2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Porto Leone

Porto Leone

New member
i'm looking for a 2-channel amp (combo or head) with enough power to play a gig but not overpowered for practice use. i already own a Vox AD30vt and an Epiphone Valve Jr. combo and none of them makes me happy. the AD30vt is versatile, but sounds mediocre with pedals and there is always a "something is missing" feeling. on the other hand, the VJr. is sounding good (but not decent) only in ear-piercing volume (about 75% turned up) which makes it unusable for practicing, and i've not managed to get a cool clean sound out of it, even with a 12AY7 in the pre-amp tube section. i live in Greece, Europe and i can't get a used good amp in a decent price, so i'm looking only for new. in my budget the only affordable tube amps which match my needs (on paper) are these:
Laney VC15
Kustom Defender
Epiphone Blues Custom
Hughes & Kettner 20th Edition
what would you do in my place? i'm wondering if it would be a better solution to go SS. are there any SS amps that sound equally or better than a tube amp in that price range? i like to keep it simple and i own several pedals, so i prefer to stay away from modelling, digital effects etc.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

I'd try a Line 6 Spider. Go for a 112 combo, that should be well under that $600 price limit. It's 50 watts, has onboard effects and it's actually got 4 channels. DO spring for the footswitch. I gig with this amp all the time. It's solid state, which means you don't have to worry about retubing.
 
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Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Hi David! this was a pretty fast answer. i just checked your site... great stuff. you are a serious musician and i'll definetely check the Spider. thanks and keep on doing great music!
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Laney VCs are nice amps. try out one. as for solid state, there's the Roland Cube and Tech 21 Trademark amps.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Porto Leone said:
Hi David! this was a pretty fast answer. i just checked your site... great stuff. you are a serious musician and i'll definetely check the Spider. thanks and keep on doing great music!
Click to expand...

Thanks. What you heard on our website, guitar-wise was primarily a POD, but it's made by the same company.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

I'd suggest a pod and if you have to gig, just go direct to the PA.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

I was about to suggest a bugera combo, but from the looks of it you're looking for low wattage, correct? because the 333xl combo is I think just right at 600 or maybe less, I can't remember for sure, and its really versatile, but its really high wattage.


Edit: also i just noticed you were looking for a two channel, NVM.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

right, Curt. Bugeras are useless for studio work or practice 'cause of theit wattage, but i'd stay away from them anyway, since they're Behringer products (=reliability issues). i'm very tempted by the Laneys, but i can't find any to test.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

I just bought an amp myself. I decided to ditch my digital gear and go all analog. Found and old Randall RG-50 with a 12" Jaguar Speaker. I was not even really looking for an amp, It was at my local music store and It was my goto amp when trying out various guitars at the store. The more I played it the more I was like wow!!! This sounds like a tube amp. The feel is there too. I kept bouncing between the Vox VT30,Peavey Vyper30 and this amp and always came back to the Randall.I did some research and the old Randalls were known for being "tube" like. I just tried the new Marshall MG series and it sounded thin compared to my Randall, I don't know what they did but it's the best sounding solid state I ever played. They take to pedals real well too. If you can find one...try one. I paid 149.00 for mine in mint condition.They are on EBAY too!!!
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Rockboy999 said:
I just bought an amp myself. I decided to ditch my digital gear and go all analog. Found and old Randall RG-50 with a 12" Jaguar Speaker. I was not even really looking for an amp, It was at my local music store and It was my goto amp when trying out various guitars at the store. The more I played it the more I was like wow!!! This sounds like a tube amp. The feel is there too. I kept bouncing between the Vox VT30,Peavey Vyper30 and this amp and always came back to the Randall.I did some research and the old Randalls were known for being "tube" like. I just tried the new Marshall MG series and it sounded thin compared to my Randall, I don't know what they did but it's the best sounding solid state I ever played. They take to pedals real well too. If you can find one...try one. I paid 149.00 for mine in mint condition.They are on EBAY too!!!
Click to expand...

if you're talking about the Randall RG50TC, it is a true all-tube amp (discontinued now).
i'm looking for no more than 30W (tube) and > 50 (solid state) amps.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Porto Leone said:
right, Curt. Bugeras are useless for studio work or practice 'cause of theit wattage, but i'd stay away from them anyway, since they're Behringer products (=reliability issues). i'm very tempted by the Laneys, but i can't find any to test.
Click to expand...

well, after gigging with one for just about 4 months now and no reliability issues to be seen as of yet, and having had bad experiences with behringer products within the timeframe of a month to two months, that is not so with these new bugeras. and they do make lower wattage versions now, around 30 watts or so I think, and the tone is excellent too.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

i've not seen yet any of those low-output Bugeras for sell (the V22 might be interesting)... does anybody got a link or something?
like i said in my original post, i'm not interesting for modelling amps. my Vox AD30vt is one of the best of this kind... for example, the Tech 21 Trademark 30 sounds totally muddy in comparison. of course, all IMHO... i really appreciate your help, guys!
 
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Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

well, if you have the cash right now and are looking into getting an amp ASAP, then yea, i'd go with something else as those bugera's aren't gonna be out for a little while.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Man, you can score a used 5150 combo for this price.
As well as a used Line 6 Spider Valve 1x12, easily for less than 600 bucks if you look.
Both will kick the crap out of a solid state Spider.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

Check out the Tech21 Trademark 60...Ive been gigging with mine for awhile, and it sounds wonderful at any volume level.
 
Re: 2-channel tube or SS amp (<600$)

If you´re looking at a bugera, spend 100$ more and get the Peavey its a ripoff of...

It´s one thing for Behringer to be forging high dollar products, but ripping off an amp that barely costs anything in the first place (XXX, JSX ans 6505) and isn´t exactly an age old icon is just the epitome of the flat out lameness that has always been Behringer`s mission statement "Let the others do the work, we only want the cash". ... and it also means means massive corner cutting, which on a tube amp is NEVER good..

Seriously, as long as Behringer exist, it´s no surprise to me that the number of innovations in the electronics sector has taken a massive hit... I mean, why design something if you´re only going to foot the bill for R&D because Behringer ripped you off as soon as you hit the market and undercut you by 50%?

I won´t pay Behringer to steal other people´s ideas, and nobody else should, either.... I make a note to never purchase anything by an artist that knowingly uses behringer products, but will if at all illegally download it and spread copies it like wildfire.

Just like Behringer did with the plans for thier gear ;)
 
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