Manley TNT: Who Has Used One? Opinions?

[jdjustice]

so... this product supposedly started shipping at the end of last year... but i have heard next to nothing about it.
any users care to chime in about their opinions on this unit?




thanks,
~j.d.

[bforest4]

I'd like to get some opinions also, anyone?

[MIKEHARRIS]

I have one in stock....any local Slutz wanna give it a try...and let us know ??

[Gabriel Sousa]

has any one, got opinions ?

[staudio]

I haven't got a chance to buy one yet. But I heard my own voice through it at AES 2007. I know that no real conclusions can be made as to sound this way, but I remember being pretty impressed with the Iron knob on the solid state channel. When I pushed it up my voice got a wonderful transformer buzz and saturation that was anything but subtle. I am not a vocalist, but speaking through it sounded warm and full.
Sorry for no other impressions. I really want this unit though.

[jdunn]

Listen here you g@d d@mn s@n @f a b!tch!n %$#@!..... oops, wrong forum!

Perhaps because this pre took a while to reach the shelves, it's being overlooked in favor of all the Johnny come lately's. I was reading the manual last night and this thing is versatile as hell! It has both transformer and transformerless outputs, but the Iron control can also affect the transformerless output. And the variable impedance control on the Cool Channel actually switches different voltage and/or current amplifier stages into the circuit. I also dig highpass filters on mic pres. The Tube Channel and the Cool Channel both have highpass filters, but at different frequencies. It's a very impressive design Hutch/Eve Anna!

If I had the money I'd put one (or two) on the credit card right now.

[Screws]

Originally Posted by jdunn

If I had the money I'd put one (or two) on the credit card right now.

WHAT? You mean you're only supposed to use a credit card when you have the money to pay it off? That's un-American, and decidedly anti-Slutzian.

I wish I had your sense of restraint. But then I wouldn't have all this cool stuff.

[SighBorg]

Havent tried one so I wont comment on the SS side, but the Slam! pres (the tube side) are super-neato. Esp on bass.

WHAT? You mean you're only supposed to use a credit card when you have the money to pay it off? That's un-American

Rock, Flag, and Eagle.

[Tube World]

Here are two reviews on the TNT....yeah I know... but they still could be helpful.
http://manleylabs.com/reviews/EQ_TNT_review.pdf
Manley TNT Microphone Preamplifier, by Rob Tavaglione

[seaneldon]

The TNT's a great set of mic pres, they certainly don't sit idle in the rack. Two totally different, complimentary tones.

I agree with Kelly about the tube channel being the bee's knees for a bass guitar, though I personally prefer the DI in that application. I've got a Hofner copy (doesn't intonate or stay in tune for more than 20 minutes...but it does that sound to the T!) that can be a little too clicky, but the TNT tube channel softens the attack just enough to make it right. The mic pre really brings forth the deep, tight bottom that'll be instantly familiar to anyone that's heard the SLAM! (or any Manley mic pre, really).

The "Cool" channel in conjunction with the Iron knob does make for a great drum-boiling tone while being conservative with gain staging. Switching in the different decades of "color" can significantly tighten or loosen the tone of the pre.

Check one out if you're looking for some drastically different utility pres. They'll cover a lot of ground.

[Glenn Bucci]

With having a tube and sold state channel together, this unit seems to offer a lot of flexibility.

With the cool channel, I prefer the 70's sound for guitar amps.