CARR TELSTAR

Includes a paid promotion Ever thought you’d love to marry the sonic qualities of a deep, bold 6L6 and a chewy, harmonically complex EL84 in one amp? The Carr Telstar does just that, and blasts a new tonal template into the stratosphere as a result, attaining myriad ‘brand-new classic’ tones you previously didn’t know existed. The key to the Telstar’s unique capabilities lies in its merger of two very different power tubes in the same push-pull output stage: a 5881 (6L6GC type) exerts solidity, control, and a bountiful low end; an EL84 slathers on sinewy, complex, overtone-laden shimmer and bite. There’s really nothing like it, yet put them together and the plethora of tones available are instantly inspiring. Dial it all in with the aid of a Lean/Lush switch to tailor the body of the tone and a 53/58 switch to alter the gain structure and the frequencies the Tone control emphasizes, and there’s an amazingly broad range of colors and textures to explore. The Telstar easily achieves recognizable renditions of traditional sounds — tweedy, Marshally, blackfacey — all with superb dynamics and playability. But the amp’s real beauty is in the way it crafts utterly original blends from the broad sonic palette, which instantly sound iconic and expressive all on their own. Dial it all anywhere from 16 watts to 0 via the Telstar’s built-in attenuator, and it’s perfect for home, club, and studio alike.