Determined to get a Bogner into my amp stable this year. While my main needs is a small low wattage amp, the Shiva Cleans still haunt me. However, I tried a Metropolis that really got me thinking which one of the two had the better cleans....unfortunately did not have both to test side by side....the Shiva I tried nearly a year ago...so it's only a memory. The Metropolis was nothing short of spectacular.
I like the Shiva for a more glassy clean tone, while the Metro is more of a grainy light breakup like you would get from a Deluxe or AC15 type clean tone. Also, the Shiva is more versatile. Both are great amps and can cover blues to classic rock tones. It just depends on what you are after.
The Clean cleans on the Shiva are great. But the Metropolis is just a little sweeter to my ears. But it's really on the gain side where they differ to my ears. To get a really great overdriven Chicago or Texas style blues tone on a Shiva, I really think you need a Tubescreamer like pedal (G2D cream tone is my favorite). But the Metropolis will get that overdriven bluesey thing with some EL 84 chime to boot as is just heartbreaking low gain overdrive. Beyond that of course, I think the Shiva rock tones edge out the Metro. The caveat being here I'm playing an EL-34 shiva - the 6L6 might get bluesier. Really a tough choice but I'd say if you need a lot of clean headroom and prefer your cleans really clean, and lean more towards Rock on the O.D. side, go with the Shiva. If you're more into bluesey and AC/30 type rock tones, I'd say the Metropolis is your amp.
The Shiva is more Blackface based cleans while the Metro is more in the Vox realm. Probably determining which one of those categories you like better would help your selection.
Really? I've only had the chance to sit with one once, and I really liked it but the feeling I got from it was way deep into the Marshall camp...I couldn't get anything resembling a Fender clean out of it. I did think it was one of the best sounding Marshall-esque things I've ever heard, though This was the EL-34 version through a 2X12 Bogner cab....
The sound clips at the Bogner site are accurate. I have a 15 watt Metropolis and the cleans with my Anderson single coilers are piano like. Just a beautiful sound and very clean for an el84 powered amp. The "schizo" knob on the 2nd setting is the cleanest of the five settings to me. The tone is closer to Vox than BF, but very unique in its own way I haven't played a Shiva, but with 6L6 or el34's, it's going to have a very clean tone I'd think.
You owe it to yourself to try a Duende as well before you make your final Bogner decision. I liked it much more than the Met. I've had an EL34 Shiva for many years now and think it's a fantastic amp. Clean, overdriven and most points in between.
Well, I just ordered a Fender DRRI to take care of my light weight, grab and go, lower wattage amp. I used a 20% off coupon I had since the holidays and was about to expire...so for $679 shipped it was a hard deal to beat. So that takes both the Duende and Metropolis out of the running and I am now leaning towards a Shiva head......man I love those cleans on that amp. Quite different from my Mesa LSC....so the SHiva will be my go to when I need the glassy cleans (and marshall plexi type tones), the LSC when I need the Texas SRV tone, and the DRRI for rehearsals and small gigs. Now, the next battle is EL34 or 6L6 Shiva...... BTW as for the DRRI......I could also have gone with the Limited Ed Blues Jr. for $279 less. I tried one at a local Guitar Center and really liked it alot.... So which would you guys have gone for (and do consider the $$s difference). This amp will be for rehearsals which are more Lating Jazz, R&B, Blues, Funk Oriented...so no really loud rock tones required. which would have been the better choice? I went with the DRRI cause I thought it sounded more open (cabinet being the greatest reason). Thanks for all the feedback.
It's true the EL34 models do have a more plexish type clean to them. I find it hard to put my finger on the EL34, but the 6L6 model definitely has a Blackface clean vibe to me.
I've had both, the Shiva was very nice, but also heavier than my Metropolis. I would say for me that I would prefer the Metro as long as it's a 30 watt and not the 15. The Metro can get close to the Shiva clean easier than vise versa. But the Shiva will never sound close to the Metro. Go to the Bogner website the sound clips are pretty accurate.
