General Comments

Test setup: APx525 -> Guitar Input -> HD500 -> SPDIF Output -> APx525

Input level: -52dBV. This is very small but was required to keep the high gain amps in their linear region. SNR was
still better than 60dB.

HD500 settings:
 Inputs: Guitar/Variax
 Guitar: normal
 Channel Volume = 100%
 E.R. = 0%
 No cabs (and therefore no mics)
 All tone controls (usually Bass, Mid, Treble, Pres): 50%
 Amp DEP settings:
 Hum = 0%
 All other controls (Master, Sag, Bias, Bias X): default values (50% except for a few Master settings)
Drive level increased until 1 kHz THD = 1% (to keep non-linearities from mucking up the frequency response).
Usually this was 2nd order distortion unless otherwise noted. Note that many of these had 3rd order terms
dominate at higher frequencies but 2nd order terms at lower frequencies (approx. breakpoint was ~ 3 kHz).
Bomber Uber required even lower input levels as 0% Drive still resulted in too much THD. Drive levels and THD
levels are listed below.

Small Signal THD

Amp/Pre arbitrarily grouped into low gain, medium gain, and high gain models
based on required drive levels and resulting THD
Model Input level Drive Level THD at Drive Level
(dBV) (%) (%)
Angel F-ball -52 6 1.00 (3rd order)
Angel F-ball Pre -52 11 1.00
Blackface Dbl Nrm -52 70 1.00
Blackface Dbl Nrm Pre -52 100 0.17
Blackface Dbl Vib -52 96 1.00
Blackface Dbl Vib Pre -52 100 0.09
Blackface 'Lux Nrm -52 100 0.09
Blackface 'Lux Nrm Pre -52 100 0.01
Blackface 'Lux Vib -52 100 0.20
Blackface 'Lux Vib Pre -52 100 0.05
Bomber Uber -57 0 1.00 (3rd order)
Bomber Uber Pre -52 11 1.00
Brit J-45 Brt -52 100 0.12
Brit J-45 Brt Pre -52 100 0.15
Brit J-45 Nrm -52 100 0.09
Brit J-45 Nrm Pre -52 100 0.12
Brit J-800 -52 33 1.00
Brit J-800 Pre -52 52 1.00
Brit P-75 Brt -52 100 0.87
Brit P-75 Brt Pre -52 100 0.12
Brit P-75 Nrm -52 100 0.56
Brit P-75 Nrm Pre -52 100 0.07
Class A-15 -52 64 1.00 (3rd order)
Class A-15 Pre -52 100 0.06
Class A-30 TB -52 77 1.00 (2nd & 3rd equal)
Class A-30 TB Pre -52 100 0.52
Divide 9/15, (drive 1/2) -52 40/15 1.00
Divide 9/15 Pre (drive 1/2) -52 100/100 0.07
Flip Top -52 100 0.82
Flip Top Pre -52 100 0.05
Gibtone 185: Drive -52 67 1.00
Gibtone 185: Drive Pre -52 100 0.30
Hiway 100 -52 67 1.00
Hiway 100 Pre -52 100 0.07
Line 6 Doom -52 26 1.00
Line 6 Doom Pre -52 44 1.00
Line 6 Elektrik -52 0 1.00 (2 & 3rd equal)
nd

Line 6 Elektrik Pre -52 0 1.40

Line 6 Epic: Drive = 6% -52 6 1.00
Line 6 Epic: Drive = 6% Pre -52 20 1.00
PhD Motorway -52 100 0.08
PhD Motorway Pre -52 100 0.02
Plexi Lead 100 Brt -52 100 0.41
Plexi Lead 100 Brt Pre -52 100 0.19
Plexi Lead 100 Nrm -52 100 0.27
Plexi Lead 100 Nrm Pre -52 100 0.14
Solo-100 Clean -52 100 0.10
Solo-100 Clean Pre -52 100 0.07
Solo-100 Crunch -52 47 1.00
Solo-100 Crunch Pre -52 100 0.68
Solo-100 Overdrive -52 5 1.00
Solo-100 Overdrive Pre -52 32 1.00
Super O -52 100 0.39
Super O Pre -52 100 0.60
Treadplate -52 0 1.00 (2 & 3rd equal)
nd

Treadplate Pre -52 61 1.00 (2nd & 3rd equal)

Tweed B-Man Brt -52 100 0.13
Tweed B-Man Brt Pre -52 100 0.08
Tweed B-Man Nrm -52 100 0.14
Tweed B-Man Nrm Pre -52 100 0.07
 Small Signal Frequency Response

No Amp Angel F-ball

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)
10 10
0 0
-10 -10 Pre
-20 -20
Full
-30 -30
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Blackface Dbl Nrm Blackface Dbl Vib

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20 Pre
-30 Full -30 Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Blackface 'Lux Nrm Blackface 'Lux Vib

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20 Pre
-30 Full -30 Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)
 Bomber Uber Brit J-45 Brt
40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)
10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20 Pre
-30 -30 Full
Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Brit J-45 Nrm Brit J-800

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20
Pre
-30 -30
Full Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Brit P-75 Brt Brit P-75 Nrm

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10
10
0
0
-10
-10 Pre
-20 Pre
-20 Full -30 Full
-30 -40
-40 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)
 Class A-15 Class A-30 TB
40 40
30 30
20 20

Gain (dBFS/V)
Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 -20 Pre
Pre
-30 -30
Full Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Divide 9/15 Flip Top

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 -20
Pre Pre
-30 -30
-40 Full -40 Full
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Gibtone 185 Hiway 100

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20
Pre
-30 -30
Full Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)
 Line 6 Doom Line 6 Elektrik
40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)
10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 -20 Pre
-30 Pre -30 Full
-40 Full -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Line 6 Epic PhD Motorway

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20
Pre
-30 Full -30
-40 -40 Full
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Plexi Lead 100 Brt Plexi Lead 100 Nrm

50 40
40 30
30 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

20 10
10 0
0 -10 Pre
-10 Pre -20
Full
-20 -30
Full
-30 -40
-40 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)
 Solo-100 Clean Solo-100 Crunch
40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)
10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 -20 Pre
-30 Pre -30
Full
-40 Full -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Solo-100 Overdrive Super O

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20
-30 Full -30 Pre
-40 -40 Full
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Tweed B-man Brt Tweed B-man Nrm

40 40
30 30
20 20
Gain (dBFS/V)

Gain (dBFS/V)

10 10
0 0
-10 -10
-20 Pre -20 Pre
-30 -30
Full Full
-40 -40
-50 -50
10 100 1,000 10,000 10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)
 Treadplate
40
30
20
Gain (dBFS/V)

10
0
-10
-20 Pre
-30
Full
-40
-50
10 100 1,000 10,000
Frequency (Hz)