Super Champ XD or Marshall Class 5 Combo

[KennyWTelejazz]

please discuss your preference


Kenny

[lang.murphy]

Not much to discuss, imho. You like Marshall? Class 5. You like Fender? Super Champ XD.

You like Vox? Class 5.

I, personally, would go for the Class 5. Mainly because I lean more toward "British" tones. But that's not a dis on the SC XD, no, no, no... that may be the "better" amp for someone comparing the two amps...

[KennyWTelejazz]

sure thing lang.murphy I do get you
thing is ,
I did buy one of these amps today
my goal w this thread is to leave it open ended to get peoples opinions and experiences on each of these amps

Kenny

[Standard 64]

not much to discuss,do a search and read the 200 pages

[markbosko]

Fender cleans, effects, channel switching, multiple amp voicings VS a low watt Marshall you can crank up. Two different, fun, grab and go practice amps.

[GCDEF]

They're pretty different amps, both decent in their own way. Neither would work for what what I do, but which works better for you, we haven't a clue.

[ufguy73]

i would actually base it on whether i could crank the amp in my playing situation. besides one being fender and one being marshall, the biggest difference to me is one is a modeling amp capable of giving gain at low volumes and the other is non-MV amp that has to be cranked to give it up.

that would be the first order decision for me. if the situation allows for a cranked amp AND you didnt care about the XD modeling/voices then it could be a bit more straight up comparison with one sounding fairly stereotypical marshall mid-focused and the other like you would expect a bf/sf fender to sound.

[KennyWTelejazz]

hey guys , thanks so far ...
the bar I'm playing has a dance floor , with no stage ..
I have been playing this gig w an original Super Champ from the 80's
( I bought this amp new back then )
last week I had a tipsy dancer almost land on top of my Super Champ in the no fly zone
I caught him in time , but he did take out my pedals in mid song lol
now you know why I'm asking about these 2 popular cost effective grab & go tube combo's

Kenny

[KennyWTelejazz]

i would actually base it on whether i could crank the amp in my playing situation. besides one being fender and one being marshall, the biggest difference to me is one is a modeling amp capable of giving gain at low volumes and the other is non-MV amp that has to be cranked to give it up.

that would be the first order decision for me. if the situation allows for a cranked amp AND you didnt care about the XD modeling/voices then it could be a bit more straight up comparison with one sounding fairly stereotypical marshall mid-focused and the other like you would expect a bf/sf fender to sound.

ufguy73, thank fully I can crank the amp up ...

Kenny

[KennyWTelejazz]

They're pretty different amps, both decent in their own way. Neither would work for what what I do, but which works better for you, we haven't a clue.

GCDEF, sure thing, what you say indeed makes sense

I'm playing my guitar as a sideman in a small place & I'm looking to keep my rig as simple as possible

I went out yesterday to G C and bought the Marshall Class 5
from what I can tell from playing it at home & having demoed it at the store
this amp sounds very decent & might work out pretty good
I will find out this upcoming Wednesday how this amp is gonna work out

for better gigs where I need more amp or versatility
I can always use my 66 Vibrolux Reverb or 50 watt 212 Marshall combo

Kenny

[KennyWTelejazz]

Fender cleans, effects, channel switching, multiple amp voicings VS a low watt Marshall you can crank up. Two different, fun, grab and go practice amps.

that is very true indeed markbosko

Kenny

[CharlyG]

I would choose the XD due to the voicings and the added power. The XD does have a weak spot (or did) and that is the 2 watt resistors, all of em. Just change to 5 watters and that thing should last forever. They are the number one reason of warranty failure, and they just throw them away instead of fixing them!

[ufguy73]

ufguy73, thank fully I can crank the amp up ...

Kenny


lucky you - personally, i think the class 5 is a very one dimensional trick pony, as opposed to the XD.

dont get me wrong, its a hell of a trick in such a small package. i have a class 5 myself.

i think the XD is probably more versatile but if you want the british marshall type crunch i wouldnt hesitate to live happily ever after with the Class 5.

[KennyWTelejazz]

not much to discuss,do a search and read the 200 pages

hi Standard 64,
I have read up on both these 2 particular amps on this board and many other places elsewhere on the net

I just feel like rapping & having a conversation with people

now if I had wanted to,
I could of just went with the SCXD yesterday instead of buying the Marshall Class 5

I'm pretty sure that there are a more than a few folks around that would like to know how the current Super Champ XD stacks up against an original 80's Super Champ

btw.....i got my Super Champ new in 84 .....i still play out of just about every day ...

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/Kennywtelejazz/HPIM0138.jpg

have a nice day

Kenny

[KennyWTelejazz]

I would choose the XD due to the voicings and the added power. The XD does have a weak spot (or did) and that is the 2 watt resistors, all of em. Just change to 5 watters and that thing should last forever. They are the number one reason of warranty failure, and they just throw them away instead of fixing them!

very interesting points you bring up CharlyG,
initially I was leaning towards the XD at first due to the added power / clean headroom ,
in addition to that I have found having a line out to be a big plus
I feel those are 2 strong assets that my 80's SC has brought to the table
it is a powerful thing to dial up a desired sound & then use S C as a personal monitor while it is being used as a pre amp to slave a much more powerful amplifier , or being sent to the house mains

thanks for the heads up on the resisters

Kenny

[KennyWTelejazz]

lucky you - personally, i think the class 5 is a very one dimensional trick pony, as opposed to the XD.

dont get me wrong, its a hell of a trick in such a small package. i have a class 5 myself.

i think the XD is probably more versatile but if you want the british marshall type crunch i wouldnt hesitate to live happily ever after with the Class 5.

Hi ufguy73 , I would have to agree with you on what you have said
truly ,you have a very honest assessment on the amp

last night I took my Class 5 out and gigged with it
my initial impressions are beyond very favorable ,
I think the amp is absolutely fantastic for what it is

the guitar I used last night is a maple neck Tele w a Duncan vintage Broadcaster in the bridge , a stock 90's single coil Fender neck pick up
i set the Class 5 to volume 10 , all other controls were seat at 7
the amp was set on the wooden dance floor , not elevated
WOW, the volume & tone was perfect for this club ..
the type of music we played was a combination of classic rock , blues , oldie's & country
the Class 5 covered those musical genres perfectly ...
ha, ha, for the first time I could do county tele volume pedal steel type swells and have a little sustain lol
the only effect pedal I brought is an old beat up 80's SD1 ..
this was set for a clean volume boost w a touch of hair ...
most of the night I played just working the amp via the volume / tone knobs on the guitar
(rhythm , fills & small breaks in between the vocals ..)
the Class 5 sounded very organic & was very responsive ,
the amp cleaned up nicely & had a natural sustain w creamy tone that blended w the music
for featured lead solo's I would kick in the SD1
holy smokes that is where the amp really shined
worked great w the pedal & was very responsive dynamically

the only thing I can find or say against the Marshall Class 5 is that for some players or situations it just might not have enough volume ...
I can live w that


Kenny

[rockinstephen]

I don't know a thing about the Marshall as I've never played through one. But recently I bought a SCXD. Before I did, I read every review I could find to make sure it was the right amp for me. Probably 95% of the reviews were very positive. Turns out that I made the right choice. The SCXD is everything I'll ever need...

[guitfiddle]

If you dig OD pedals and boosters, I'd go for the Class 5. I gigged a Vibro Champ XD a couple of times, and the front end simply rejected the boost I dialed in from my ODs set level high and gain low. Maybe a clean booster would be different, but my pedals just didn't work for it.

If you like to set a lead tone with the volume full up, and roll back for crunch or clean, then the SCXD will be a good one, cause there is enough gain on tap for that in some of those voices. Especially voice 3, the hotrodded Tweed.

[harpinon]

I dunno, guitfiddle,

That superchamp loves em too. There are so many approaches due to all the possible tones, but just set the channel one to about 5 then add a low gain od and you'll see what I mean.

BTW, the vibro champ is a 5 watter with a smaller speaker. Different amp.

[cowboytim]

I bought a Marshall Class 5 over the weekend, nice amp. I own a SCXD and a Vox AC 15. I wanted to try the Marshall sound. I prefer the SCXD and The Vox Is in the shop but I like It just fine. I'm going to return the Marshall class 5. Nice amp....but can not justify owning it over the Fender and the Vox.

[mikecat]

The XD super has more power and is much more versatile, all the channels, etc... sounds....
BUT, if you want totally real Marshall Plexi like tones, a one awesome channel, crank it up and go amp, get the Marshall.

IT varies depending on how you'd like to use an amp. Both sound great.

[JakeBluesRocker]

Am having the same dilemma,Am desperately looking for an amp that can give me that Joe Perry/Slash/Jimmy Page tones what do you guys recommend me ? super champ xd and OD marshall in a box or Class 5? Am also upgrading my epiphone les paul std with a t top pickup bridge(jimmy page trebel pup) and aph 2 bridge.

[JakeBluesRocker]

BUMP!

[JakeBluesRocker]

pump!

[carbz]

I never thought I'd say it but I love the Superchamp. I brown the shit out of mine diming it with an attenuator. I can get VH tones at whisper volumes. Most of the voicings are pretty bad but Channel one and voice 4 on channel two both give a great foundation tone. I use a menatone OD with mine. The only thing you really need to do is swap the power tubes for JJ's and change the speaker. I also use the built echo with mine and it works rather well. As good as a delay through a loop anyway. As Charley mentioned the resistors are bad. I had one go south in mine when the power tubes started failing. Charley helped me as he new exactly what the problem was. They are nearly impossible to get to though. Haven't played the class 5 but that probably wouldn't cut it jamming with a drummer. The Superchamp with a fuller more efficient speaker does.

[jp1977]

the xd wins out here, it has a great sounding marshall voice along with great fender cleans, the reverb sounds like classic fender and the other fx are nice also. Also has channel swithcing and it sounds great at even the quietest of bedroom levels, it can stay dirty overdriven tones at any volume unlike the class 5. The class 5 wins in the looks department and it is all tube but the xd wins in versatility and is just an all around cool amp.

[KennyWTelejazz]

I'm still digging the tones of my Marshall Class 5
this is probably for the simple reason that this amp gives me the sound I'm looking for at a particular place I play on a regular basis

on the other side of the coin ,
there's a jam i play where i sit in with the house band as a featured guest for the whole opening set (about an hour)
I wind up dimming the clean channel of my 80's Super Champ & run my guitar straight into the amp with no external effects or pedals
this works out nicely & the people I play with dig how my sound fits in with the big picture , also this approach is my favorite way to play my Super Champ

fwiw, I still want to pick up a Super Champ XD at some point in the future
there is no doubt in my mind regarding whether i can find a use for it ..

speaking honestly meaning not including any of my other amps
if it was only between The Marshall Class 5 or The Fender Super Champ XD
I would probably have to give the edge to the Super Champ XD for the simple reason that it seems more versatile, it's louder , has a line out and can cover a lot of musical genre's / ground pretty convincingly

either way , in my book .... both are cool amps

Kenny

[SoCalSteve]

I just couldn't bond with the SCXD. Even with a speaker change I couldn't find a dirty model I liked. I think a separate channel EQ would help greatly with the amp.

However, I'm not much of a clean tone player so that's probably the main reason the Class 5 really nails it for me.

If you love Marshall tones and can crank the amp on a fairly regular basis, the C5 is a fantastic amp.

[KennyWTelejazz]

SoCalSteve,
yes I hear you on the not being able to bond w the SCXD

I was looking to keep my 80's era S C at home safe away from the riff raff that happens all the time in the dives I wind up playing at
initially before trying , i thought or i had hoped that the XD might have some of the balls & tones of the original SC
....sorry the XD was not even close

i will concede that the XD might work as a nice home / clubbing amp on the cheap
...a lotta guys think it fits the bill nicely for that & I will give emm that

back in July I A B 'ed the SCXD & the Class 5 dimed at a GC while using my beat up gig whore Tele straight into the amps w no pedals
I only had one main qualification when it came to these two amps in my amp shoot out
will this amp deliver me a workable sound that I'm gonna really enjoy using while playing my guitar on the bandstand w other musicians in a club
(the at home or the bedroom amp thing was not even part of the equation concerning my true intended use )
as far as I'm concerned for my needs it was no contest & I wound up getting the Marshall Class 5

Yeah , like many guitar players... I do love The Marshall tones ....
it is nice to be able to get those classic Marshall tones in smaller clubs & places w out the headaches of schlepping a large rig around
I sure know what it feels like to bring a 4 input Marshall 2100 50 watt 2X12 combo out to a club & then I wind up having to put a muzzle on it ..very frustrating
try as i may ,
I have never been able to get my 50 watt Marshall amp to whisper it's tones when it wants to roar, growl & shake the Earth lol

at least now I can get that sound w the C 5

I feel the Marshall Class 5 is a great amp that delivers the true classic Marshall tone ....
so far I'm very happy w my Class 5...very happy

Kenny

[grizdeluxe]

I used the C5 and SCXD in rotation for rehearsals and gigs. I usually had something in the 15-20 watt range like a SCXD or Night Train fed into a 2x12 for a loud clean tone, and a smaller amp like the C5 or SP6 set for a nice pushed overdrive in front of me, aimed towards my head. I added some form of boost like an HBE Germania, Lovepedal Eternity, or TS9 to the whole chain for leads and heavier rhythms. I loved everything about that setup.
I also used a C5 and a SCXD in tandem for a smaller gig and that worked out just fine. Both amps excel in different areas for sure. Just buy both!

[tquig]

A guy brought a class 5 to a blues jam my band hosts--totally lost he was very frustrated with the sound it could not keep up and we are not that loud he was playing a 335 guild clone--The scxd on slightly od blackface--setting 6 really nails the sound of a drri .I played a quiet gig with it, but it is really a practice home amp-for the price of a nice pedal! Of course I am biased because I use a Deluxe reverb for most gigs.

[capt4inslow]

I have both.

[telest]

I read in another post that dealers are blowing out the SCXDs for $200 and sure enough it seems to be the case. So is there a newer version coming out or something similar? I was ready to buy one but might see what's coming. Either way though a great amp for $200.

Steve

[guitarman3001]

I read in another post that dealers are blowing out the SCXDs for $200 and sure enough it seems to be the case. So is there a newer version coming out or something similar? I was ready to buy one but might see what's coming. Either way though a great amp for $200.

Steve


I read the same rumors but it made no difference to me. I was able to get one for well under $200 as a result of an online price match policy and jumped all over it. Even if Fender discontinues it and replaces it with something else, you know it's not going to cost anywhere near $200 bucks. I bought it based on what it is, not based on what models might come out in the future.

Put it this way, for under $250 I got the amp brand new, a footswitch and an Eminence Legend 105 to upgrade the speaker. When you consider the amp alone had been selling for $299, that's just way too good of a deal to turn down.

BTW, on sweetwater's website it says the product is no longer available so maybe they really are discontinuing them... :huh

Either way, it's a great amp and I have been wanting one for a couple of years now. Just couldn't afford it until the recent price drop. Now I couldn't be happier! :rockin


And another BTW, they sound even better through some bigger extension cabs. I'm running mine through the stock speaker plus two Mesa 1x12 cabs and it's amazing! Makes a very cool looking mini stack too! I'll be using this setup for a gig next weekend.

[Bikedude]

Only thing these amps have in common is that they're small, inexpensive, and make sound.

[JakeBluesRocker]

bump!

[KennyWTelejazz]

well, I sure do like the get both amps idea :aok

regarding the Class 5 not being loud enough for some musical situations , yes it's true that can happen .....
there was one time when I was in a situation where my C 5 was not really loud enough
thankfully the musicians that I was playing with were true professionals in every sense of the word
for them to turn down a notch was no big thing

Kenny