Carvin DCM or DCM "L" Series poweramps?

[Sixstring]

I've talked to Carvin about this. Sonically, they're both the same. The benifits of the L series is the weight, more power, and more features.

The main differance is they not using a Toroidal transformer in the L series they are using a switched mode power supply. This accounts for the huge loss in weight.

so what exactly does this difference mean as far as performance?

I haven't herd the amp personally but according to the specs nothing. They have just found another way to slice the bread with a liter knife :lol: I would like to demo one just to here if their is any differance in performance in an pro audio setting. For use with the Axe I doubt you would here any differance at all between the two so the only differance would be weight.

 

[rsf1977]

I haven't herd the amp personally but according to the specs nothing. They have just found another way to slice the bread with a liter knife :lol: I would like to demo one just to here if their is any differance in performance in an pro audio setting. For use with the Axe I doubt you would here any differance at all between the two so the only differance would be weight.

sounds good to me

 

[t0aj15]

I've been using a Carvin DCM1540L for a few months now, although I use it for my stereo PA system rather then in a guitar rig. The reason I'm posting is I thought I'd mention a couple things that have been overlooked in this thread. First of all IMO one real plus in the amps favor is the fact that it's the coolest running "big power" amp I've ever owned. Even when pushed I have not been able to get this amp even mildly warm, which AFAIC is one of it's best features. My PA rack in general is much cooler because of the switch to this amp. The other point I'd like to make is this, how many people out there need a 1500 watt guitar amp? I currently use an ART SLA-2 in my digital rig and it's way more power then I'll ever use even in a live situation. To say the DCM1540L would be overkill for a guitar rig would IMO be an understatement, on the other hand if you want PLENTY of headroom you'll have it in spades. :shock:

 

[AlbertA]

The other point I'd like to make is this, how many people out there need a 1500 watt guitar amp? I currently use an ART SLA-2 in my digital rig and it's way more power then I'll ever use even in a live situation. To say the DCM1540L would be overkill for a guitar rig would IMO be an understatement, on the other hand if you want PLENTY of headroom you'll have it in spades. :shock:

Well for the original poster it's a 212W amp.

 

[rsf1977]

I've been using a Carvin DCM1540L for a few months now, although I use it for my stereo PA system rather then in a guitar rig. The reason I'm posting is I thought I'd mention a couple things that have been overlooked in this thread. First of all IMO one real plus in the amps favor is the fact that it's the coolest running "big power" amp I've ever owned. Even when pushed I have not been able to get this amp even mildly warm, which AFAIC is one of it's best features. My PA rack in general is much cooler because of the switch to this amp. The other point I'd like to make is this, how many people out there need a 1500 watt guitar amp? I currently use an ART SLA-2 in my digital rig and it's way more power then I'll ever use even in a live situation. To say the DCM1540L would be overkill for a guitar rig would IMO be an understatement, on the other hand if you want PLENTY of headroom you'll have it in spades. :shock:

well 2 reasons I guess. I want to run (2) 4x12s in stereo at 8ohms which gives me 425 watts a side after all is said and done which isn't so outrageous. And I don't ever want to worry about having too little headroom, so now i think i have it covered. Plus, I like having a limiter in the power amp and the other protection options it offers the my current DCM150 doesn't. And … if I need to warn the east coast about the hostile aliens landing in my back yard i can bridge it for 1500 watts and sound the alarm

 

[AlbertA]

I've been using a Carvin DCM1540L for a few months now, although I use it for my stereo PA system rather then in a guitar rig. The reason I'm posting is I thought I'd mention a couple things that have been overlooked in this thread. First of all IMO one real plus in the amps favor is the fact that it's the coolest running "big power" amp I've ever owned. Even when pushed I have not been able to get this amp even mildly warm, which AFAIC is one of it's best features. My PA rack in general is much cooler because of the switch to this amp. The other point I'd like to make is this, how many people out there need a 1500 watt guitar amp? I currently use an ART SLA-2 in my digital rig and it's way more power then I'll ever use even in a live situation. To say the DCM1540L would be overkill for a guitar rig would IMO be an understatement, on the other hand if you want PLENTY of headroom you'll have it in spades. :shock:

well 2 reasons I guess. I want to run (2) 4x12s in stereo at 8ohms

I tought you said your cabs were 16ohms.

 

[rsf1977]

I tought you said your cabs were 16ohms.

my bad, the mesa 4x12 is 8ohm, and the voodoo amps 4x12 is 16ohm also can be ran at 4ohm.

 

[Sixstring]

I run a pair of 16 Ohm 412's off my SLA-2 and it's plenty but for the money if space is not an problem the Carvin is an awesome choice.

 

[rsf1977]

So I just got my DCM1540L holy crap that thing is light! And dead silent evening with the fans. I can't wait to open it up at practice tonight in stereo on (2) 4x12s muhahaaha

 

[jojo]

Please post once you've used it. I use a DCM150. I figure I let the mains do the work anyway, my onboard power is just for me to hear myself. But I am frustrated with one thing. Even though it's loud, it doesn't have the bottom or the "breath" of my mesa 50/50. Particularly on clean tones, I like some hugeness to what I do (bass players don't like me sometimes....). The EQ expand helps on clean tones, but even running a stereo 4x12 which is 4 ohms per side, the bottom and breath are not there. I switch to the mesa and it just sounds big and round again. (Of course, it's the amp I use with my triaxix, so my ear is used to it). I'm also looking at a DCM 1540L and my concern is that it's just massive overkill. I also want to feel good about getting what I feel like I'm lacking with th eDCM150, that depth and headroom. Anyone else using the 1540, and have any comparisons?

 

[rsf1977]

well i only used it once there certainly isn't any loudness issues anymore lol. This thing has enough juice to kill. I need to run some more tests but so far so good. I don't want to make any claims on it just yet though.

 

[Finaldo]

Please post once you've used it. I use a DCM150. I figure I let the mains do the work anyway, my onboard power is just for me to hear myself. But I am frustrated with one thing. Even though it's loud, it doesn't have the bottom or the "breath" of my mesa 50/50. Particularly on clean tones, I like some hugeness to what I do (bass players don't like me sometimes....). The EQ expand helps on clean tones, but even running a stereo 4x12 which is 4 ohms per side, the bottom and breath are not there. I switch to the mesa and it just sounds big and round again. (Of course, it's the amp I use with my triaxix, so my ear is used to it). I'm also looking at a DCM 1540L and my concern is that it's just massive overkill. I also want to feel good about getting what I feel like I'm lacking with th eDCM150, that depth and headroom. Anyone else using the 1540, and have any comparisons?

I'm wondering if you have your Axe-Fx dialed for the 50/50. You shouldn't just be able to switch to a solid state power amp and have the same sound. You'd have to tweak the power amp section of the amp sim to do to your tone what the tube power amp was doing. I have a Carvin DCM600 and have no problems getting ridiculous amounts of bass, punch, etc out of that power amp. I hear the only difference between the DCM and DCM "L" series is the weight, so you should be able to get similar results.

 

[jojo]

I've never programmed sounds in the axe with the 50/50 attached, it's always been the DCM 150. I only hooked up the mesa once, to check it out. It just has much more headroom since it's a tube amp. I really don't want to fall in love with it because I don't want to carry it!

I also recently hooked the axe up to a carvin DCM 2000 (from my PA rack!) and likewise added lots more girth to my tone compared with the DCM150, so the issue really is just headroom. I think for the most part the DCM 150 is fine, especially if I use the EQ expand. And the whole point was to shrink the size of the rack and shed weight. But that headroom and depth mean a lot to me, so I might just spring for the DCM 1540L. (And that means a bigger rack, dammit! I was getting by with a four-space shallow rack).

Interestingly, I did notice that the DCM 2000 had more power than I need, but it wasn't so obscenely powerful that I couldn't use it. I could actually put the level pots at about 12:00. I guess 4/12 cabs aren't terribly efficient. So a 1540L will be overkill but not unuseable.


I've noticed that the outputs on the Axe are not very hot compared to the triaxis. I'm using output 2, set up with an effects loop to bypass the cab blocks, and using output 1 as direct to the board with speaker cab blocks included. I actually have the global outputs of output 2 set much hotter than output 1, and it's still a pretty mild signal compared to the triaxis. With the triaxis I never had the level pots on the 50/50 higher than 1/4, but I set them much higher with the axe to get the same volume.

 

[rsf1977]

i haven't tried it yet but the 1540L has tons of power so i thought in order to get both the Axe output level and the Carvin's gain up a bit more into their more efficient optimal ranges I was going to try using the Axe 1/4 unbalanced outs since they are 6db less then the XLR balanced. And, since I'm using really short patch cables it shouldn't do much to the overall signal I would think.

 

[jojo]

Duh, I wonder if that's part of the reason my output from the axe is not as stout as the triaxis thru the same amps? I'm using the unbalanced outs. I thought they were line level....are they instrument level? Maybe I should try the XLR's...... Maybe I should RTFM again also....

 

[rsf1977]

Duh, I wonder if that's part of the reason my output from the axe is not as stout as the triaxis thru the same amps? I'm using the unbalanced outs. I thought they were line level....are they instrument level? Maybe I should try the XLR's...... Maybe I should RTFM again also....

The certainly aren't instrument level they just are slightly less output then the XLRs from what i was told

 

[jojo]

Doesn't really matter, since I use output 2 (via fxl) to go to my poweramp and cab, so there's no option for XLR's. I'll just survive by turning up the gain a bit in the global mix for output 2. I really don't want to go to a bigger rack if I don't need to, I have good monitors!

 

[rsf1977]

Please post once you've used it. I use a DCM150. I figure I let the mains do the work anyway, my onboard power is just for me to hear myself. But I am frustrated with one thing. Even though it's loud, it doesn't have the bottom or the "breath" of my mesa 50/50. Particularly on clean tones, I like some hugeness to what I do (bass players don't like me sometimes....). The EQ expand helps on clean tones, but even running a stereo 4x12 which is 4 ohms per side, the bottom and breath are not there. I switch to the mesa and it just sounds big and round again. (Of course, it's the amp I use with my triaxix, so my ear is used to it). I'm also looking at a DCM 1540L and my concern is that it's just massive overkill. I also want to feel good about getting what I feel like I'm lacking with th eDCM150, that depth and headroom. Anyone else using the 1540, and have any comparisons?

just noticed i never got back to you on this. So I've been running the DCM1540L now for a quite a while. And I've had zero issues with it at all. It's a vast improvement over the DCM150 which just didn't have any headroom at all. I had it cranked just below clipping and it just wasn't cutting it. Now I can be as loud as I wasnt without having to watch over my shoulder for that dreaded clipping LED. I don't know if it's the best solid state poweramp but it seems to do the job. And it's light as hell.

 

[jojo]

Thanks for the followup. I've still been doing ok with the 150. Biggest issue really is that the volume jumps between my rhythm and lead sounds has to be tempered somewhat. The DCM150 doesn't have a lot of headroom, so I can program a big change in gain with not a lot of volume change. But the volume change is much more pronounced thru direct lines to a PA board driving a few thousand watts! It sounds good either way.