Marshall SE100 Speaker Emulator

Easy enough to use... even a cave man could use it. Straight forward no nonsense.

There is no sound quality. And that's the point! What you put in is what you get out of it! No dis-coloration, no dropping freq. just pure attenuated Marshall sound!

Bought this beauty used, and it's never given me a single problem. Built for professionals by professionals. I've used it on-stage and will continue to do so.

Wouldn't know about customer support. Never had reason to contact them.

I play mainly Rock music. I like the sound of my vintage paul running straight thru a 4/10 cab and vintage 100 watt plexi turned up to 11. That's not always (rarely) possible in many venues. The solution? Attenutation obviously. None does it better, or more safely than this unit. I wouldn't trust anything else. If It were stolen, I'd find another. I looked for 6 months to get this one. I'd gladly pay a grand for another if I had to.

They say nothings perfect. I say BS, if any piece of equipment is... this is it! 10's across the board. One of the best purchases I've ever made.

Do yourself a favor. Trash that big block you're playing thru and find one of these. You won't be sorry... at any price! 10's across the board.

Very easy indeed. The speaker emulator with the switchable degrees 30, 60, 90 is operated by the click of a button. Very plug and play. Like one reviewer said, "You can play at 10 tone without the volume." Great for recording, super for live.

Nice and quiet. No characteristic sound of its own. It just sounds like your amp but gives you so much more control over the sound. Volume and such becomes nice and easy. They use this in all the big studios in LA. That's where I am from but not where I live. Groove Tubes designed the electronics and Marshall paid them and stuck on their logo. Groove Tubes quality without the four grand price.

I put ten for pristine sound quality. I put this because it is so damned quiet: translation: No hiss and static. Just brings out the true voice of your amp.

I have had it for a few years now. Tried the THD Hotplate "PIECE OF SHIT." Tried the newer Marshall Power Soak square thing "Hunk of shit!!!". This beats them all. Why cause it won't F-up your amp like the THD Shitplate and won't act like a POS like the current Marshall square pile of crap that they are selling now. I'd depend on it and have. I use it for gigs and studio use and never a problem. Groove Tubes did a great job.

Never dealt with Marshall. Wouldn't need to. I'd just phone the guys at Groove Tubes as they were the ones that designed it.

I love it. I bought mine New Old Stock. I got a deal at $800. The SE100s are now going for about $1200 as everyone and their dog wants one. They are that good. They use them in studios to get that all out sound from those tube amps. I'd buy it again if some jerk stole it. The current prices scare me. $1200 is a bit rich for my blood. At $800, it's a steal of a deal. At $1200, that not a great deal, just an OK price.

I bought this gem five months back and I am really glad I did. Enables me to play my Marshall JCM800 on 10 without losing my hearing. Read the reviews below if you want the specifics. I won't rehash what has already been written. No editing and no digital bull, just analog. Meaning it works well, it will work for a long time and no damned crappola chips.

I paid $600 used for it. I guess ever decent studio has one of these and they are very sought after. I guess that's why the used price had been driven up up and away. Now they are about $700.

Sound quality is dependant on the amp used. Put a Crate DOO DOO or a Peavey Rage and yeah, crap in crap out. Use a real tube amp and you have the tone of the gods. The Marshall SE100 is very very quiet, meaning low noise. Lots of features. I mean lots.

Very reliable. Good for live or studio use. I do both and it performs like a pro. Glad I didn't buy some hotplate crapplate.

I don't know. Never had to call. I have a local repair guy who could fix this. I doubt it will ever need fixing, at least not in my lifetime. I love it more than my wife.

I'd buy it again if stolen. That means if I could find another one that someone would actually sell me. Studios and musicians alike tend not to part with SE100. If you see one for sale for anything under what I paid, scoop it up before someone beats you to it. I couldn't live without mine. Could you?

I bought this gem five months back and I am really glad I did. Enables me to play my Marshall JCM800 on 10 without losing my hearing. Read the reviews below if you want the specifics. I won't rehash what has already been written. No editing and no digital bull, just analog. Meaning it works well, it will work for a long time and no damned crappola chips.

I paid $600 used for it. I guess ever decent studio has one of these and they are very sought after. I guess that's why the used price had been driven up up and away. Now they are about $700.

Sound quality is dependant on the amp used. Put a Crate DOO DOO or a Peavey Rage and yeah, crap in crap out. Use a real tube amp and you have the tone of the gods. The Marshall SE100 is very very quiet, meaning low noise. Lots of features. I mean lots.

Very reliable. Good for live or studio use. I do both and it performs like a pro. Glad I didn't buy some hotplate crapplate.

I don't know. Never had to call. I have a local repair guy who could fix this. I doubt it will ever need fixing, at least not in my lifetime.

I'd buy it again if stolen. That means if I could find another one that someone would actually sell me. Studios and musicians alike tend not to part with SE100. If you see one for sale for anything under what I paid, scoop it up before someone beats you to it. I couldn't live without mine. Could you?

Compared to a Powerbrake,the SE100 is difficult to use.

But at least it is an easy device and well explained.

The SE100 doesn't colour the sound so strong as a simple
powerbrake.
I use the SE100 with my Hiwatt Top.And it is flexible and good in sound.
The more pwer I take away from the Hiwatt,the more it sounds
compressed.But still more alive as with a THD/Marshall Powerbrake.

The SE100 was especially designed for usage with the Marshall amps
without MasterVolume.
But it works also with Amps with Mastervolume.Be only sure that
MV is opened to 100 %.Then the sound will be alive.

Ehhhhhhh....more solid is not possible.
A perfect device.

Not needed.

A fine tool to get the full power off of my Hiwatt,eventhough
it is still LOUD.I tried some pwerbrakes,but it is not the same as
with the SE100.
The SE100 is more flexible and saving the original sound.
This has its price.A powerbrake is cheap,the SE100 nowadays also.
Hahhaahaha....

Choose a SE100 instead a powerbreak,if th4ey are offered for the same
money.

Very Easy to Use!....Lacks the noise Problem found in todays Marshall Power Brake(PB-1), which is an ugly piece of garbage! This is a Rackmount unit that uses 2 Spaces. My Amp is on 6 with this and it screams!!! (Marshall JCM-800).

I am using Jacksons soloists and Marshall JCM-800 2205,Hot rodded Fender Twin (1972), I have a few rackmount effects that pass threw the amp effects loop, sound excellent! Basically I can get any sound
I want! With this current setup from Joe Pass to Dimebag Darryl

Very Good still running strong after 9 years! I always have a back up
no matter what!

Never bothered!!! Great Product!

Excellent unit to use both live and in the studio, the scholtz Power soak sucks, the PB-1 is noisy,heavy & Ugly looking. The Groove Tubes SE-II.....Sounds the Same but does not have headphone output and different cabinet and microphone positions!!! Marshall used their circuitry(Groove Tubes)....but actually has a better unit!

Overview
Rack mounted two unit device. Purchased in 1996 . Used solidly ever since and has not killed my Valve amp (1978 Marshall head) while using it with no speakers at home which is 90% of the time.
The Front panel has the following controls attenuation 6db volume brake, 12db volume brake 18db volume brake if both switches are pressed in. Green LED Signal, Red LED Peak, Cabinet type switch, closed/open, Axial response switches 0 degree, 30 degree and 60 degree, Unbalanced level control (for both Compensated and uncompensated levels) Balanced level control, Headphone level, Phones Jack (Stereo only) and On/off LED (Red).
Rear Panel has the following Jacks, Loudspeaker input level, Speaker Output (Guitar speaker cabinets only) Line input (Guitar Pre amp etc) Uncompensated output (no speaker emulation) Compensated Output (Speaker emulation) Balanced Output, Earth (ground) Lift Switch and Power Supply in (15 Volt).
In Depth over view remembering it is versatile and simple to use.
The SE100 Speaker Emulation System is a device which will allow valve and solid state amps or pre amps to connect to a recording desk/mixing desk, effects processor (by the speaker jack of a amp)and still be able to run a guitar speaker cabinet from the SE100 and connect directly into a PA amp. It is both a studio/home recording device or a live performance device (volume brake [0db, 6db, 12db, and 18db which will reduce a 100 watt amp to a reasonable room volume] not for the faint hearted when connected to a guitar speaker cabinet).
So in brief plug in your amp speaker jack into the speaker in on the SE100 and connect a guitar cab if you want from the speaker output on the SE100 or a pre amp out into the Line in on the SE100, this line will not run a speaker cab and then connect to a recording desk, PA etc.
POWER SUPPLY The SE100 comes complete with an external 15 Volt AC mains adaptor.
The SE100 will in Speaker emulation mode recreate a guitar speaker for direct recording or inputting into a PA and with the emulation mode off run a guitar speaker, it can do this separately or both at the same time through different outputs (compensated [speaker emulation on] or uncompensated [speaker emulation off] one volume control for both running modes. The third output is balanced for connection to balanced line equipment, a separate volume control is provided. A headphone connection is also provided with separate volume control. This unit will also simulate mike positions and speaker type (closed / open backed cabinets).
The unit also has both a "Peak/Clip" LED and signal indicator LED to see if it is receiving a signal, there is also a Earth Lift switch to remove earth loop hum. The receiving signal indicator is worth it weight in gold, thinking you have had a major amp breakdown only to find it to be a dodgy lead is easy to detect with the led giving a signal in presence.
Manual
The manual is just a two sided pamphlet which describes the various features one side and a diagram of the usage on the back, also printed on the device itself is the schematic of the functions and routings.
The Manual must be read to know what impedance to set the amp at 8 Ohms. although it does not say what impedance if using a speaker cabinet as well.
It is very easy to get up and running both live and at home.

I use a Marshall JMP MRK 2 Master Volume Head 100 Watt lead so have not needed to use it live because of the master volume on the amp, but however I have tried it with no problems with both outputs at the same time straight into the PA (Compensated mode) and as a volume brake with 2, 4X12 Cabs (Uncompensated mode). The device did not effect my live sound and the PA side did sound better than the usual Miked up method. Quite frankly I hate the sound of a Marshall that is being driven by the power tubes at ten the sound is hard and all middle, so I back off the main volume to get the crisp sounds.
For home recording getting the live guitar sound down on tape with this unit for me just lacks that live ambience I have found that adding a little reverb (which I do not use live)after the unit makes all the difference. The sound is not as rounded as using speakers and a mike but is very near. The plus side is that the depth of sound and definition given to the recording is not dependant on the mike quality and has certainly beefed up the sound and improved the flat response I usally got. A DI has been fitted to my amp some years back it is certainly better than that because of the speaker emulation side and does not drop the amp output volume although I have had good results with just using effects pedals straight into the mixing desk.
The Axial response switches which simulates the positions of a Mike from the centre of a cabinet are subtle 0 degrees is warm and the sound hardens through to 60 degrees and seems more remote but it is subtle and a matter of taste. The closed cabinet switch gives a real full sound with plenty of bottom end while the open cabinet gives less bottom end and a flatter response making it sound a little thinner.
The unit is not noisy but will reflect any amp, effect pedal noise coming into it.
Have not been able to try it in a real studio but if the chance came up I would take it and hear if there is any difference at that time, the sound engineer should be able to comment on the SE100's performance.

No problems yet but I do worry about the power adaptor packing up when using it live. It will still run without power but I don't think this is recommended. The power unit has not failed and it may never. Would recommend having a mike setup and plugged in ready to go just in case in a live performance if you have the same concerns with power supply units.

Never seen them yet

I have played both heavy rock/metal and some country with the unit and it has preformed each equally as well. It was a luxury when I bought it and I can get by without it even though my neighbours would properly not, now having had peace and quiet for over a year. I have not been able to try it out against other units like the Marshall DI Box (DRP- 1)which retails at a far lower price but reports to do very much the same without the live volume db brake (PB-1) which Marshall also supplies as a sperate unit, also any other manufacturers equipment.
If you can justify the use of it then buy it, it is a top quality piece of equipment and I would now have to replace it if stolen because of the usefulness of the thing. It does give me another method of recording guitars where I can use a Valve head without having to use a trany amp.
It has certainly improved the quality of my recorded guitar sound but has I said before, I would like it to sound a little less hard and more rounded but this could be due to many other things like the amp, guitar, recording desk, etc and with a touch of reverb it can be overcome. Very much worth a try out if you struggle to get that live guitar sound also try a SM-57 mike if you get the chance.