OUTSTANDING! You both describe them so well. The Obsidian is like a meat-clever, just chops right through the mix with that in your face focus. The Purple Nightmare is like those meat-tenderizing mallets. It just beats with brutal force, and has those spikes to drive it home. Both are incredible! Absolutely agree with you when you said it's what you're in the mood for. I'll take both please! The Obsidian is more "Marshall" with the Purple Nightmare more "Mesa" to my ears. There's more bite and cut with the Obsidian - while the Purple Nightmare "sits" in the mix but does so with a pummeling brutality - punishing man. Well - that's how my ears hear them. We're guitarists. Tone is so subjective, and we're each "drawn" to our own slant that really depends on our musical preferences. One thing for sure is we all LOVE expensive everything! Seems to be the common denominator for sure! Excellent video as always! Thank you for taking the time to get this together to share! Absolutely killer! Keep doing the good stuff!!!!!!!!!!🤘😁🤘
Exactly! They are both amazing. We could have dialed them in a little differently to get closer if we wanted to. The Omega has a low end/tight voicing and upper high/low mid shift voicing we could have engaged to make it a little tighter and fizzier for better rhythms. And for the Purple Nightmare if we turned off the sizzle and added some mids we could have made it a little less scooped and rounder for leads. Either way you can't go wrong with these titans!
It definitely has more texture on the top end! The Omega has an upper mid boost that wasn't engaged that would have added a little of that. But you're right that sizzle switch really adds to it!
Excellent video! Really loved this shoot out. Both are phenomenal amps. The Driftwood is definitely my favorite for both gain and clean. It just nails it for me. However I own a Purple Nightmare (6L6/KT88) so maybe I'm unintentionally biased lol. Either way, they both sound brutal as heck...but I'd leave with the Driftwood, hands down lol. Great job fellas!!
@@steveo041 I really love the 6L6/KT88 combo. Sounds killer. The KT77s are awesome too. I have them in my Splawn Nitro and it slays. Definitely a good choice. Really need to actually try one of the Omega amps. All I can go off of is Demo videos currently lol.
@@DarkHorizonsMusic You're welcome to try it if you're ever in town! Hopefully we'll have some other videos with it soon so people can get a better idea of what it's like in some different settings
I like the pretty cleans on the driftwood, but both high gain channels had something I didn't like about it. The Omega was a bit too mid range present and a bit boxy, and then the Driftwood had a bit too much saturation and muddied up the tone. I'd say for the price, I wouldn't buy either of them to be frank. I'd take a Mark 5 of either any day of the week.
@@benburnett8109 I believe the specs are different but we shall see when we shoot them out! The 50 watt had some similarities and some differences. We'll know for sure when the 100 comes in
I wish I'd found your channel before now. I love the Nightmare for its super gnarly gain character. The sizzle control is also a win. The Obsidian is also great. It has a nice viscous gain character and plenty of mids. More saturated and better for leads (though they both sound great for leads). I would choose the Nightmare, just love that unforgiving snarling attitude. :)
I think the Purple Nightmare is the main amp that got away. This video reminds me of how awesome that amp is and it inspired Jarrod to write Night Terrors on the spot. That is his best song IMHO! Love these kind of videos.
Thanks for commenting. I agree, the purple nightmare is an amazing amplifier. Unfortunately for me it sounds better than it feels. That's the reason why I parted ways with it. I just couldn't get over the feel of the amplifier. Every time I hear it though, I think it sounds amazing.
The Nightmare reminds of a high-end improved version of the Fireball. However, if you're playinng a lot of staccato notes and you're looking for more of a soloist type rig the Obsidian seems to be the better option, and undoubtedly sounds better in a mix to me, and for leads the Obsidian sounds AMAZING. It sounds like a very unforgiving amp too in that it's sooooo clear with great mid-range articulation. But I have to admit... I prefer a friend who'll slam a rail, chug a fifth of Jameson, and walk side by side with me into hell 🤘
We need the biggest amp fight in the world: 5150 vs Slo vs rectifier vs diezel vh4 vs splawn quickrod vs nightmare vs jcm800 vs obsidian vs earforce 👌🏻😄💣💣
A little! But for good reason. Jarrod plays a lot of rhythms so he normal goes for a tone with a lot more grit and sizzle. I do mostly leads and after hours of playing some of those high end frequencies start to kill my ears. So I generally gravitate towards a warmer or smoother high end. If I were in the studio I'd probably use Driftwood for cleans & rhythms and the Omega for leads.
Man Steve can lead his tail off. Both amps sounded great through the ox box. I didn't get the same feelng when the cab was mic'ed.They sounded harsh like the mic was being overloaded.
I'd own both also if they didn't cost so much. Maybe one day! The Driftwoods already have some available at stores. Omega takes half as a deposit and then you have 5-6 months to save up the rest while it's being built
To me it almost sounds like the obsidian would be a great fit for a band with 2 guitar players, better cut in mix. The driftwood sounds big almost like a recto. Might be great for a dude who's the only guitar player in his band and needs to fill in more space. Of course I bet both can be EQd both ways as needed.
The Line 6 Helix would smoke both of these amps. The Helix is drier, greasier, airy, wetter, fuller, thicker, rounder, thinner, and more refined yet aggressive than either of these "entry level" metal amps. Not trying to be a cork sniffer but the Helix also has more refined definition of upper order harmonics when playing on the upper frets of my 7 string that I've got tuned down 6 steps to R flat. Neither of these amps could handle a guitar tuned to "R" let alone "R flat"
OUTSTANDING! You both describe them so well. The Obsidian is like a meat-clever, just chops right through the mix with that in your face focus. The Purple Nightmare is like those meat-tenderizing mallets. It just beats with brutal force, and has those spikes to drive it home. Both are incredible!
Absolutely agree with you when you said it's what you're in the mood for. I'll take both please! The Obsidian is more "Marshall" with the Purple Nightmare more "Mesa" to my ears. There's more bite and cut with the Obsidian - while the Purple Nightmare "sits" in the mix but does so with a pummeling brutality - punishing man. Well - that's how my ears hear them.
We're guitarists. Tone is so subjective, and we're each "drawn" to our own slant that really depends on our musical preferences. One thing for sure is we all LOVE expensive everything! Seems to be the common denominator for sure! Excellent video as always! Thank you for taking the time to get this together to share! Absolutely killer! Keep doing the good stuff!!!!!!!!!!🤘😁🤘
Exactly! They are both amazing. We could have dialed them in a little differently to get closer if we wanted to. The Omega has a low end/tight voicing and upper high/low mid shift voicing we could have engaged to make it a little tighter and fizzier for better rhythms. And for the Purple Nightmare if we turned off the sizzle and added some mids we could have made it a little less scooped and rounder for leads. Either way you can't go wrong with these titans!
The Omega and the Driftwood sound great but the winner in my opinion is the Driftwood hands down! That Sizzle switch is no joke.
It definitely has more texture on the top end! The Omega has an upper mid boost that wasn't engaged that would have added a little of that. But you're right that sizzle switch really adds to it!
Excellent video! Really loved this shoot out. Both are phenomenal amps. The Driftwood is definitely my favorite for both gain and clean. It just nails it for me. However I own a Purple Nightmare (6L6/KT88) so maybe I'm unintentionally biased lol. Either way, they both sound brutal as heck...but I'd leave with the Driftwood, hands down lol.
Great job fellas!!
That's what Jarrod has in his Driftwood! Seems like the combination of different tubes is a nice touch! The Omega has all KT77's
@@steveo041 I really love the 6L6/KT88 combo. Sounds killer. The KT77s are awesome too. I have them in my Splawn Nitro and it slays. Definitely a good choice. Really need to actually try one of the Omega amps. All I can go off of is Demo videos currently lol.
@@DarkHorizonsMusic You're welcome to try it if you're ever in town! Hopefully we'll have some other videos with it soon so people can get a better idea of what it's like in some different settings
@@steveo041 man that'd be awesome. Maybe one day I'll get over that direction.
Both look and sound super awesome. I just picked up a new Mezzabarba MZero so will enjoy that and my Bogner Uberschall.
Thanks for commenting. Congratulations congratulations on your new amplifier. I have the Trinity coming very soon. I hope I love it
I like the pretty cleans on the driftwood, but both high gain channels had something I didn't like about it. The Omega was a bit too mid range present and a bit boxy, and then the Driftwood had a bit too much saturation and muddied up the tone. I'd say for the price, I wouldn't buy either of them to be frank. I'd take a Mark 5 of either any day of the week.
I would love 2 see a driftwood purple nightmare and lichtlaerm Prometheus comparison.
@@shane-x4485 if I had both of those amplifiers here, I'd be happy to do it
would love to see a shootout of the omega and the ksr
Jarrod should have a 100 watt KSR in the works for the future! 💪
SAME AMP SAME BUILDER
@@benburnett8109 I believe the specs are different but we shall see when we shoot them out! The 50 watt had some similarities and some differences. We'll know for sure when the 100 comes in
@@benburnett8109 really? So Kyle makes Omega and KSR amps? Did not know that!
@@GuitarsAndSynths he makes the obsidian
Love It Chugg Sound
🤘🤘🤘
Thanks
I wish I'd found your channel before now. I love the Nightmare for its super gnarly gain character. The sizzle control is also a win. The Obsidian is also great. It has a nice viscous gain character and plenty of mids. More saturated and better for leads (though they both sound great for leads).
I would choose the Nightmare, just love that unforgiving snarling attitude. :)
Driftwood for the win! Been enjoying the darkest nightmare
I can't wait to try that one! How does it compare to the purple?
@@steveo041 I wonder if anyone has forked over the cash to really compare. 😂
@@XChristianNoirX I don't think anyone's done it yet. Would love to see that!
I bought one and it’s fantastic!
@@justingraham8266 Do you know how it compares to the Purple?
I think the Purple Nightmare is the main amp that got away. This video reminds me of how awesome that amp is and it inspired Jarrod to write Night Terrors on the spot. That is his best song IMHO! Love these kind of videos.
Thanks for commenting. I agree, the purple nightmare is an amazing amplifier.
Unfortunately for me it sounds better than it feels.
That's the reason why I parted ways with it. I just couldn't get over the feel of the amplifier. Every time I hear it though, I think it sounds amazing.
The Nightmare reminds of a high-end improved version of the Fireball. However, if you're playinng a lot of staccato notes and you're looking for more of a soloist type rig the Obsidian seems to be the better option, and undoubtedly sounds better in a mix to me, and for leads the Obsidian sounds AMAZING. It sounds like a very unforgiving amp too in that it's sooooo clear with great mid-range articulation. But I have to admit... I prefer a friend who'll slam a rail, chug a fifth of Jameson, and walk side by side with me into hell 🤘
We need the biggest amp fight in the world: 5150 vs Slo vs rectifier vs diezel vh4 vs splawn quickrod vs nightmare vs jcm800 vs obsidian vs earforce 👌🏻😄💣💣
Jcm 800!!🤘🤘🤘 I've never played an Earforce. Wonder if we can find one somewhere
@@steveo041 the splawn quickrod beats up the jcm800 😄 , yes the earforce manufacture is closed but I think it’s really close to the nightmare
@@MrMariodraiby1 I love the quickrod. Used to have one a long time ago before I knew how to dial it in, wish I didn't sell it!
@@steveo041 just heard the mezzabarba mzero 👍🏻
@@MrMariodraiby1 What did you think? I haven't tried one yet. Jarrod should have a Trinity coming any day. I'll definitely be testing that one out!
Both sound awesome but the Omega takes the cake for me based on this video
They both sound killer! If I was recording I would put one on left and one on the right. They both rip to be honest.
That would sound epic!!
how come your hands are less tanned than your arms? do you wear gloves when you tan? 😛
There's not one amp in the background that doesn't kickass!
So true, everything he has there is insane!
@@steveo041 well for 100k in amps and cabs one would hope that he has decent gear!
@@GuitarsAndSynths He's one of the few guys who doesn't keep a bunch of low end amps laying around for safe keeping 😂
The revv 👎🤷♂️
I kinda did sense each of you supporting your own amp. 😂
A little! But for good reason. Jarrod plays a lot of rhythms so he normal goes for a tone with a lot more grit and sizzle. I do mostly leads and after hours of playing some of those high end frequencies start to kill my ears. So I generally gravitate towards a warmer or smoother high end. If I were in the studio I'd probably use Driftwood for cleans & rhythms and the Omega for leads.
Man Steve can lead his tail off. Both amps sounded great through the ox box. I didn't get the same feelng when the cab was mic'ed.They sounded harsh like the mic was being overloaded.
The customizable face plates makes me wanna own one of each! Too bad my bank account doesn't agree with me...
I'd own both also if they didn't cost so much. Maybe one day! The Driftwoods already have some available at stores. Omega takes half as a deposit and then you have 5-6 months to save up the rest while it's being built
To me it almost sounds like the obsidian would be a great fit for a band with 2 guitar players, better cut in mix. The driftwood sounds big almost like a recto. Might be great for a dude who's the only guitar player in his band and needs to fill in more space. Of course I bet both can be EQd both ways as needed.
The Line 6 Helix would smoke both of these amps. The Helix is drier, greasier, airy, wetter, fuller, thicker, rounder, thinner, and more refined yet aggressive than either of these "entry level" metal amps. Not trying to be a cork sniffer but the Helix also has more refined definition of upper order harmonics when playing on the upper frets of my 7 string that I've got tuned down 6 steps to R flat. Neither of these amps could handle a guitar tuned to "R" let alone "R flat"
Did you eat paint chips as a kid?
Dead on! 😂
@@steveo041 Thanks, Steve. I knew you know good tone. The reality is digital can't be beat for authentic tone.
@@benburnett8109 Not yet at least. Maybe one day it will catch up!
someone's been HUFFIN"