What's the best cheap 1x10 for bedroom use? (metal)

[Rex_Rocker]

So I've got a Celestion G10 Greenback lying around, and I want an amp to noodle in my bedroom. I've already got a couple of amps downstairs for practicing and more serious playing.

I want something cheap since it's not going to be my main amp, and it's just trying to fulfill two objectives: I want to be able to occasionally play upstairs quietly, and I want to make use of the cool G10 Greenback I have. I only need a good-sounding high-gain sound.

So what are my options? I don't want to spend all that much. I'm thinking 150 bucks, 200 at most.

I was thinking Fender Frontman (read these do surprisingly good high-gain) or Marshall MG30. Is the Orange Crush 35 any good? Not really into "the Orange tone", but if it's better than the Fender or the Marshall, well...

[Rex_Rocker]

Oh! How about the Peavey Envoy? I really like the Bandit and XXL. Is the Envoy anything like it?

[Securb]

Love the Marshall MGs; they sound like the big boy Marshalls; Judas Priest uses them in the studio.

[Rex_Rocker]

FWIW, I traded a TC El Mocambo for a Fender Frontman 25R. Initial impressions: It sounds like a cheap solid state practice amp, LOL. I did however later swap the speaker and used my TS808 to boost it into metal territory, and it's quite alright! I think the speaker swap transformed the amp.

Does it still sound cheap? Yeah... but at least it now sounds like a cheap amp through a decent speaker, LOL.

It's got a very drippy-sounding spring reverb, though. That's neat.

[Adieu]

Good high gain sound?

Forget your greenback and buy a used Peavey Vypyr VIP (thats the silly name for the 2nd generations) for like 50-70 bucks

[ErikH]

Go get a Vox AV30. You probably won't need to change the speaker. It has a Soldano like sound and Mesa sound in it that's perfect for metal, plus some Marshall, Vox and Fender sounds too. Great little amp.

[Masta' C]

I wouldn't buy an amp to fit the speaker. Just sayin'...

Sell the speaker, buy a first-gen Katana 50 for $150 and be happy

[JB_From_Hell]

My upstairs rig is a Mustang III v2 1x12. Just got an old DOD 31 band graphic EQ, put it in the effects loop, and it’s pretty great. For home use, it’s really tough to beat modeling amps.

[UnderTheFlame83]

The Randall RG series.

[Dudeman7]

That Orange Crush 35rt will do just about every dirty tone one might want in a practice amp. Solid build too.

Mine gets a lot of use mostly because they did such a great job emulating the sound of a cab through the headphone out.