Peavey XXL Series Guitar Amplifier Head (100 Watts)

Feature:
VERY good features. Sturdy as all get out. Loud...very loud. It's got the switchable wattage so I can still play at home without ruining my hearing. It's got the power dampening switch, which I'm not too sure what that does, I just think it adds to the bottom end or takes away from it and adds to/takes away from the distortion. It's cool though! The ground lift is a plus. I found that if you're having feedback problems at high volumes, try switchin the ground lift to "+". That solved my problem (and the fact that I have humbuckers). Great, great amp though. I love the 3 settings on each channel. Fabulous.

Quality:
Super duper. It'll be part of my rig for a while.

Value:
This is such a great amp at an unbelievable price...you really need to get this. If you're lookin for an immaculate crunch tone, you REALLY need this. Nothing I've ever used could even come close. I have a Digitech GNX2 and I can't even get the crunch that I want out of IT, but I can get it outta this amp! It's ridiculously great. I paid $350 for mine, used, and now, I'd probably be willing to pay about $1,000 if I didn't know what it initially cost.

Desirability:
SEXXXYYYYY. Look at it, come one. It says XXL. What girl won't like a guy that plays an amp that says "XXL" on it?! And all ladies love chrome...

Sound:
This monster sounds SICK. Alright...let's go over the basics. You've got three channels, each with independent EQ, and each with 3 different voicing options. On the lead channel, you can set it to classic, set your EQ right, set your gain kinda low, plug in a strat and BAM, you've got classic rock tones. Switch it to british, hike up the gain a little bit, perfect punk/alt rock tones. Switch it to hi-gain, put the gain all the way up, perfect for lead or metal. Personally, I cut my mids almost all the way down, then crank my hi's and lows, turn my gain all the way up, set my dampening switch to tight, and it's like the perfect metal crunch. I saw Haste the Day live, and they were using Krankenstein heads thru Marshall 1960 cabs, and I came home and set my EQ how I described, and it sounded almost like a Krank amp! I was thrilled. Some people say that this can't get searing metal tones...pshhhhhh.Put it on the Ultra channel, middle setting on the switch: treb = 10, mids = 0, bass = 10, gain = 10. Try THAT. This amp sounds so good, I love it.

Overall:
This thing is loud, raw, and tonally spectacular. It's a breakthrough of amps, I swear it is. It's so great. If you're considering buying one, like I was, don't consider, BUY IT! (I feel like Peavey should pay me for endorsing their product so much haha) But really, it is a sick, sick, sick sick sick sick sick amp. I love it.

Feature:
What more can you ask? An effects loop with switchabel level, 25,50 or 100 watts, 4,8,or 16 ohm output, 2 speaker outputs, tight medium or loose speaker damping, 3 fully independant footswitchable channels, 3 voicings on each channel. Need I go on? Can there be a feature that was missed?

Quality:
QC rates tops here. No flaws at all. Tolex is so neatly applied I can not find the seams. The chrome knobs are cool. After beating the crap out of this amp for 2 years I can say I trust it more than any amp I have ever owned. My Marshalls have all been sold off. I had so many problems with breakdowns and tube failure at the most inconvenient times, this amp was a godsend. Literally. The maintenace schedule is now 'wipe with a damp rag'. Best feature is the removabel power cable.

Value:
For the price, come on! I paid 400 CDN new with warranty. You will never touch that with any amp in the same league as the XXL.

Desirability:
This is very hard for me to rate. I love it but I would never have known that from the way it looks. Cosmetics do not indicate performance. The XXL is not the prettiest, but not the ugliest. Like Forrest Gump's momma said "Pretty is as Pretty does" The XXL is pretty indeed when plugged into a capable 4-12 bottom.

Sound:
I have owned my XXL for a little over 2 years now. I can say after playing for 25 + years and owning almost all the "ultimate" tube amps that this solid state amp is the best thing I have ever played. I play rock of all descriptions and even do a regular stint in a metal band. The XXL will do Metallica and Megadeth all night long. The direct out on the back is excellent for recording. I have run that path direct into a digial recorder and been pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of the result. At first I ran my XXL head through a pair of home made 2-12 bottoms with an EQ in the loop. I have since gone back to a 4-12 Celestion loaded design and no longer need the EQ. I can say that you should experiment with speaker bottoms. They are the final voice of the amp and should not be overlooked.

Ease of Use:
Plug and play. If you need a manual for this amp you also need some Kindergarden classes.

Support:
I deal constantly with Peavey. They rule the roost with thier superb customer service. I have had trouble with every major amp maker and lots of smaller ones too. Nobody but NOBODY compares wtih Peavey for service. The times when I needed them(damn few)they have been super attentive and very helpful. Though I have never needed warranty service on my many articles of Peavey gear, repairs have always been speedy and simple.

Overall:
I can not honestly fault Peavey in any way but one. There is some hiss on the high gain settings. Welcome to the world of high gain. I use a noise gate. NO problem. You should have heard my Marshalls! The XXL is tame in comparison. When I bought this amp I listened to the sound samples on the Peavey website and thought I could tweak it with my pedals. I plug straight in for the first time in my life. The only effects I use are a flanger on the clean sound and a wah on the leads. I bought the XXL because I was having so much trouble with my tube amps. I wanted a solid state amp that would compare to that tone but be more reliable. Boy did I luck out.