Thank you for the review. I purchased this amp in the large cabinet this past summer. I ordered it with the 6L6’s and the Creamback 75 speaker. The larger cabinet supposedly has slightly more bass umph than the small and weighs only 2kg more. I love this amp. Now that the tubes and the cabinet are well broken in, it has gotten sweeter and sweeter. Two things I’d like to bring up that weren’t covered here. There is a significant difference in character between the sounds from the low input and the high input. I really dig the high input with my American Strat, but prefer the low input with my Les Paul. Playing with the tone switch and the two inputs gets interesting results too. Another aspect not covered is how the Reverb is affected when the Master Volume is engaged. The Master and the Reverb are using the same preamp tube, so when the Master is rolled back to say 10 o’clock, the reverb is radically diminished. One has to go past 12 o’clock to get back to the more normal Reverb depth. Swart is a great company, and their website has a great page of demos of various amps in many settings by various artists. Thanks again! I learned some things here!
I wish I’d seen this video when it was posted! I bought an Antares Master in the larger cabinet last fall. Thanks for confirming my impressions - this video sums up the amp very well. I play mostly at home with a Tele and a Strat and it sounds great with both guitars. It wasn’t cheap but for a hand-made amp it’s actually priced pretty competitively here in the USA.
Awesome review! I love that you took the time to really test the Antares and explain your thoughts on it. One question I had was if you had run across anything better in the small amp w/ Master Vol category for edge of break-up blues w/ a Strat? This sounded really good, but I thought it might be helped by a boost or a light overdrive. It would be nice to find something simple and well made that was just plug and go. Thank you for this review, it really helped because I go for similar tones w/ single coils.
I have the Antares with the oversized cab and cannot recommend the oversized cab (non master) enough. Sometimes I think I have reverb on and I check the knobs and it’s off. Truly 3d sound
Love the Little Barrie intro in the test. Also you have such a great channel. Great playing and all the gear I want to see. We're friends over the internet, LOL.
Swart amp is one of the best amps ive ever played for cleans and Fendery tweed stuff, bluesy gain. Its not really a blackface or silverface clean, but its really sweet sounding.
I want a small amp like this for playing at low volumes around the house. I want some thing like this with great reverb and tremolo. I’ve been wanting to try Swart, Tone King Imperial, or one of the Magnatone amps. I think the Imperial would probably be the best option for low home volumes, but I’m curious what you think. I have a Reeves PS12 head and 2x12 and a medium pedalboard with a few different dirt and fuzz pedals, a Strymon Flint and JHS Milkman delay. I pretty much always have the Flint reverb and a slap back delay on. This rig is kind of big with the oversized 2x12 and the pedalboard. That’s why I’d like something that can sit by the couch for chill noodling. If I remember correctly you said the Magnatone was an amp that was hard to keep at reasonable sound levels at home. I used to have a Fuchs Train 45 and I sold it because it was extremely loud through my 212.
The Imperial has a good built in attenuator/power soak - ie it can drive the power section as well as the preamp at low vol. The Swart has none. Imo at 18w with no attenuator the Swart isnt going to be as versatile or sound as good at home use levels as the power amp will not be in its sweet spot.
Funny, I owned that amp - and hated playing it! It sounded good but I disliked the way it felt to play. We are all different, I suppose, with different preferences. This was the final step for me in ensuring I would never buy amps unplayed - and based on RUclips sounds.
Made this one a while ago! Let me know if you have any questions 👍🏼
Keep up the good work. We are all very proud of you.
Thank you for the review. I purchased this amp in the large cabinet this past summer. I ordered it with the 6L6’s and the Creamback 75 speaker. The larger cabinet supposedly has slightly more bass umph than the small and weighs only 2kg more. I love this amp. Now that the tubes and the cabinet are well broken in, it has gotten sweeter and sweeter. Two things I’d like to bring up that weren’t covered here. There is a significant difference in character between the sounds from the low input and the high input. I really dig the high input with my American Strat, but prefer the low input with my Les Paul. Playing with the tone switch and the two inputs gets interesting results too. Another aspect not covered is how the Reverb is affected when the Master Volume is engaged. The Master and the Reverb are using the same preamp tube, so when the Master is rolled back to say 10 o’clock, the reverb is radically diminished. One has to go past 12 o’clock to get back to the more normal Reverb depth. Swart is a great company, and their website has a great page of demos of various amps in many settings by various artists. Thanks again! I learned some things here!
I wish I’d seen this video when it was posted! I bought an Antares Master in the larger cabinet last fall. Thanks for confirming my impressions - this video sums up the amp very well. I play mostly at home with a Tele and a Strat and it sounds great with both guitars. It wasn’t cheap but for a hand-made amp it’s actually priced pretty competitively here in the USA.
Awesome review! I love that you took the time to really test the Antares and explain your thoughts on it. One question I had was if you had run across anything better in the small amp w/ Master Vol category for edge of break-up blues w/ a Strat? This sounded really good, but I thought it might be helped by a boost or a light overdrive. It would be nice to find something simple and well made that was just plug and go. Thank you for this review, it really helped because I go for similar tones w/ single coils.
Well said, Swart makes incredible amps. I have an Antares and if anything happened to it I would immediately get another one.
Swart amps are great. For those that care, the build quality is excellent.
that was an excellent review. thanks for your thoughtful, honest approach and commentary
I’ve been looking at Swart amps for awhile now. Glad to see you demo one! Great tones and playing as always, James!
I have the Antares with the oversized cab and cannot recommend the oversized cab (non master) enough. Sometimes I think I have reverb on and I check the knobs and it’s off. Truly 3d sound
Love the Little Barrie intro in the test. Also you have such a great channel. Great playing and all the gear I want to see. We're friends over the internet, LOL.
What a fantastic video have you enjoyed playing guitar James have a wonderful day ❤😊
Antares is also available ( and was originally) in a wider/bigger format but they now offer it in this smaller format ( Swart STR cabinet style )
Swart amp is one of the best amps ive ever played for cleans and Fendery tweed stuff, bluesy gain. Its not really a blackface or silverface clean, but its really sweet sounding.
Great demo I love my Swart Atomic Space Tone
Loving the Little Barrie licks!!
I want a small amp like this for playing at low volumes around the house. I want some thing like this with great reverb and tremolo. I’ve been wanting to try Swart, Tone King Imperial, or one of the Magnatone amps. I think the Imperial would probably be the best option for low home volumes, but I’m curious what you think.
I have a Reeves PS12 head and 2x12 and a medium pedalboard with a few different dirt and fuzz pedals, a Strymon Flint and JHS Milkman delay. I pretty much always have the Flint reverb and a slap back delay on. This rig is kind of big with the oversized 2x12 and the pedalboard. That’s why I’d like something that can sit by the couch for chill noodling. If I remember correctly you said the Magnatone was an amp that was hard to keep at reasonable sound levels at home. I used to have a Fuchs Train 45 and I sold it because it was extremely loud through my 212.
The Imperial has a good built in attenuator/power soak - ie it can drive the power section as well as the preamp at low vol. The Swart has none. Imo at 18w with no attenuator the Swart isnt going to be as versatile or sound as good at home use levels as the power amp will not be in its sweet spot.
I love the amp much more with the 6V6.
That strat sounds and looks killer. You got a vid on it?
Would it be crazy to pair this with a hollowbody and do some jazzy things? I know it's no Henriksen Bud, but it's not supposed to be.
Sounds very good...
Funny, I owned that amp - and hated playing it! It sounded good but I disliked the way it felt to play. We are all different, I suppose, with different preferences. This was the final step for me in ensuring I would never buy amps unplayed - and based on RUclips sounds.
What amp did you end up sticking with?