TEST: Electro Harmonix MIG-50

 Regardless of your personal age, anyone who has ever dealt with electric guitars will have heard the name Elektro Harmonix at some point in their life. Even when the writer of this article was still a little shit and snubbed his nose at the then “analog” music stores in Cologne, the attention often fell on small silver pedals with such characteristic names as Phase 90, Electric Mistress or of course had the legendary Big Muff printed on them. The fact that the scene original and owner Mike Matthews already had a very good connection to the Soviet Union became obvious in 1990 at the latest when the Sovtek MIG-50 amplifier came onto the market under the direction of MM and was brimming with Russian puns. Since, due to the current political situation, you can neither purchase products from Russia nor want to be associated with Russian attributes in any way, Mike Matthews has decided to now use the legendary amplifier, which was very popular with both guitarists and bassists with a new name and completely Made in USA. We have the newly released classic Electro Harmonix MIG-50 for testing.

The conception of the Electro Harmonix MIG-50

Well, the product name “Mikoyan and Gurevich” (MIG), which stands for the leading company in Russian fighter aircraft, has still made it to the present, but the use of the former company name and its well-known tubes are history, the latter being replaced by Tung- Sol tubes replaced. The head, which is slightly smaller with dimensions (W x D x H): 610 mm x 356 mm x 356 mm, is designed in the classic style of British vintage amplifiers in the style of a Sound City or Hiwatt, which is reflected, among other things, in a spartan circuit very high volume with, if desired, a low level of distortion and a very solid construction, which can withstand even harsh handling.

The amp is described as two-channel, which can be a bit misleading these days. You can neither change the two channels with a footswitch, nor is there any other way to connect them together. To change the sound, you have to plug the jack plug into another jack socket on the front of the amplifier. The difference in sound between the two channels is correspondingly subtle. While the normal input focuses on bass and low-mids, the bright input is, as expected, more focused on the highs. The possibilities known from two-channel vintage amplifiers with four input sockets are not available with the Elektro Harmonix MIG-50, but they are not really necessary either.

In terms of conception, the amplifier could hardly be more purist, as it is a classic non-master amp in the best JTM style. A four-band sound control in the form of treble, middle, bass and presence, plus two volume controls for one channel each, done! If you want distortion, you get volume. Very simple, very simple, very traditional. I recommend that you think about purchasing one or perhaps the best load resistor currently available, the Fryette Power Station. (https://www.amazona.de/test-fryette-power-station-power-attenuator-und-roehrenendstufe/)

In terms of workmanship, there is nothing that could be criticized about the product. Both in terms of the feel of the individual controls, the sockets and simple things such as the application of the artificial leather, the craftsmanship is very high quality and there is no reason for criticism. The comparatively unusual design of the power and standby switch is interesting. Both switches are designed in black, which I personally have never come across in my entire career, and the switches are designed so that when you switch them up, they fulfill their on function. Personally, I only know this in the opposite direction, i.e. both the power and standby switches are activated when you press the switches down. Unfortunately, the feel of the switches doesn't really convince me; both switching processes don't produce the characteristic "clack" that you'd expect from classic tube amps, but rather "press" into place, as if they were mounted in plastic. A little downer.

Finally, on the right side we find a bright red status lamp. I'm always surprised at how incredibly far you can see these small lamps in a dark room. Just yesterday I was a guest at a concert in a 5000 hall. I stood at the very back of the hall and could still see perfectly which amplifiers on stage were switched on and which were not.

The back of the Electro Harmonix MIG-50

Now let's move on to the back of the Elektro-Harmonix MIG-50. The perforated sheet metal on the back of the amplifier reveals the 5881 power tubes and the traditionally styled 12AX7 preamp tubes, three of which were installed and two of the power tubes. What's interesting is that you can easily adjust the quiescent current on the amplifier on the back of the housing using two measuring points.

However, I would like to point out that this is a job for professionals who know exactly what they are doing. Tubes that are both too cold and too hot not only result in poorer sound, but also significantly more wear and tear, which practically cannot be justified. Unfortunately, you won't find a loop path with the electric Harmonix MIG-50, or in the tradition of the amp, all effects are switched before the amplifier.

At the speaker outputs you can clearly see that the slightly smaller amplifier is designed for operation with just one cabinet. There is an output jack for 16 ohms, 8 ohms and 4 ohms. On the left side there is the cold device socket and the microfuse. Everything was kept very simple, clear and self-explanatory.

in practice

I don't know if it's just me, but I personally have the feeling that we've recently found an increasing number of amplifiers that fulfill their very own function, namely amplifying a signal in the most neutral possible way. These are mostly all-tube amplifiers, which have a stronger saturation at a certain volume, but produce a more or less clean sound up to a comparatively high volume, which not only complements a high-quality guitar very well , but also harmonizes with the diverse variety of pedals.

In particular pedals that have always been connected in front of the amplifier, such as all forms of overdrive, distortion, boosters or fuzz pedals, but also classics such as the Wah Wah pedal or the popular Uni-Vibe clone, which was popular at the time due to the vibrato and modulation effect They can also be placed in a serial effects loop and can also be used in front of a clean or slightly distorting amplifier.

You should always keep this approach in mind when considering the sound of the Elektro Harmonix MIG-50. The amplifier actually has an excellent basic sound, which immediately puts you in a time machine and catapults you back several decades. Particularly when paired with instruments with a slightly vintage feel, such as single-coil guitars with comparatively low output power, or Les Paul-like ones, which also do not exceed 10 kiloohms of direct current resistance despite the humbucker, the amp is ideal for clean and subtle crunch. Use sounds without the plaster immediately crumbling from the ceiling.

If you want to get the amp distortion, you can't avoid a certain volume, unless you work with a very good, adjustable load resistor as described above. Although the amplifier's design is subtly reminiscent of the 1959 model or, due to its performance, even more reminiscent of the 1987 model from Marshall, the amplifier has a completely unique sound. The mids, as we know them from Marshall, for example, along with its fixation on the typical Marshall highs, are much more moderate in the Electro Harmonix MIG-50 and, due to the power tubes used, sound much more in the direction of Hiwatt, if you can the Hiwatt really tickles in the preamp and discreetly holds back with the master control. Personally, I believe that only channel 2 is probably used with this amp anyway, as channel 1 has been very heavily attenuated in treble and will probably only find its friends in jazz, as you can see from the sound examples.

In terms of sound, the amplifier is otherwise convincing across the board and I'm sure that many users would like to have a footswitch with which they can switch between the two channels. Maybe Mike Matthews will consider this in a future version of the amp. Unfortunately this is not possible at the moment.

The question remains as to the area of application of the amp. Of course, this amplifier will work excellently in the studio, as volume has no relevance in a professional studio. You can achieve a very good result with this amplifier, especially with speakers of a lower performance class such as the Vintage 30, or even with Greenbacks.

In live operation, this amplifier requires a minimum stage or sound room size, unless you want to be on the safe side and get all the distortion from good pedals, which is certainly one of the main areas of application for this amplifier. If, on the other hand, you want to tickle the amp and ultimately decide on the level of distortion using the guitar's volume control, you can assume that you will either have a lot of discussions with the front-of-house mixer or perhaps some of the sound will not take place on the PA at all becomes.

Conclusion

With the Electro Harmonix MIG-50, the American company has a puristic, very good-sounding amplifier in its portfolio. Reduced to the most necessary functions, the amp offers a very good, highly dynamic basic sound, which also works excellently with pedals.

If you like vintage sound and approach, you should definitely give the amp a try.

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Additional Informations:

Electro-Harmonix (EHX), a renowned company in the realm of electronic audio processors, has a rich history that dates back to its inception in 1968 by Mike Matthews. This New York City-based company has left an indelible mark on the music industry, particularly through its iconic guitar effects pedals and innovative audio equipment.

### **Founding Years and Early Success**
Electro-Harmonix was born out of the vision of Mike Matthews, a rhythm and blues keyboard player, who founded the company in October 1968 with a modest investment of $1,000. Partnering with Bill Berko, an audio repairman, Matthews embarked on creating a fuzz pedal that gained popularity due to its unique sound. The company's early success can be attributed to the introduction of groundbreaking products like the Electric Mistress flanger and the Memory Man analog echo/delay unit, which revolutionized the music scene in the 1970s.

### **Innovations and Milestones**
During the mid-1970s, Electro-Harmonix solidified its position as a pioneer in guitar effects pedals by introducing cutting-edge innovations such as the first stomp-box flanger (Electric Mistress), the first analog echo/delay unit with no moving parts (Memory Man), and the first tube-amp distortion simulator (Hot Tubes). These inventions not only set new standards in sound manipulation but also established EHX as a trailblazer in the industry.

### **Expansion and Diversification**
As Electro-Harmonix continued to grow, it diversified its product line to include amplifiers, acoustic guitars, and a wide range of effects pedals. The company's commitment to quality and innovation led to collaborations with prominent artists like Jack White, Dave Gilmour, and The Edge, who became avid users of EHX pedals like the Big Muff.

### **Enduring Legacy**
The Big Muff Pi fuzz box stands out as one of Electro-Harmonix's most iconic creations. Launched in 1970, this pedal quickly gained popularity among guitarists for its distinctive overdriven tone reminiscent of rock legends like Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. Over the years, EHX has continued to refine and expand the Big Muff line with variations like the Bass Big Muff and Big Muff Tone Wicker, catering to a diverse range of musicians' needs.

### **Influence on Music Industry**
Electro-Harmonix's impact on the music industry extends beyond its product innovations. The company's ability to capture the essence of iconic artists' sounds has made it a go-to choice for musicians seeking to craft unique tones. From classic rock to modern genres, EHX pedals have found their way into countless recordings and live performances worldwide.

### **Continued Innovation**
Today, Electro-Harmonix remains at the forefront of audio processing technology with a diverse portfolio of effects pedals catering to musicians across genres. With a legacy spanning over five decades, EHX continues to push boundaries and inspire creativity in the world of music production.

In conclusion, Electro-Harmonix's journey from humble beginnings to global recognition is a testament to its unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and musical excellence. As a trailblazer in the realm of guitar effects pedals, EHX has not only shaped the sounds of popular music but also cemented its legacy as an industry leader synonymous with creativity and sonic experimentation.