MG100HFX Review

This amp covers a pretty wide range of sounds very well. This head is superior to Line 6, Marshall combos.

Features:	10
Sound:	10
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	7.5
Reviewer rating:	10
Users rating:	4.9
Votes:	37

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 09, 2011

Price paid: $ 400

Purchased from: Guitar center

Features: This is the *new* MG series head. I was discouraged by several reviews of the MG100HDFX (previous generation) head, and was searching for something to play with thru a 4X12, rather than using my JVM all the time for practice to save tube time. I love the 4X12 cab sound! OK, having seen several YouTube vids, I thought of giving this head a try.

After a little research, I found this to be a very versatile head with features such as:
- Line in for practice
- Headphone out
- fxLoop
- Commonly used effects - phaser, flanger, chorus
- Reverb, and delay
- 2 channels - two modes each, covering ground from clean to blues to rock to metal

This I found the only head with a CD-line in, and a headphone out, which can be invaluable for practice. Overall a very versatile amp! // 10

Sound: I play a 59 Reissue Les Paul through this head, into a 4X12 loaded with Vintage 30s. (I use this for practice, trying to save tube time on my JVM410H). I play mostly rock and metal - 80s-90s-present. Likes include Ozzy, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Malmsteen, Dio, Europe, Santana, Gary Moore, etc...

I've had it for over a month, and here's my opinion of the sound quality.

Clean channel: is awesome to say the least. Wonderful tones with a touch of reverb and they seem to have a 3D quality to them.

Crunch channel: I've been able to get very dynamic response and awesome bluesy tones from the crunch channel.

OD1 channel: Although it did't happen easily, but I managed to get fat and alive tones from this channel. I simply love it now!

OD2 channel: I found nice for legato playing and shredding. Gain comes easily on this channel, but it is a little compressed. Still sounds really great, with a bit of delay it is nice for solos and shredding.

There's a slight noise on this channel but hardly noticeable even at bedroom levels how I use it. If you scoop the mids, and increase the bass and treble, the OD2 channel sails easily into territories of modern metal.

ONE secret: DO NOT dime the gain! I use the gain knob on most of my settings around 1-2O'clock!

TWO secret: DO NOT believe dumbasses who simply puke at the name of "MG" series. Trust me, I was shying away from this amp too, but this *new* series MG100HFX simply rocks and sounds fantastic. For the purpose of practice, and avoiding tube time and maintenance, it is a great choice.

THREE secret: Switch to manual mode and tweak the knobs. DO NOT dime the treble! I don't understand why some people do that. You'll find the sound in your head!

If you are after a tube amp, get a tube amp! If you're after a great sounding versatile head through which you can practice on a 4X12, this is an excellent choice. I have other tube Marshalls, and you can trust my opinion. My rating is based on the fact - this is not a tube amp, and it is no JVM! BUT it is excellent sounding solid state head with nice features reverb, delay and effects. // 10

Reliability & Durability: No issues so far. Seems well made and superior to the previous MG series. Seems to have a thump reduction circuitry which prevents that sound when you power on/off the amp. Based on the sound quality I can get out of this, I can gig with it without a backup, though I can use my tube Marshalls for this! // 10

Impression: Excellent choice for the price, for the purpose of practice thru a 4X12 with intention to reduce tube maintenance. Great sounding amp does clean thru metal, modern metal styles.

I've been playing for around 20 years, and have a couple of Les Pauls, one of which is a 59 Reissue, and a truckload of pedals, some Marshall tube amps - JVM410H and AFD100. I did not find a similar great sounding amp which had effects loop, headphone and aux (CD) in. These features are awesome for practice.

You can also connect your external effects processors/pedals straight into the effects return of this head - i.e. just using the power-amp section of this head. This makes the processors/pedals sound absolutely stunning. Try it out, you might like what you hear. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: JStraitiff, on may 03, 2011

Price paid: $ 359.99

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I play progressive metal, so I need a pretty wide range of sounds. This amp covers them very well. The amp has 4 channels: Clean, Crunch, Overdrive 1 and Overdrive 2. I tend to use clean and Overdrive 1 most of the time. OD1 has a nice full sound to it unlike many overdrives. It provides plenty of gain for those metal riffs I need. Clean channel with some reverb and delay makes for a nice soft tone. The crunch channel sounds nice too, however I haven't found use for it yet. The OD2 channel is too trashy for me. Sounds way too muffled and unclear for my taste (Though I'm sure it would be the preferred setting for some of those hardcore players or something).

The footswitch is helpful beyond belief. Find the settings you want and store them to a button and you're ready to go. Quick switching between parts. As many may know prog metal can go from a really hard riff to a clean part within seconds. It has an effects loop which I have tried and it works well, however since buying this amp I haven't found that I use any of my pedals anymore. I find that they all dirty up the tone in a way that I don't like (With the exception of my multi effects unit). There is a 1/8" headphone jack, 2 speaker jacks, MP3 line in. The built in effects seem to work pretty well, however they are too simplified. I prefer to control the timing of the flanger and delays etc more precisely than with a knob. I use this amp for both practices and live. The power is irrelevant because I just mic the cab into the PA. // 10

Sound: Using with EMG 81/85. It isn't really noisy at all. Clean is only distorted if you have the gain up, then it can break up on the peak of a note. I like the distortion. It suits me perfectly. I don't want a distortion that is muffled and yucky. However this amp can produce both that and a more usable distortion. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I would depend on it without backup, but for some reason I find myself concerned that the push button power will break at some point. That's most likely the same reason I don't trust push button start on a car. // 10

Impression: I've been playing for 3 years or so. This head is superior to combos I've had in the past (Line 6, Marshall). If it were stolen I would most likely buy this again unless I had more money at my disposal at the time, in which case I would probably buy a mesa/boogie Mark V. The price is great for this one. // 10

Comments

[T7E]

How could you give this shit a 10. They are CRAP man. It must be alright to you but when you buy a proper, tube or even a decent solid state, you will see how much of a waste of money this was. THere is so many better options. My friend has this and I have played it extensively and we both agree that his Orange tiny Terror is way superior. A waste

[callumbloodpuke]

T7E wrote:

How could you give this shit a 10. They are CRAP man. It must be alright to you but when you buy a proper, tube or even a decent solid state, you will see how much of a waste of money this was. THere is so many better options. My friend has this and I have played it extensively and we both agree that his Orange tiny Terror is way superior. A waste

i agree, marshalls MG series amps are appaulling to say the least, high end marshalls are usually good but their cheaper amps aren't worth the money. and regardless of how good anything is - it never deserves 10 for every field

[Pat_s1t]

I can't even fathom why anyone would pay for anything from the MG series over 15 or 30w. They're supposed to be practice amps (and not even very good ones), and this was only put out to make a beginner have the illusion of a great tone because he has a stack. Also, straight 10s, seriously? I wouldn't give anything short of a $4000 amp a straight 10, and even then it would have to be one versatile and durable amp. This review is just so wrong, on so many levels.

[Vampire_Prince]

the f*ck... peavey vypyr 120 valve head FTW!!

[Creeping_Kwano]

joined today, been playing for 3 years, has owned a line 6 (probably a spider) and another marshall (definatly an mg)
terrible review, prepare to get flamed

[Creeping_Kwano]

Creeping_Kwano wrote:

joined today, been playing for 3 years, has owned a line 6 (probably a spider) and another marshall (definatly an mg)
terrible review, prepare to get flamed

EDIT joined this year

[grohl1987]

How the hell does even a complete newbie come to the conclusion that an MG + EMGs = 10/10 sound? In fact, hwo can you say you've found no use for one of the channels and don't like the effects' controls but still give features 10/10?

This might well be the most herp derp review on this site.

[FireFromTheVoid]

The OD2 channel sounds trashy.
You say it doesn't take pedals well.
The built-in FX are to simplified.
The clean channel breaks up on the peak of notes.
You concerned about the durability of the power button.
And if you had the money you would buy a better amp.

Yea I'd give that straight 10s too.

[Lord_Doku]

These would only be considered good if they were priced $50 along with the cab.

[Deth Rake]

FireFromTheVoid wrote:

The OD2 channel sounds trashy.
You say it doesn't take pedals well.
The built-in FX are to simplified.
The clean channel breaks up on the peak of notes.
You concerned about the durability of the power button.
And if you had the money you would buy a better amp.

Yea I'd give that straight 10s too.

It's funny cos it's true.
The MG series just taint Marshall's name

[zirkonflex]

I don't think it derserves all the ass its getting.
Had one (old series) since my beginning days, and I still (rarely) use it besides my engl and Lee Jackson ... its allright for the money, just don't buy any low-priced cab.

[ProgJazzMath]

Guys, seriously, chill with the flame. For the money you pay for this amp, it's pretty damn good. I was in a band with a guy who had one, and it didn't sound half bad. Honestly, I'd give it a high rating for its price range.

[Quoteman]

Guys, this amp isn't to be compared to a 3000$ amp. The amp is an amp that has a good enough tone for gigs and will pay for itself quickly, I don't see much wrong with that. Honestly, the average audience could care less.

[GezzyDiversion]

^^ Great shout.

These amps are good for low volume bedroom jams, they do lack onstage, but with the programmable footswitch, it covers a lot of ground.

Sometimes I think Peavey employees all have UG accounts and boast about the Vyper and 5150s to increase sales.

[beatreebor]

though i dont agree with the bashing of this amp. i once owned an mg50 and it has to be said, the overdrive channel is disgusting, the effects are awful, the cleans are bareable and it wasnt particularly reliable and this is just in comparison to a line 6 ux1

[Team_Snorlax]

I have A marshall MG100HDFX i got it when it first came out when it didnt have the huge ugly MG logo on it. and i love it. when they first came out they were good little amps. i dont understand all the hate. but i agree, this review doesnt deserve straight 10s.

[mcamp1230]

This reveiw made me puke

[stuman_117]

OK I have one of these exact amps and I have to say for the money It's a good amp. Of course I have a pedal board and don't use the effects pre-programed on it, the only one i use is the clean and it sounds pretty good. I have been playing for a long time and play live and it does the job well. I really am sick of all these beginners posting reviews on shit they don't know what they are talking about though.....But overall with the right board this is a good amp.

[mydian]

OMG this doesn't sound as good as a $10000 tube amp and you gave it all 10s!?!?!?!? The 12 year olds are going to be ranting about this one for days.

[Pat_s1t]

^ That doesn't even make sense.

[guy_tebache]

Noob review.

Quoteman wrote:

Guys, this amp isn't to be compared to a 3000$ amp.

But it is. Its in the review section along with all the other fantastic Valve amps. Just by being reviewed on UG you are comparing to all the other amps that have been reviewed.

I'm not saying that this amp is the crappiest amp ever, and it certainly works for a guitarist on a small budget, but to give it 10s in every section (especially when the reviewer has already found problems with tone and build quality) is kind of laughable.

[guy_tebache]

*but he is an '11er. He'll learn.

[smokedhamtaro]

Fuck you elitist bitches. The guy likes it. Get over it.

[LeakyFlask]

Smokedhamtaro owns an MG

[JStraitiff]

i was careless with the ratings. You can use your brains and just read the review to understand my grievances and likes. To touch on what someone said, I think the fact that the FX bring down the tone has more to do with the FX themselves. The one that makes it sound crappy is my boss overdrive. That pedal isnt really very good so i wouldnt rate down the amp on its account. Other FX like modulation work fine. Anyway. Do your best to ignore the number ratings and just read through. I didnt accurately judge them just because i feel words describe things better than numbers.

[atomicpunk21]

You guys seriously are idiots, this guy's review may be sorta sketchy but this amp is not "shitty" It is a great amp, have you guys ever actually messed around with it?? I thought it sucked at first, messed around with it, found perfect sound and it's my stage amp now, the down sides to it in this review do not exist, except turing gain on all the way on clean makes it distorted, thats true but no one in their right mind would turn gain up all the way on any clean amp

[notaspy2009]

My friend has one of these and I've heard him play live with it a couple of times and it sounds awesome. Im tired of all of you guys that are always saying solid state amps suck and tube amps are the only way to go. Sure, tube amps may sound better but in no way is solid state unusable like some of you make it out to be.

[MaggaraMarine]

FireFromTheVoid wrote:

The OD2 channel sounds trashy.
You say it doesn't take pedals well.
The built-in FX are to simplified.
The clean channel breaks up on the peak of notes.
You concerned about the durability of the power button.
And if you had the money you would buy a better amp.

Yea I'd give that straight 10s too.

+ 1

But I think this amp gets the hate because of its price. The head is $ 400. You need a cab too so it's like over $ 700. For that price you can get a full tube amp like Marshall Class 5 or Jet City or Blackstar HT 5.

[DrewMeyer]

MaggaraMarine wrote:

FireFromTheVoid wrote:

The OD2 channel sounds trashy.
You say it doesn't take pedals well.
The built-in FX are to simplified.
The clean channel breaks up on the peak of notes.
You concerned about the durability of the power button.
And if you had the money you would buy a better amp.

Yea I'd give that straight 10s too.


+ 1

But I think this amp gets the hate because of its price. The head is $ 400. You need a cab too so it's like over $ 700. For that price you can get a full tube amp like Marshall Class 5 or Jet City or Blackstar HT 5.

Or the blackheart little giant. Heck, you could get the black heart hansome devil 15w for less than this. This is a total waste of money. Get a good tube amp without effects, and spend more money and good effects.

[DrewMeyer]

Edit: I meant on good effects.