With over 15 years of design evolution and customer feedback by Fuchs, the ODS II Custom combines tried-and-true designs with modern flexibility! Plug into this absolute gem of an amp and it very well may be the amp which you judge all others by. The ODS-II captures all the tones that made the original Fuchs ODS amps legendary, but allows massive tonal flexibility via totally separate clean and overdrive channels, each with their own dedicated tone controls, mid and gain boosts, and master volumes.
Despite this tremendous range, the ODS-II is still an easy to operate amp. Channel one gives tones from California style cleans to Classic rock grind. Channel two covers all that channel one offers but with over-the-top near-shred levels of gain as well. The amp has a deep, lush digital reverb with level and decay controls, and a global master and accent control. The rear panel features dual FX loops, digital bias monitoring with external bias controls for each tube, and 5 speaker outputs. The ODS-II is built on a fan cooled, aircraft grade aluminum chassis which includes half power and hi/low/off fan switches. Available in all global voltages.
Fuchs’ designs go a few steps beyond those of other manufacturers!
In addition to refining their circuit designs and operating points with computer "Spice" modeling, Fuchs also spent countless hours tuning their circuits through careful parts selection and refining the internal layout of their products. Details like single- point star grounding of all internal circuits, premium audiophile grade power and output transformers, high speed switching diode power supplies, regulated and buffered DC power supplies for both filaments and high voltage sources, are key elements to producing an amp that has truly unique sonic advantages. All completed amps are compared to reference samples on both test equipment by live players before they may be shipped.
Fuchs’ attention to the power supply and grounding result in an amp with extremely high gain capability, but with a super low noise floor. This reduction in noise and increases in overall circuit clarity makes the selection of components an even more critical element to achieving good tone. While Fuchs uses many time honored component brands and features like “Orange Drop” Capacitors and/or carbon/metal film resistors, we also use Audiophile grade “Wonder Caps” and unique circuit refinements in many parts of the amplifiers as well.
It's a well-known fact that chassis materials can change the tone of the circuits built into them. Fuchs uses an aircraft grade T-6 aluminum chassis, which is 1/6" thick, bent at its edges for strength, and when the front and rear panels are attached, forms a strong yet lightweight chassis. Aluminum also provides an excellent heat sink for excess tube, transformer, or regulator heat. Although Fuchs installs fans in all models, the amps would dissipate plenty of heat even without a fan. The front and rear panels are attached to the chassis pan with pem-nuts, a 1/8 thick assembly formed at both the front and rear of the chassis for rigidity.
A combination of modern and traditional wiring methods
Internal construction in all models is based around a central circuit board, which supports most of the power supply and the amplifiers FX loop, driver and bias circuitry. The balance of the amp is hand wired, with particular attention paid to the preamp section and low-level circuits. All tube sockets are chassis mounted for strength and ease of replacement, in the unlikely event a socket fails. This also keeps tube heat away from the other internal components in the amps.
The amplifier power supply starts with a high voltage supply, which is rectified using high-speed switching diodes, combining the sonic attributes of a tube rectifier, with the efficiency of solid-state diodes. These produce greater voltages, a more rigid supply that doesn't 'bend' under the stress of loud playing, and they also produce zero heat. This DC supply is highly filtered, using over 200 ufd of power supply filtering, contributing to an amplifier that has a strong voice yet remains loud & clear up to its limits.
The output stage(s) feature separate bias for each power tube. Although Fuchs uses premium “matched set” tubes as standard equipment, by individually setting bias, the amp can obtain maximum power before clipping, extending tube life with better tone. The power amp driver circuit uses an AC balance trim control, which adjusts the signal balance to the power stage, keeping it linear, producing a clean, strong tone.
When driven to clipping, overloading is ultra- smooth, compressing in a sweet way, not at all aggressive or harsh.
Premium Transformers
The power transformers are designed for highest self-regulation as well as conservative operation, assuring lowest heat and highest reliability. The output transformers (depending on the model) are premium grade audiophile quality.
