Carvin SX-200C 212 Combo

2006, 2 channels, digital fx and reverb, fx loop, headphone and cabinet voiced line out, 2-12" celestion speakers, solid-state, 4-bad eq on each channel, blues switch on gain channel.

It's definitely loud. Clean channel stays clean for as loud as I could tolerate... couldn't get up to ten and be in the same room with it.

Played a few diferent guitars through it: Strat, Dean, Carvin, Yamaha. You can definitely tell the difference from axe to axe, especially the strat (single coils).

Not particularly noisy.

Gain Channel: Plenty of gain, but low end is a but muddy like a class a tube amp. I'm more of a class ab guy and like my low end tight. It does tighten up as you turn the amp up though, which is wierd for a solid state amp. However, if your only experience with "tube" amps is Line6 imitation, you might think this amp nails the tube-amp tone. Frankly, it does not. Not even close. That doesn't mean it sounds bad, just not like a tube amp... or at least not like any of the nine tube amps (including three from Carvin) that I have in my studio.

Clean Channel: The clean is really good and is probably this amp's better channel. Not the most sparkling clean I have ever heard, but I've heard alot worse on "boutique" amps.

I haven't had it long enough to know here. My other Carvin guitar amps never really had any problems.

I have had issues with some of their PA gear... 12 channel powered head smoked after around five or six years. It did have alot of miles on it though.

I've dealt with them a few times with mixed results. When something under warrantee failed, they fixed it with no hassles. However, I've found that they are not flexible on other matters.

I've been playing for many years, teaching for more than a decade, have done albums, tours, commercial sessions, and a zillion cover band gigs.

My other tube amps: Carvin X-100B, XV-212, X-60A, Trace Elliot Velocette, Randall RT-30, Red Bear MKE-60, Sovtek MIG-50, Hughes & Kettner.

I've owned, had access to, or played through regularly: Fender Twin Amp, Marshall JMP-50, Marshall JTM-60, Mesa/Boogie Mark IV.

My other Solid State amps: Roland BC-30 (blues cube). Had an old Carvin SX-100... the one with the grey carpet covering before they added digital fx.

Comparing the old SX to the new SX: Cleans are very similar. The gain on the old one had more character, but not so good with low end. The newer one seems to handle low end much better, but at the expense of character...

Wish it had: sweepable mid instead of a "blues" switch. Punchier, tighter low end. A different volume curve that would make it easier to get practice volumes... it goes from nothing to loud with the tiniest trun of the knob. If you play with it a bit, you can dial in a low volume, but it's tricky to do and you will probably have awakened the household in the process.

All in all, for $279 new, what can you expect? It's certainly as good as anything else out there at this price point and probably better than many amps twice its price. I'm sure the clean channel with a tube screamer will sound great... I just haven't gone there yet... and my observations that I am sharing here are based on a guitar plugged straight into the SX200c.

New 2005 model. Fairly versatile. I play Rock music and it suits my needs. This is a 2 channel amp with one overdrive channel and one clean channel. I use the clean channel with a processor in front of it. I play a Strat and an Ovation. It sounds good for both. This amp is very loud. I dont have to turn it up past 3. The speakers seem pretty solid. I am also running a JBL 15 extension cabinet, it helps with the low end for my acoustic. It has some effects and a mid scoop button but since I am using a processor I dont really have any use for them. I bought it for a good loud clean channel and it is working very well for this purpose. My friend played through it awhile strait signal and he said it sounds very good for a 300 dollar amp.

As I said I play a Strat with standard pickups and an ovation. It is a little noisy but it isnt too bad, not as bad as most tube amps. It is capable of a variety of sounds from metal to blues to clean acoustic tones.

I havent had it long enough to comment. My friend has had a Carvin 100 watt tube head for about 5 years now and he hasent had any problems with it at all. We also have Carvin power amps and speakers on the PA and in about 9 years we have had absolutely no reason to even talk to customer service. I am hoping I have the same luck with this amp.

Havent had a reasn to contact customer support.

I have a 1 year warranty.

I have been playing music for about 35 years now. I started with drums and in the past 5 years I have picked up guitar and bass by necessity because I wanted to produce my own music in my studio. It is much easier to play it myself rather that have to teach it to someone else. I have a few people I work with but I do most of it myself. This is a very loud, clean amp with a good feature set. for 300 dollars it is a very good buy. I am very happy so far. It isnt a Soldano or Marshal but you cant get one of those in this price range. I chose this amp because it gives me the power I needed to jam with my friends or even to do a show and it didnt break the bank. If money were no object I would have opted for something a little more high end but for me right now I think I have a solid amp that will last me a while.