Joyo Zombie II (Demo)

Today it's the Joyo Zombie II. Joyo kindly sent me this amp, so this is a bit different as it won't be a review, but more a demo. The amp is one in the Bantamp XL series.
I hope you enjoy!
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The gear I most often use (the links are affiliate links): redir.love/thocf/r8ctceq3i1
Budget gear I recommend (things I've reviewed and really liked): redir.love/thocf/r9mtambedi
(Not so) budget gear I recommend: redir.love/thocf/cib9pttb93

[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out some cheap good alternatives: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGqVlKatnNaCndk

[@eamonmcdermott4032]

That sounded pretty good to me. To be honest, I prefer the videos where you give your opinion about whatever type of gear you're demonstrating, but I also understand times are tough and you do what you have to do to keep the money coming in. Thanks very much EJK. Long may you riff it up!

[@daniellarson3068]

Yes the opinions are what made the videos interesting. Don't sell yourself out to these folks. That being said, compromises all too often have to be made to survive in this world.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Tbh, I prefer making the reviews as well.

[@antonioj2509]

Hi. Great content and your channel! I would like to ask you a question, if possible. To connect the Joyo Bamtamp XL Jackman II to a cab 1x12" with an 8 ohm speaker, is a charging ( load cable ) cable necessary? How do all the heads connect to valves? Do you always have to use a load cable to connect it to a 1x12" screen? Otherwise, could the head break or damage? Thank you so much! congratulations on your work and your channel! all the best!. ​@@MrPolevaulter

[@DisruptedSinner]

You hit 50,000 subscribers!! Congrats on the milestone, Elmo!! 🥳🥳🥳

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks :)

[@celmore11]

It was such a joy-o to watch this vide-o! Thank you!

[@Timmyfigs]

OK I really love both style videos. I like getting your unfettered opinions in your pure reviews. I also know that equipment choice can be very subjective, so it's nice to see an unbiased demo like this that really puts the equipment through it's paces. And your demos (so far) have been some of the most thorough I've seen.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@lilleaton]

I will always make sure to watch one of your videos when they come out, but your insights and opinions are what matter most to me.

[@christophersheeler4380]

Great demo Elmo. I enjoy your videos and learn a lot from them.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@owlcaps7876]

Thanks for demo 👍

[@MrPolevaulter]

No problem 👍

[@oldguyjammin9732]

This is the only of the Joyo line that I kept. Does an EG in the loop... do that and you've got a legit Mesa Mark V Tone. Great amp for teachers and students to share.

[@earthquakemagoon2505]

Sounds great! Even has an FX Loop which I like. But... as Elmo said, "it does need a noise gate". Thanks Elmo! Skal!

[@SteveRamJetRamsey]

I have the first model and I love it. I use a FANGS distortion in front of it and WOW what a beast!!

[@chriswoods1234]

Love all your videos. Do what you gotta do to eat! I will watch either way!

[@RickMichaelis63]

Seems like everything you play Sounds pretty good to me Elmo, thanks for the review. BTW don’t stop reviewing gear please if you review it, I’ll watch it.✌️

[@tweakrr99]

Sounds really great! Hoping you can do a thorough honest review when you're done doing demos of each of these

[@JoeFic9997]

I bought a Joyo BlueJay years ago and it’s been great. I like their lunchbox series to be honest. Placing a delay in the loop really helps the sound. Also the noise mostly comes in on the PS so I placed a large ferrite core around the supplied power line near the amp.

[@eastcoastaj5048]

My personal opinion is that if Joyo or any company want to sponsor videos where their equipment is featured, they have to accept your full, unadulterated response. That's why I watch. Now if they pay you to basically be the Vanna White of equipment reviews that's something elsr.

[@buffdaddy2032]

I agree . Sometimes I won't even watch a video after I know it's sponsored. I'm not sure but I just don't believe anything they say . I like that you purchase the stuff and give a honest review.

[@robertclarkguitar]

50k bro!!!! The growth is coming now. By next year 100k ...Congrats.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@JesseJuup]

Congratulations for 50k followers! 🎉

[@MrPolevaulter]

Tackar!

[@kipponi]

Not bad sound at all and to the performance stage, the carriers of the amplifiers thanks you and their backs too 😎.

[@JoeEnabnit]

Congrats on 50k subs Elmo

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@Chrsly]

The Jackman II with a Tube Screamer (clone) and an EQ in front and a reverb in the effects loop is all I need (sitting on a 1x12 Greenback cab). I was looking at the Zombie, but I liked the red colour of the Jackman😀 Please definitely give your opinion. You clearly state you're provided with the hardware, and while that may colour your opinion slightly, it's fair and you aren't hiding the fact. We value your opinion and it's not terribly easy to get a good sense for the tones via KZbin. Rock on!

[@TroyNaumu808]

This Joyo Zombie 2 amplifier is so cute and tiny. It makes me wanna boogie on top of a mesa.

[@TroyNaumu808]

Like someone else said, this edition has some minor improvements. I like the added footswktch. Makes it easier to boogie that way by stepping on the flat top mesa button. I do like it better than the Harley Benton you reviewed earlier. That was a Joyo or something also. I like it when amps make it simple like the old days of the 60's/70's. It seems the more feature packed a simulated amp or modelling amp is the more it misses hitting the mark. Keeping it simple is best.

[@FrancisVoignierMusic]

Sounds really good to me ♫

[@darthgibsonlp6631]

Sounds pretty good. Joyo Meteor is the one from this series that I'm really looking forward to hearing tho

[@Defekcija]

This is great pre-amp! I have one and it is way more powerful than it looks and it very reliable in terms of quality.

[@kmichaelp4508]

If a company doesn’t want you to give your opinion, there’s something wrong with their product. If a company wants you to give your opinions? They are trying to make good products and learn from the users. ❤️❤️❤️

[@castleanthrax1833]

Look at it this way: not everyone likes the same stuff, so an opinion is not always a true representation of how good/bad something is. These are essentially just a paid advertisement, so the company (in this case, Joyo) just wants the features pointed out. Gear manufacturers advertise on KZbin rather than guitar magazines now days.

[@justmehere6094]

That's not why He isn't giving his opinion. He is ONLY giving his reviews on gear he has purchased, to eliminate any specter of bias.

[@MrStephenlederle]

I just bought one of these monsters yesterday and am here to share a bit of a hack and review. This is my signal path: Guitar-tuner-mini wah-Overdrive-(input of amp)-send out to EQ pedal-Noise Suppressor-reverb-delay-(dly out) to Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 input-SMPS700 out to 2x12 cab. With this rig setup I have a tube preamp running through two sources of post EQ and have 700 solid state watts of power. I cut the base with the EQ pedal and slightly boost the mids, then I can sculpt further using the PowerStage eq. This thing rips with this configuration.

[@mikaeljohansson83]

Yay gratz for 50k followers.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@Da_Publick]

"There's 'the truth: 😁' and there's 'the truth: 😠' "

[@daveydohrman2241]

I just got the original version used & cheap …. Does what it says … I put a behringer super fuzz in front but set toggle in boost mode…. Sounds really good … louder than expected

[@michaelwinchester8153]

Sounds good enough to me. And conveniently, the only pedals I currently own are a ts-clone, a cheap noise gate and a purple platypus. Almost seems like this bantamp was made for me!

[@mattsikes919]

Killer video but dang it Elmo! Now I am kicking myself in the butt for getting rid of my Zombie 2! I actually like the tone on that one for metal and I just put a humbucker in my strat like yours so it gives me a pretty fair idea of what it would sound like. Might have to buy another one second hand. Thanks for the idea of using a clean boost. I'll give that a shot if I end up picking up another Zombie 2.

[@logan677]

I have watched enough of his vids that you can tell how he feels about this amp by his silence. Miss the opinions verbalized but respect he isnt doing what most channels do and give it the "its the best budget flavor of the week and i love it" treatment.

[@summit-photo]

I just purchased this for $150 from Amazon, ive had it for 2 days... You literally cant beat it for the price. Ive been playing through a solid state orange amp for a few years now. This truly does sound 5x times better and if youre thinking about buying it, just do it! you will not regret it.

[@andriivoitovych7683]

Great review, thank you for you work! In your opinion, what is the best JOYO amp from those that you've reviewed for clean sound?

[@MrPolevaulter]

I'm not sure. No one stood out, either in a positive or negative sense.

[@KozmykJ]

I've heard many good things about these little Joyo amps. I don't have one myself but I DO have some of ther pedals and I think they stand up well to the more expensive makes. As regards the giving of opinions, why not if you point out that a video IS sponsored ? Your audience can then make up their own minds about how enthusiastic you appear to be in your appraisal 😉 The "Full Disclosure" disclaimer works for some other , well respected, Tubers.

[@richszmal1653]

Sounds pretty decent

[@pyratoothNL]

Thanks for the demo! I might have said this before, but the compressor seems to be clipping the recorded signal quite a bit, on both clean and crunch. You don't get as good a feel of the attack coming through the amp. That said, tones are definitely darker and not as sparkly as other manufacturers Apparently John Sykes gets his sound from an MB running through a Marshall 4x12. I know these Joyos are more powerful, but I'm kind of reminded of the Hotone series in how they are copying famous amps for 2/3 the price of this. You don't get a clean channel on those though, but if you're going for high gain anyway, it doesn't really matter.

[@stevenbarton2398]

Elmo, It's hard to tell from a video running on my laptop, but the amp sounded fairly good but would like you give it a full review, at a later date, if possible.

[@martinclayton7260]

I love hearing your opinions, so please tell us what you think!

[@philipbarrett9688]

Hi Elmo, i'm in the process of deciding on going on this little thing or the Orange micro dark. I have the harley benton (that i bought after watching your video) but i can't keep playing volume on all the time (people are trying to kill me 😂). I need a headphone amp, i tried the fender plug on thing but that sounded horrible (i should have watch your video erlier). I will use the amp mainly with headphones and i will keep playing my harley benton when i need a speaker. What do you recommend? Thankyou! P.s. opinion is very important. Since we dont always have the right audio tools to perfectly judge an amplifier (youtube compression, good monitors, good headphones, experience etc) we are in need of your opinion.

[@MrSendek]

Великолепный обзор! Крутая игра на гитаре! Куплю такой усилитель. Спасибо за видео!

[@andrewrincon6187]

Hi. What type of speaker would this amp sound best with? I am planning to buy an eminence ragin cajun 10, ramrod or a Celestion g10. But I'm not sure which one would be better for rock. Thank you.

[@franciscoortega6291]

hey bro! Congratulations on the 50k, I'm sure that very soon we will reach 100k and much more! It would be great if you took the opportunity and talked to Joyo to review the beale street, it's a very good amp, although it's a little overpriced these days... the zombie reminded me of the black duck of disp... haha aahhh !!! ok sorry ... it's great for the price

[@MrPolevaulter]

Quacking like the black ducks of despair 🤣

[@franciscoortega6291]

@@MrPolevaulter 😂😂😂

[@Malediction99]

Sounded pretty damn good. It would be nice to hear your opinion, but it's understandable that you can't give one this time.

[@chrismurphy128]

I ordered this with high hopes, it was delivered with the package totally smashed. The amp itself was ok, because it is standing in a foamtype sleeve inside. I tried it with very low volume, and this hissing and background noise killed it for me. It also started squealing and feedbacking at radio volumes. Unusable for me, used guitars were Les Paul with humbuckers and Squier Tele. The clean sound was ok, but I don't use that 99% of the time. 😣 I sent it back to Thomann.

[@matthiasdoffek3282]

I played much concerts and Open Airs with it, also with Chris Richter and David Reece. It's a great Amp, but has a Problem. The Amp doesn' t like my Wireless System LD 508 BPG. It gives me Feedback when I don't put the Output Level down to 80%. But with Cabels no Problems. In combination with Boss GT 100 you can use effects and switch Channel..really great! Both on Pedalboard, with Behringer GI 100 and a V30 Speaker,really good, or you use the Phones Output an play In Ear! My opinion to this.. Greetings!

[@robmandel3413]

I have a zombie 1 and it’s awesome. I can’t give you a vs. a real amp, but whatever the zombie does, it does high gain really well. I use a ts9 or sd1 in front. I have a jackman also, but that’s really rock/blues kind of amp. I had a vivo but the thing hissed like a pissed off snake. Way too noisy. Returned it. In fact, the mooer 005 does a better job for that sound. I don’t have major noise issues with the zombie or jackman. O overall, I think right now the slo mini is my fav. But the zombie is about even.

[@Falconryder]

What's the difference in sound between the zombie and the jackman?

[@robmandel3413]

@@Falconryder the jackman is a marshall tone. JaCkMan. I.e. JCM. It has a decent amount of gain. But it’s not high gain. Search around for videos on the jackman to get a better idea of the tone. For 70’s and 80’s rock it’s great. It’ll even do some pretty hard rock tones. It’s pretty versatile. I think more so than the zombie. The zombie does high gain great. But it’s not as versatile. But that’s just my opinion. I would see if you could test a few out and get an idea.

[@Its.superwill]

I will now call it a Rectumfier from now on. Thanks.

[@Abdul-Amburadul]

So youre gay😂

[@Brian_Vallejo]

Ziltoid the Omniscient! 🖤

[@MrPolevaulter]

Indeed :)

[@michielroom]

I can't understand why you can't give your always honest opinion in case gear has been sent to you. I see no problem here. I greatly value you gear reviews with opinions.

[@giabba91]

Alot better than the tweed version.

[@nikosmagnisalis6080]

The amp sounds great!! I don't think honesty has to be compromised by sponsoring. And why honesty needs to mean a negativity? If they are OK with an honest review, I'm OK too. Thanks!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Honesty doesn't mean negativity.

[@tweakrr99]

Can you post affiliate links to use if I want to order one of the Joyos that you're demoing?

[@MrPolevaulter]

You can click any of the affiliate links in the description. They take you to Thomann, and you can order from there.

[@Matt-Kin]

Do you prefer the jackman 2 or this one ?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Jackman by a country mile.

[@mathias6423]

@MrPolevaulter hey Elmo if you ever get hold of a Jackson SDX Adrian Smith Signature "strat like" guitar I would love for you to make a review. It is Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smiths Signature guitar and is one of the "cheaper" signature guitars out there at about 500-600€ online and I think it looks good but have no idea of quality and such since they do not have them in our stores in Sweden. If you ever get a hold of one , one day, I trust your judgement on your great reviews =)

[@wyattonline]

I own a Zombie 1, and the Gain Chan is perfect. The Zombie 2 has some small improvements, but still with the perfect Gain sound. I run it straight from headphone jack to mixer, just FYI.

[@summit-photo]

Im running straight from headphone jack into yamaha HS5. SOUNDS AMAZING

[@jaxchiro]

@@summit-photoI am considering doing that same thing, except into Presonus 5 inch monitors. Have you ever run it into a 1x12 Cabinet? If so, what was your opinion versus the monitors for output sound? Thank you.

[@summit-photo]

@@jaxchiro I have yet to run into a 1x12, but that was the alternative. I already had some Yamaha HS5s mounted, so it made more sense to save the money on the cab as I do not play events or for anybody but myself. It was a temp thing, but I never bought the cab as it sounds great as is. DO IT BRO! you can always buy the cab later if not satisfied. I played solid state Marshalls and Oranges, but never had a tubed. This thing puts every previous amp owned to shame. Cant recommend it enough for metal tones. And my god I can actually hear the palm muted notes now HA

[@jaxchiro]

Thank you so much for this reply. I will take your advice and let you know what I experience.@@summit-photo

[@audiomonster303]

Yeah thats a lot of hiss for a humbucker! Not bad, but I like my Stage Right 50w Combo SB12. No need for another amp! I do love watching ALL YOUR VIDEOS NO MATTER WHAT THO!!!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@HammerFang]

I miss your opinions. but second channel of this amp sounded really nice.

[@humann0x]

I would nevertheless still like to hear you opinion about the sponsored gear that you test. Sure, it should be heard with a grain of salt then, but that goes without saying for all of youtube.

[@RapttorX]

the Zombie and the Jackman (that you already reviewed a while back) sound really good for what they are.

[@MrPolevaulter]

I really did like the Jackman.

[@swimpsmagbayao9513]

And what are they??

[@RapttorX]

@@swimpsmagbayao9513 very small amps with no power amp tubes

[@rossdunning7018]

Is that amp through a speaker cab or as is? Ta.

[@qwerasdf9055]

Classified speaker cab

[@RapttorX]

its probably his Marshall 4x12

[@MrPolevaulter]

Marshall 1960AHW cab

[@eastcoastaj5048]

Are you playing through a cab or the unit itself?

[@kipponi]

It is only Amp head so you need connect it to speaker.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Marshall 1960 AHW

[@kevinkenny5663]

Why would you demo this amp without a double humbucker set up or maybe some EMGs?

[@MrPolevaulter]

I love it when people comment without watching the whole video.

[@kevinkenny5663]

@@MrPolevaulter Sorry man my bad. You just went so long with that strap it was frustrating. And I just watched the rest of the video LOL.

[@johnnorth9355]

Good grief that thing squeals like a stuck pig ! (and hisses like a cobra). I was born and bred with amps like this but a lot less reliable (My Custom Sound Cub 30 is still surviving and was probably the back in the day equivalent of this 🙂).

[@moewhocooper]

I think taking some money to show more stuff even if only a demo without opinions is ok. As long as it is atlest a Item you think is worth showing and not just everything they are willing to pay for. Every KZbinr has there own style own amp and record set up so seeing more/hearing more then one person is for the consumer I think to be a plus. But in the end it all comes down too what you wish todo with your Time and channel.

[@jaywells5283]

Honestly, to me it sounds like modern Mesa shit, but you have the right hands. The cleans were nice, but I totally agree, the rectum frier distortion or gain tones are meh at best! Good job, and nothing at all against you and your playing, but that gain bores the hell out of me!

[@juancarlosgranados4425]

I rather have your opinion.

[@jarmohanninen2891]

Onnittelut! 50 kiloa kasassa...

[@MrPolevaulter]

Kiitos :)

[@ericskinner7355]

Joyo could do something about the noise instead of making someone use another pedal.

[@castleanthrax1833]

How?

[@ericskinner7355]

@@castleanthrax1833 if a company can come up with an extension cord to eliminate noise, surely that technology could be incorporated into the circuit.✌️

[@aliengrey6052]

Too loud for home use.

[@davidp6007]

Doesn't sound too bad but.....unless you have got specific requirements why? Why have to do with such a rat of an anp??? And its very noisy indeed I think for that price you can just about get a, maybe more basic, but better sounding amp...one you can see on top of your cab... Thanks and really it so much better to know what one thinks then to just watch a show... 👽🤘

[@MRTHUDTV]

Each to their own of course, but to my tastes it sounds really terrible. Unless you accidentally had an old lofi wah wah in the signal chain. I think its only use for me would be to record a short lofi intro riff for a track or something like that. I certainly couldn't stand it long enough for an entire song, even for practice purposes.

[@b.tee.2600]

It’s a metal pedal not a hard rock/classic rock peda😂,this is a metal channel loll

[@The_Macaroon]

Please go back to giving your opinion. Most of your viewers will trust you. Though I still preferred when you bought your own but I know that's expensive.

[@MrPolevaulter]

I just did one on Monday.

[@springbloom5940]

Way too much gain and no character on the clean. Ridiculous amount of gain. Clean sounds like a cheap solid state practice amp and the gain and or volume past about noon, loses all the dynamics and sounds flat like a cheap practice amp. The good is that modest gain and low volume, sounds really good, with pretty good dynamics. The Meteor isnt as good out of the box for metal, or high gain applications, but its all around, a much better sounding amp. By far the best one at actually emulating a 'real' amp is the Jackman. That thing really sounds like a Marshall, at modest volumes. All of these amps become a different animal with an EQ in the loop.

[@justmehere6094]

I get why your doing paid demos (I watched your video). I just wish you would be a LITTLE discriminating. Joyo got their start by making rip-off/clone pedals, using cheap, labor parts etc to copy cat other's pedals.

[@MrPolevaulter]

I didn't know that.

[@rockhead11]

I really enjoy your videos and I am a subscriber but it’s so obvious that you’re just not enjoying doing this. You don’t smile…not even once. Just saying…..

[@richardhart8533]

The noise is unbearable.

[@danbaron2561]

🟢 In other news, at the 2023 World Speed Guitar Championships, I was electronically timed, playing 100 notes, in 1.7349 seconds!! 😇 (🥲) 🔴