That Tri Parallel is awesome too. Being able to "stack" your dirt in parallel rather than serial gives you so many more options. Imagine the noise you get running three distortions in series. In parallel, they don't amplify each other's noise. Very nice. Being able to run things like the 9 pedals in parallel is awesome. As if that wasn't enough, you can also use it as a three way SPLITTER to send the signal to three different amps, or three entirely different effects loops. You can also use it as a three way (four way actually) footswitchable MIXER to be able to select from multiple instruments with a footswitch. Think of going into a single looper with a rhythm instrument, a bass, and a guitar that you can select with the footswitch. Very, very nice.
It has a fantastic break up curve just like a no-master-volume tube amp. Clean and chimey up to a point where it starts to break up nicely and responsive to the guitar volume and OD pedals. Very, very nice. The Mike Matthews Dirt Road Special had a built-in phaser instead of a built-in reverb. Having a built-in Holy Grail Max adds a ton of value.
I had the original Mike Matthews Dirt Road Special from the 70's and what a great amp for a kid in his first band. It kept up with all the other members gear and the crashing loud drummer. The original had the Small Stone Phase in it which was cool, but the new version with the reverb seems more versatile. I'm actually selling a few amps to make room for this one. I have to have it. It's a blast from MY past and it really help define my first "sound". I want it back now, some 40 years later. That's EH and thanks for making a great demo of this wonderful little under rated amp. Mike was a genius.
@Ben HackettThat's what I am expecting as well, that's why I used the term "assembled in the USA" instead of "made". I think we have all come to terms with the fact that ALL electronic devices nowadays are made from internationally sourced components, no matter where they are put together. I still give credit to EH for assembling so many of their products here in the US and at the same time keeping prices reasonable, at least it creates some jobs here in this country.
I can see why you need a send and return volume on that pedal but I would prefer a more front of amp set up with a single blend knob. Maybe two versions?
@@IETCHX69Oh, I know exactly how I intend to use it, I have been waiting for a product similar to this to come out. I want to use it for running reverb and delay in parallel in a small wet/dry set up, so that I can use the kill-dry on both the reverb and delay into the wet amp. I have been at this for thirty years, so a learning curve is not really a problem for me nowadays.
That Dirt Road special is so inexpensive that people will consider getting TWO of them to set up a true stereo rig, for the price that you might pay for ONE other similarly capable amp.
Really didn’t like it. I will keep my tube amps. My old Peavey Bandit red stripe sounds better then that. For that price range I’d buy another used Fender Blues Jr. tweed NOS.
