Fractal Audio AMP models: Brit JVM (Marshall JVM410H)

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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
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Brit JVM: based on Marshall JVM410 head

The JVM410H is Marshall’s flagship guitar amplifier, for a long time already. It’s a 100 watts EL-34 powered head with four channels and three modes (voices) per channel. These twelve (!) sounds cover the entire Marshall spectrum: JTM 45, Plexi, JCM 800 etc. and adding over the top hi-gain.

Versions of the JVM with less channels are also available.​

According to the amp’s handbook, the JVM’s power amp stage is based on the one found in the JCM800 2203 and model 1959 Super Lead Plexi.

The JVM410JS, Joe Satriani’s signature amp, is based on the JVM410, but with enough differences to warrant its own thread (later on).​

Cliff:

"IMO, the reason the JVM sounds good is the plate cap on the second-to-last triode. That smooths out the tone considerably. The second-to-last triode is associated with "Triode 1 Freq" in the advanced parameters. You can adjust this to simulate adding a cap to the plate. The other thing that helps the tone is the 220K plate resistor on the last triode. This shifts the bias point down vs. a "classic" Marshall. Unfortunately the bias points aren't exposed to the user."​

Here’s what Marshall has to say about its pride and joy:

“The British-built JVM4 is the current flagship Marshall amp. The JVM4 Series has been hailed as a market leader, trouncing the competition on tone and value for money. One review described, 'In a market sector with more than its fair share of indifferent, run-of-the-mill black boxes, Marshall has just unleashed a powerhouse of tone that easily competes with boutique designs costing two or three time as much.' – Guitarist Magazine.

British-built, the 100 Watt all-valve JVM410H head redefines versatility thanks to four tonally independent channels: Clean, Crunch, OD1 and OD2, each with three switchable modes. Each mode reconfigures the gain structure of each channel, making twelve modes in total.

The JVM410H front panel looks mind boggling with its twenty-eight controls and eight switches, but because it is intuitively laid out, it is remarkably simple to use. The JVM410H also features four studio-quality digital Reverbs (one per channel), individual channel EQ, two Master Volumes, and a memory that can recall your Reverb, FX loop and Master settings.

Combining some of the finest Marshall sounds, the JVM410H has a vast tonal palette, taking you from ‘Plexi’/JTM45 cleans through JCM800 roar to modern high gain.”​

As noted above, the JVM channels are: Clean – Crunch – OD1 – OD2.
Each channel has these modes: Green, Orange and Red.

Fractal Audio provides models of all three modes of channels OD1 and OD2.
OD1 Green is similar to a hot-rodded JCM 800. OD1 Orange has an additional gain stage, suitable for hard rock and leads. OD1 Red adds even more gain.
The OD2 modes have even more gain and the Middle control is shifted down to being centred around 500 Hz instead of the more typical Marshall value of 650 Hz.

The JVM is equipped with channel/mode switches, reverb and MIDI and has these controls: Bass, Middle, Treble, Gain, Master Volume, Presence and Resonance (Depth).

Note that some of these models have so much gain that it suffices to keep Input Drive pretty low.

Marshall's JVM cabinet uses a combination of the G12 Heritage (G12H) and Vintage 30 (V30) speakers. Take your pick here.

A selection of YouTube videos:







 
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Adding a personal note:

I owned a JVM410 head for a while, shortly after its release. It was not for me. Too much noise in the OD channels, some limitations with the effects loops, didn’t like the OD2 channel, thought it was overall harsh and thin-sounding and lacking character. Spent time on the JVM forum. Within months people were modding the thing, replacing the transformer, changing stuff to decrease the white noise and the squealing. Even Marshall’s master builder and JVM-designer Santiago himself recommended mods (“removing C83”). I just sold it and never looked back.
 
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I experienced quite a shift in my perception of Marshall amps when I started using the Axe. In the past, I didn't have a high opinion of Marshall amps. I only ever tried a JCM 800 which must have been a really, really bad specimen, and found it horrifying. Never became good friends with Rectos either. I liked Engls best and bought a 530 pre, running it stereo into 2 Vintage 1x12 active speakers; an Engl head and cab would have been way over my budget at that time.

When I started to try all the amps in the Axe, I found the JM45 for slightly crunchy, the Plexi models for mid gain and the JVM models (both "normal" and Satriani) for high gain to become some of my favourites very quickly. Them, and also still the Angel Severe models...
 
I've always been a "not Marshall" guy. My first 1/2 stack was a 5150 back in 94, when I was shopping for an amp I checked out a JCM 800 myself, not knowing what I know now I didn't realize that at respectful in store volumes no one would like that amp. Having only solid state amps til that point I didn't understand the power amps role in tone. I stayed away from Marshalls playing the odd one here and there like that TSL 2000 (which was thin and shrill to me) in 09 I played a JCM 800 that was heavily modified by Voodoo Amps in a studio at a good volume and it was glorious and made me start thinking that maybe one day I could gel with a Marshall, the same year I played a JVM 410 in a store and fell in like with it. In fact if I had to go back to a regular amp set up long term, I'd probably reconsider the 410. I'm in the boat with Parlopower, since getting the AF2 I've been gaining (pardon the pun) an affection for them.
 
Adding a personal note:

I owned a JVM410 head for a while, shortly after its release. It was not for me. Too much noise in the OD channels, some limitations with the effects loops, didn’t like the OD2 channel, thought it was overall harsh and thin-sounding and lacking character. Spent time on the JVM forum. Within months people were modding the thing, replacing the transformer, changing stuff to decrease the white noise and the squealing. Even Marshall’s master builder and JVM-designer Santiago himself recommended mods (“removing C83”). I just sold it and never looked back.

I had almost exactly the same experience with mine.
 
I've recently started to appreciate these amp models.
With the latest firmwares I do think they can sound great!
The orange channels as wel as the red ones.
The trick is to be careful with the gain obviously and I like to add quite a lot of depth.
I also turn the depth frequency to 110hz.
Cut some mids, add some treble and maybe bass.
Careful with the presence control, don't over do it.
I think this amp sounds very good with the recent OH MAR-CB H-75PR.
Maybe I'll make a demo soon!
 
I have a love/hate relationship with the real JVMs. There are great tones inside for both single coil and humbucker equipped guitars but some of the design decisions are puzzling for a flagship amp. They addressed some of these in the Satriani model but it became a very different amp and lost the good clean channel. When you absolutely have to install noise gates on an amp....maybe something isn't quite right.
 
I loved the high-gain tone my JVM, but it was the reason I got an Axe-Fx back in 2014. It was just so noisy, large and heavy - plus it sounded different every time I would set it up. I watched a couple of Mark Day's videos and sold my whole tube rig and have not looked back.
 
The OD2 modes have even more gain and the Middle control is shifted down to being centred around 500 Hz instead of the more typical Marshall value of 650 Hz.

I thought that the typical Marshall value was 600 and not 650?
 
I believe this amp is underrated on this forum!
I uploaded a clip today to show how awesome this amp can sound for modern rock/metal tones:



So true, so many awesome tones available on the jvm. I think because the amp has so much gain people tend to set that too high (with their eyes) and then complain about noise etc.
 
My HJS sounds great, as did my 410H that it replaced. Although I've seen it mentioned, I've never had any issues with noise or squealing. Cliff should think of modeling the 6100 LE and/or LM, it's got a certain something in it's distortion character I haven't found in other Marshalls I've owned.
 
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Adding a personal note:

I owned a JVM410 head for a while, shortly after its release. It was not for me. Too much noise in the OD channels, some limitations with the effects loops, didn’t like the OD2 channel, thought it was overall harsh and thin-sounding and lacking character. Spent time on the JVM forum. Within months people were modding the thing, replacing the transformer, changing stuff to decrease the white noise and the squealing. Even Marshall’s master builder and JVM-designer Santiago himself recommended mods (“removing C83”). I just sold it and never looked back.

Likewise Yek. I owned one for a number of years. OD2 was a waste of time for me. OD1 was still too much distortion to early too. My favorite channel was the Crunch channel. It was incredible. Having said that, I used to think how wonderful the amp sounded until I got into a band situation. No matter what I did, I always disappeared in the mix. For a long time I thought it was my guitar/pickup combination. The mids were so thin. I had a mate that used a strat with the Clapton mid boost. His guitar lead tone was incredible. At one time his amp was out of service so I let him use the JVM and wow - even he sounded thin too. The JS version really fattened things up for this amp. I too sold it and never looked back.
 
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I love the sound of the Orange channel by itself, but it just has stoopid gain. It just seems wrong to have the preamp gain at 2...at 5 it feels like it's all over the place.

Ditto on disappearing in the mix. Or have to mod it so much that it just makes sense to choose another amp that sticks out.
 
The clean channel in red mode is a great sound - it's a lot like a Mark I Boogie; a Fender with an extra leading gain stage.
 
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