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Vietnamese manufacture, British heritage, classic livery

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• Review

Marshall has been a hive of activity of late, with a string of high-profile releases including the new solid-state MG series, the lowcost Haze series and the Class 5 combo. Marshall's historical lifeblood is its 50- and 100-watt models, however, a market that's been attacked in the midprice range from all fronts.

It's a good time then for Marshall to release its new bread-and-butter amp range - the MA series. We spoke with Marshall's head of R&D, Laurent Veignal, to learn more. "We were losing share in the low-end valve market," he says frankly, "and we wanted to have something to compete in that segment."

"That was our first and most important decision, because we know we can really compete – we've already got a range of successful OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] products with the MG series."

He continues: "However, so far we haven't entered the all-valve OEM market and we didn't want to be seen to be left behind." Before MA, Marshall's least expensive all-valve, 100-watt head and 50-watt combo was the Vintage Modern series VM2266H head (£845) and the VM2266C combo (£894).

So, who is the new range aimed at specifically? "The series runs between 50- and 100-watt head and combo variations and so really it's aimed towards people who are actually gigging – in pubs and other such places," says Veignal.

Marshall ma100h amp head

MA100H 100-watt amp head

The MA100H follows the same general feature template as the MA50C combo, but with twice the power supplied by a quartet of EL-34 power valves. Where Marshall's concerned, keeping that classic modern Marshall look was essential for the MA series, but alongside the usual gold-fronted control panel and black vinyl covering, the clever chaps over at Bletchley R&D have a rather neat trick up their sleeves…

On first inspection, the front baffle looks like any other Marshall-style baffle board, until you power the amp up. Two bright orange LEDs illuminate the interior of the cabinet and highlight the power valves spectacularly.

This effect is visible through the black cloth, where the white Marshall script logo is mounted onto a solid piece of transparent Perspex. This is a neat effect, and gives those previously uninitiated into the valve-amp world some real visual wow factor – it looks great on a darkened stage!