They are super nice. VHT are my favorite hidden gem though. The build quality, range of tones and built in features of some of the VHT amps from the 90s were absolutely amazing for when they were made, and they still hold up with the best of them today!
Holy shit what an incredible sound. I've seen these used live by Kurt Ballou and Steven Wilson, and they might have the best ears in the biz. Now Tosin is using them live, that speaks volumes to me. Such amazing clarity and cut and that may be the best boosted sound I've ever heard. Take my money!
I saw the band Circa Survive live and their guitar player Brendan uses a Hot Cat 30. His tone was immaculate and I knew I needed a Bad Cat at some point. Then yeah I noticed the Bad Cat amps in the Porcupine Tree live performances too and was 100000% sold lol
Beau from Saosin and Dan O Connor from Four Year Strong (who have recorded with Kurt Ballou) also use Bad Cat. That told me everything I needed to know. Bought my Lynx yesterday. Gonna ABY it with my EVH Stealth.
Would like to thank you for this review man. I immediately ordered this head and am EXTREMELY happy with it. This is Orion’s amp. This is Zeus’ amp. The metal hero’s amp bar none.
Tosin is running stereo badcats and one of them is this amp! Sounds incredible live. He had the best sound that night and Devin and DT played after them!
That amp sounds brutal, and your happiness with playing with it is infectious! And honestly IMO they should let you keep that amp, probably the best demo they could have got of it! I'd love to have one if RSI injuries hadn't taken away my ability to enjoy playing guitar (my first instrument).
I have the first version of this amp Bad Cat did around '08. I bought mine brand new in '09. Two channels, 50w EL34 - clean and dirt, 1/2 power swtich and a lowend boost switch -- no efx loop. Big clean channel that pretty much stays clean unless you drop it to 1/2 power and crank it. Dirt channel is fat, grindy and can get you in the metal ball park but is more suited to heavy hard rock tones. I love it -- my favorite amp. One of the unique things about it is each channel has a separate signal path -- I run it with an A/B switch with a different set of pedals in front each. Only down side -- it's so heavy. Lol. This new one sounds a bit more aggressive -- beautiful tones. Love that semi-clean crunch you can get from channel one. Great demo!
Just saw Porcupine Tree yesterday, Steven Wilson uses the Lynx 50 with the custom 4x12 with celestions. It sounds massive. I would love a NAM model for this amp, just saying...
Good to see the lynx getting some attention. Bad cat makes some great amps; tried a cougar about a decade ago & that led me to get a Lynx 50 and Hot Cat 100, both were fantastic. I liked the lynx more than the hot cat (hot cat was a bit more compressed with high gain tones), so I kept the former and sold the latter to a studio in the area. Have tried a lot of amps since then & overall have yet to find one that beat out the lynx (older version) for me. Cleans are amazing and I love how raunchy the high gain tones are while still maintaining definition. They're very versatile amps too, the one I have was actually one of Chris Daughtry's amps at one point, which speaks to them not being one trick kitties. Don't sleep on the 50w cougar either if you're looking for some killer metal tones & a great clean channel on a budget & come by one.
Sounds sick. I love that it's nice and bright and cutting. So many new amps sound overly bassy and dull. The old Badcat Black Cat 30R is one of the best clean amps ever made.
I watch your channel basically anytime i watch any videos and nothing else. I could probably go word for word with you on your “My Guitar” videos. 😬😂 I’m a gear nerd. But anyways keep up the awesome content Ola. Hope you and your family have a amazing day my friend!
Something I just learned you can step on both buttons of the foot switch at the same time if you wanted to go from channel 2 high gain to channel 1 low gain etc... I talked to John at bad cat and he said the foot switch button spacing was designed that way so you could do that.
I'm in love with this amp, the sound is amazing in youtube, I can't imagine how is the sound in the reallity, thanks for sharing all stuff of guitar gear
Ok I watched other Bad Cat demos on this amp. They weren’t bad but weren’t really good either. They didn’t show the real rocking your face off metal side you’re doing here. NOW I’m sold! I’m loving that rich-rounded sound. I feel like so many other amps focus on the rough attack and the smooth elements are lost.
Not surprising. It's a small boutique brand, that's normally known for making hotroded Voxes and such. I'm pretty sure this the first time they've made anything like this.
That thing sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing. Big eye opener. Can’t find one in Chicago to check out. Might just have to pull the trigger. 😁happy new year and thanks for all your great videos and research. 🤘
Sounds a bit like a Revv Generator on the Purple channel, but with a bit of Recto feel mixed in. Lots of gain, but precise and crunchy despite a lot of low mids & bass. Tube Screamer seemed to cut a bit too much bass, but that's probably perfect for a mix. Unexpected from Bad Cat, but a pleasant surprise!
You really are such a great guitar player man! Sometimes I forget that, then you just rip out something offhand and wicked af & I'm shit, Ola is awesome. ❤ plus, that throaty clank is pretty great too.
Full stack huh? What is that one amp? Or 40? What are the technical parameters of a full stack? Because it used to mean one head on 2 4x12 cabinets stacked.
The amp sounds scooped because 'straight' cabinets accentuate bass and treble frequencies where as slant cabinets accentuate mid frequencies. I don't use straight cabinets anymore because they don't sound as thick/full.
The original Lynx 50 (hardwired) actually had a midrange voicing control that added pretty crazy ripping midrange boosts, but the new version skipped that part.
I just tried one of these at a local guitar shop. I found it to be really fizzy when I turned the gain up to chug territory. I was playing through the Bad Cat lynx 2x12 so maybe the cabinet had something to do with it. I was dissapointed that it was so fizzy because they advertize the amp as not being fizzy, and it doesn't sound fizzy in Ola's demo. Anyway, thanks for the great demo. Love your stuff Ola!
wow, really cool tone just from the start. Second channel has not so big difference in tone, but it has more gain and the tone is just awesome, with od it's just perfect.
I had one of the original Lynx heads about 12 years ago. They were absolutely killer and had light up cat eyes at that stage. Basically a Soldano like clone. The new ones seem to be alright too.
Awesome demo of an awesome amplifier, as always when it comes to Ola! You might wanna try some kind of windshield for your speaking mic. It catches the sound from you windmachine/blower you have there. The wind looks awesome on your hair, tho!
It reminds a lot of my Mesa Mark IV, a little on the dry side but in a pleasant way that makes it super articulate and punchy. I wonder what the difference between this and the old Lynx is, though. Def wanna try one!
If you think this sounds scooped you would love the Hotcat. That’s what I’m using with a boost and it’s like the best sounding Marshall you’ve never heard.
I would be interested to see how it sounds with different speakers, maybe the Demon's? This setup kinda reminds me of a soldano and a badlander had a baby, but maybe that's me.
@Ola Englund or someone else who might know and play live, how does a tube top like this Bad Cat fair live with drum sets and everything ? Is it enough for a bigger room with 1000 people as an example ? It is surely too much for my apartment and neighbors so my thoughts go "where is an amplifier like this suitable" . Is it when jamming in the garage with friends or smaller 100 people venues in smaller pubs like "Pub Anchor" in Stockholm (Ola knows what place that is) When do you find a 50Watts Tube amplifiers limits ? I like the sound of this top here in the video but why this top with 50W and not a 100W Marshall DSL100HR for much less than half the money? Would a Marshall DSL100HR be more suitable to play metal for a bigger crowd in a bigger room ? Is it that simple ? More Watts more boom ? I know very little as you can tell.
50w is more than 99% of people will ever need. Thinking you need 100w or more is being sold a lie. With 50w you actually get to drive the power section of the amp. So yea with the right cabs / PA system you could play 1000+ people.
Sounds great. I've got a Victory Super Kraken 100w, and judging from the video, the Lynx sounds like it's in the same ballpark: thick, lots of definition, but a bit brighter and less mids than the Kraken., which is a darker amp.
I mean I get what you’re saying, but it’s 50w and it’s significantly more expensive than a 50 watt EVH 5150 EL34, I don’t know that it should be in THAT price range
@@brennenconlee437the EVH brand is owned by Fender. Mega corporate buying power, foreign factory made. Because of this, those amps are an incredible deal. Bat Cat is a much smaller company, and have a different approach to manufacturing.
Yeah, Ola has already proven that he can get great guitar sounds from a potato 😀, but IMO this bass sound is the real secret for the overall mix and makes most of that tone.
Bad cat has to be the most "hidden" gem amps out there.... Everytime someone demos one... Everybody is shocked on how good they sound
The fact that these amps were good enough for Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree is all I needed to know. I think I might pick up a Hot Cat
They are super nice. VHT are my favorite hidden gem though. The build quality, range of tones and built in features of some of the VHT amps from the 90s were absolutely amazing for when they were made, and they still hold up with the best of them today!
@@Childofbhaal Guthrie Govan also used to play them.
I first heard them on Porcupine Tree albums sounding sick.
They are so friggin expensive though
Holy shit what an incredible sound. I've seen these used live by Kurt Ballou and Steven Wilson, and they might have the best ears in the biz. Now Tosin is using them live, that speaks volumes to me. Such amazing clarity and cut and that may be the best boosted sound I've ever heard. Take my money!
I saw the band Circa Survive live and their guitar player Brendan uses a Hot Cat 30. His tone was immaculate and I knew I needed a Bad Cat at some point. Then yeah I noticed the Bad Cat amps in the Porcupine Tree live performances too and was 100000% sold lol
Beau from Saosin and Dan O Connor from Four Year Strong (who have recorded with Kurt Ballou) also use Bad Cat. That told me everything I needed to know. Bought my Lynx yesterday. Gonna ABY it with my EVH Stealth.
Would like to thank you for this review man. I immediately ordered this head and am EXTREMELY happy with it. This is Orion’s amp. This is Zeus’ amp. The metal hero’s amp bar none.
Tosin is running stereo badcats and one of them is this amp! Sounds incredible live. He had the best sound that night and Devin and DT played after them!
they sound better than Mesa amps and yes I own and love Mesa amps. Definitely on par with other boutique amps like Mezzabarba, Friedman and Bogner.
When you do that open D2 chord with this amp on channel 1 with mid-high gain set you're basically nailing Procupine Tree's sound 100%. Nice.
That amp sounds brutal, and your happiness with playing with it is infectious! And honestly IMO they should let you keep that amp, probably the best demo they could have got of it! I'd love to have one if RSI injuries hadn't taken away my ability to enjoy playing guitar (my first instrument).
Definitely one of the best sounding heads you’ve demoed. Sounds gnarly
I have the first version of this amp Bad Cat did around '08. I bought mine brand new in '09. Two channels, 50w EL34 - clean and dirt, 1/2 power swtich and a lowend boost switch -- no efx loop. Big clean channel that pretty much stays clean unless you drop it to 1/2 power and crank it. Dirt channel is fat, grindy and can get you in the metal ball park but is more suited to heavy hard rock tones. I love it -- my favorite amp. One of the unique things about it is each channel has a separate signal path -- I run it with an A/B switch with a different set of pedals in front each. Only down side -- it's so heavy. Lol. This new one sounds a bit more aggressive -- beautiful tones. Love that semi-clean crunch you can get from channel one. Great demo!
Just saw Porcupine Tree yesterday, Steven Wilson uses the Lynx 50 with the custom 4x12 with celestions. It sounds massive. I would love a NAM model for this amp, just saying...
Also looking for a NAM capture :D:D Seems like there is nothing out there (yet)
I'd buy the NAM capture if Ola released such :)
But it has (not this model especially), I download this model, but it's full rig.
Best metal sounding amp to my ears. It has everything. Badcat never dissapoint.
This is probably the best sounding amp and pedal combo you’ve ever posted! 🤟
Bad Cat has some ridiculously under-appreciated and, truly, little-known, absurdly awesome amps out there for every style.
And he has always used the Bad Cat amps, since In Absentia if I'm not mistaken!
Insane intro, among the best sounding amps I've heard on the channel.. Up there with the Soldano
And the marshall dsl1 imterestingly.
The perspective from 1:18 is just great 😆 little Ola next to his huge cab and amp
That channel 2 demo is face melting, incredible sounds and harmonics. 4:55
Good to see the lynx getting some attention. Bad cat makes some great amps; tried a cougar about a decade ago & that led me to get a Lynx 50 and Hot Cat 100, both were fantastic. I liked the lynx more than the hot cat (hot cat was a bit more compressed with high gain tones), so I kept the former and sold the latter to a studio in the area. Have tried a lot of amps since then & overall have yet to find one that beat out the lynx (older version) for me. Cleans are amazing and I love how raunchy the high gain tones are while still maintaining definition. They're very versatile amps too, the one I have was actually one of Chris Daughtry's amps at one point, which speaks to them not being one trick kitties. Don't sleep on the 50w cougar either if you're looking for some killer metal tones & a great clean channel on a budget & come by one.
I never would have known by the look that this is a metal amp. Sounds incredible. Sounds better without the boost IMO!
I agree. It sounds almost too "hairy" with the boost imo. Doesn't seem to need it either.
That's one reason I love my mesa calibers so much. They look like jazz amps.
definitely want one and a 70s Flying V
Finally a good demo! Been debating this one since Beau put out his demo, I think I’m sold! Thanks Ola
Totally agree! This Badcat is sounding badass!! Ola the Swede does it again...thanks for that little preview.
The intro jam, the bass guitar is mixed so well.
Warm like an Orange but with Mesa thickness and a bit of that mark 4 twang from the early LoG albums, what a sound
Man that BadCat amp sounds 🔥
Like fire, you always have the best tone and groove...
Sounds sick. I love that it's nice and bright and cutting. So many new amps sound overly bassy and dull. The old Badcat Black Cat 30R is one of the best clean amps ever made.
That clanky bass mixed in makes this intro song mix sound killer!
On its own, it would suit any doom / stoner / sludge track perfectly. Raw and natural sound. With right pedals, fits even more technical stuff.
Kinda stoked to see Ola this stoked on something tbh
Sounded absolutely brutal even through my terrible cellphone speaker
Thanks!
Thank you my beautiful friend! ❤️
I watch your channel basically anytime i watch any videos and nothing else. I could probably go word for word with you on your “My Guitar” videos. 😬😂 I’m a gear nerd. But anyways keep up the awesome content Ola. Hope you and your family have a amazing day my friend!
Something I just learned you can step on both buttons of the foot switch at the same time if you wanted to go from channel 2 high gain to channel 1 low gain etc... I talked to John at bad cat and he said the foot switch button spacing was designed that way so you could do that.
I’m listening to this with phone speakers and it still sounds great. That’s impressive 🤘🏻
I'm in love with this amp, the sound is amazing in youtube, I can't imagine how is the sound in the reallity, thanks for sharing all stuff of guitar gear
That intro was sick Ola. Crunchies for days !!
Ok I watched other Bad Cat demos on this amp. They weren’t bad but weren’t really good either. They didn’t show the real rocking your face off metal side you’re doing here. NOW I’m sold! I’m loving that rich-rounded sound. I feel like so many other amps focus on the rough attack and the smooth elements are lost.
2:04 this single tone its just amazing, my favourite
Is that actually single? Or just the snappiness of the pickup and strings? It sounds like something in-between a single and a humbucker.
@@WildWildWeasel i ment that first sound, didnt talk about the pickups 😂english is not my first language sorry
dayum that clean tone is SICK dirty is too annd also awesome riffs man
This thing sounds awesome, can't believe I haven't heard of this brand
Not surprising. It's a small boutique brand, that's normally known for making hotroded Voxes and such. I'm pretty sure this the first time they've made anything like this.
Gunna need to check one out somewhere. I love and trust Ola’s “gear reviews” as he is the master of chug tone!
Probably the best chug i heard from Ola ever.
That little brute of a beast...
Added this one to my wish list - love a high gain amp with a unique voice! Reminds me a little of the Mezzabarba line.
That thing sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing. Big eye opener. Can’t find one in Chicago to check out. Might just have to pull the trigger. 😁happy new year and thanks for all your great videos and research. 🤘
I'm seeing them for 1900 here in the states. Not bad really . Amp sounds killer.
It sounded better without the boost Ola! What a kick ass amp \m/ \m/
Sounds a bit like a Revv Generator on the Purple channel, but with a bit of Recto feel mixed in. Lots of gain, but precise and crunchy despite a lot of low mids & bass. Tube Screamer seemed to cut a bit too much bass, but that's probably perfect for a mix. Unexpected from Bad Cat, but a pleasant surprise!
You really are such a great guitar player man! Sometimes I forget that, then you just rip out something offhand and wicked af & I'm shit, Ola is awesome. ❤ plus, that throaty clank is pretty great too.
There's a reason Tosin is touring right now with a full stack of Bad Cat Lynx amps and a pedalboard.
that speaks volumes as he is one of the most gifted modern guitarists today
Full stack huh? What is that one amp? Or 40? What are the technical parameters of a full stack? Because it used to mean one head on 2 4x12 cabinets stacked.
Awesome review Ola! Great video too! Cheers
Not sure what voodoo is happening here but that's one of the best tones I've heard since like 2020 with your In the Room series.
That intro riff is killer Ola ! 🔥
Really loved that intro!
Love Bad Cat amps so amazing and not well known. Like how versatile they are for rock to metal to blues to jazz stuff too.
love this!
The amp sounds scooped because 'straight' cabinets accentuate bass and treble frequencies where as slant cabinets accentuate mid frequencies. I don't use straight cabinets anymore because they don't sound as thick/full.
It really does sound incredible
The original Lynx 50 (hardwired) actually had a midrange voicing control that added pretty crazy ripping midrange boosts, but the new version skipped that part.
That's totally my style of thrash. Thanks Ola, for thrashing out.
I'd like to use the pre amp from that amp and make it a rack unit!
I just tried one of these at a local guitar shop. I found it to be really fizzy when I turned the gain up to chug territory. I was playing through the Bad Cat lynx 2x12 so maybe the cabinet had something to do with it. I was dissapointed that it was so fizzy because they advertize the amp as not being fizzy, and it doesn't sound fizzy in Ola's demo. Anyway, thanks for the great demo. Love your stuff Ola!
Men hörrö Ola, snygg gurka ju!
I’m pretty sure the v30s they use are custom made for their amps so they might change the mid scoop you mentioned
Ola 'Ferty' Englund Awesome channel and Great opener!
wow, really cool tone just from the start. Second channel has not so big difference in tone, but it has more gain and the tone is just awesome, with od it's just perfect.
Man! It sounds ferocious!!
And it LOOKS beautiful too. Just like Ola.
I had one of the original Lynx heads about 12 years ago. They were absolutely killer and had light up cat eyes at that stage. Basically a Soldano like clone. The new ones seem to be alright too.
My favorite channel to find out if something can go full chug nasty
Ordered one, can’t wait to play this beast
Kickass intro riffs.
Awesome demo of an awesome amplifier, as always when it comes to Ola! You might wanna try some kind of windshield for your speaking mic. It catches the sound from you windmachine/blower you have there. The wind looks awesome on your hair, tho!
I went to a porcupine tree show in 2003 they sounded absolutely jaw dropping. Their rig consisted of:
A single bad at amp.
@@Soldano999 I noticed watching just live footage it really is a single amp! Maybe a head and a speaker but it sounds HUGE live!
It reminds a lot of my Mesa Mark IV, a little on the dry side but in a pleasant way that makes it super articulate and punchy.
I wonder what the difference between this and the old Lynx is, though. Def wanna try one!
If you think this sounds scooped you would love the Hotcat. That’s what I’m using with a boost and it’s like the best sounding Marshall you’ve never heard.
Great opening Riff 🤘🤘
I would be interested to see how it sounds with different speakers, maybe the Demon's? This setup kinda reminds me of a soldano and a badlander had a baby, but maybe that's me.
One thing I would love to see is how the amps you demo respond to pedals. I dont do the plug in thing so pedal response is important to me.
That’s definitely a like for that intro. 🔥 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
@Ola Englund or someone else who might know and play live, how does a tube top like this Bad Cat fair live with drum sets and everything ? Is it enough for a bigger room with 1000 people as an example ? It is surely too much for my apartment and neighbors so my thoughts go "where is an amplifier like this suitable" .
Is it when jamming in the garage with friends or smaller 100 people venues in smaller pubs like "Pub Anchor" in Stockholm (Ola knows what place that is)
When do you find a 50Watts Tube amplifiers limits ? I like the sound of this top here in the video but why this top with 50W and not a 100W Marshall DSL100HR for much less than half the money? Would a Marshall DSL100HR be more suitable to play metal for a bigger crowd in a bigger room ? Is it that simple ? More Watts more boom ?
I know very little as you can tell.
50w is more than 99% of people will ever need. Thinking you need 100w or more is being sold a lie. With 50w you actually get to drive the power section of the amp. So yea with the right cabs / PA system you could play 1000+ people.
Chugs without tube screamer sound smoother, which is good to me. I wish they had reverb onboard, and then was available with two 12” speakers for me.
Finally found a Kemper profile of it and must say it has a very cool high gain structure to it. Digging it alot!
Sounds great. I've got a Victory Super Kraken 100w, and judging from the video, the Lynx sounds like it's in the same ballpark: thick, lots of definition, but a bit brighter and less mids than the Kraken., which is a darker amp.
That sounds incredible. Channel 1 sounded great too.
Amazing intro RESPECT BRO
Sounds incredible
Shoutout to that VR2 mic. Not my favorite for vocals, but they are phenomenal on guitar cabs
Indeed: DAMN what a tone!
This amp sounds fucking great! It sounds like you could get an amazing Pantera tone out of it
Damn that riff is beastly!
That thing sounds amazing.
Holy shiiiiit that sounds incredible!!!!
Is the price that bad? Still cheaper than basically any new Mesa Amp (if you could get one in Europe right now)
I mean I get what you’re saying, but it’s 50w and it’s significantly more expensive than a 50 watt EVH 5150 EL34, I don’t know that it should be in THAT price range
@@brennenconlee437the EVH brand is owned by Fender. Mega corporate buying power, foreign factory made. Because of this, those amps are an incredible deal. Bat Cat is a much smaller company, and have a different approach to manufacturing.
This gets my nod of approval.
Tried one at NAMM after being handed a boutique guitar to try. Couldn't tell you anything about the guitar since I had so much fun playing the amp.
Holy crap this slaps hard! The bass sound is killer too 🤘
Yeah, Ola has already proven that he can get great guitar sounds from a potato 😀, but IMO this bass sound is the real secret for the overall mix and makes most of that tone.
@@micktheshaggy3977 True that
Badass that amp has a unique sound
That has an amazing tone!
beatiful solar big ola englund
Hell-Yeah !!!!!
This set-up “kicks serious ASS”
OLA / You definitely did this one right 👍👍
I’ll have to check this “amp” out .. Thanx🔥🔥👍
If I'm not mistaken Misery Index used one of these along with the VH140C on Traitors album
that was sick! Sounds awesome 🤘
Thank you Ola👍😎
I love your channel man, like how you mic your shit up, straight from Illinois USA
It'd be great to hear it through a Texas Heat
& Swamp Thang
loaded cab!
Intro riff is sick