computer speakers). I'd be happy with either or whatever Santa chooses.

S

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Actually, unless Mark has changed his mind on performing and recording, He does play for the WEB, (phones and computer speakers). I'd be happy with either or whatever Santa chooses.

S

Got that right…YOU guys here are who I’m playing for. And YouTube, Facebook and recently tiktok too

[greasy0015]

This amp has zero self-noise. I mean, not ever the slightest hiss or hum that would tell you it was even turned on (trust me- this is very rare).

My hendriksen is the same, and I love it. Believe me I have shed a lot of amps because of idle amp noise. I do not understand why manufacturers sell amps that have baseline buzz and hiss. For example the Roland JC amps to me are perfect on paper but have an incredible, annoying hiss that everyone else seems to ignore and not be bothered by. Cheers to Henriksen for being squeaky clean!

[Aiq]

I like my Blu 10 quite a bit.

I also like my 65 Deluxe-Amp.

I have adopted the rule: find something appealing and learn how to play it.

[omphalopsychos]

I don’t think this line of thinking is really about studio recording vs live sound, but about natural vs contrived. Not that I agree with the assessment either way. To my ears, two main things are happening differently on the Henriksen; the mid range has more presence and there is a chorus-like detuning in the reverb tails. Meanwhile, keep in mind I haven’t begun to touch the eq on the BLU, but then again, on the Clarus I’ve had the eq left at flat for 20 years

You have a fine delicate touch that works well for your playing style. The midrange on the Henriksens is best adjusted with the "high mids" knob. I tend to set it to nearly off. Use your ears to tune it not your eyes.

The reverb on Henriksen amps tends to bother me. First there's a very artificial ping-pongy slapback on the attack, and second the trails have substantial pitch modulation. I think it's a complete mismatch for playing jazz. For the most part, you can't hear this very much when playing live, but you can definitely hear it on a recording.

[skykomishone]

How do you handle that Juan?
Not use it and use a pedal reverb?

[omphalopsychos]

If I'm feeling really picky I'll plug my own reverb in. But mostly who cares. Sounds good enough, just not for recording.

[jazzloverfat]

That's fair "more like a recording" and yes closed backs are tighter sounding. The second video kind of points that out even more. It's more scooped and the reverb is quite a bit different. More of a fender sound. I tend to favor hearing the mids a bit more. The top and bottom ring out more in the other setup where the mids are much less apparent. You hit the nail on the head though "more like a recording" isn't that what this is?

I think that may be it, I do tend to prefer a more mid-scooped sound. A lot of the music I listened to in highschool was V-shaped (EDM, hip-hop, trap, etc.). Then, once I got my first electric guitar I went with a Fender amp ¯\_(?)_/¯

I don’t think this line of thinking is really about studio recording vs live sound, but about natural vs contrived. Not that I agree with the assessment either way. To my ears, two main things are happening differently on the Henriksen; the mid range has more presence and there is a chorus-like detuning in the reverb tails. Meanwhile, keep in mind I haven’t begun to touch the eq on the BLU, but then again, on the Clarus I’ve had the eq left at flat for 20 years

When I said recording vs. live performance I meant something along the lines of listening to an MP3 file - a more narrow spectrum of sound, if that makes sense - vs. almost feeling like I am in front of you and hearing you playing the guitar and feeling the sound all around me. With the Henricksen clip I feel there is something missing, like there is space left for something else sound wise to be there. And yes, I kinda know that in a band context that's what a mid-pushed amp is supposed to do, but for solo guitar is it needed? The other 2 recordings - to me and through my audio setup - don't suffer from this and like I said before, the tunes feel more open, more immediate and more enveloping.

I've been listening to guitar sounds almost daily for the past nine years, and it just beats me how firm opinions people can form on the basis of tone clips pushed through the web. [...] So much depends on the player, and how and where the recording was made. An amp's character - sound, projection and dynamics - can only be properly appreciated on the spot.

Obviously, but it's a limitation we kinda have to accept if we want to geek out on things guitar related on the net. The quality of the recording and good soundcards, speakers and/or headphones do help a bit i think. I'm not gonna comment on the cellphone speaker thingie cuz i would use language that would probably get me banned

[bluejaybill]

If I'm feeling really picky I'll plug my own reverb in. But mostly who cares. Sounds good enough, just not for recording.

Yup, and honestly that’s been true for a very long time. Even with black face Fenders. I can’t tell you how many times engineers have asked me to turn off the reverb. Often I wouldn’t know it was on, that’s just where I had left it.

But when you have high end plates, Lexicons etc, they sound better, and engineers then retain control over the amount.

[Aiq]

A quick and dirty phone clip with aJBL Xcab. I had a Weber California in it and swapped it out today.

All controls 12:00 touch of reverb.

Has anyone used the Blu’s FX loop?

[213Cobra]

A quick and dirty phone clip with aJBL Xcab. I had a Weber California in it and swapped it out today.

All controls 12:00 touch of reverb.

Has anyone used the Blu’s FX loop?

Nice warmth that preserves chime. The JBL is part of that.

Love the amp stand, hammer & WD40 for context!

Phil

[Aiq]

Lol, I had to check it before screwing on the back.

I was bitten by that once before.

[yebdox]

I’m just here enjoying Mark’s playing!

Interesting discussion as well, as I’m a diehard tube guy, but I’m moving toward some form of solid state head with a choice of cabs for convenience.

For me, it still doesn’t get much better than an L5 or a 175 through a finely tuned (quiet) blackface of some sort, with medium wattage Celestion type speakers. I’m interested in getting the kind of clarity that Mark is getting as well, though, with lovely note definition and warm, but not shrill midrange. Not sure if there is a solid state head that can do all that, but from reading discussions, things seem to be leaning more towards Quilter than Henriksen for me, though the appeal of the Bud 6 for sheer convenience for travel is pretty strong.

The only way I’ll get my hands on either is to purchase and return, which I’m reluctant to do, but may be necessary. Spent a day with a Clarus a few years ago, was not my cup of tea at the time and now that’s a moot issue.

Thanks for the discussion, I’ll keep following and listening!

[Mark Kleinhaut]

I’m just here enjoying Mark’s playing!

Interesting discussion as well, as I’m a diehard tube guy, but I’m moving toward some form of solid state head with a choice of cabs for convenience.

For me, it still doesn’t get much better than an L5 or a 175 through a finely tuned (quiet) blackface of some sort, with medium wattage Celestion type speakers. I’m interested in getting the kind of clarity that Mark is getting as well, though, with lovely note definition and warm, but not shrill midrange. Not sure if there is a solid state head that can do all that, but from reading discussions, things seem to be leaning more towards Quilter than Henriksen for me, though the appeal of the Bud 6 for sheer convenience for travel is pretty strong.

The only way I’ll get my hands on either is to purchase and return, which I’m reluctant to do, but may be necessary. Spent a day with a Clarus a few years ago, was not my cup of tea at the time and now that’s a moot issue.

Thanks for the discussion, I’ll keep following and listening!

Thanks man, but to make your matters more difficult, I have to tell you that if all the modern solid state amps I’ve tried the quilter was the absolute worst. Especially playing live and pushing volume against drums and horns it has a harsh quality I couldn’t stand. The Henriksen has my vote today. Which Clarus didn’t you like? They’re not all the same. Did you ever try a Walter Woods?