BARON or SPLAWN for the best Marshall Killer?

[swampdonkey90]

I've heard of Baron amps,but never listened to demos.Wow do they sound and look great,and are reasonable priced.Any additional info comparing Baron and Splawn would be greatly appreciated.

All preferences aside :

1. Baron sounds great at low volume. Splawn .....not so much.
2. Clean channels : the Baron has a ridiculously good clean channel. Its worth buying the amp for the clean alone in my opinion. The Splawn QR and Nitro have very useable clean channels but the Baron is off the charts.
3. Baron amps are saturated and will give you that liquidy lead sound with no boosting. Actually boosting a Baron seems a bit silly but I am sure it has its applications. Splawn amps are very dry feeling and you cannot hide any sloppy technique when playing one. Playing a Splawn will force you to clean up your technique. Its a beautiful thing once you get the feel for it.
4. Splawn Nitro has a big low mid punch. If you like bottom end like a Dual Rec without the flub than the Nitro is the amp for you. Its nothing like a DR but if you like a DR than you will love a Nitro. The Baron has plenty of low end but nothing close to the feel of the Splawn IMO.

 

[Tonelover]

Tell me more about the b60... That one is on my radar...I just started a thread in this forum that is more specific.... Doesnt have to be a Marshall killer....as long as it is better than their current production models

I can't go in to a long description as I don't over analyze amps, I just know when I love what I hear. The B60 is an EL45 based, K88 is KT88 based. I don't think Dave re-invented the wheel as far as the sound of EL vs. KT so you can read up on that. What I'd say about both amps is that they are generally designed to be on the very aggressive side of things, there is all the gain one could ever want yet the amps maintain their clarity and don't cover your tone with massive amounts of compression. The other main difference between the two is that instead of dual A/B massive gain channels like on the K series, the B series has a crunch/lead instead, the crunch aiming to be more of a classic overdrive and the lead still has over the top gain. So if someone isn't always balls to the wall then a B series might work better. Either amp can be tamed just fine though, it's hard to go wrong with either.

 

[jhale]

That clip sounds pretty killer
I hope the newer version sounds like that.
so that is a single channel amp.
The newer ones are 2 CH.
that amp seemed to have plenty of low end

Thanks!

My version is a 2 channel. Clean to medium crunch on1 chunka chunka on 2

 

[chrisrocksusa]

whatever that guy fusionbear has. his tone is redunkulous

 

[fusionbear]

whatever that guy fusionbear has. his tone is redunkulous

I hope you mean it in a positive way...

It is just a bone stock 2006' Quickrod that I bought off of Chubtone who bought it new from Splawn. It is tubed with tubes straight from Splawn.

 

[chrisrocksusa]

I hope you mean it in a positive way...

It is just a bone stock 2006' Quickrod that I bought off of Chubtone who bought it new from Splawn. It is tubed with tubes straight from Splawn.

yeah dude. I saw that vid you made in your garage. The tone rocks, I was very impressed.

 

[Harsh59]

Are Barons more modern sounding,most clips seem to be in the modern mode.I would like to here some high gain clips in the vintage mode.

 

[GunShyMartyr10]

I own an old version of the B60 amp. Best amp I have played for modern marshall tones. I have a friend who has a splawn...and I actually like the Baron tone better. But to each his own. IMO the Baron is a little more versatile. Dave Woodhouse is a great guy too. I sent mine back to him recently and had add concentric pots for gain and volume and installed a level control for the effects loop ( can now be used as boost) all for $100....and I had the amp back within a week. I run mine with JJ KT77s. Sounds killer. Props to Baron for sure.

 

[Tonelover]

I had Dave do a few creative mods to a B60 once. I had a K88 at home so wasn't in a hurry, and I know he always has a bit of a backlog, but he wrote me the same evening he received it telling me it was done. Incredible. I also have had the K88 for over a year now and still like it more every time I turn it on. Not to say it's for everyone, but it is 1000% exactly what I had been looking for.

 

[Stratman76]

I didn't sell my Quickrod because I'm a sloppy player, the dry tone is quite uninspiring especially at home playing levels but live it was much more tolerable.

Even a stock JCM 800 2203/4 sounds more inspiring at lower house volumes to me than the Splawn QR. Mine was one of the first 4 pre clean channel models that came out in late 2007. The older 3 pre models sound better/more aggressive to me, and I heard the newest ones sound better than the early generation 4 pre models.

My old Nitro had more saturation but even that when compared side to side to alot of other amps was on the dryer side.

The only amp that competed "dry to dry" with the Splawns was my old VHT Ultrealead.

I auditioned a Quickrod and could not get acceptable gain tone at lower volume levels (it was a 2010 model). Then I read about using a volume pedal in the loop and other tricks to coax out better low volume gain tone. The features are there, the build quality is there, the price is comparatively reasonable, the cleans are solid... I'll have to give this one another shot. I'm also thinking that using a higher gain tube in V1 would help.

 

[primerib]

when I think of Marshall killer, I think Splawn. this is coming from a former Baron owner. just sayin'

also check out the Diamond Phantom. It is their "british" voiced amp but does so much more

 

[Harsh59]

I'm not looking for traditional Marshall tones as much as I'm looking for modded,hi gain Marshall tones. My ultimate amp would be a CAA OD100SE+ or PT100,the demos sound fantastic,but is well out of my price range. Between a Splawn Quick Rod or a Baron B120 which would give me that type of tone. Thanks in advance.

 

[billm408]

I recently traded a Baron B60 for a Splawn QR.

The Baron is an awesome amp if you're looking for modern high gain tones. I would put it closer to the Mesa than the Marshall camp tone wise, but it has it's own thing going on. It's a very aggressive amp with a lot of thump and a very good clean channel. For my needs (hard rock/classic metal), the QR gives me the perfect hot rodded Marshall tones I was looking for.

FWIW- Dave Woodhouse is a great guy to work with and makes an outstanding product. It just wasn't for me.

 

[jhale]

Barons are great I have 3. I have an early B60L in the classifieds if anyone's looking. Never tried a splawn but there always seems to be someone wanting to trade me a splawn for a baron or someone else wanting to trade their baron for splawn.

 

[Harsh59]

Thanks for the responce billm408,I edited my OP , it's a Baron B120 not a K120.

 

[clay49]

Friedman? Fortin? Cameron Amps? Blankenship?

OP says under $1,600...are these builders offering some discounts?

 

[clay49]

You may also want to look at-

http://www.reinhardtamps.com/

http://tophatamps.com/

http://www.guytron.com/

http://www.customaudioelectronics.com/products?view=category&cat_id=6

http://www.roccaforteamps.com/

$1,600 range???

 

[DeuceII]

Sorry to resurrect this dead thread, but I didn't see there was any resolution. I had a Splawn Quickrod 3 tube preamp version. The overdrive channel is pure modded Marshall, fantastic sounding, but blisteringly loud (I never had it above 10 o'clock volume). The clean channel was horrible; I've read they fixed it in the 4 tube preamp version, but the od channel loses something.
Then I got a Baron MII100, 6L6 version. Fantastic clean channel, drive channel is really great too but not so much modded Marshall, still lot of mids but drier. From what I've read the Baron B series is much more Marshall. If all you need is a single channel hot rodded marshall tone, go Splawn. If you need a clean channel, or more versatility that includes hot rodded Marshall, go Baron. I still have the Baron.

 

[papersoul]

I'm not looking for traditional Marshall tones as much as I'm looking for modded,hi gain Marshall tones. My ultimate amp would be a CAA OD100SE+ or PT100,the demos sound fantastic,but is well out of my price range. Between a Splawn Quick Rod or a Baron B120 which would give me that type of tone. Thanks in advance.

I did not like the CAA OD100SE+ or PT100. I found the new Bogners kill the CAA amps. That is why I bought my 20th Bogner Shiva. I even like my PWE more.
Baron amps sound very fizzy to me.

 

[rastaman]

Friedman HBE