THD Univalve

MtB · January 2017

They were all the rage 15 years or so ago. Was it any good? What would it compare to in today's market?

simonk · January 2017

Most boring and lifeless amp I've ever owned TBH - couldn't wait to shift it.

ICBM · January 2017

It was at the beginning of the return to retro-inspired power valve overdrive sounds, after the 80s and 90s preamp-distortion era. The selling point was that it would take any power valve type, so you could use different ones to get different 'flavours'.

The only problem was that it just sounded slightly differently bland and lifeless no matter what you put in it.

It did also probably start the craze for 'lunchbox' amps, which is still with us.

Moe_Zambeek · January 2017

I really disliked it - I found it clangy and metallic sounding, and it sounded essentially the same regardless of the power tube.

they were the second coming of the Lord according to the press at the time, too.

MtB · January 2017

"they were the second coming of the Lord according to the press at the time, too."

^^^^ Exactly this, I remember reading many of the magazine reports, and GAS'ed for one (out of my price range back then).

Winny_Pooh · January 2017

They had such positive press at the time, so basically lying to readers is all I can conclude.

FreddieVanHalen · January 2017

Jesus, they weren't that bad! I've still got mine and rather like it.

They can be trebly, I find running it at louder settings helps quite a bit. Also maxing the bass control and reduce the attack a bit can warm it up, or even (god forbid) using the tone control on the guitar.

FreddieVanHalen · January 2017

MtB said:

"they were the second coming of the Lord according to the press at the time, too."

^^^^ Exactly this, I remember reading many of the magazine reports, and GAS'ed for one (out of my price range back then).

I wonder if we'll be saying this about Carr / Lazy J / Louis Electric / Friedman in about 10 years time?

Amps seem to be more faddy than diets...

mrleon83 · January 2017

I used one for overdubs about 10 years ago .. was good what was needed and cut through the mix incredibly .. bloody loud too ...

digitalscream · January 2017

Never tried either, but the Jet City Picovalve is supposed to be designed by Mr THD and based on the Univalve design. You can probably pick one up for about £100 second hand.

stickyfiddle · January 2017

I don't think it's fair to say reviews were lying, but it is true that tastes change, and trends come and go.

I can totally imagine that, to a jobbing journalist tasked with demoing gear and recording clips to go in a regular magazine, stuff like the Univalve and Cornford Harlequin must've been amazing coming from 20 years of your only options being big loud stuff like JCMs and AC30s.

But makers have improved on those ideas and made newer amps since that make them look a bit meh today.

ICBM · January 2017

stickyfiddle said:

I can totally imagine that, to a jobbing journalist tasked with demoing gear and recording clips to go in a regular magazine, stuff like the Univalve and Cornford Harlequin

To be fair, they do sound better than a Harlequin...

ourmaninthenorth · January 2017

FreddieVanHalen said:

Jesus, they weren't that bad! I've still got mine and rather like it.

They can be trebly, I find running it at louder settings helps quite a bit. Also maxing the bass control and reduce the attack a bit can warm it up, or even (god forbid) using the tone control on the guitar.

Exactly my experience...

I sold it when I bought a Matamp C7...one of their finest hours to my ears.

MtB · January 2017

@ourmaninthenorth I chose the Matamp C7 over the Univalve.

FreddieVanHalen · January 2017

I chose both so I win :-)

Moe_Zambeek · January 2017

I had a C7 for a while, with their attenuator. And a C15-proto octal preamp combo thing too. Both better than the THD, but both ultimately sold as well. The C7 lacked top end and the C15 had waaaaaayyyy too much metallic kerrang.

MtB · January 2017

I sold my C7 after a couple of years, only to move on to a 1224Mk2 a further couple of years down the line.

Rocker · January 2017

The Harlequin was an amp that I tried out but did not like. Crikey that was over 15 years ago! Never ever saw a THD Univalve so cannot comment on it.

ourmaninthenorth · January 2017

MtB said:

I sold my C7 after a couple of years, only to move on to a 1224Mk2 a further couple of years down the line.

I too had a 1224, a mk1...dressed up to look like a Series 2000. I sold both the C7 and the 1224 to go down the Matchless route. In hindsight, I wish I'd have kept hold of the 1224...not to say there was anything wrong with what came after, far from it...just that I had a real soft spot for the Matamp, that became softer after it left.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/williams123_photo/DSCF0231.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/williams123_photo/DSCF0432-1.jpg

MtB · January 2017

Likewise, I regret selling the 1224

ennspek · January 2017

A friend of mine who is a really good player loves his. Someone dropped it down two flights of a fire escape on eBay and no harm was do everything so they must be robust if nothing else.

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