Marshall DSL40CR Review

monquixote · May 2021

This isn't intended so much as a review as the information I wish I had before making my purchase.

I bought this amp a couple of weeks ago when my SD Powerstage 170 went pop. I had previously been using a GT-1000 into the a cab via the Powerstage and I decided I want something which was just one box where I just needed an amp and a cable. I don't get much time to play these days so immediacy is important.

I wouldn't have considered a DSL under normal circumstances after an experience with the original TSL at a practice room which I really didn't like at all however I heard that the new ones sounded great and fixed the reliability issue some of the earlier ones had so I thought I'd give it a try.

This is mostly going to be used at home and so the 20 watt version would have been plenty, but comparing the two the 40 is much better value:

Bigger cabinet
V-Type rather than 70/80
4 Channels rather than 2
Dual Master Volume
Dual Reverb
Twice the power

With the deal I managed to get it was only £470 rather than £399 for the 20 so it seems like a no brainer.

Even though it's twice the power the 40 watt is easier to use quietly because it has a master volume.

I've managed to get some really great sounds at fairly sensible volume levels. Also the speaker is on a flying lead with a huge array of output options which makes it very easy to use with an attenuator if you want to drive it harder, but this type of amp doesn't really need to be thrashed to within an inch of it's life to sound good so it's not really necessary.

This version doesn't seem to have the problem of channels all having wildly different volumes and eq that you hear about from earlier versions.

The amp has 2 channels each with 2 modes for a total of 4 sounds.

From doing a bit of digging the DSL is quite similar to a JCM800 2204 circuit and so all of the sounds are variations on that theme. I won't bother trying to do a demo as this one from Peach shows it far better than I ever could.

Clean

This gets described by Marshall as being like a plexi, but it's really not. Apparently it adds a fixed Fender tone stack to the front of the circuit which drops the gain considerably. As a result it's a kind of Fender / Marshall hybrid in sound and is extremely impressive. I'd happily play a funk / R&B gig with this channel.

Because of the extra bass it gets a bit flubby if you wind it up, but it takes pedals (especially fuzz) very well.

Crunch

This is basically the 2204 channel. As such it sounds great for some classic rock fun and games and is perfect for all of your AC/DC needs. I could happily live on this channel. Like a real 800 it doesn't have that much gain and needs an overdrive to tighten up and get really full on hair metal. I think the 20w is missing this channel which would instantly rule it out for me.

OD1

This adds an additional gain stage and tightens up the bass so it essentially sounds like what people tend to think a JCM800 sounds like and is very similar to the Crunch channel with a pedal in front. It is a little bit "nice" so you might be better off with an SD1 in front of the Crunch channel if you want to get your Zakk Wylde on.

OD2

This adds more gain again and more mids. I don't really get this channel. It's supposedly the modern metal, but it really sounds like that horrible over gained, lardy pub rock lead tone that I associated with the TSL, or some Blackstar lead channels.. I don't even like it when Jack plays it so I don't think it's just because I haven't dialed it in properly.

The Reverb is a digital room type and is quite subtle. It's perfectly fine, but I've ended up using the much better verbs on the GT-1000.

One thing that's really impressive is that the 4 channels remember the state of which of the two masters and FX loop have been associated and so with the optional 6 button footswitch and a delay pedal you really could have an all in one solution that would cover pretty much any pub gig. It also has MIDI which makes it ideal for integrating with a Multi FX like the GT-1000.

One thing to note is that the FX loop is before the EQ section which means it's not ideal for use with modellers. It does have a aux in, but that's on a 3.5mm connector so I wouldn't really trust it for a gig.

Overall I've been hugely impressed. It very much feels like Marshalls answer to an HRD and at the price you can sometimes find it, it really is a bargain.

Stratavarious · May 2021

Agree. Was out playing mine tonight... The crunch channel kills.

Great value live amp. I use the 6 button switch.

rockmonster · June 2021

I have the 100HR and think it’s massively underrated. I don’t dislike OD2 but it does need the masters up to about half way for it to come into its own. Also the gain only needs to be just over half way (2 o clock at the most) for it to really work well (50 or 100 setting). I picked it up really cheap new, sold it, missed it and bought it back from the same guy on this very forum! It’s now a keeper and at these prices you can’t go wrong. I actually fancy getting the 40 combo too! Although I think Marshall missed a trick by not selling a 40HR head.

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Marshall DSL40CR Review

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