MusicRadar

The ladies love those blue lights

View in gallery

• Related News
• Review

Time was when all the best guitar amps came from the UK or the States, but the past decade has seen the beginning of a shift in that balance with several European manufacturers joining the fray and steadily gaining worldwide acceptance.

Hughes & Kettner has done more than most to prove that good tones aren't the sole property of Britain and America. They've built up a substantial reputation for innovation and high quality, which isn't restricted to one particular type of amplification. With the awesome zenTera and Warp 7 as their flagships for digital modelling and solid-state, the tonemeisters of St Wendel need something pretty special to match in the valve department, and the Triamp – first introduced in 1995 and now in its second incarnation – is their answer.

Twenty knobs, nine switches (and that's just the front panel) and 13 valves might seem like overkill, however, the Triamp isn't just an excuse for designers to run riot. The concept is that in one chassis you actually have three different amps to play with, each with dedicated preamp channels and tone controls. And if that little lot wasn't enough to get your head around, then rest assured there are a lot more toys besides.

Even at the budget end of its ranges, H & K has always impressed us with its construction standards, and as befits a flagship model, the Triamp is immaculately put together and presented. The cabinet is perfectly covered in the same thick custom vinyl fabric as the zenTera, and the welded corner chassis is covered in chrome panels that glitter under stage lights.

The most obvious feature is the clear Perspex front which is lit by two miniature fluorescent tubes mounted at the top edge. All the control panel markings, as well as the H&K logo, are engraved into this display, and when the mains is witched on the lettering stands out in a bright blue glow. Don't think this is just a gimmick: it's easily seen, even in daylight, and looks spectacular on a dimly lit stage.

With 13 valves you'd expect a lot of electronics, and inside the solid steel chassis there's one big main PCB which holds all the valves, with six smaller ones and several ribbon cables to connect them all. Everything is extremely well put together. The main boards are double-sided and through-plated and the overall impression is that this is an amp built with great pride. H&K expects you to look after it as well; in addition to a very luxurious cover, there's a cloth and a small bottle of cleaning liquid to keep everything looking pristine.

Let's get back to that front panel. Each of the three preamps has two channels, a master volume, individual gain controls and a separate three-band EQ. Additionally there's also global master volume and presence, so tweaking volume on stage is a very simple operation.

Amp 1 is configured for vintage sounds, and here the rhythm channel isn't affected by the preamp master volume – it goes straight through to the global master. On Amp 1's lead channel and the other two preamps, the gains are also under the control of their respective master volume. Each of the six voices can be switched from an illuminated button on the front panel as well as the included stage board. There are three more button switches: one changes the response of Amp 1 to a tighter feel, the other two are for switching the Triamp's effects loop and activating the MIDI learn function.