PRS HDRX 50 - 50-watt Tube Head Reviews
Back in 2018, Paul Reed Smith and PRS Amp Designer Doug Sewell got their hands on Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock-era amplifier — a late-'60s British non-master-volume model. After meticulously studying the original amp's circuitry, PRS retooled and refined it, giving rise to the HDRX 50. This amplifier head features a period-correct tube configuration, along with a custom-designed output transformer that captures the flexibility, power, and balance of the original. The HDRX 50 not only delivers the vaunted dynamic range that British non-master-volume amps are renowned for, but it also includes a contemporary power supply and filament design to safeguard against unwanted hum and hiss. You'll appreciate the HDRX 50's streamlined control layout, and its internally bridged channels eliminate the need for external jumping. If you desire an authentic non-master-volume playing experience but value the convenience and improved sonics of a modern amp, the PRS HDRX 50 was tailor-made for you.
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As low as $96/month
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Highest Rated Reviews
Grail?
I cannot hardly count the number of amps I've owned over the last 50+ years. I have long wanted a single best amp for "that" sound I hear in my head, namely some of the tones heard on the Allman Bros Live at the Filmore East recordings. I rarely play live anymore and when I do, I use a Kemper straight into the PA. HOWEVER, in the studio, which is the vast majority of my playing, I don't need a rig that I can change sounds on the fly. I can tweak my amp for the specific clean/grit/crunch/strong gain sound I want for a specific track. This amp has no footswitching to go from clean to dirty. This is NOT a one trick pony, however. I can get pretty much everything I want short of over-the-top metal gain (which I have a Soldano for that) by adjusting the amp for a given track.
I play through a vintage 4 x 12" greenback Marshall cab or through an Ox box for silent recording. The sound coming from this thing inspires me to just play and play and play...I feel like a kid again. So touch responsive. Set to medium gain, just rolling back my guitar's volume from 10 to 7 and it cleans up dramatically. Finally, for the studio, this amp has an insanely low noise floor for a tube amp. Not cheap, but quality usually isn't. Far, far nicer sound than any stock Marshall I've ever played. Save your pennies and buy it.
This amp is alive and amazing!
I've owned just about every amp worth owning: vintage fenders, two rock, bogners, etc… this amp blows me away. It's full and bright and the notes just seem to jump off! I set it to a clean w little breakup and then push it with a bogner burnly and bk butler tube driver. Other than my 1959 Tweed Deluxe I think it's the best amp i've ever played. Definitely more versatile than the tweed 5E3. I'm using a prs 2x12 cabinet loaded w 1975 celestions.
