Yamaha DG80

  • I recently, After 15(!) years, tried out my old Yamaha DG 80 again. i LOVE its sound! It was one of the first ever digital amps i Believe, back in 1998. For years i thought of it as "lesser" gear for some reason and i am happy to realize it´s the exact opposite. BTW there are Profiles of it on Rig Manager. :)


    It really makes me wonder why this line was discountinued, there´s nothing "modeling" about it, just a very good sounding piece of gear, with a very characteristic own sound. Actually now SO want a DG1000 or DG stomp now, since they are going very cheap used (obvioiusly , since its 20 year old digital gear), just in case that amp should ever die....


    With all the progress in recent years in digital music Technology it´s just awesome that this amp still holds up today and even better than most modeling amps before Axe, Kemper and Co. i guess?

  • The co- guitarist in my band uses a DG- Stomp when we do silent rehearsals.

    I agree it's a very good sounding unit, and responsive to attack, too.

    Sadly Yamaha's policy regarding the DG line was a bit hit or miss then, or IOW they should have supported the line longer and would have been much more successful IMO.


    Nowadays they own Line 6, so I see no comeback for the DG line in the future.

  • i see, that´s too bad... i definitly would buy that again, it´s the first time in 4 years i left my Kemper alone, and just played 4 days through that amp execlusively :D.... that clean sound and Chorus are quite something. to my ears at least!

  • Yup, it’s a great amp. They approached the digital amp paradigm slightly different then Line6 by using real Celestion speakers (the speaker emulated output is not that great to be honest) so they could concentrate on the pure amp part.

    I also liked the decision to not focus on emulating specific amp models, instead do great clean/crunch/drive/lead models in two variations (English/American?). And the motorised controls are sick!

    I’d put some profiles on the RE years ago and the amp is now stored away since it’s impossible to sell it and way to good for throwing away...

  • Yup, it’s a great amp. They approached the digital amp paradigm slightly different then Line6 by using real Celestion speakers (the speaker emulated output is not that great to be honest) so they could concentrate on the pure amp part.

    I also liked the decision to not focus on emulating specific amp models, instead do great clean/crunch/drive/lead models in two variations (English/American?). And the motorised controls are sick!

    I’d put some profiles on the RE years ago and the amp is now stored away since it’s impossible to sell it and way to good for throwing away...

    I pulled down your profiles - very nice!

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

  • Yup, it’s a great amp. They approached the digital amp paradigm slightly different then Line6 by using real Celestion speakers (the speaker emulated output is not that great to be honest) so they could concentrate on the pure amp part.

    I also liked the decision to not focus on emulating specific amp models, instead do great clean/crunch/drive/lead models in two variations (English/American?). And the motorised controls are sick!

    I’d put some profiles on the RE years ago and the amp is now stored away since it’s impossible to sell it and way to good for throwing away...

    I own a DG100. Very heavy amp but it does sound great. How did you list your profiles on rig exchange Janne ?

    Rik


    Kemper toaster >Kemper remote> 2 x Alto TS310 powered speakers Furman M-8XAR

  • I had a DG Stomp for a couple of years and really didn't care for it. It was noisy and the amp sims didn't compare favorably to my (very first modeling amp in the world) Line 6 AXSYS 2x12.


    I've heard a few people rave about the amp versions of the DG, so maybe there's a difference.

  • I've owned 2 DG80s. One I gave to my adult son as he needed a good amp as he progressed as a guitar player. The second one was made into a head, by a friend of mine. It's still a great sounding amp for its era of Digital amps. Of course, then there is the story of Allan Holdsworth using 2 of them live, back in the day.


    Yamaha has always made great stuff, but with very questionable marketing strategies.

  • I had a DG Stomp for a couple of years and really didn't care for it. It was noisy and the amp sims didn't compare favorably to my (very first modeling amp in the world) Line 6 AXSYS 2x12.


    I've heard a few people rave about the amp versions of the DG, so maybe there's a difference.

    There was a big diffrence in the stomp version versus the amps. The amps were really good. Before I bought mine back in the day, I was turned onto them from Richie Kotzen, I was able to play through his at a rehearsal. I immediately ordered mine the next day.

  • Saw that. My DG80 head(bought damage combo and made it into a head) is in my basement. That amp through a Marshall cab with 2 of the Celestion 100's that came stock in a combo is very interesting as a profiling project.

    Now you have me thinking about it. I'd need to buy or borrow some mic's.

    And I thought I had enough projects on my plate!||

  • Hi, I just gost a DG80 combo only to use the poweramp + speaker with the Kemper Stage. However I was curious also to test the amp alone, which I did...problem is that while dialing sounds I noticed something like a latency or input lag...


    In the beginning I thought was some kind of reverb or something I could / should disable through the menus but it seems it's really the way the DG80 sounds / responds. Doesn't feel "immediate"...and I am very close the speaker btw. Do you guys who own / owned a DG80 know anything about this?


    I A/B tested 1) Guitar -> Kemper -> Yamaha Effects Return and 2) Guitar -> Yamaha Guitar Input and the problem does not exists in 1), so most likely something with the digital preamp in the DG80.


    Thanks!