TEST: Diamond Amps Phantom Head

 If you look at the current state of affairs in the field of guitar amplifiers, the entire scene now seems to be split into 2 overarching camps. The one, mostly established brands with a corresponding degree of fame, are trying to minimize their production costs in particular, in addition to the usual product maintenance, by transferring the partly European, partly American developed know-how to mostly Asian realms, in order not to lose touch with the customer's wishes in the global price war.

The other camp, mostly small and very small manufacturers, produce almost exclusively in meticulous manual work very small numbers of pieces in the highest quality, which is reflected, however, in a selling price, which inevitably makes the majority of ambitious musicians in sinking head shaking or but in slight hyperventilation attacks.

We have an international spearhead of the second category for testing. The Diamond Phantom is built in Texas / USA under the direction of mastermind Jeff Diamant in meticulous craftsmanship and currently makes various boutique amp providers sweat.

Construction

According to the old American principle "You see what you get" no half measures were made in the matter of optics with the Diamond Phantom. Front panel, lettering and product logo convey to even the most unprejudiced customer that this is not the two hundredth copy of the Plexi. This is heavy duty, a range where the lead sound in rock just passes for crunch. Mind you, I'm still on the lookout, but I'd be very surprised if the entire gain range wasn't addressed here with the necessary attention.

In addition to the MSRP of 3,272 euros, the other dimensions also tend to make the ambitious user sweat. 23 kilograms first have to be hoisted onto the cabinet with one hand, the construction of a classic full stack inevitably gets into the range of two-armed ripping of the middle weightlifting class. In return, however, you get oversized transformers, solid construction and a finish that defies even tough everyday road use. With the dimensions 720 mm x 270 mm x 260 mm, the head is very strong in width and fills the shelf space of a classic Marshall 4x12" cabinet up to 2 cm each on the right and left. Caution is advised with smaller cabinets, if you don't want to promote the horrible appearance of head-is-bigger-than-box.

Conceptually, the amp can be seen as a two- or three-channel amp, depending on your point of view. In addition to the clean channel, the lead channel is divided into two sections that are independent in terms of gain and volume and can be switched separately via mini-switch or included footswitch, which in my opinion tends more towards a classic clean-rhythm-lead three-channel. The two leads share a four-band tone control including a presence control, the clean channel has its own version of the same design.

Despite the American production, Diamond relies on British power amp sound culture, i.e. 4 pieces of EL34 in AB push-pull design from Russian Svetlana production are used. No less than 6 pieces of 12AX7 preamplifier tubes take care of the signal processing, whereby one tube supplies the FX loop, another one acts as a driver tube.

On the rear side, the Diamond Phantom continues its clear concept, but not without offering 2 small special features. With the Low Focus one instructs the Head to treat the low bass range separately. However, this is not a clumsy bass boost, but an intelligent circuit, which was specially tailored to the bass range of the guitar and affects the mid and treble range. If you select the high range, for example, the amp ensures an even reproduction of all strings, while the focus shifts further down in the other positions. Especially for live applications this is a very interesting approach.

The second bonus is the tube-buffered effects loop, which can also be used as a master volume. If you bypass the FX loop with the included short bypass cable, the respective volume controls of the individual channels take over the function of the FX send control. So the effects loop is not activated with a footswitch, it is in fact always present. The tube buffering also does not change anything in the sound of the amplifier.

Practice

The fact that even with an acoustic tool like an amplifier, the visual factor has become very important, is immediately apparent when you put the Diamond Phantom into operation. It is not that unusual that heads are illuminated from the inside for optical reasons. However, in order to stand out from the competition, which would like to subtly support the glow of the tubes with a discreet red, Diamond drifts into leg-high Hulk territory.

A strong green, paired with a radiant, also green shining operating LED ensures a clear identification in terms of trademark in the diffuse stage light. The one or other purist will of course again come with the criticism of the unnecessary, but I personally like the blown optics very well.

Starting with the clean channel, one encounters a very flexible basic sound, which in the interaction with gain, volume and the effect return (master volume) any gradations of warm clean to crunchy tangy saturation, which already passes as a blues solo sound. In conjunction with the very effective tone control, it succeeds in covering all shades, which one expects from a first channel. However, if you are looking for the ultra-clean sound of a twin reverb, you won't find it. Even in the first channel, the Diamond Phantom cannot hide its tendency towards rock and excels with a wonderfully compressed basic timbre, which always remains audible even in undistorted settings.

As expected, this tendency is continued in the second channel, which picks up the ball in crunch with a fresh, British imprint and leads up to extremely compressed gain sounds. At the same time, the unit develops a punch that never lets the notorious muttering of other contenders arise, even at the highest gain. In cooperation with the Low Focus, Diamond succeeds in generating a homogeneous sound image over the entire frequency range, which leaves nothing to be desired in terms of pressure paired with transparency.

Conclusion

The Diamond Phantom Head leaves an excellent impression in all areas. Starting with the components used, to the workmanship, to the optical concept and not to forget the sound, the amplifier operates at the highest level and needs to shy away from comparison with other representatives of this performance and price class.

Due to the elaborate handwork in the USA, the amplifier will probably put one or the other budget to a hard test. In return, however, you get one of the best-sounding boutique amplifiers in the high-gain range, which are currently on the market.

Pro:
Sound
Processing
Components
Optics

Additional Informations:

- Diamond Amps: Crafting High-Quality Amplifiers for Musicians

Diamond Amps is a boutique amplifier manufacturer based in Houston, Texas. The company was founded in 1992 by Jeff Diamant and his wife Elaine, with a mission to create high-quality guitar amplifiers that musicians would love. Over the years, Diamond Amps has gained a reputation for building some of the most robust and versatile amps in the industry, with a focus on exceptional tone and reliability.
In this article, we'll explore the history of Diamond Amps, their product line, and what makes their amps unique.

History of Diamond Amps

Jeff Diamant was a professional musician before he started building amps. In the early 80s, he moved from New York to Houston and started playing guitar in a popular local band. Jeff became frustrated with the amplifiers he was using at the time and decided to start building his own.
He spent years studying electrical engineering and experimenting with amp designs, eventually creating his own unique circuits. Jeff's amps were a hit among his fellow musicians, and he started selling them locally under the Diamond Amps brand.

In 1992, Jeff and Elaine officially founded Diamond Amplification, and the company began producing amps on a larger scale. Their first product was the Spitfire, a 20-watt combo amp with a classic British sound. The Spitfire was an instant success and put Diamond Amps on the map.
Since then, the company has expanded its product line to include a range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets. Today, Diamond Amps is known for producing high-end, handcrafted amps that are used by top guitarists around the world.

Product Line

Diamond Amps offers a range of guitar amplifiers and speaker cabinets, each with its own unique features and tonal characteristics. Let's take a closer look at each product line:

The Phantom Series

The Phantom series is Diamond Amps' flagship line of guitar amplifiers. These amps are known for their massive, high-gain sound and incredible tonal flexibility.

The Phantom amps are available in three different models: the Phantom 100, Phantom 150, and Phantom 200. Each model is powered by EL34 tubes and features a three-channel preamp, a built-in noise gate, and a tube-driven effects loop.

The Phantom series also includes matching speaker cabinets, which are available in a variety of configurations. These cabs are built with Baltic Birch plywood and feature Celestion speakers for a classic, full-bodied sound.

The Nitrox Series

The Nitrox series is Diamond Amps' newest line of guitar amplifiers. These amps are designed for players who want a high-gain sound with plenty of clarity and definition.
The Nitrox amps are available in two different models: the Nitrox and Nitrox II. Both models feature a four-channel preamp, which allows players to dial in a wide range of tones from clean to high-gain. The Nitrox II also includes a built-in noise gate and a tube-driven effects loop.

The Nitrox series also includes matching speaker cabinets, which are available in 1x12, 2x12, and 4x12 configurations. These cabs are built with Baltic Birch plywood and feature Celestion speakers for a balanced, full-range sound.

The Hammersmith Series

The Hammersmith series is Diamond Amps' line of vintage-inspired guitar amplifiers. These amps are designed to replicate the classic sounds of the 60s and 70s, with a modern twist.
The Hammersmith amps are available in three different models: the Hammersmith 18, Hammersmith 22, and Hammersmith 45. Each model is powered by EL84 tubes and features a two-channel preamp