ART SLA-1, SLA-2, or Carvin DCM200L?

J

jtaylor14

Member
I'm new, been playing around with my Axe standard through headphones at home. When I practice with my band, I have a Marshall 1960A Lead cab. I am currently powering the cab temporarily with a Carvin 2000W amp from our PA system. We need that when we gig out for the PA, so I won't use that in the long run, plus it's large and heavier that I care to tote around. I didn't want to spend much time dialing in any sounds until I had my permanent power amp in place. I want to be able to fit everything into my 4U rack. So, I have the Axe, a Furman Power Conditioner, so the power amp has to fit in 1U. I've read a bunch about the ART and the Carvin seems to be relatively new with not much info/feedback from actual use with an Axe. I'm hoping this post will spur some feedback.

If no one has any feedback on the Carvin, I guess the main question between the two ART units is, do I really need the SLA-2 if I'm only going to power my one cabinet? I won't go stereo on stage, but most likely will FOH. We have another guitarist in the band, so I definitely won't have any real estate to go stereo on stage in the venues we play. Thanks for any insight!
 
I would do SLA-2 just for the extra head room alone. You don't need to turn it up to ear bleed levels in order to get it to sound good but if you ever needed to the SLA-2 won't disappoint. Personally I think the SLA-2 and a 412 are a perfict match. The Carvin 200L is pretty tempting though @ only 4 Lbs and 9" deep it has that over the ART, I guess it really depends on how you want to roll. ;)
 
Ditto all of the above. I'm running the SLA-2 into a 1x12 Mesa cab. Very happy with my tone, although I'm still getting my head around the Axe FX, so could probably nail it even better... Haven't done any gigs yet, but believe it would be sufficient re headroom for my purposes.

Have been considering the Carvin DCM200L from a weight perspective. My current rig is a 1U Furman, 2U Axe FX Ultra and 1U ART SLA-2 in a 4U SKB Rack. It's quite heavy still (but probably not as heavy if I was using a 2U tube power amp). The Furman adds to the overall weight factor, but I'm hesitant to fly naked in Hong Kong without it... I don't have any scales handy so can't measure the total weight, sorry. I probably should get some scales, but I've never been one to fastidiously check even my own body weight. :oops:

I'm also considering going FRFR, perhaps a single QSC K10 (the weight and size appeals to me), so I can try out the Cab Sims in the Axe FX. There is a good shoot out of FRFR in a recent thread here. Will see how the finances go in 2010.

BTW, if you get an ART, you'll need a speaker cable that has banana plugs on one end and 1/4 inch on the other (or whatever your cab takes). There is also another recent thread discussing this.

Hope that helps, and enjoy the journey!
 
I use a DCM150 thru a stereo mesa 4x12. It sounds OK but I like my sound much better thru a mesa 50/50 or a more powerful SS amp. The DCM150 is plenty loud but doesn't have the breath, oomph, headroom, etc. that the bigger amps give me (the 50/50 is technically less powerful, but tube watts have way more headroom). I sacrifice that for the weight factor, because the audience is hearing the mains anyway. Having said that...

The DCM200L has quite a bit more power than the DCM150 in the same box (and is lighter). The chassis is quite shallow, the 150 fits in a 12" deep rack along with the axe and my wireless. I think the 200 could be just enough to push things over the edge in terms of the ooph factor... but I'm not quite sure. if you want mega headroom and are OK with two rack spaces go for the Carvin DCM1540L. Only a few pounds heavier than the 200L but loads more headroom. And as obscene as that amount of power seems, remember that it takes 10x the watts to double the volume, so it's really not that crazy. The axe works well with an amp like that. On the other hand, if you don't need that kind of push, or especially if you are going to run mono with the power amp bridged, the DCM200 shoud be fine for you. I can't comment on the ART but the SLA-2 seems well thought of here.
 
Well, I decided to be a guinea pig. I just ordered the carvin. Once I get it I'll post my reaction/results. Even though the art sla2 has proven to be a good match, someone had to check this thing out. The footprint and weight are very attractive, just hope it does a good job!
 
jtaylor14 said:
Well, I decided to be a guinea pig. I just ordered the carvin. Once I get it I'll post my reaction/results. Even though the art sla2 has proven to be a good match, someone had to check this thing out. The footprint and weight are very attractive, just hope it does a good job!
Click to expand...

We'll definitely be looking forward to hearing what your results are!
 
Definitely let us know, I've been trying to decide between the DCM200 and the SLA-2 myself. One downside for us is no one has done an A/B comparison, so unfortunately, even if it sounds good to your ears, we still won't know how the two compare. :(
 
I live in Melbourne, FL. If anyone lives nearby and has the SLA-2, send me an email and we can meet up to do an A/B comparison once I get the Carvin.
 
I thought the SLA-1 goes up to 260W...

is that not enough?

if the wattage calculations are different... what is the equivalent amp wattage for the sla-1 and sla-2

sorry to get off the subject!
 
baakchigi said:
I thought the SLA-1 goes up to 260W...

is that not enough?

if the wattage calculations are different... what is the equivalent amp wattage for the sla-1 and sla-2

sorry to get off the subject!
Click to expand...

It just depends on how loud the stage volume typically is for your band. We have a pretty hard hitting drummer, and while the SLA-2 has more headroom at our "normal" stage volume, I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have that extra bit, just in case I needed an extra push for whatever reason. YMMV.
 
does anyone have a rough estimate of what each poweramps offer in terms of volume compared to real amps?

as for me, most of my usual gigs get mic'd guitar amps, so my mark IV going with tweed power (60W) with output around 2.5 is plenty of volume already... second example is a fender deluxe (40w) with volume around 2~3..

would the sla-1 cover that area of volume and then some? or is it not enough?

Thanks again
 
baakchigi said:
does anyone have a rough estimate of what each poweramps offer in terms of volume compared to real amps?

as for me, most of my usual gigs get mic'd guitar amps, so my mark IV going with tweed power (60W) with output around 2.5 is plenty of volume already... second example is a fender deluxe (40w) with volume around 2~3..

would the sla-1 cover that area of volume and then some? or is it not enough?

Thanks again
Click to expand...

I used to run the 6505 (120w) with master around 4, and the SLA-2 feels about the same with the volume at around 2 o'clock. I have no idea which one will win if you crank'em, but those settings were fairly ear bleeding loud as is, so I don't feel the need to find out.

Mike
 
They're all loud (and probably loud enough). The difference is in the headroom and the transients. That's something tubes do better, so you need to figure out how many solid state watts you need to get the "feel" that you want. It varies depending on your music and your taste. A DCM150 is fine for a lot of people who play less thumpy music, and obviously the new DCM200L will be better. But there are folks here using a DCM1540L and various other much higher-powered amps (I think Cliff was using a DCM600 for awhile).

As a comparison, my mesa 50/50 (tube, 50w per side) sounds huge compared to my Carvin DCM150 (60w per side 8 ohms, 75w per side 4 ohms) even though the DCM150 nominally has more power. The DCM150 can certainly hurt your ears and cut through the band, but there's just no comparison in terms of girth. At the other end of the spectrum, the 50/50, although not quite as loud, has a similar feel and headroom to my Carvin DCM2000, which at four ohms has about 10x the power. I've often heard it said that you need at least 4-5x the watts in a solid-state amp to give the transients and headroom of a tube amp, and in my experience that this is a pretty fair estimate.

On stage, using a carvin DCM150 into a 4ohm per side stereo mesa 4x12, I have plenty of volume and push (I run the Carvin dimed but run the output of the axe less than half). But it just doesn't feel the same as with a larger power amp.

I don't know where the "sweet spot" is in terms of having "enough" push for the headroom and transients but still maintaining a small package (and I'm sure it varies with the music but I play some medium-to-heavy stuff). I have a Carvin acoustic amp that's 100w ss, and I've noticed that it breaths a lot better than one side of the DCM150 (which is 75w at 4 ohms and 60 at 8 ohms) so maybe the DCM200 will be just enough, as it will run 100w per side into either 4 or 8 ohms.

I think I'll spring for a DCM200L also. I won't be able to compare it to an ART, but I'll be able to compare it to the DCM150 and of course to the tube amp and bigger SS amp, and wax poetic about the differences.

And when I'm done, my DCM150 will be up for grabs cheap!
 
mikeyen said:
baakchigi said:
does anyone have a rough estimate of what each poweramps offer in terms of volume compared to real amps?

as for me, most of my usual gigs get mic'd guitar amps, so my mark IV going with tweed power (60W) with output around 2.5 is plenty of volume already... second example is a fender deluxe (40w) with volume around 2~3..

would the sla-1 cover that area of volume and then some? or is it not enough?

Thanks again
Click to expand...

I used to run the 6505 (120w) with master around 4, and the SLA-2 feels about the same with the volume at around 2 o'clock. I have no idea which one will win if you crank'em, but those settings were fairly ear bleeding loud as is, so I don't feel the need to find out.

Mike
Click to expand...


I'm actually asking about the sla-1... anybody???
 
I run my SLA-1 bridged, and its about the same when set to -2db (to leave a little headroom) as my old VHT 50ST head was cranked, but with -4db attenuation from a hotplate. That would put the VHT very slightly louder if both were flat out.

Given the 5x rule already spoken of, its about right. The VHT is rated at 50W, the SLA bridged is 260W, so JUST over 5 times.

Im looking for a new amp - BUT - I want more power (just for better headroom, not volume) - so 500 to 600W into 8 Ohms - and from a single channel rather than a bridged amp. This effectivle will give me a "backup" amp. OK if the PSU goes tits it wont BUT, If one channel conks out I can still use the other - while also leaving a speare in case I ever want to run 2 cabs (which Ill have in a week or so). My old cab is rated at 60W (which mached the amp - and the Art) but the new one is 120W, so Id like the headroom in the amp to drive it if needed - (hence the 500 to 600W - 5 times the cabs rating, and 5 x a 100W heads rating).

Unfortunately - without paying loads for a Powersoft, Ive yet to fine a 1U unit of decent quality to put out that much power from one channel that is available in the UK (unless anyone knows different).
 
does anyone know of the art sla-1
work in 100V~240V areas (Japan, Europe etc...)

I know the AFX does, but I can't find it anywhere on the art pages..
just wanted to know!

Thanks!
 
baakchigi said:
does anyone know of the art sla-1
work in 100V~240V areas (Japan, Europe etc...)

I know the AFX does, but I can't find it anywhere on the art pages..
just wanted to know!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

No it doesn't. It needs to be re-wired for at least 240 V (it says 250v on the back of my SLA 2) but still you might have the same problem as I do a slight buzz caused by bad internal solutions ;/
 
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