Hughes and Kettner SoundMachines Club

The Hughes and Kettner SoundMachine units are low power guitar amplifiers, built in miniature. They contain 2 valves each, with pre-amp and power amp valve stages. This category of products are known as micropower guitar valve (tube) amps or low power guitar amps. Hughes and Kettner were the first or one of the first to produce this type of product. They produced four main products:

Cream Machine
Tone of a over driven Marshall amp
Crunch Master (Blues Master)
Produced the crunch tone of an early Fender valve amp
Metal Master (Metal Shredder)
Bass Master (BATT)
Produces a wide-spectrum of true valve tone,
ranging to fat bottom funk, jazz, blues to over-driven rock.

The H&K Sound Spectrum series are used to create various types of distortion. The common terms used to describe the type of distortion an amp or an effect gives out are:

overdrive
natural and smooth sound
typical of Marshall valve amps
distortion
more rough sound than overdrive fuzz
metallic and very rough sound
crunch
mild overdrive
sounds like breakfast cereals crunching
combined with guitar tone
typical of early Fender valve amps


The ultimate distortion/overdrive comes from tubes which are overdriven so that it creates a smooth singing sound. Nothing can mimic tubes, although there are a million different "tube-sound distortions" available, they just can't make the real sound of valve produced distortion. This is why H&K in the Sound Machine series has used real valves to produce the distortion/ overdrive tones. With H&K Sound Machines there is no simulation, "it is the real deal."

The Metal Master (Metal Shredder) is designed to produce a metal sound typical of the 1980s. It adds in some transistor based distortion on top of the valve distortion, which the typical tone of early metal rock.

The Crunch Master (Blues Master) is the unit produces the mild overdrive crunch tone typical of an early Fender valve amp.

The Cream Machine produces a higher level valve overdrive, as was typical of Marshall valve amps.

Hughes & Kettner manufactured these low power amps from around 1988 to 1992.

Below is a link for the H&K SoundMachines

http://hughesandkettnermicroamps.weebly.com/

The Cream Machine is basically a low wattage high-gain Marshall valve amplifier in miniture and is used to produce that classic over-driven British rock guitar tone. Just crank the controls around to the level of distortion required, from a very smooth cream mode to when cranked a full sounding mini Marshall.

The Cream Machine is a 1W - two valve (12AX7 & 12AU7) low-power pre-amplifier & amplifier combo in a super compact enclosure designed to produce guitar distortion tones. It was the first small valve recording amp produced. The H&K electronics construction is top-rate German quality. The Cream Machine does not do clean - it is built for distortion. To do clean one would use the Cream Machine in sequence with a Crunch Master (Blues Master) and have the Crunch Master provide the clean sections and also drive the speakers.


This little marvel is a small powerhouse that will surprise you with its apparent volume from just 1 watt . It is surprising to discover there is enough power to drive a 4 x 12 speaker cabinet. The advantage of the Cream Machine is that it drives a cab around 20 decibels quieter than a 100 watt Marshall amp when it is cranked.

It is very difficult to get a good guitar sound in a recording studio from a 100 watt Marshall amp because when they are cracked recording gear downstream of microphones get overloaded. The Cream Machine does a great job of emulating Marshall valve amps at reasonable volumes, which makes it ideal to record British cranked tones. The sound produced is in a range that fits in perfectly with recording.

The interface feature set Cream Machine is very broad compared to low power amps in current production, such as the Nano Head. The Cream Machine interface features fit in better in a recording environment than most current alternative products. It also has the right interfaces to function as a chained over driven tube effect unit in a live playing environment. On the other hand for miked low power guitar amps there are quite a number of brands on the market that are very nice. There downside is that they tend to be much more expensive than purchasing a Cream Machine on the used market. On the other hand one needs to be patient as all the H&K low-power amp effect units can be difficult to locate.

The only negative connecting the Cream Machine directly to speakers is that it lacks an EQ section and it has no effects loop. If EQ is required it is necessary to use the line level outputs and provide EQ externally or perform EQ before input into the Cream Machine. It is not possible to use the Cream Machine amplifier to drive speakers directly if EQ is performed downstream. It would also be nice to have a DI balanced XLR out.

It can be used as:


Recording amp
Low power practice amp
Miked amp simulator
Over-driven valve effect
DI box


Great if you want a simple amp for at home, it does clean/rock/hardrock very well, if you want more of a thrashy distortion
put a distortion pedal in front if it

Specifications
12AX7 preamp valve
12AU7 power valve
1W output @ 8 ohms
Front Indicator Lights
Bypass LED
When lit bypass is enabled
Power LED
When lit the unit is powered
Inputs
Front input jack
Rear input jack
Controls
Pre-gain
The amount of overdrive into the "tube amp" section
Master Level
Controls the overall output volume
Two amp (on back)
In concert with the other two controls can sweeten the sound
Connections
Eight 1/4" jacks
Speaker
Foot switch
Tube amp out
Instrument out
Mix out
Cabinetlator mix out
Input (front and back)

Tone Character
Heavy distorted lead
Mellow overdriven sound

The Cream Machine is meant to sound like a heavily over-driven Marshall valve amp and it indeed creates great valve distortion tones. At low volume levels, with the gain set high you can get feedback normally requiring very loud amplification.

At high gain control settings the Cream Machine is very sensitive to input gain and a slight touch of the strings will produce an over-driven growl if the volume on the guitar is set too high. It works best to control gain using the guitar gain knob to drive the level of the Cream Machine effect required. In this setting the Cream Machine volume is set to the desired level speaker output level. Then the gain control is brought up until it produces the desired crunch. The trigger point is then controlled with the guitar volume.

Crunch Master (aka "Blues Master" in North America) Contains an 12AX7 (ECC83) and an EL84, run to give crunch. The Crunch Master has a great, complete feature set and provides actual cranked tube power-amp tone, for classic Fender crunch tone at reasonable levels. It's like have a 59' Bassman in a small box. Add an external reverb unit and it matches the sound very closely. The Crunch Master is "VINTAGE AMERICAN CLEAN & CRUNCH.”

The Crunch Master is for the player who wants crystal clear valve clean sounds and bluesy over-driven "crunch” sounds. Crunch is not a specific type of distortion, but mild overdrive or distortion. Crunch has a tone that resembles the sound of breakfast cereal crunching blended to a guitar sound.

It has an EL84 power stage and a 12AX7 pre-amp stage. 1 channel instrument input on front and back of the unit. Pre-amp gain, master volume, 3-band EQ (treb, mid, and bass controls), a bright switch and power switch on the front. The back of the unit has a jack to plug in a speaker cab using the 5W power amp of the unit, tube amp out jack. There is a switchable line / instrument out and a H&K Red Box (Cabinetulator) built in. It also has outputs for tube amp out and mix out. There are eight 1/4" jacks on the unit for all the input / outputs.

This device is capable of a large variety of rich natural clean, blues to crunch tones. The sounds range from clean to bluesy to dirty-sounding solo-blues, with output-stage-valve soft-clipping. Think Eric Clapton (1989), and B.B. King.

1. Input
Input jack for electric guitar
2. Gain
Gain attenuator to control gain of pre-amp
A / B / C equalisation (Treble / Mid / Bass)
Bright switch
3. Bypass
Displays state of the bypass switch
On = Tube circuit
4. Master
Controls the power amp overdrive and output power
5. Power
Mains switch
6. Power indicator LED
7. Fuse
0.1W Slo-blo
8. Mains cord
9. Speaker
Speaker output
1W - 8 Ohm
10. Tube Position = Crunch Master Signal
Bypass Position - Instrument Signal
is on Line/lnstr. Outputs
11. Footswitch
A Standard footswitch plugged into this socket
fulfills the same function as switch 10.
12. Tube Amp Volume
Controls the output power ofthe tube stage
13. Tube Amp Out
Only tube amp signal is available.
NO Signal in Bypass position
14. Instr Out
Only instrument signal - no signal in Tube position
15. Line / Instrument
Switches the outputs 13, 14, 16 and 17 to Line or Instrument level Output to: Switch Position
Guitar amp input Instrument
Power amp Line
Tape machine Line
Mixing desk Line or instrument
Stereo system
Line16. Mix out
Either the Tube or the Bypass signal is available
17. Cabinetulator Mix Out
Same as Mix Out with added 4 x 12” Celestion
18. Input
Parallel Input to front Input socket (front switches off when used)

Count me in. I have a Cream Machine that I picked up used some time in the 90's. I didn't use it much then, as it was very noisy. I popped open the cover to see that one of the tubes was not completely set in the socket. Since then it has reduced the noise considerably.

I use it in 2 scenarios. #1 is as the 1W amp into a 4x12. Surprisingly loud. Really wish there were more eq options. I have an MXR EQ in front, which helps some.

#2 is via an AB switch into by 4x12 Blues Deville. I am basically using it as a stomp box. Makes the Marshall sound.

Glad you started this thread.

Crunch Master (aka "Blues Master" in North America) Contains an 12AX7 (ECC83) and an EL84, run to give crunch. The Crunch Master has a great, complete feature set and provides actual cranked tube power-amp tone, for classic Fender crunch tone at reasonable levels. It's like have a 59' Bassman in a small box. Add an external reverb unit and it matches the sound very closely. The Crunch Master is "VINTAGE AMERICAN CLEAN & CRUNCH.”

The Crunch Master is for the player who wants crystal clear valve clean sounds and bluesy over-driven "crunch” sounds. Crunch is not a specific type of distortion, but mild overdrive or distortion. Crunch has a tone that resembles the sound of breakfast cereal crunching blended to a guitar sound.

It has an EL84 power stage and a 12AX7 pre-amp stage. 1 channel instrument input on front and back of the unit. Pre-amp gain, master volume, 3-band EQ (treb, mid, and bass controls), a bright switch and power switch on the front. The back of the unit has a jack to plug in a speaker cab using the 5W power amp of the unit, tube amp out jack. There is a switchable line / instrument out and a H&K Red Box (Cabinetulator) built in. It also has outputs for tube amp out and mix out. There are eight 1/4" jacks on the unit for all the input / outputs.
This device is capable of a large variety of rich natural clean, blues to crunch tones. The sounds range from clean to bluesy to dirty-sounding solo-blues, with output-stage-valve soft-clipping. Think Eric Clapton (1989), and B.B. King.

Specifications

1. Input
Input jack for electric guitar
2. Gain
Gain attenuator to control gain of pre-amp
A / B / C equalisation (Treble / Mid / Bass)
Bright switch
3. Bypass
Displays state of the bypass switch
On = Tube circuit
4. Master
Controls the power amp overdrive and output power
5. Power
Mains switch
6. Power indicator LED
7. Fuse
0.1W Slo-blo
8. Mains cord
9. Speaker
Speaker output
1W - 8 Ohm
10. Tube Position = Crunch Master Signal
Bypass Position - Instrument Signal
is on Line/lnstr. Outputs
11. Footswitch
A Standard footswitch plugged into this socket
fulfills the same function as switch 10.
12. Tube Amp Volume
Controls the output power ofthe tube stage
13. Tube Amp Out
Only tube amp signal is available.
NO Signal in Bypass position
14. Instr Out
Only instrument signal - no signal in Tube position
15. Line / Instrument
Switches the outputs 13, 14, 16 and 17 to Line or Instrument level Output to: Switch Position
Guitar amp input Instrument
Power amp Line
Tape machine Line
Mixing desk Line or instrument
Stereo system
Line16. Mix out
Either the Tube or the Bypass signal is available
17. Cabinetulator Mix Out
Same as Mix Out with added 4 x 12” Celestion
18. Input
Parallel Input to front Input socket (front switches off when used)

Some pics of the Hughes & Kettner Cream Machine

I'm desperately seeking a Crunch/Blues Master. If you have a line on one please let me know.
Thanks.