Studio Diary #63: Pros and Cons Debate: Exploring Amp/Cab Switchers

Pros and Cons is an irregular series where I do a deep dive into a decision that I need to make – normally about gear for a home hobbyist studio. Here, I share whatever problem I’m trying to solve, all the background reading on the various options, and a look at the pros and cons of each way forward. I find that this process helps me make a more informed – and less emotive – decision. If you’re faced with a similar decision, I hope it helps you too.

Are they overkill luxury, or a necessary expense for any home hobbyist who uses multiple amps into the same load box?

That’s the question I’m trying to answer for myself in this post.

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Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Planning The Long-Term Review

Did you have a good Christmas and New Year?

I did: I spent a lot of time with my old Marshal Origin 20H amp and the Wampler tcd drive pedal. Great-sounding combination.

And that got me thinking about what I want to cover in my long-term review of the Marshall Origin 20H, and why I still want to write about this amp at all after nearly 8 years of owning it.

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New Arrivals: December 2025

Traditionally, December is a month where I try to avoid buying new (to me) gear, because Santa Claus (aka my wife Kristi) normally has something under the tree for me.

This year, though, I was forced into an emergency purchase, because I sat down one afternoon and discovered that my entire guitar rig was dead. Oh the (necessary) joys of using a power conditioner to power everything!

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