NAD: Carvin AG300 EQ (updated ending)

benderman57 · #1 10-20-2016, 05:18 AM

I received my new AG300 and while I love a lot of things about the amp I will say I'm a little underwhelmed by what I'm hearing after playing through it for several hours.

What I'm hearing is a good bit of coloring of my guitar tone which is several high end Takamine's with CTP-3 and Triax mag in the mix. I've been super happy with this pickup combo in just about anything else I've ever plugged it into.

My main gigging setup I use a Phil Jones Super Cub which I'm finding in comparison is very transparent.

I was not really trying to replace this amp but was looking for a small almost PA to do very small shows with guitar, vocal & porchboard thumper.

Feature wise this really has everything I was after but guitar tone wise it makes my really great tweaked out over many years tone that I've been really happy with sound like a cheap sounding any kind of guitar.

I don't think I'm getting the most out of the EQ section and am willing to experiment further but am going to make a decision on it within the next few days as to whether it's going back before the 10 day trial period ends.

Any experienced AG300 players out there have any wisdom they can share?

JohnDWilliams · #2 10-20-2016, 07:55 AM

Rainsong parlor (with K&K retrofit), Córdoba GK (nylon), and several electric archtops all go into my AG300 with flat EQ.

For bass I usually boost the low end a bit and I use a "character" pedal for Tele. Piano, drums, and sometimes bass backing tracks are flat.

Never played through a Cub so I can't compare directly but the AG300 sounds as good or better than any of the many other acoustic amps I've had. It also does bass and backing tracks way better than any acoustic amp I've tried.

That's just my experience.

maxtheaxe · #3 10-20-2016, 09:52 AM

Perhaps experiment a bit with your gain structure. Since you have active electronics in your guitars, you won't need much preamp level at the channel input and if you give it too much, will tend to induce coloration/distortion, other undesirables.

benderman57 · #4 10-20-2016, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxtheaxe

Perhaps experiment a bit with your gain structure. Since you have active electronics in your guitars, you won't need much preamp level at the channel input and if you give it too much, will tend to induce coloration/distortion, other undesirables.

This was something I was thinking about today, Can't wait to get home from work to give some things a try. Thanks!

ricdoug · #5 10-20-2016, 01:29 PM

Also, experiment with the Hi Z button to find the best match for the instrument input. Ric

Steve DeRosa · #6 10-20-2016, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxtheaxe

Perhaps experiment a bit with your gain structure. Since you have active electronics in your guitars, you won't need much preamp level at the channel input and if you give it too much, will tend to induce coloration/distortion, other undesirables.

Same deal with my MB12 bass amp - backing off the input gain/lowering the output from your instrument should cure most of the problems...

benderman57 · #7 10-21-2016, 06:07 AM

Well after several hours of tweaking and taking everyone's great advice I have still decided it's not the amp for me. While I did get much better tones out of it in comparison to what I'm used to in my Phil Jones and also my Bose system I was just not stoked about the tone.

I love the features, Size and power it offers but just felt it colored my tone too much and made my guitars much more electric sounding than either of my other choices.

I think I'll stick with what I know and just use my Bose at most gigs. It really does make the Porchboard sound fantastic and is not that big a deal to set up anyway.

I'll chalk this one up to an experiment that just did not work well for me.

Thanks again for everyone's input and help!

Methos1979 · #8 10-21-2016, 07:55 AM

I think what you are thinking of as the Carvin 'coloring' your guitar sound is actually the opposite. Amps like the Fishman SA220 and the Bose systems color your sound, albeit with a very beautiful sounding coloring! I have no experience with the other system you mentioned.

The Carvins on the other hand do not color your sound at all. They are more PA like. The sonic 'shock' to your ears when you first go from one to the other is significant and it takes a while to get used to and of course also takes a while to dial in a tone you like. When I went from my SA220 to my Carvin AG200 I had the same feeling.

But for me I was looking to simplify down to the smallest, lightest amp I could afford and the Carvin AG200 checked all the boxes. Sounds like the systems you have work for you though and you are happy with them. I think returning the Carvin is the right thing to do.

Since you are looking for something that provides the smallest, lightest option for small gigs with great sound I would suggest the AER Acousticube 3. That amp is the ultimate in small and light weight solutions that provide great tone and volume and there's a 'warmth' button that will add the coloring that the Bose and Fishman systems add. If I actually gigged, that is the system I would use but since I don't the Carvin at about a third the price was the way to go for me.

benderman57 · #9 10-21-2016, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Methos1979

I think what you are thinking of as the Carvin 'coloring' your guitar sound is actually the opposite. Amps like the Fishman SA220 and the Bose systems color your sound, albeit with a very beautiful sounding coloring! I have no experience with the other system you mentioned.

The Carvins on the other hand do not color your sound at all. They are more PA like. The sonic 'shock' to your ears when you first go from one to the other is significant and it takes a while to get used to and of course also takes a while to dial in a tone you like. When I went from my SA220 to my Carvin AG200 I had the same feeling.

But for me I was looking to simplify down to the smallest, lightest amp I could afford and the Carvin AG200 checked all the boxes. Sounds like the systems you have work for you though and you are happy with them. I think returning the Carvin is the right thing to do.

Since you are looking for something that provides the smallest, lightest option for small gigs with great sound I would suggest the AER Acousticube 3. That amp is the ultimate in small and light weight solutions that provide great tone and volume and there's a 'warmth' button that will add the coloring that the Bose and Fishman systems add. If I actually gigged, that is the system I would use but since I don't the Carvin at about a third the price was the way to go for me.

Could be as you say but I have plugged my touring Takamine guitars into lots of different amps of all kinds and never really heard anything approaching the tone I was hearing through this AG300. I even played some of my Emeralds through it and still much preferred my Phil Jones or Bose.

It was not a bad sound but seemed to sound much more like just any undersaddle pickup I've ever owned or heard through a PA. My Taks with the Dual pickups and adding the tube warmth have never really sounded that way to me or any house system I've played through. I would not argue it's the most natural sound you can achieve but light years beyond just any typical Fishman or Baggs under saddle pickup.

What I was hearing sounded much more like that and not at all what I was use to.

If the amps I'm using are doing the coloring then I'll take it with a smile.

Methos1979 · #10 10-21-2016, 09:54 AM

I agree. I've heard many people talk of the 'coloring' of sound as a bad thing. Mostly when it comes to acoustic guitar amplifiers and headphones. But in my experience, adding some sonic color (usually a 'warmth') is not always a bad thing and if you like the coloring then often it's a good thing!

benderman57 · #11 10-28-2016, 04:37 PM

Just wanted to make anyone aware that might be thinking of ordering an AG300 to read the fine print on returns. I didn't and now I'm stuck paying a 20% restocking fee just because I ordered the Brown Cowboy Tolex option.

I was not going to get this but since I was saving $75 because of the Halloween sale and also free shipping I thought I'd take advantage of this savings and treat myself to that fine looking tolex. Seen may examples of this tolex and out there and know it's one of their more popular Tolex choices.

By making this spur of the moment choice while I was on the phone with them and not considering that I might not like the amp I subjected myself to the rather high in my mind restocking fee. I could see this if I had chosen Blue Python or something really different but I know this is a popular choice.

I took my argument through several managers but to no avail.

Anyway I'm a big boy so I'll suck it up and be done with it but I did want to share this with the AGF community in case someone is thinking of placing an order.

Buy the stock color unless you know you'll be keeping the amp for sure!

Not putting down Carvin as a business mind you. This was my own mistake but one I thought they might at least meet me in the middle as I had the amp for 2 days in my studio and sent it back like new.