Hughes & Kettner proves once again, what the combination of old and new is capable of and puts everything at your finger tips on a simple to use user interface. The amplifier can even be controlled with a tablet with the GrandMeister App when connected with a MIDI interface. This makes it very easy and comfortable to remotely change the sound of the band on stage.
But also many older features find their place in the GrandMeister: Switchblade and Coreblade were the first tube amps to use special new knobs, called Smart Rotary Controls, which made it possible to read and save values, and were thereby programmable. Additionally, the TSC-System (Tube Safety Control) made an optimal control and adaption of power amp tubes possible. Even the storable digital effect section with Tap-Delay, Reverb and the Modulations effects (Flanger, Phaser, Chorus and Tremolo) are included.
The Amp of the GrandMeister, like the Tubemeister, comes in a compact metal housing with side-handles. The plexi-glass front is illuminated blue and makes the transformers, tubes and metal chassis visible.
The analog tube amp GrandMeister is equipped with three preamp tubes, 12AX7, and its 36 watts power amp output is driven through four EL84 tubes. The output performance of the Amps is controlled via the Master Volume.
The GrandMeister offers four switchable channels, which are selected via a large knob: Clean, Crunch, Lead and Ultra. The Gain (distortion) of each channel can be adjusted individually for every channel. In addition, the sensitivity of each channel can also be Boosted. The sound of the preamp can be changed via the passive sound control for basses, mids and highs.
Three digital effects can be used simultaneously. In addition, there are also a selection of modulations effects, which can be selected via knob and there intensity adjusted. When the relative volume control is turned completely counter clocks-wise, the three effects are switched to Bypass and thereby taken out of the signal path.
A very interesting feature of the TubeMeister is the ability to adjust the output, it is also part of the GrandMeister’s functionality: The 36 watts of output power can be reduced to 18 watts by deactivating two power amp tubes; by converting power into heat the output can be further reduced to 5 and 1 watt, it is even possible to silence the amp completely for practicing and recording, without having to compromise end-stage saturation. Even these 5 settings are fully programmable, so that you can use these setting to form the sound. Hughes & Kettner developed the Red Box years ago. Naturally this unit was also integrated into the current version.