This page contains customer reviews of Freedom Music products. I will add new reviews here from time to time.
New Review: TC Electronic G-System
Review 1: 6 x KT77 and 2 x ECC802 Gold Pin in a Unison Research S6 hi-fi amplifier amplifier.
Review 2: A complete re-tube kit for a Marshall Jubilee 50W Combo including 3 x ECC83S (1 x balanced for phase inverter) and a pair of KT77s.
Review 3: Another complete re-tube kit, this time for a Holden 100 head including 2 x ECC83S, 2 x ECC82 and two x blue glass KT88s.
Review 4: A Mesaboogie Dual Rectifier 3 channel with the power amp valves only replaced ( 4 x 6L6GC)
Review 5: Peavey 5150 II with a full re-tube.
Review 6: Fender Twin (4 x 6L6GC and 4 x ECC83 and 2 x ECC81)
Review 1: Unison Research S6
Hi Rob
The matched sextet of JJ KT77 valves and the pair of JJ ECC802 valves have now been in situ for a week. I can honestly say that the difference these valves have made is outstanding ! When I first replaced my EL34 valves with the KT 77's I was hoping for an improvement but it amazingly went much further than that.
From day one with the first disc the difference was immediately noticeable which was a very pleasant surprise. I just reached out and grabbed the first disc that came to hand in order to start the burn process expecting to play several hours of music before there was any discernable difference. The disc that I put on was Eddi Reader's Simple Soul and as I say grabbed at random just to put noise through the new valves. This disc had never really done it for me and I thought it was not up to her usual standard as it always felt a little forced vocally especially at the top end. Well after the first track I stopped what I was doing and sat in my listening chair thinking that it sounded better than I had heard it before. I was very pleased with what I heard the whole thing was more natural and the forced almost screeching top end had gone, I no longer cringed when she got up there.....and this was only disc one!!!
I thought for disc 2 I'd give them something different to deal with, Arne Domnerus 's Antiphone Blues. If you have never heard this disc it is a saxophone and cathedral organ playing spirituals and is definitely far removed from disc 1. Yet again there was a good improvement I felt that I could sense the vast space and power that could only come from that setting. Arne's playing was haunting weaving its way through the powerful organ sound up through the vastness filling all that space and combining to produce a very atmospheric and unique performance.
Needless to say I then started to throw everything I could think of at my set up, and I go from baroque to rock, from folk to jazz and blues. The valves seem to handle everything without ever being stressed and giving a wonderful three dimensional sound stage. In fact when my wife comments "that sounds good "from another room, I know it must be good,because bless her she's tone deaf.
I can only liken the experience to putting on a set of good headphones (I use Grado 325's) for the first time and being amazed at what's going on. It has so far been a pleasure to relax and float around with the open layers of sound that I am now enjoying. In fact yesterday I put on Eric Clapton's Unplugged for the first time in an age and was enthralled with it ....afterwards as I was humming my way to the wood shed....... I thought I didn't listen to a disc, I just attended a performance!!!
It has been a very worthwhile upgrade and one that is continuing so far to surprise and delight me.Rob you stated when I ordered that if I wasn't satisfied you'd refund my money...... keep my money with pleasure!!!
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Review 2: Marshall Jubilee 50W Combo
like replacing a 60watt bulb with a 500, awesome
thanks for the tubes
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Review 3: Holden 100
Coming soon...
Review 4: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 3 channel
I have just recently revalved my Mesa with a matched quad of JJ 6L6's. Prior I had been running the stock Mesa 6L6's whichgave pretty poor erformance. I had trouble with them cutting out and bad performance. Especially on channel 3 it was most noticable, probably due to high gain nature of this channel. This is only after a year of playing from new. My amp technician tested the mesa tubes, which he informed me were running at 80%.
Since putting in the JJ's I have had fantastic performance. Consistant on all 3 channels. The sound quality has become clearer, closest words I can think of would be, more glassy and precise. The new JJ tubes seem to have rounded off the rough edges that were an anoying feature that was hard to EQ out before. I can set my EQ's almost anywhere from 0-10 and still get a sound that is listenable.
Overall, I would definitely recomend these tubes. They are a high quality tube and very price competitive (cheaper than a new set of Mesa tubes) I found Rob extremly helpful, and he went out of his way to test the tubes and burn them in so they were just right before he sent them. Will definitely be doing business again in the future with Freedom Music.
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Review 5: Peavey 5150 II
The tubes arrived on saturday morning ( full retube, 4 X 6L6 and 6 x ECC83, Ed.). Put them straight in and they're sounding really good, they've made a big difference. Thanks very much for hte great deal and help you gave me with both sets of tubes. Those pre amp tubes you sold me last week are great, they've made a real difference to the sound.
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Review 6: Fender Twin
Tubes received and now fitted. Made a huge improvement to the amp. I have owned this fender amp from new. Cannot remember it ever sounding so good. Thanks again for your helpful and prompt service.
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New Review: TC Electronic G-system
I'm using the TC electronic G-System. I've been looking at them on an off for a year or so but hadn't been ready to buy. Recently my covers band added a female singer resulting in a change of music style from classic rock to more "pop", needing more sounds, quicker changes
My pedalboard was starting to get unwieldy and tap-dancing while singing with a keyboard in front of me (I also play keyboards) was just getting too hit and miss. Also I wanted some pedals in front of my amp, some in the loop, plus the wireless meant spaghetti central! A ground control system was considered but it doesn't have a tuner at my feet without defeating the purpose and I don't want to be turning around looking at a rack unit.
Time to look again at a G-System. I picked one up off Rob and took it home to try out. It really is the answer to my needs.
Primarily I use it as a channel selector for my amp. The G-system has 4 amp switching relays. My Einstein Combo uses 4 relays to switch between 4 channels plus two master volumes. The bulk of my presets are organised as - Ch 1 Clean - Ch 1 Crunch - Ch1 Distortion - Channel 2 - Channel 2 boosted with delay (for leads). These selections fit nicely across the 5 pedals at the bottom.
Those 5 selections are repeated up the banks for various modulations, only on when I want them. I have also programmed in some banks for specific songs and specific guitars Great to be able to just walk through the sounds you need with one step. There are plenty of user presets available and you can get any button to do whatever you want to or select certain patches quickly from wherever you are
With two masters on the amp and one on the G-System I have a great ability to quickly adjust volume levels up or down.
I'm using the EQ and Reverb on my amp until I have time to explore the ones in the unit.
Another thing I really like is the way the effects choices have both ultra-programmable models and simpler virtual stompbox style ones. Great for guys like me that want to get up and playing quickly.
I've got mine split with it sitting in a small rack, with both my guitar and vocal wireless units, beside my amp and connected with short patch leads I only have one cable across to my floor unit. It is fully midi capable and PC based editing is on the horizon.
You can look up all the details on the TC site. There's also a good DVD and the manual makes sense. Rob made it all easy. Lent me his unit to have a play with and pricing was cheaper than importing from overseas.
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