In 1996, a little company called Line 6
came along with the AxSys 212—a 100-
watt 2x12 combo amp loaded with a heap
of sounds courtesy of something it called
“modeling.” A lot of people were skeptical of
its promise to be a veritable Swiss Army Knife
of amplification with its digital simulations of
iconic tube amps, but the AxSys survived and
Line 6 went on to help set the standard for
high-quality and authentic-sounding digital
modeling amps. Even if Line 6 hasn’t converted
everyone to its visionary idea of being able
to get a multitude of incredible tones out of
one box, it has pretty much proved all skeptics
wrong. Today, Line 6 is a huge entity to
be reckoned with, and the products that have
followed in the AxSys 212’s wake—including
the Pod and Amp Farm computer software—
have continued to position Line 6 among the
leaders of the digital amp-modeling pack.
One of the biggest gripes among amp-modeling
skeptics over the years has been the
lack of realistic power-tube feel and response
in modeling amps. So, in 2007, Line 6
collaborated with legendary tube-amp guru
Reinhold Bogner to introduce the Spider Valve
amp line, which married Bogner-designed
6L6-based tube circuitry to Line 6’s amp modeling
and digital effects programs. Now, Line 6
has introduced the new DT50 line of 50-watt,
two-channel amps co-designed by Bogner.
Without scores of onboard digital effects, the
DT50s ostensibly offer a simpler path to classic,
authentic tube tones, response, and feel—everything from clean Fender and Vox flavors
to high-gain Marshall tones. We were lucky
enough to have a turn with the most basic version
in the line, the DT50 1x12 combo.
Deceptively Traditional
Removing the DT50 112 from its shipping
box involved a small struggle, because this
thing leans a bit toward the heavy side.
But I soon found its bulk translates to big
tones, too. That’s because the cabinet is
pretty big for a 1x12 amplifier. At about
22" x 26" x 10 1/2", it’s roughly the size of
a 2x12 Fender Twin Reverb. And it’s built
like a rock and feels exceptionally road
ready, too. (Line 6’s Marc Block responds,
“This is what one might call an oversized
1x12, which greatly contributes to the big
tones. Players have consistently commented
on the fact that this sounds so much larger
than a 1x12. What the user gets in trade
for a relatively large 1x12 combo is a sound
that begins to approach the girth of a 4x12
cab—especially when paired with voicing
IV. The weight is actually 63.1 pounds,
which is commensurate with the lightest
Twins but lighter than the heavier Twins—
and an AC30 is over 70 pounds.”)
With its black vinyl covering and generally
unadorned appearance, the DT50 has an appealingly
traditional look compared to some of the
more radically styled Line 6 amps. A peek inside
the back reveals other old-fashioned elements,
too: pairs of 12AX7 preamp and EL34 power
tubes, along with a Celestion 12" speaker.
Operating the DT50 is simple enough on
the surface. You plug directly into a High (for
standard-level guitars) or Low (for high-output
pickups) input and fire it up. Each channel’s
knobs are arranged in a horizontal configuration
with familiar controls for Volume, Bass, Mid,
Treble, Presence, Reverb, and Volume. However,
the outward simplicity of the DT50 belies some
very sophisticated capabilities. The amp has
four topologies that are selectable via a frontpanel
toggle. Each has an entirely different basic
voice. Topology I is classic American clean (like
a 1960s blackface Fender), II serves up British
crunch similar to a Marshall, III offers Vox-like
class-A chime, and IV proffers modern gain patterned
after a Mesa/Boogie or Bogner.
One of the more interesting things that may
impress even hardcore modeling skeptics is that
switching between the topologies changes both
the amp’s tube and digital modeling configurations:
When you switch between them you can
actually
hear a little click as the analog parts
move inside. What’s doubly cool is that you
can assign any voicing to either channel—or
even the same one to both channels. For
instance, you could assign voicing IV to both
channels and fine-tune the individual channels
to switch between gritty and grittier sounds,
or apply voicing I to one channel and voicing
III to the other and switch between classic
Fender-y and Vox-ish clean tones.
Another feature that distinguishes the
DT50 from other modeling amps is the ability
to switch between class A and class AB
and
pentode or triode power-tube operation—for
each channel. And, again, all of this involves
instant reconfigurations of the analog power
section, which is completely independent
of the modeling side of things. Just as you’d
expect, class A feels more responsive and
breaks up earlier, while class AB offers more
clean headroom. Similarly, pentode mode
offers a powerful, clear, more modern sound,
whereas triode mode sounds smoother and
rounder for a more vintage-type tone.
The channels can be switched via the
front-panel toggle or a standard footswitch
with a 1/4" plug (not included). The fact that
each channel also remembers its last topology—
including the class and Pentode/Triode
settings—is very convenient.
Adding to its convenience and flexibility,
the DT50 also has a low-volume mode
intended for small clubs or late-night practicing.
This is activated by pulling out the
Master Volume knob. At low volumes in this
mode, the digital processor is responsible for
a large percentage of the tone, but as you
turn up the volume the analog components
increasingly take over—which translates to
more enjoyable tone as you increase the dBs.
Other features include MIDI input and
output jacks, a cabinet-simulating XLR direct
out for recording without having to mic the
amp, a serial effects loop with a Level knob,
and dual-XLR L6 Link jacks for connecting
to any of Line 6’s POD HD multi-effects
processors. One advantage of the latter is that
you can pair any POD HD preset with the
DT50’s analog components to avail yourself
of a lot more than just four tones.
Everything Is Illuminated
To test the DT50, I used a 1960 Gibson
Les Paul Historic. When I switched on the
DT50, I was pleasantly surprised to see that
each control’s label was illuminated—which
is definitely handy when you’re playing on
a dark stage. It also eased my apprehension
about navigating a fairly busy control panel.
Thankfully, the DT50 comes with a handy
removable reference sheet that logically details
the different functions.
Being a big blackface fan, I first tried
Topology I, the classic American clean sound.
While the DT50 didn’t quite have the intangible
magic of an old Fender Deluxe Reverb, it
was thick, warm, and spongy—and the springreverb
modeling sounded quite realistic.
The other three topologies—crunch (II),
bright clean (III), and high-gain (IV)—were
strikingly distinctive. Crunch mode, with its
touch-sensitive bark, was particularly inspiring.
The bright clean sound was appropriately jangly,
but could also be a hair strident. Switching
to the high-gain setting almost resulted in a
Back to the Future moment—like the scene
where one chord from a giant stack propels
Marty McFly across a room. (Note to self:
Always lower the Master Volume when switching
between topologies.) With the volume
adjusted, the high-gain voicing was appropriately
pulverizing. On all of the voicings, the
amp was least dynamic in low-volume mode,
but this is often true even of classic all-tube
designs. And this mode still provides a great
tone for practicing.
The Verdict
The Line 6 DT50 112 is a smart new amp that
successfully merges valve power and modeling
technology. It offers a wide assortment of usable
tones in a single package, as well as the capacity
to communicate with external gear for impressive
flexibility. While the DT50 won’t necessarily
replace a fine collection of vintage valve amps,
it costs a fraction of the price of said collection,
sounds great in its own right, and would excel in
almost any performance situation.
Buy if...
tube amps are your first love but
you need a broad tonal palette and
a lot of flexibility in one amp.
Skip if...
you’ve got a studio full of old tube
amps and don’t play out much.
Rating...
