Just wanted to add, I have the Origin 20 Combo and the DSL 20CR. I find the DSL20 has either not enough gain on the clean channel or WAY too much on the dirty. So don't do what I did and be tempted by the DSL 20. My plan is to sell both and get the SV20 and figure out an affordable way to attenuate it. Im hoping for the Boss TAE but between the both of them its a $4k purchase (i.e. NOT affordable).. The SV20 appears to cover most of the ground you are talking about. The SC20 seems a bit thin on the Classic Rock sound.
Wow, I remember watching these when they came out. But I'd heard so many demos, badly done and not so badly done, that I didn't really notice the differences. The 20 watters are worlds apart. I remember the raging debate was wether the Origin was muddy, or the DSL was shrill.... kinda a mute point tbh, depends what appeals to you. The 50s aren't so different until they up the drive, and crank em. Still, its horses for courses as to what you like better. They just voiced differently. Both sound great though
Never played an Origin in person. In recordings they always sound to have dulled highs to me, like they are being recorded behind a heavy blanket. DSL's tend to have the opposite problem, having too much going on up top without thick mids.
I'd have an Origin with good OD over a DSL any day. With Barber Direct Drive Compact the Origin came close to sounding like my Studio Vintage. Never heard a DSL I liked.
It isn't only that dull thing with the Origins, but they also seem to not have any headroom, depth, or girth. I was actually considering getting one of those at one point when they were on sale (cheap!), but the more I listened the less I liked the sound of them. Then I saw someone trying to work out a schematic for an Origin to help in starting on some mods, and seeing how they are built along with the other current production mass produced Marshall amps sent me elsewhere. And as far as I know, a schematic never was worked out.
I really don't understand why the Green Crunch channel gets the short end of the stick on all the DSL models (in recent years) at 20 watts and under. Same issue with DSL20 Same issue with DSL 15 Same issue with DSL5 Same issue with DSL1 Everybody who I know who has ever gigged with DSLs sets the amp up for Green crunch, Red for leads or heavy stuff, and rolls off at the guitar for cleans and gooses either gain setting with pedals if need be. Why would Marshall take out the most versatile and classic sound setting on the amp for the lower watt models?? If anything they should be dropping Red2 (no offense Wedge!)
I actually had the DSL40 and sold it and bought the Origin20 instead. Im used to play through 2203 and 2204, plexi heads and wanted a small combo to drag around. Got a good deal on an DSL40 and tryed it some months but could not get used to it..the sound and growl just wasnt right. much happier with the Origin and some pedals.
My 2 cents worth: I use a DSL40 and a DSL20 in my setup and absolutely love these amps! My son has an Origin 50 and he loves it. In short: If you want amp distortion over pedal distortion, like I do, then the DSL amp is what you want. You can get great sound without any effects plugging directly into the amp. A good choice if you want a very simple setup. If you want pedal distortion, go with the Origin. My son plays blues and classic rock and prefers the pedal distortion. With a Strat and variety of pedals, he gets great SRV/Hendrix, etc. tone. My DSL40 and DSL20 are in a stereo setup using the 4CM and a Line 6 Helix. The DSL40 acts as the pre-amp for both channels and the power amp for the left channel. The DSL 20 is essentially a power amp for the right channel, as I plug into its effects return in lieu of the input on the front. I get great cleans to nasty ODs at manageable volumes and can also drown out a drummer if they get too unruly! You can add more headroom using pre-amp modeling in the effects loop, which I know sounds a little ridiculous but used subtly and judiciously gives you a really nice full sound. If you end up with a DSL40, invest in a MIDI Commander pedal instead of the 6 button Marshall foot switch. The Marshall foot switch does not work well and is quite frustrating. MIDI commander allows you to reliably switch between the 4 preamp channels: clean, crunch, OD1, and OD2, as well as between the master volumes and the effects loop. This thread has the MIDI configuration needed to set up MIDI commander, or any MIDI controller for that matter. To me, the Origin is a *very* loud, unwieldy amp, even on its lowest power setting. It is also, like stated earlier in this thread, a one trick pony. I could never quite get the sound I wanted out of it. IMHO the DSL40 is much more versatile, especially if you are trying to play a variety of musical styles, i.e., from Hendrix to EVH.
A schematic indeed was worked out, and it's a simple, classic build. Nothing off putting to me. Unlike certain elements of the studios. :-/
The origin sound lovely, but is much more limited to one specific sound i think.. The DSL seems to be winning. I really like amp distortion, but i dont mind using pedals and effects to get there. I already have the pedals so im not gonna throw them away or something like that. But i always get a origin later too
I had an original dsl40 combo, it did everything, but i found the gain fizzy (i guess they fixed that with the new CRs).., but it did most things realy well, without putting pedals in front of it. loved the clean channel. I sold it and afterwards learned there was a simple mod to fix the fizzy. i like the versitility of a head more than a combo for carrying and swaping speaker configurations.. last year i bought the Origin 20..i do love it alot. if you like using pedals, you can make it sound like anything. cranking it gives you more of a vintage Marshall sound and attenuating it keeps the volume down. i put a Katzenkonig in front of it and light overdrive to heavy gooey gain is possible. for versitlity, go DSL , but for simplicity, the Origin will be more of the classice bluesbreaker tones that you can add on to.. if you like lotsa clean headroom, go for the 50 watt
I used to be hung up on wanting to get all my gain from my amp. Then I built a 2204 clone and while I thought it was cool it wasnt great. Then I boosted it with a TS9 and bam, there was the tone Ive been searching for all my life. Ive since found that I can get boosted tone out of almost any marshall but it actually sounds better to me out of the simple single channel amps. Most of my favorite players used pedals and/or modded amps which to me is the same thing so I dont know why I ever got hung up on all the distortion needing to come from the amp. I guess maybe keeping up with the joneses. I made the same mistake with rack gear in the early 90's and was unhappy with it. I love my or20h. Works great with my pedals and I can do it at non hearing damaging volumes.
Mostly just pots tbh, they're the same as the DSL type, but are the thin cheap ones, and aid prefer something a bit more substantial if I'm paying double. The caps aren't special or anything either, so maybe some of those too. Layout wise there's not much between em. I bet an Origin can be tweaked enough to get there too. But, well, man power is a bit more expensive in the UK. ;-) I have just been asked for a full schematic on another thread. And I will oblige. Now I have compiled a load of separate sheets of paper with most of the various sections on. But although I've put them all together on a fuller schematic a few times, I kept finding out something new, the more I looked the more I saw, so I kept redoing them over.... Now I have most parts, well all parts of the main signal flow, drawn up in more detail but separate, I will compile it all together and put that up. I've just got work for a few hours now, but should sort something out for tomorrow.
I also suspect that the Origin could be modded to be a nice sounding amp. Definitely props for working on the schematic.
Origin all the way man. Its more reliable and the DSL is more modern sounding. I have had both and still own the Origin!
