Jazz amp comparison: Polytone, Little Jazz, Toob Metro / TC BAM 200
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- čas přidán 26. 10. 2023
- In this video, I compare three compact, budget, traditional jazz rigs. I am playing a Wu 7 string archtop with a Kent Armstrong handwound humbucking pickup. At the end of the video I zoom in on the settings of each amp. This is not a scientific study, but I hope this comparison is useful. Because the polytone is new to me, I have it set relatively flat in the settings. Reverb was turned all the way down on the Polytone and DV Mark.
Some amp details:
1. Polytone Mini/Teeny Brute II, 12" speaker.
2. DV Mark Little Jazz, second generation, without the loud fan. About 15 ibs.
3. Toob Metro BG (www.toob.fi), and TC Metro BAM 200, about 5 lbs total.
Aug 2024 update. I still have all 3 of these. I have really connected with the Polytone, as it has a fullness and warmth to it, as well as a softness of attack I find really appealing. I use the "dark" switch setting and have turned down the treble a bit. My main concern is being able to find someone to work on the Polytone in case it needs maintenance, though it's been okay so far (fingers crossed). A lot of amp techs are now refusing to work on the Polytones, despite their relatively simple circuitry. For this reason, I'm going to try out an early Henriksen jazz amp I found used online. The DV is a super- reliable and portable go-to and back-up, and it sounds really nice if I'm playing outside or in a larger space, compared to my bedroom or living room. It sounds a bit boxy, but I can get an early Joe Pass sound I'm pretty happy with most times. I'm warming up to the BAM-TOOB, but I mainly keep it because it's so light and easy to carry (5 pounds!), and gives me a decent sound as long as I'm not competing with drums. I also think the speaker needs to break in. For the Toob, I'm still waiting for a small amp that has reverb and a bit more polytone-esque feel than the BAM. I first tried a Quilter Super Block US, which seemed ideal (small size and nice reverb!), but was way too bright and Fendery, even when I adjusted the levels.
Surprised the BAM200 wasn't a lot louder considering the gain and master settings. Thanks for the video!
I know what you mean. It's definitely the least powerful of the 3, despite the 200 watt label. Can't really compete with drums and horns, though it's fine for solo and duet in a small to mid size room.
Polytone had a nice even response and a musical sound. DV Mark was too mid-y and likely needed eq. The last rig was detailed but not as wam as the Polytone, which was my favourite overall.
Liked the bam200.
Hello, thank you for the video, but as you said this isn't the most scientific or controlled video to show the differences, so would you mind telling us your opinions on them and how they compare to each other?
see my update in the comments.
Can't see the settings, you need better camera (cell phone) control. Assuming the recording is done via the phone mic, you get different angles and distances from the speakers, so not perfect. Putting all controls flat might be a more reasonable comparison, but I'm not entirely certain what you intended to show.
Hey, sorry this wasn’t exactly what you were looking for. As for the settings, you can just pause the video for a closer look. Like I said in the description, this is just my quick take on these amps. There are better and more careful videos on each of these amps individually. A quick search will lead you to those. Cheers!
I could see the settings just fine. Thanks for this comparison this was very helpful!