Metropoulos Forum

We are officially in production now and the first amp is shipping this week. Been a year+ in the making.



george

Well George...I believe you've got a big winner here as far as rock amps go. As expected, you put a lot of heart and soul in creating the Metro-Plex. One of my favorite parts of this amp is how you adjusted the Mid Control circuit to behave the way it does now.

Full Speed Ahead...

Sounds great, brother George!

Dude that sounds seriously good !

Love the variac and 50 watt mode .
And the loop sounds super clean.


Question.
What kind of tubes need to be used since I'm assuming it's around 500v in high power mode?
Are you using plain Jane JJ EL34's?
Can they take 500v ?


Really looking forward to playing this amp.

Is that your standard metro loop?
Hate that regular plexis don't have a loop

As soon as you started playing I knew I was going to like it. It just has that sweet plexi tone even in modded mode. I feel like this is what other modded marshall type amps miss. They try to give you too much gain... I feel like you hit the sweet spot between a plexi and ultra high-gain modded marshall. Love it.

Velva wrote:I feel like this is what other modded marshall type amps miss. They try to give you too much gain... I feel like you hit the sweet spot between a plexi and ultra high-gain modded marshall. Love it.

I agree totally!

Many thanks! I really labored over the voicing of this amp. Every time I thought I was close I went back to the '68 and got my ears right again. LOL

The tubes are Mullard reissue, but I'm having Laura at Valve Queen (highly recommended) screen, test and burn them in. Both pre and power.

B+ is around 485V in normal mode. I forget where the variac mode landed, to be honest. It's about 100V less when I crank the bias to about 50mA.

Standard metro loop. I added one resistor so we can switch between line and pedal level. We've been installing opposing zeners on the send FET too, for extra protection.

I hope this does hit the "just right" level of extra gain. I agree with you guys, it can only go so far before it loses the plexi thing. Way back when I was dreaming this amp up I thought about using the AFD/SIR type of mod. But, I tried that and it just didn't work for me. Hopefully, this is a different approach to wind up with about that level of extra gain. Not to mention better master and EQ circuits.

Thanks for listening!

george

VelvetGeorge wrote: Laura at Valve Queen (highly recommended)

I just checked this out. Definitely will go this route next time. Prices and tube filtering is on par with the best of them. Plus, if you recommend them...well...it's a no-brainer

Great video and demonstration George. I sent it to several player friends and they all agreed if they wanted an ultimate Marshall plexi type amp for touring and all around use that they would choose the Metro-Plex.
The features of the mid and presence controls is terrific!
The variac and 50 watt mode are killer as well.
For all plexi lovers at heart this would be the only choice for that sound and a modded tone.
Everything sounds right about this amp.
Good speaker choice for the demo, he he (I chose the Creamback G12H-75's for my True Replica cab!)
Excellent specs on the clean boost as well delivering all one would need from that feature.
I know I have said this for years about you George, but you really do reinvent the perfect mousetrap every time and have excelled yourself with this project.
This slays Marshall's YJM which to my ears is their best new product and this amp is built to be bulletproof, excellent channel and loop switching, plus a switch for rack level and pedal level is so versatile.
It is extremely difficult to come up with a totally new amp in this field and this you have managed.
The versatility and brilliant tone in all modes let's one lose the boost and distortion pedals, the built in tone is that good!
This amp is competitively priced in the marketplace and for those who love a true plexi tone plus some hair on it as you say, they can do no better than to purchase this amp.
Here is wishing you the best of success with this amazing new project and congratulations on coming up with a totally usable amp in any situation form bedroom to stage!
yngwie308

Alright George, you have peaked my interest. But.....

I need to hear/see a clip of this amp with greenbacks, variac, all on 10... Van Halen! Can it do it? Let hear it man....

Thanks Dave!


Motrock: it has that brown sound in there, I just don't have the chops to showcase it. I tell my hands to shred, they just don't cooperate. Lol


Here's some different shredding, not brown sound but at least it's not my same three riffs again.

VelvetGeorge wrote:Thanks Dave!


Motrock: it has that brown sound in there, I just don't have the chops to showcase it. I tell my hands to shred, they just don't cooperate. Lol


Here's some different shredding, not brown sound but at least it's not my same three riffs again.

The amp has had nothing but glowing praise from all corners George. I am well pleased for you. Since you helped create many major boutique amps yet with versatile practicality the Metro-Plex is the logical culmination of all your hard work and ideas over the past few years!
Thank you George you still are and always will be the best!!
yngwie308 (Dave)

yngwie308 wrote:The amp has had nothing but glowing praise from all corners George. I am well pleased for you. Since you helped create many major boutique amps yet with versatile practicality the Metro-Plex is the logical culmination of all your hard work and ideas over the past few years!
Thank you George you still are and always will be the best!!
yngwie308 (Dave)

You always, and very eloquently, say the nicest things... and deservingly so

Many, many thanks!

Here's a new clip. Just a quick one.





george