XXX vs JSX

[Jaymz]

I am looking seriously into these two heads. Im looking for some serious balls to the wall thick beefy and tight distortion for live and recording. Ive heard good things about both these heads and I really love the LOOK of the JSX over the XXX but its sound that matters, I can always take the front off the XXX and replace it.

Anyway some people have said the JSX lacks the balls in the distortion area compared to the XXX. Im basically up for that real nice tight metal sound rather than a hard rock sound. Needs to be good for shredding leads!

I saw Andy said the JSX was more versatile in his opinion. Im really pretty torn!

Any ideas lads/ladies? :Smokedev:

EDIT: I cant try either amp before hand as no local stores have them in stock and wont order them unless im up for buying them! Understandable!

 

[JeffTD]

I had an XXX for a year and a half... I now have a 5150.

I'm gearing up to buy the JSX soon. It just sounds better all around to me. I prefer the voicing (sweeter/warmer than the XXX), but it can still get as brutal as I need it too, especially with a TS infront.

 

[JoshSylosis]

It depends how much they are I guess and what the purposes are for.

I must say i've not personally played a JSX but played many shows with JSX owners and they always sound aweomse (the sikth chaps especially - as they have songs that are in G or something and other songs in C#, keeping the EQ the same for each tuning as well as crystal clear clean tones)

BUUUUT If you're not AS fussed with the clean sounds then I'd say go for the XXX as it's probably cheaper (the XXX clean sound is great, I personally can't fault it but I'd asume the JSX clean sound was equally important to satch and probs spent a lot of time on it when they were making this amp).

I've had my XXX since it came out (and still have the same tubes in it haha) and even though I probably shouldn't say this, but it whoops most other amps out there for metal IMO - toooo underrated. Tighter than a mesa triple rec and more clarity and attack than a 5150....and a tighter low end.

It's probably got tons more gain than a JSX and it's cool to have that option (even though mine never goes above 5). It's just a matter of playing with the EQ til it sounds good and not going by what looks right in terms of knob positions

I have mine set to (on the crunch channel - i only used the ultra for leads in which i'd have the volume slighty higher, more gain and more mid)

bass: 7.5 mid: 4 treble: 4.5 gain: 5

It sounds amazing without a maxon or TS, but it you do use one turn the gain down to 4

Sorry for the long essay, but I use the XXX for yeeaaars and always got complimented on my tone



...then again the JSX has a built in noise gate, resonance, presence and 'fat' switches.....

 

[Jaymz]

No worries about the detailed post, thats what im looking for
Yeah I was wondering if the JSX was just the XXX that has been "toned down" so to speak to Sach's style. I would like a nice clean sound but if you said right a amazing distortion and a average clean or an amazing clean but average distortion id easily choose to have my face and testicals turned inside out by the brutalness of some meaty METAl!!!!

(I hope I dont seem like a small minded metal head after that post )

 

[Jaymz]

Btw, did you use the XXX to record ur Slyosis myspace tracks?

 

[JoshSylosis]

Nah it's cool haha, I'm guessing the average 5150 owner only buys that amp for its distortion as the cleans not really too great.

I used the XXX for our ep recording (track up here www.myspace.com/sylosis) without a maxon and miced with a Beta 57 (which doesnt sound as good for guitars as a normal 57) and the tone is still pretty decent if i do say so myself.

Also recorded with the gain on 4

 

[Jaymz]

Awesome, Its hard to explain but it seems to have that kinda tone when you change from chugging on the low E to lets say something dimished on the A and D stings yet REALLY stands out. My mode 4 just mushes everything together. That sound really seems to have some tone difference across the strings. Thats what I mean basically! LOL. Your lead tone on ur solo myspace is lush, if thats the XXX im sold

 

[JoshSylosis]

Yeh it is.
I'd say the XXX is a huuuuge step up from the mode 4, tightness and clarity!
Actually, listening back to it that recording is pretty old and terrible haha.

What are the prices for the JSX and XXX then?

 

[Jaymz]

Nice one, well....cheapest XXX = 799, chepest JSX = 929.

Most places sell the JSX for around £1,120 or something :| Pretty big price jump for little old me!

I see your endorsed by ESP and KRANK, god I would....do things....to be in that position! hahaha

 

[ConspiracyBass]

You can always get the clean channel modded on the XXX to make it sound fuller and cleaner (ha!). My guitarist is having that done to his right now, so I'll see how it turned out on thursday.

 

[Jaymz]

Oooo sounds interesting, does it invole tube changes or something?

 

[JoshSylosis]

cool i'd be pretty interested in hearing that too.

 

[Jaymz]

If I do get it, ill get some black diamond korplate made up to fit on the front, I think that would look lush!

 

[JeffTD]

I still shit bricks when I hear the XXX clips done by James Boyd...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=147856&songID=2668416

http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=16807

 

[taylor666]

Nah it's cool haha, I'm guessing the average 5150 owner only buys that amp for its distortion as the cleans not really too great.

I used the XXX for our ep recording (track up here www.myspace.com/sylosis) without a maxon and miced with a Beta 57 (which doesnt sound as good for guitars as a normal 57) and the tone is still pretty decent if i do say so myself.

Also recorded with the gain on 4

That sounds great dude. I wish I could get my XXX to sound like that.

 

[taylor666]

I still shit bricks when I hear the XXX clips done by James Boyd...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=147856&songID=2668416

http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=16807

Wow that sounds great too! Do you have any idea of what settings/channel was used for that?

 

[JeffTD]

Wow that sounds great too! Do you have any idea of what settings/channel was used for that?

Both on crunch channel, both with a JB into a Maxon OD808. The Audiostreet clip was 2 tracks, and on a cheap Ibanez 7 string. Soundclick was 4 tracks and a Schecter C-1 Classic.

Both were through a Mesa Trad sized 4x12 and a single 57. \m/

No clue on settings, but I know James likes to use the loose damping switch, crunch channel, gain at 3, and all eq knobs below 5. Last time I checked, he liked it somewhere around 3.5, 1.5, 4, for treble/mids/bass.

 

[AmirH]

I've been playing hi-gain amps back to back for the last week and of those two the jsx is the better amp IMO. To me it sounds similar to the xxx but smoother on top with a little more overall bite. The jsx is definitely not a "toned down" xxx IMO- it's similar but has a different overall character. I preferred it to both the xxx and 6505.

 

[everybody's x]

I havent played or recorded a JSX yet, but I cant find any thing bad to say about my triple xxx, I love the fuckin thing.

that includes clean sounds and tracking bass with it

 

[ConspiracyBass]

Oooo sounds interesting, does it invole tube changes or something?

I don't know what it involves, but I hope his amps done this week so I can hear it. Dudes been taking forever!