Marshall Code50
MARSHALL
CODE50
£229
Has Marshall fi nally cracked digital modelling with the CODE?
Has Marshall fi nally cracked digital modelling with the CODE?
THE
all-new CODE range
from Marshall fi lls
a gap in its catalogue that other
manufacturers have been plugging
for some time. The affordable,
digital front-end, combined with
a solid-state power amp and
software partner app is a popular
choice home users, so how does
the CODE range stack up? The
line-up spans everything from a
25-watt 1x10 combo to a beefy
100-watt 2x12 combo and head –
here we’re looking at the CODE50
combo, which packs a 50-watt
power stage in a 1x12 enclosure.
For the CODE, Marshall
developed a range of modelled
preamps, power amps and speaker
cabinets in collaboration with
software plug-in supremo Softube,
calling the result MST (Marshall-
Softube). There’s plenty of choice,
too: the CODE50 comes loaded
with 14 MST preamps, four MST
power amps and eight MST
speaker cabinets. These cover
every classic Marshall tone from
the past 50 years – including the
JTM45, 1962 Bluesbreaker, 1959
Super Lead, JCM800, Silver
Jubilee and the JCM2000, right
up to the current fl agship JVM410,
not to mention some classic
American amp sounds as well.
It all compares favourably with
amp modelling combos from the
likes of Line 6 and Blackstar.
Coupled with this mouth-
watering choice of tone, 24 effects
cover practically all vintage and
modern needs, together with
studio-quality reverbs. A total of
100 presets means you’ll never run
out of space to store your favourite
sounds, while editing is done
either from the front panel or
Bluetooth, using Marshall’s
Gateway interface app, which
updates settings in real time. Other
clever features include a USB
interface, used for updating
fi rmware and recording to your PC
or DAW, and there’s also a built-in
tuner, mp3 player input and
headphones socket.
To the right of the familiar-
looking matt-fi nished gold control
panel is a large, orange-lit LCD
display and a pair of knobs that
scroll through presets and put the
CODE into edit mode. We install
the Gateway app on to an iPhone
running the latest iOS software to
try it out. Apple isn’t the most
Bluetooth-friendly mobile device
builder and as expected, it takes us
a few attempts to pair the iPhone
with the CODE, but on the third
try everything hooks up with no
issues and from then on, it’s all
plain sailing.
Modelling amps live or die by
their factory presets, as these are
often the fi rst and last things a
potential buyer tries. The CODE’s
are generally very good – yes, there
are ambient sounds and trick
delays that show off the DSP’s
processing power, but alongside
these are some very authentic and
highly usable tones that can go
straight onto a track with a
minimal tweaking. EL34 Heaven
is the obligatory, all-guns-blazing
instant gratifi cation patch, while
Plexi Classic is an astonishingly
good emulation of the legendary
Super Lead. We’re also mightily
impressed with the CODE’s
JCM800 voice, shown off best in
the NWOBHM patch. When we
stripped away the effects, all the
main sounds are impressively
It has every classic Marshall
tone from the past 50 years
Photography: Simon Lees
GEAR MARSHALL CODE50
JUNE 2016 75
TYPE: Digital modelling amplifier
OUTPUT: 50W
SPEAKER: 1x12” custom design
AMP MODELS: JTM45, CL DSL, CL
American, CL JVM, Acoustic Simulator,
Clean, Bluesbreaker, Plexi, CR
American, JCM800, OD JVM, OD DSL,OD
American, OD Silver Jubilee, 50s British
CONTROLS: Gain, bass, mid, treble,
volume, master volume, preset select,
preset edit, pre FX, mod, del, rev, power,
cab, exit/store
SOCKETS: Guitar in, 3.5mm aux in,
USB, headphones out, footswitch
socket (for the 4-button Code
PEDL-91009 foot controller, £39)
WEIGHT: 13kg
DIMENSIONS: [HxWxD]
440 x 530 x 280mm
CONTACT: Marshall Amplification
01908 375411 www.marshallamps.com
AT A GLANCE
CONTROL CENTRE
T H E CODE’s control
panel is logically laid
out, with knobs and
buttons following the
same signal path as
a real analog setup
ALL ON DISPLAY
T H E generously sized
backlit LCD display is
thoughtfully designed,
with all the relevant
info in large, easy-to-
read characters
GATEWAY TO
GREAT TONE
T H E Gateway remote
control app is superb,
brilliantly designed
and by far the easiest
of its type to use
TGR280.gear_lead.indd 75 20/04/2016 11:27