What! The effects are pretty nice actually. I've compared them and they hold their own with some of my bandmates pedals. The digital reverb on it awesome! Especially at higher volumes. Even the vibratone sounds really lush. Mine seems to remember the tap tempo just fine. Maybe you got a bad one.
Same. And I went into Fuse and adjusted parameters and saved so they are available as “tweaked” fx on the fly. I also set up a little wet/dry setup and put the vibratone on this and it sounds great blended with the other amp for a subtle warble.
So, what did you finally do, after Fender discontinued the amp, FUSE software, and didn't make the latest Tone software backwards compatible with the X2?
The Super Champ is one of the best amps for the money that can be found. Hands down. I have played through one many times, and have had many compliments on the tone. Remember it's in the hands & heart.
I only use the reverb/delay, just a little ambience, and mine is just fine changing channels. It goes back to exactly where it was. I've got literally a music store worth of high, high end pedals, and I LOVE this reverb/delay! It's as good as any pedal I own. Disclosure, I have the baby blue eminence equipped X2, .... it sounds much better than the Fender speaker. Killer amp.
I have this amp and I totally agree with you!! For a small amp and a tube amp too it’s great!! I think this is the best review I’ve seen on this amp! Crank it up and Rock on!!
*UPDATE* Since I made this video I have had to tighten down all the screws and I removed the metal feet in favor or some rubber ones I bought at Home Depot for $2.50. If the screws all rattle themselves loose again I’ll just add some lock-tight LOL! Still love it!!
A great review of this amp. I have the Sweetwater version with the Ragin Cajun and its also a very good amp. I do not use the effects much. I run pedals through it some, but mostly I set it on the Twin and add in a little vibro to practice some blusey stuff. The British voicing's are sweet for some rock tones. Thanks for your review.
The guy who sold me mine has a ragin cagun in his, although i use the voicings and dont want mess with those. Its a fine choice if u mainly use channel 1 though
What do you expect at that price? I just use the clean tube channel and my pedal board, the amps spring reverb is solid and the other effects dont matter. Its fine for rehearsals and smallish gigs too. Kind of silly complaints as its a solid affordable fender tube amp
Awesome review! It is 2022, and the cheapest I can find this amp (in my country) is 400-500 dlls. Would you say it is still worth it a that price? I'm debating between getting this or the blues Jr., that is roughly the same price, but this one also have a line out, and that is giving it the edge imo because I would totally benefit from going straight into the PA or FOTH and not mic-ING the amp.
I just bought the Limited edition X2 with Eminence Ragin Cajun 10" speaker. I got mine because I don't live in a place I can record a loud guitar with a mic. It's perfect for lineout recordings to the computer. Even the Fuse software (now discontinued by fender but still available and working) is awesome to create your own voices via the USB connection in the back. I feel these are good and different enough amps to become some what of a fender collectors item in the future. Well worth the 500 bucks. Grab it while you can!
I have the xd. My sweet spot is at 7ish. I picked up my scxd for $175. I did do a few changes. I put a 1058 speaker. For me that was a great upgrade. Last I put a match set of JJ’s with a bias @ 40ma. Everything you stated. I do agree with you. I use pedals so the fx is not a big deal. Great amp...this day and age I don’t need a high wattage amp. It will get a mic in front of it. Not all the time but most of the time. Blessings bro.
As far as getting better or more consistent sounds out of the reverb/delay/chorus etc...could you achieve this with a multi effects processor pedal board?
Great minds think alike. The reviewers on RU-vid that I respect and buy the gear they recommend. Phillip McKnight, Jack Fossett and Shane (from In the Blues) all think this amp is a fantastic value and a great clean and pedal platform. DJ, you now join these guys as a reviewer I appreciate, because you even taught me some stuff I didn't know about the amp. I think that now it's a must buy. Fender has discontinued the line and the prices of a used SCX2 are only going to be going up, as the secret is getting out. I actually have two of these amps and use them as a Stereo set up (yeah, when they only cost $300, you can do that! Lol), I find that if I set one on Channel 1 with just reverb w/ tap and the other on the voicing channel of my choice that day, I get some really amazing sounds. If you're looking at this video considering this amp, my advice is to at least try it out. The resale will equal your purchase if you stay under $400. But don't even worry about that, you won't be selling it.
I have the superchamp XD, this one was on the market before the X2. The XD doesn’t have the options to change sounds with software, and there isn’ t a tap knob on it. (And I don’t miss it). When I change between channels the effects are working still good. I don’t recognize the problems you have with the effects on this amp. I bought this amp new for about 400 bucks and have it for about 12 years, changed 2 times the tubes and its sounds still great (again😊). I’m using it with a fender guitar on voice nr1, it’s giving a nice clean sound. With my jazz guitar on voice 15 it’s sound warm and bright. I didn’t know about the crank with the volume on 10. I will try this. Thank you for your video and have a lot of fun with your cheap, beautiful and good sounding superchamp! And don’t forget: the only one who saves is Jesus. Blessings.
Good overview! Thanks for the straightforward review. I had a HRD 4x10; good gawd, the thing was SO LOUD, and I eventually got sick of carting a 72lb beast to gigs. I currently have a Peavey Classic 30 that's fab, but the boneheaded PC Board construction and handle attachment "logic" makes me distrust it a bit, LOL. I may have to check this little blaster out--10" speakers are my preference over 12s anyway, and it's so so cheap!
I'm about to buy one of these. I've always loved the Super Champs since the 80s. I don't care for onboard effects but I do love the different voicings. My main amp now is a Fender Bassbreaker 15 which I love. It's incredibly loud. I used to be a Marshall man but got used to playing Boogies, Fenders and other 6L6 amps. I find EL34s too brittle and find you have more control and reliability with 6L6 amps. I prefer using an amp as a pedal platform. I look for tone above all, then I use a variety of distortion pedals, rarely for very high gain, but just to create a wider tone pallet. I don't like having a dry mono sound when I gig.
In case you’re still thinking about buying the Superchamp X2…. Do it! I don’t even use the FX or the 16 voicings, I just use the clean channel with my pedalboard and it sounds great.
Thanks for review. I saw one at local store. I have Vox Valtronix 20 watt I'll stick with it. I have the foot switch for it so it's cool little all in one amp
You are awfully critical of the effects yet don't seem to understand how they work, This amp is highly configurable with the provided Fuse software from Fender. You can setup each different voice with effect presets (seems like yours is set up this way) so changing voices also mods the effects accordingly OR you can leave effects off or all the same in presets and then you'll get the behavior you seem to crave. Download a manual and READ! Not claiming effects are great or anything but they are usable if you have an idea what your doing.
I had one years ago. Good amp for the price. Wish I still had it. 👍👌💯.🎸. Agree the effects are no good. 😎👍. Do they make amps with 2 10 inch speakers??? If so be interesting how it would sound compared to 2 12 inch ones. I'm 61 been out of music loop for awhile
The effects on the XD is way more useful,I use reverb with the effects level on 3 and it works great. The tap tempo is why I went with the XD and I love it just as much as my Princeton and Bassman.
DJ, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the effects for one simple reason. You're dialing everything in ALL WRONG. The DSP technology on this amp is designed to be connected to a computer and from there you can not only adjust the mids that aren't present on the actual board, but for certain amplifiers there's a presence setting that you can use as well. Getting back to the connecting to a computer or mobile phone, you can (for each voice slot,) change the amp, cabinet simulation, as well as select and fine tune drive, modulation, delay, and reverb. THEN you can save it that voice slot on channel 2 and it stays that way as a preset. This includes that carefully sculpted tremolo or delay that you were upset about losing, and the so called unusable digital reverb (which is actually preset to a spring reverb on light setting and it can be controlled for more dwell and tone, as well as mix like the original 6G15.) If you think I'm done, you're wrong. There is a plethora of people in the fender first community who have created voicing slot presets for you to just save and upload to your amp whenever you want. The only down side is that the Fender Fuse app and Microsoft Silverlight is no longer supported on Mac and will soon be no longer supported on Windows. The good news is that there's an app, called Remuda, which allows you to have full access to the amp settings. In my opinion, it's also smoother than working with a computer. So yeah, I agree with your positive thoughts on the amp, but your cons fell short due to maybe a lack of research or immediate understanding. Hope that clears up any issues you've had and as my computer science teacher always told me... RTFM.
@@agustinmolet5189 there are two versions, the Remuda SC is the Super Champ version. Download the lite version to make sure it's compatible with your device!
@@RobertNolan I think I'm going to buy this amp now... What speaker option do you think would be best? Stock, Ragin cajun or greenback? Thank you a ton for your info
Robert amazing what you will find if you just do a little research. And he said he was going g to do an honest review and tell us what no o eelse would! Ha what an idiot!
I have and original xd, not the xd 2, and the the effects are amazing especially the reverb, I also put a mullard tube in the pre amp which really helps. I find there is a big difference between the superchamp xd and the xd 2.
I didn't know Ricky Martin played guitar :) Great review; great new information about this amp. I'm waiting for my Super Champ X2 HD. I hope it sounds as good with my little 1x10 Engl Cabinet. Best Regards,
Hahaha, I love how the rolling shutter of the camera gets blasted, when you crank the volume. You can literlaly SEE how loud it is😂Please be kind to your ears
All the people saying they should buy this amp, just because it was discontinued, are not taking important information into account. Everybody knows this is a Digital Modeling Amp that relied heavily on Fenders FUSE software. They also know that FUSE was discontinued as well. And I'm pretty sure they learned that this amp is not backwards compatible with Fender Tone, the current software. It's not like you're buying a red knob 'EVIL' Twin.
Well done! Nice, honest, straight up review. Owning an older SC XD myself, I can identify with EVERYTHING you’re saying...thought maybe it was just me.
I've owned the Fender Super Champ before and I have to disagree with DJ about the effects on it. While it's not the best I've ever heard, the effects hold their own just fine. But if you really want to go with a "Great Bang for the Buck" amp, check out a Crate XT120R (no longer made, unfortunately, as Crate went out of business). A 2x12, solid state,120 watt combo amp that KICKS ASS in both the clean channel and the two gain channels! Head room is the best feature about this amp in all three channels. Yes, a 3-channel amp! On the used market they sell between $125 to $200, depending on the condition. Head to head, my choice is the Crate XT120R over the Fender Super Champ XD any day of the week. And I get more compliments on my tone than the two other guitar players in the group who play through Super Champs!
Yeah, they should probably have popped in a decent reverb tank or a tremolo circuit, rather than digital fx. But it’s hardly a deal breaker. Tbh, if you’re buying a Fender amp, you want Fender sounds, so no real need for high gain shit. If it can do all the standard Fender stuff, throw in a bit of Vox tone. But my question would be, what are you sacrificing of tube goodness, by involving digital jiggers pokery. Is it still using the valves properly. As for many of us it looks as if in real terms, most of the knobs are redundant and I may as well have an amp that simply has one volume, a bass and a treble knob. Hehehe. Debating one if these or a blues junior. Think after this review, unless one of these ends up that much cheaper I would go for a blues junior. Heck I still own my Wem Clubman, my first ever amp, never mind valve amp and live, that thing still cuts the mustard.
@@bobbystereo936 Not exactly. It's the rectifier here that's pure solid state, whereas the pre amp uses a 12AX7 tube to push to the two 6V6 power tubes, and that ss rectifier is what they mean by hybrid-amp more than the crappy digital effects. A large part of a classic (Fender, Marshall, Vox) tube amp's sound comes from the all-tube rectifier, where you get the internal compression that causes the "sag" voltage-drop effect, which many purists consider the backbone of the whole tube sound. But many, including myself, quite like the ss rectifier/tube pre amp/tube power amp combination, with its greater definition and clarity, sweetened by the tubes.
I own the Champion 20 and the Princeton tone is really good. The Champion has a Headphone output, that'ds just why I keep it. And I have the X2 by the way too.
It’s my small gig amp! Same power as a Blues Junior and everyone uses that for small gigs. Nice overdrive, the reverb is doable and at $200 used for my Xd it can’t be beat! Plus channel one is all tube action. Many of the presets are useable too and don’t sound like a modeling amp usually does? Plus it has a line out for the PA if needed.
This video is an example to take reviews with a grain of salt. This guy is clearly a beginner guitar player and does not know how to use the gear he is reviewing. Find a legit video with someone that does play guitar efficiently and knows how to use their musical gear.
I reviewed this amp a while ago and exactly my comments were I second you bro why needed all that crappy effects instead should have put just a nicer reverb :)
You are absolutely right about all the negative things you mentioned with regards to these worthless amps that are always on sale for some 'bargain' price somewhere. Can you guess why folks want to get rid of them? I didn't listen to your positive points 'cause I don't care for nonsense. Gave your take a thumbs up
OMG you are using a Jackson to test a fucking TUBE AMP?? I have never said a negative comment on any review no matter how much I disagree but wow.... The fact that you reviewed a bluesy tube amp playing it on a Jackson completely tells everyone that your review is over before it even started and completely irrelevant. I'm hoping it's because you only own one guitar but in that case, just wait until you get a better guitar before you start reviewing products. If it was a choice, that's far worse news for you...
