Magazine Archive

Home -> Magazines -> Issues -> Articles in this issue -> View

FCN Cougar CLX100 Guitar Combo

Article from In Tune, December 1986


IT checks out a new name and a new model...


Given the plethora of makers and models on today's amp scene it's not often that a new name arrives complete with instant clout. True, there are small manufacturers who come and go; but Cougar is perhaps unique in being the brainchild of a major distributor — Westone, Zildjian, Arion and Tama people FCN Ltd — and thus is likely to be almost instantaneously available in a wider range of music shops than any other newly launched brand from a smaller outfit. But just because it comes from a large organisation, that doesn't mean the Cougar amp range is going to be good, so IT borrowed one of their 100 watt 1x12" guitar combos, the CLX 100, to see how it compared in this toughly contested market sector.

Our first impression of the Cougar was that it was as tough and purposeful-looking as its name suggested. Some might argue that the all black finish makes it a bit too reminiscent of many other current products (Peavey, KMD, Laney etc.), but our view was that it looked o.k. and beefy enough to seem right set up behind a purposeful Rock band, especially thanks to a kick-proof metal grille to look after the longevity of its 12" McKenzie speaker.

SPECIFICATIONS



Usefully, the Cougar CLX 100 watt channel switching amp is a small (particularly so for a 100 watt type), easily transported transistorised combo, the sort of proposition which won't have you reaching for your truss when you're called on to shift it around on your own. Despite its lack of size, however, it's splendidly well equipped with features. Starting, as we always do, with the back panel layout, the CLX 100 has two separate sets of FX sends and returns, a standard IEC (detachable) mains lead, extension speaker jack sockets plus headphone and DI outputs. As we say, it's very well kitted out.

The front panel, meanwhile also reveals a high level of specification, kicking off with three different jack socket inputs marked High, Low and 'Split', the latter designed for use when the amp is being shared by two players. In this respect again it shows that some serious thought has been given by the manufacturers to the way in which combos are so often shared, whether in emergencies or not. Of course, in a perfect world two guitarists would never share one amp, out it does happen, and it's good to see that the Cougar allows this to be done conveniently.

As well as plugging in your guitar, the Cougar also needs connecting to its two-way moulded plastic footswitch, which has LED indicators showing you which of its dual functions (channel switching and reverb on/off) is selected. This plugs into the amp's front panel via a conventional DIN socket which, whatever merits it may have from a wiring options point of view, didn't strike us as a sufficiently robust connection for a device likely to suffer the sort of wear and tear that stage amps are constantly subject to. It's only a small criticism, but we would like to see something stronger being used, even if it added a couple of quid to the RRP.

Progressing to the Cougar's controls, a click-stopped rotary pot lives next to the footswitch input socket, enabling the user to select either Channels 1 and 2 on their own or in 'mix' arrangements. Next come the individual gain sections for each channel. These each have two push buttons, the first of which selects FX send/return loop (a completely different circuit from the master FX loop's), the second governing on/off of the internally fitted Accutronics-Hammond spring reverb device. Again, the Cougar scores by the thoughtfulness of having two FX circuits, enabling you to use different units selectable from the amp's own footswitch. What's more, the foot-switch is also complemented by the amp having switches on its front panel, allowing you to select reverb on/off on each channel individually.

Channel 1 is designed to be the 'dirty' channel, having Gain and Distortion pots, while channel 2 features just a single pre-amp gain, identifying it as the 'clean' channel. Both of these, of course, work against the Cougar's master volume control in the usual way. Incidentally, another nice feature is the front panel's standby switch, which changes colour depending on its status. Nice one, that!

Twin channel the CLX may well be, but it only offers its owner the one set of tone controls: a shame we feel, as true twin channel operation really does call for you to be able to set up one Eq setting for your rhythm sound and another for your soloing. Nonetheless, the tones provided work very well indeed and, of course, the Cougar is no more deficient in having just the one set of Eq controls than many other similarly priced combos. These aforementioned 4-band tone/Eq controls split the amp's bandwidth into divisions of 100Hz (Bass), 400Hz (Low-Mid), 1.6kHz (High-Mid) and 2.5kHz+ (Treble) and are very effective indeed, providing the Cougar with an impressively wide range of sounds. In this respect, once again, the newcomer is well on a par with the established competition. Overall, you've definitely got one of the better equipped combos on the market here. Nothing about the Cougar makes you feel that it's a new product from a (possibly inexperienced) new maker — far from it in fact, because the CLX 100 has obviously been designed and thought-out by someone with a good understanding of what the modern player needs.

THE SOUND



Soundwise the Cougar delivers just about exactly what you'd hope to find from a modern MOSFET driven guitar combo. Clean, it has a really loud and yet nicely relaxed sound — particularly good with a Strat, we found (and especially so when used with a chorus pedal). This ability to give a clean and yet nicely warm sound would automatically put a Cougar on our shortlist were we looking for a combo suited to the Pop/Country guitarist. What's more, having that twin circuit for FX connection and such versatile tones means that the CLX would be very likely to appeal to the player who needs to handle one sort of music on one gig and another on the next.

Switch over to the second channel via the Cougar's footswitch and the benefits of the MOSFET power devices also becomes apparent. The distortion sound it produces is raunchy and hard, but not rough in the way of older transistorised combos. We were particularly pleased to find that it sounded good with a wide range of guitars too, from cheap and cheerful beginners' copies right up to a Gibson and a JayDee. Probably contributing to this versatility is the use of a cambric edged (McKenzie) speaker which must be, in part at least, one of the reasons why the overload seems to be so warm and forgiving. Distortion is, of course, a very personal thing (which is why IT always tries to get as many opinions on a tested product as we can) but, without exception, all the players to whom we showed this debutant rated it among the top ten of current tranny amps. Which actual position it would occupy in this league table would be down to the individual, of course.

CONCLUSION



The Cougar CLX 100 is definitely a worthwhile introduction and looks like presenting a substantial challenge to its longer established competitors. Packed with useful and cleverly thought-out features, it offers the sort of versatility of both sound and operation which is going to win it a lot of friends among working semi-pro players, we feel. We'd go further, though, and add that it's hard to see who wouldn't feel quite at home with this amp's sound.

At RRP £320 the Cougar isn't quite as cheap as we'd have liked to see it, but only by about £20 or so (the sort of margin you can sometimes squeeze out of a friendly retailer). Having said that, it offers a splendid combination of features, a good build quality and a versatile, satisfying sound. Check this one out for sure.

RRP £320 inc. VAT

More info on Cougar from FCN Ltd., (Contact Details).


Also featuring gear in this article



Previous Article in this issue

Fernandes 'Revolver' FRB 70 Bass

Next article in this issue

GT Electronics 'Studio Tube Pre-Amp'


Publisher: In Tune - Moving Music Ltd.

The current copyright owner/s of this content may differ from the originally published copyright notice.
More details on copyright ownership...

 

In Tune - Dec 1986

Donated by: Gordon Reid

Gear in this article:

Amplifier (Combo) > Cougar > CLX100


Gear Tags:

Guitar Amp

Review

Previous article in this issue:

> Fernandes 'Revolver' FRB 70 ...

Next article in this issue:

> GT Electronics 'Studio Tube ...


Help Support The Things You Love

mu:zines is the result of thousands of hours of effort, and will require many thousands more going forward to reach our goals of getting all this content online.

If you value this resource, you can support this project - it really helps!

Donations for March 2024

Please note: Our yearly hosting fees are due every March, so monetary donations are especially appreciated to help meet this cost. Thank you for your support!

Issues donated this month: 0

New issues that have been donated or scanned for us this month.

Funds donated this month: £208.00

All donations and support are gratefully appreciated - thank you.


Magazines Needed - Can You Help?

Do you have any of these magazine issues?

> See all issues we need

If so, and you can donate, lend or scan them to help complete our archive, please get in touch via the Contribute page - thanks!

Please Contribute to mu:zines by supplying magazines, scanning or donating funds. Thanks!

Monetary donations go towards site running costs, and the occasional coffee for me if there's anything left over!
muzines_logo_02

Small Print

Terms of usePrivacy