In case Marshall decides to do another round of Codes, or for people that want to buy one, here is my bottom line after dealing with this thing for a few years. I had Line 6 experience and wanted a simpler all-in-one modeling combo with a bluetooth app that could do hard rock. The Katana looked like a toy so I bought this.
PROS: Solid construction. Looks great. Good range of amps and effects. Bluetooth app is very good and can tune every parameter. Tones can be downloaded and backed up to/from Marshall site. Amp can sound very good (after a lot of tweaking). The Plexi, American OD, JTM Crunch and Acoustic amps are good. The Guv’nor, Compressor, Chorus, noise gate and all the delays and reverbs are useable. Marshall has done sufficient software updates to correct early issues (bluetooth, tones, bugs). Can be used at bedroom volume with Master on ‘1’. Optional footswitch gives good control. Documentation is good. Updater software on PC works well.
CONS: Other than those mentioned above, all the other amps and effects are bad. This includes the JCM800, JVM and Silver Jubilee. All the cabs are bad. None of the stock patches are usable. You have to make your own. There are user uploaded patches you can try but very few are usable. Learning curve is significant. The amp is too loud. When you turn up from bedroom level to louder, the sounds change and become very boomy which should not happen with a modeling amp. No effects loop. The ‘out’ is a mini USB. Connecting to a computer requires a mini USB to USB or Lightning cable, which is not included. I tried to use the USB to record to Garageband and sound came out but I couldn’t make it sound good. The footswitch also has a learning curve, and like other people I had to have mine replaced.
ADVICE: Don’t buy it. I bought my Code 50 new from Sweetwater for $299 and now the same version of the amp is $399. If you must have a Code, get the 25 instead. It is cheaper and still absurdly loud. The higher volume available in the 50 is useless because it sounds bad. The extra hundred bucks just gets you painfully loud solid state power amp watts.
If you do get a Code, upgrade all the firmware immediately. You need to connect to a computer to do this, but first you have to find the cable on Amazon. This is unforgivable.
BOTTOM LINE: I have spent too many hours tweaking the Code. This is what I hated about Line 6. But the Line 6 tones were superior. I never got a good JCM 800 sound out of the Code, after hundreds of hours of work. It’s only “great” amp sim, oddly, is the American OD. Marshall’s own Classic Metal patch uses this, not a “Marshall” sim! The Code is marketed as Marshall technology with amp sims created by Marshall, but it is not. Softube created the software and tones. This is not a Marshall amp. Line 6 Marshall sims are far better.
I have now bought a tube amp. I am keeping the Code because I have mastered it and can practice on it but I would not buy it again, certainly not for $399.
My feedback differs totally. I normally play e.g. AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Blues Rock and Blues since 30 years. Afer I bought a Code 25 two years ago and attached my 4x12cab with Greenbacks and Vintage 30 to the amp I tried some weeks long (all changes noted in Excel) to find the same sound like my JTM45 (KT66) and 1987x (EL34L) w/ THD Hot Plate 16 ohms. I just wanted to know if a DSP can achieve the sound of a plexi.
At the end I found it and bought three different used Code 100H and sold both personally upgraded Vintage Amps. The Code sounds better and its much easier to adapt the tone. It feels more direct in reaction and it is easier to really hear every single tone of every string when you play a song - sound is not "washed" - like AC/DC in studio. I love it. Possibly the Line6 is really better (I don't know), but you still needs a power amp, the cab for a good sound and a again lot of knowledge to get it sound like this. From my point of view there is no need for a Line6 to get the plexi sound. And the Code looks much better :) But I still use the Schaffer Replica pedal which is still necessary in front of the amp. I hope Marshall brings a v2 of the Code in pedal format in future, because I really think, tubes have no future anymore. This generation will die. The Code combos are perfect with a Fender Strat and for Blues. For nothing more w/o a cab.
My feedback is the best possible, I love my Code 100 head, although it has some issues like that scratchy damned master volume potentiomneter, and the majority of non-useable factory presets, actually it's a great amp. Forget using the factory presets, make your own patches instead. I never had a Code combo, but if so, my first action would be replace the speaker for a better quality one. My Code head sounds terrific, and extremely loud on a 2x12 cab. Just my two cents...
Regards,
