Electro-Harmonix VS Sovtek Amp Shootout
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2021
- On today's live, we do something that we don't normally do - a classic shootout! We have a Dirt Road Special from EHX vs the old Mike Matthew's Freedom Amp, as well as a new EHX Mig 50 (recently released) vs a vintage Sovtek Mig 50. Hold on for dear life (because really that's what we're all doing anyways)!
Gear List:
Electro-Harmonix MIG-50 Amp
www.ehx.com/amps/#mig50
Electro-Harmonix Dirt Road Special Solid State Amplifier
www.ehx.com/amps/#dirtroad
Electro-Harmonix 2x12 Speaker Cabinet
www.ehx.com/amps/#2x12speaker
Sovtek MIG-50 Amp
Mike Matthew's Freedom Amp
Electro-Harmonix LPB-1
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Electro-Harmonix East River Drive
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Electro-Harmonix Eddy
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Electro-Harmonix Oceans 11
reverb.com/p/electro-harmonix...
Ernie Ball Volt
reverb.com/p/ernie-ball-volt-...
VooDoo Lab Amp Selector
Weber Two Head Switcher
Recently purchased a Ehx Mig-50. Best decision I’ve made in years thank you for supporting that.
You're welcome.
I missed the live stream by like 5 months. Still played the intro and didn’t skip.
You youtubers were a life saver during the worst months of the pandemic. A lot of us didn’t have anything to look forward to other than perusing our hobbies a little more and consuming entertainment.
Didn’t know they reissued this recently! I used to own a Sovtek MIG 50 and now own a MIG 100. Love these amps to death. I kinda simultaneously got a bonus at work sooooo buying an EHX MIG 50 was a no brainer! Receiving it tomorrow!
So how is it? I have an old mig 50. Might need a new one though. Do they "feel" the same?
I'm watching this ten hours after it streamed and, still, I did not skip the pre-intro. That is some spectacular fluting.
Waiting for the JHS team to put together a Jethro Tull jam.
@@richardf.8412 I never thought of that I remember it next time. I have a house for kids and I work nights I want to download this track to sleep by
Can’t confirm but I heard that Ron Burgundy actually recorded that for them. Wild stuff.
I love the intro. My son says I am a moron for watching it, but it is the most peaceful part of my day
"Flauting".
Great show from the past that I watched because I’m considering getting an EHX Mig-50 and 2x12.
Terrific guitar work by Josh!
The OG dirt road special amp has so many classic sounds in it. I cant believe I've just heard of it.
I've got both the East River Drive and the LPB-1 which are almost always hooked up to my rigs; they are a fantastic combo. I've traditionally used the Tubescreamer live, but in my studio environment I prefer the Electro Harmonix East River drive due to it having a silkier top end.
Josh your hair game was on point this episode, there was a perfect Hawaiian wave curl. I went straight to the beach after watching the episode and it was dark. The amp was OK to
So glad you did this episode !!!
great job.
Nick's a drummer. Of course he's got a million bands 😆
Dude... the number of drummers I've burnt through in this life. Currently, I'd give both my nuts for a good drummer with groove who knows how to fill, transition, when to push and pull the feel, (etc.) who isn't crazy, and who actually consistently shows up to writing/practice sessions. Seriously. That, apparently, is too much to ask!
@@alphanumeric1529 lol I'm a drummer and looking for all of that in all the other positions in a band
I have found that the real character of the reissue (sotospeak) is at higher volumes. It has an AC30ish chime and growl. Dig it. Well done EH!
it's actually absurd how similar the old and reissue MIG50s sound.
They do sound pretty close to the Marshall SV20 plexi-type amps too. But a tad thicker in the bass and mids and less aggressive on top. Depending on what you want, I think they're more versatile than the Marshall.
The real secret to their tone is when using pedals! That's when they really shine!@@compucorder64
Those heads sound identical. Those combos sound different but I would chalk that up to the speaker. If it sounds good it is good! Great video!
I polish my frets ever time i change strings, i also condition my fretboard and wipe down the body, back of neck, and headstock. I love that super clean brand new look. U asked who does that, im that guy. 😁🤣😆
Lol, nice!
I agree. I'm rather OCD about the back of the neck and forearm area of the body. And I do a ritualistic string change process we shan't discuss here.
# me too
I’m a bass player. I don’t know where to buy strings. I tune my bass once a week, if it needs it. I’d need to use my e string to tow something before it would break.
Not me…….a want a beat up, worn out guitar neck. I want the buildup from hand oil, dead skin cells, fingernail grime, spilled beer, and smoke residue all over that neck and fretboard. Then once it actually starts wearing down and eating away the finish, and theres visible funk stuck against corners of the frets; then i’ll finally clean it off and clean it up to show off the worn areas
I feel like I prefer the newer one as it's got more bass to it, and I personally like a deeper bass-y sound. I tend to play somewhere between big Stoner Sludge type riffs, Post Rock, and loud Indie Rock (depending on what I'm working on), so that suits me.
Great show! My local shop just got in the new one, stoked!
yes the SOVTEK episode!!!, i own a mig 100 and i really really love that thing, its a beast and takes pedals very well
Bro, that dirt road special sounds absolutely phenomenal. Both of them really. I too like the new one--I think im going to buy my first ever solid state amp.
Great video! The Mig 50 reminds me a bit of my reissue Supro Thunderbolt with its sharp bite when breaking up.
It's a Tony Bruno design hot rodded Fender Bassman circuit Homie!
Josh Scott's hair looks particularly nice in this video. Also Joshua's too lol.
One last thing, I am incredibly thankful for the livestreams. They are absolutely amazing, Keep up the good work guys!
It looks like its being blown around by some unseen mystical winds...oh wait you can't ever see wind.
He must have gotten a new blow dryer or something
Lol, thanks! And thanks for loving the show. We really appreciate these kind words :)
C'mon, they all have great hair. Or at least a hat...
Cathode bypass caps on V1A and V1B for the inputs are vastly different. 220u for channel 1 and 0.68 for channel 2. Plus a bright cap on channel 2.
Was hoping to hear the soul food into the mig 50! Love that pedal!
I have a Mig 50 on its way to me right now...was hard to come by in the UK but I finally found a dealer. This has to be the best value amp out there right now?!!
Couldn't believe the price. I hope they put out some more amps.
I think the “clipping” problem you’re having is probably a buffer underrun issue on your audio interface, since it’s not so much a distortion as a stuttering. There’s probably a dropdown menu that lets you choose how many samples of latency you want. Try increasing that to the next level up. Like maybe you’re on 256 and you can go up to 512. That should be a very tiny amount of added delay in terms of milliseconds and you likely won’t notice it, but it might solve your issue.
It could theoretically also be a computer not keeping up with the data it’s being sent, like if the processor throttles down to save power or if it’s getting too hot. Or maybe it is indeed the streaming software, but at least on your end you can try increasing the buffer and seeing if that fixes it and making sure any computers involved are always operating up to speed.
I dig that you used Jobim's music to accompany the "please be seated" opener.
I've had a Mig 50 for 22 years , rock solid. PS it came stock with 5881's , I've updated mine to 6L6's with a bit more juice.
When you talk about NYC mob history - it's not the east river but the Gowanus Canal that takes the cake. Fun fact: before it was polluted, the Gowanus Canal was a major source of oysters and other shellfish (there is also a current project to bring oysters back to the canal to help clean up the pollution).
I have polished numerous fretboards for people now. Addison is right, you tape off the entire fretboard first. At that point I start with 1500 grit sandpaper and go up in grits from (1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 5000, 7000) finish off with music nomad fret polish and bam. It not only shines them up like crazy but it gives them an incredibly smooth feel when you play! Definitely recommend it!
The mic placement on the newer Dirt Road is completely different.
I’m not a huge fan of either amp on their own, but they sounded great in the mix. New one took the pedals very well.
“I’m not gonna play them because they’re all broken.” -speaks volumes. It totally applies most early EHX stuff too.
my 1974 black finger works great and is nearly 50 years old
Wonder if they could find someone to fix them?
@@shayeasy Sure, and for every amp like yours there's 500 in a landfill somewhere next to E.T. cartridges.
@@TheSwearwolf it’s a pedal and i don’t agree that most early EHX stuff is shoddy or unreliable. you won’t find much gear from the early 70s that still works flawlessly without some kind of servicing.
My JPN Boss DD-3 died after 32 years of near constant use/abuse.
Honestly, I'm more into the pedal videos, but you guys do have some good banter going on.
Watching this video for the second time. I would love to hear the new amp through the old speaker.
FYI. - Mig shootout actually starts at 33:20
This is my new fav channel, you guys are cool.... Love 🏴🎸
still having my Sovtek Mig 60!! Pure raw power.
I love my NEW Dirt Road Special. It’s in the living room, right next to my stereo. It’s my “go to” amp for playing whilst I’m sitting on the couch, plinking along to my records. I could leave it turned “on” for weeks on end: I use it that often. I Only wish they would’ve made the FX a tremolo AND JUST a spring reverb. I never use the “other two” reverb options on mine. Or they could’ve just made it an FX loop.
BTW, the new one: you can always roll your tone pot down. You can’t do anything about the old one: it’s dark and it’s always going to be dark. I did a very short tour (as drummer) with a reunited Indiana punk band from the late 1970’s and the guitarist brought his old Dirt Road (the amp he recorded their old records on & played all the original shows with) - It was a piece of history, but it gave us all nothing but grief. It didn’t make the same sound on the same two nights, ever. I think the local amp fixer in Indianapolis had him on his “frequent flyer program” - that amp had so many problems so often… And, wouldn’t you know: 6 months after the tour ended EH announced they were coming out with a NEW version of the Dirt Road.
Another thing: analog synths sound awesome through the new Dirt Road. I plug my MiniBrute & MicroBrute through mine, exclusively. The speaker EH chose to use on the newer Dirt Road is a real “secret weapon” of its tone. It is NOT your typical “guitar amp/greenback style” transducer. I need to try out the cab of the amp with my other 20 watt heads.
Have you tried the reverse reverb turned down it becomes slap back delay which is really useable.
After 33:23 where you go to the old Mig, have you ever used a Y cable into both inputs and use the channel volumes to balance/blend the tones?
I jumper my sovteks and have since the earliest models. I have been a semi professional since the earliest indies and have only used migs. This one is my baby.
Always did this with mine as well. I have channel 1 set at around 9-10 o' clock, channel 2 set at 11 or 12 o' clock depending on the guitar and how spanky I want it to get.
It can be fun with certain pedal that have separate dry / wet outputs too, you choose if both channels are affected or not
I agree that channel 1 gets muddy, but channel 2 gets harsh and hollow. The two blended just right is where it's at IMO
This being said, I'm not sure the new reissue also works with both inputs at once! Haven't played it
@@officedurapquebecois you can y jump the new mig…I emailed ehx a while back for the info…I want this amp but I sort of feel that I have the range covered with my krank Chadwick..still sounds killer
Actually, the 59 tweed bassman had both a mids and presence knob, the later brown panel removed the mids and the black panel removed the presence. Cheers.
Could it be that the combos sound so different only due to the different speakers? ...Would somewhat explain the very similar sound of the heads.
My main amp is a first run Mig 50 and I love that thing.
Thanks again Josh!! Now the mig 50s jumped 200$
I know it’s crazy but we want beautiful demos like yours …
The new EHX combo sounds perfect for the Law and Order theme song
That jam around 48 mins was smokin!
I have just bought a vintage Mig50 and found this video a few days after. Damn, should have gone EHX way, but oh well maybe I will start collecting ;)
I toured the east coast during the 90s w a mig 50, it sounded killer w a boss sd1
Miss my old mig, one my favorite amps Ive ever owned
😓
That old combo sounds very QOTSA indeed. A big punch in the belly.
Wonder if EHX will also reissue the other MIG models? I really hope so!
Can you do an episode on how to build a solid state amp? Or breaking down schematics? It’s so cool
Rigs of Doom has been selling replacement Sovtek badges for years. They look great
On my Mig50h, (master volume version) - input 1 was low gain, and input 2 was high gain. No tonal differences.
I have a stock ported Sovtek slanted 1x12 that has a stock 16 ohm Eminence speaker that is their version of a Greenback. I also have an 8 ohm ported Sovtek cab with the same sort of speaker.
Ik im 2 years late but yall are GLOWING in this vod like josh you normally look tired as hell and depressed as shit. And I was mesmerized by joshua’s eyes. lol
Hoping for a little amp advice… as a pedal platform I loved my fender blues deluxe reissue how does the EHX Mig compare as a pedal platform? From what I’ve seen in this video the Mig sounds like a must have and since the I have a cab already and the Mig is cheaper than the blues deluxe … I’d love any advice
How is it EHX always sounds different when all they had to do was put in a different package. I know the amps here are horrible example of that but like why can they not shrink down a Qtron properly, without sounding different.
I don't even use pedals and I find your show interesting and entertaining. I can't say life changing but perhaps life altering to some small degree. It is kind of like watching your favorite car rust with an occasional musical interlude. Maybe it is my Alzheimer's and dementia that make the show better. kidding love every minute.
I'm a musician and a pedal nerd and I watch the show with my GF, she loves it and sings along to the jingles
@@TMmodify Get a ring on that.
@@grantandrews4826 I got a ring modulator on her, close enough I guess
Thanks so much! Glad you like it :)
I got a nice lightly used EHX Mig 50 a few months ago for $300 ( I have the BOX!!!) , but mine has a RED jewel light on the front. When did they start using BLUE?! I run it through a Marshall 2x12 that looks just like the EHX 2x12 except it has better power handling.
Red Jewels are production runs, but 18 hand built units have a blue light
Yay! Another live thing! I want that Mig 50 reissue! It sounds great!
I have a EHX Mig 50 and I love love love it!! Worth every penny I paid
@@Gunslinger320 Awesome! I'm just asking myself if I really need a 50 W amp, because it's pretty loud.
Joshua has such a pleasant voice
Thank you
Just bought a new Mig-50 and I love it. But then I proceded to order a load box/attenuator because it's SO loud haha
only reason i didnt buy it...got offered a new one for $459 on reverb too
Could you explain more about what the Mig 30 is specifically? I've been drawn to it because of the orange, but you just described it as a "production error" without out saying what the circuit is based on like the other models. Is the Mig 30 based on a JTM45 like I see some people say or is it a smaller version of one of the other Mig amps?
Way cool, thank you!
I just got the EHX mig 50 and it is crazy loud. Super happy with it, but wondering if it might sound better at a louder volume setting with an attenuator. I notice here that the volume is at roughly 9 o'clock. Do you feel like you are getting the best tone at that volume? Have you ever considered an attenuator with it?Thanks for doing the comparison.
I am fortunate enough to own a working Sovtek Big Muff, which is still on my board. It was the second pedal I ever bought; I heard that the Smashing Pumpkins used them, and I wanted that sound. Obviously, I was disappointed when it didn’t sound like the Punpkins, and it sat in the box, and later in the closet… until about 20 years later, when I got into David Gilmour tone building (he used a “Civil War” Muff during the “Pulse” era, but all the Sovtek Muffs have very similar sound; unless you’re a Big Muff aficionado, it can be hard to tell the difference). My 3 gripes: 1) it takes up a lot of board real estate; 2) it’s 9v battery only, unless you mod it or use an adapter, like I do; 3) I don’t have the box, and it was the cool wooden box.
I have 2 boxes and no russian 😂
Ben Stiller was the guitar store employee that explains the legend of the POD if I recall
...in the maintenance closet for secrecy while sporting a handlebar mustache. Also feels Similar to his character in dodgeball
I think it would be really awesome if you shot out a metal zone and a klon. I’ve been looking for a video like that and haven’t found any 🤷♂️
Are the pots a problem on the Mig 60's and the Midget as well ? thanks
Late to this as usual, but cool. Love these vids guys!
That audio glitch thing sounds like what happens when I set the latency too low on my audio interface. It's just weird that it's intermittent, so I wonder if it's the computer getting bogged down with background processes and it can't handle the latency setting while that's occurring. (source: I'm a computer tech as well as audio nerd).
This is what used to happen to me when I was a broke kid using a Traktor DJ interface as an audio interface lol. It stopped when I got a better interface so I’m assuming that was the issue.
On stacking pedals - should a compressor go before or after a Wha? I have the Crybaby at the beginning of the chain.
Over time I found I like my comp before my wah. Best to just experiment.
I like that dark first Imput.
At first i thought i heard a difference on the first switch over to the new mig 50, but then when u did the "blind folded" switching i couldnt tell a difference at all. Lol. I guess that first one was psychosomatic. 😂. I think it sounds great. I would definitely buy the new version
Not gonna lie, that price is very good (MIG 50). They sound how the old Sound City amps (I mean 70's/80's ones) kinda sound (and obviously ultra close to the old Sovtek)
Just bought a new mig 50 mkll and I like the fact that you can put any tubes including el34's, 6l6, 5881 and all you have to do is set the bias. I didn't know this until I bought it.
What are the speaker(s) in the sovtek vs ehx amp?
EHX is the brand where I just looked down one day and they were like 2/3 of my board.
Finally the long awaited sovtek episode
That Les Paul sounds absolutely incredible.
Hey man! I have two very rare and odd amps that I can’t find alot of info about.
Is there any chance that you can educate me?
It is two Nolan amps, they look sort of like Hiwatt heads. The small on has 2 El34 and the big has 4 El34.
Should be made in England in the seventis, maybe?🤷♂️
Love the hollow harmonic sounds, kind of like Jessey Davey’s latest guitar tones on his Ad’s….
The doors - summers almost gone, offa waiting for the sun
I saw Larry McCray open for Gov't Mule in the late 90s at the 5 pts. Music Hall in Birmingham & he was using a Sovtek MIG 50. Talk about rip your head off tone & a killer player!!! I kick myself for not buying one off ebay in the 90s. BTW
RIP Allen Woody! The Mule was never quite the same.
Btw Josh when did you lose your Alabama accent. As a NE Alabama, Etowah County man I'd like to know & it's kinda sad at the same time.
I've checked out the specs of the MIG 50 reissue. It doesnt have an FX loop but i heard you through on the reverb and delay while jamming - How does that work? can it take modulation based effects from the front?
I’m a big fan of the LPB-1 sandwich! 🤘👽
Are there clipping diodes in the Sovtek amps?
I HAVE an old mig 50 i think its preety cool when you do y and go whith the 2 inputs at the same time. u can have get a wet dry kind of drive . also coo l to have a fuzz onthe 1st in
the jam around the 49 minute mark was killer. You could call it "Killer 49".
How do you mic the drums? do I see a trigger module there?
Good job!
just ordered mine today.i didn't even know these were being made till today. it was the easiest decision i have had to make all year.now i gotta wait for 3 weeks.
You like it?
love it..
I like the EHX badge better than the Sovtek. Am I alone with that nonsense? Pre-ordered one today. Currently backordered probably because of this video. Thanks for the comparison though!
I wonder if EHX is still printing "Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby." on the circuit board as they did with the first run of the new Mig 50's?
I have a EHX Mig 50...ill have to look
I've had this thing backordered for a couple years now, feels like longer
Is input 1 on the new one, the same as the old one ?
For the money, IMO, the Marshall 9005 is hard to beat. They are heavy, because you are getting TWO "Made in England" Marshall 50watt EL34 amps with 1/2 power switches in a 4 space rack case. Granted you need a preamp to hook up in front of it but there are plenty of preamps and preamp pedals out. Or just get a Marshall tube preamp to get a great Marshall sound.
I have 2 of the 9005's and got them off ebay for 300 each. Also have the Marshall 9001 tube preamp that goes with this amp. Payed 150 for the 9001. So for 450 I have two 50W made in England Marshall tube amps.
FYI, Tony Iommi used this preamp/amp pair in his live rig for awhile.
Got my Mig-100 in 1998 for $200 bucks. I've been wanting one of the new EH 50's. If I were going to dump stupid money I'd try to get one of the orange face Mig-30's just for collection sake.
People say speaker break in isn't a thing, I agree as your speaker will break it's self in with hours used. However, in the same thread, several hours of break in to reduce brightness on a speaker cant replace years of use, Smokey bars and riding in the back of a pickup.
Hi guys. In the pick of destiny Ben Stiller works at guitar center and informs gas and jabbles about the pick of destiny and how to find it, but first he mentions the Ernie Ball Amp Caster! A caster wheel. Not sure if I’m first but there ya go.
Have y’all tried active pickups into channel 1? It’s more Amateur sorcery than magical, but, if you have a bit of time to mess around and a few enjoyable dirt pedals you’ll probably find some rather nice tones that’ll you’ll never use!
I have used my 88 Charvel/Jackson with the active pickups into both channels...
That sovtek is something else. So dark and rich 😍