Bedroom tube amps

[TGenolcyC66]

So I'm looking for a small tube amp for practice, haven't looked for samller amps for awhile and there seems to be a plethora of offerings.

Vox AC4TV8 4W 1x8 Guitar Combo Amp
Gretsch Guitars Electromatic G5222 5W 1x6 Tube Guitar
Vox AC4TV 4W 1x10 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
Bugera V5 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
Crate V Series V5 5W 1x10 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
Fender Champion 600 5 Watt 1x6 Combo Amp
Kustom Tube 12A Practice Amp
Kustom The Contender 18W 1x8 Hybrid Guitar Combo Amp
. . and more!

Boggles the mind.

So, anyone tested, or using any of these amps, and have some feedback?

 

[phil_104]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I don't want to derail the thread, but I will say this : for bedroom use, modeling amps like the roland cube series, or the vox valvetronix, seem to be a better choice. That's my opinion.

Anyways, as far as low wattage amps go, my favorite is the Epi Valve Jr. It might be because it was plugged into a 1x12 cab, but it sounded better than the Fender Champ 600 by far.

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

The new Marshall Class5 5watter looks and sounds pretty bloody sweet !



James

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I don't want to derail the thread, but I will say this : for bedroom use, modeling amps like the roland cube series, or the vox valvetronix, seem to be a better choice. That's my opinion.

I share that opinion. It's sounds so fake to take a strong tube amp and turn the master volume down to "1 or 2" so you can buzz away happily in your bedroom.

But the Line 6 stuff and others seem to be able to pull those tones off and many others, including clean tones, as well. And they usually have a ton of effects to play with and get out of your system.

I'd never be happy with one, but for younger players I think the modeling amps are where it's at. At least in the beginning.

You can gig with some of them too.

BTW, Seymour plays a Line 6.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

If you need total silence (headphone) I would say the modelers. If you are wishing to use a speaker and drive a speaker I would say something like a Killer Ant. I am assuming you do not need much clean. A KA is perfect for tv level volume lower to moderate gain. Hit it with a pedal it can do a lot more.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I heard Mincer ripping some righteous Jazz tones out of a Line 6 yesterday (from a righteous warrior guitar).

 

[Aceman]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

oooooh - I like that.

 

[Chas]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I have the Vox AC4TV. Great little amp and IMO way better than any SS amp. Any amp at real low volumes will have issues. When I say low I mean conversation level volume. The Vox gets the most out of the 4 watts that I can promise you. I can keep it at a loud tv type level and run an OD pedal thru it and get great tone. The Class 5 is not available in the states as of right now so no clue on that one. Should be out any day from what I hear.

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

There's some Bugera amps in the music shop I work at, a couple being the 5W. It's got an attenuation switch, not a LOT of gain but enough for classic rock, probably hard rock with a boost or anything with the right dirt box. I've played a few guitars through it and it sounds pretty nice, especially for $200. Also has a 5W-1W-0.1W switch for volume attenuation.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I mean techincally, this shot was taken in my bedroom...

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

Looks like the Class 5 only has one volume, so Im sure it'll prob be too loud for bedroom use..

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

For small tube amps, those little Bugera combos seem to pack a punch for low dollars. If I were to buy a small tube amp tomorrow, it'd be the Vox Night Train at $500 or less.

 

[firebirdV]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

You could get something with a good implementation of power scaling, but that would probably be expensive.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I've gone down this road with little luck. Most small wattage amps I have come accords were still simply too loud. 5 watts is too loud for the bedroom unless an alternator is hooked up to it or maybe if you use it with an iso cab.

VOX GA5 is a great bedroom amp. I've also been using a Line 6 POD xt hooked right to the computer.

 

[357mag]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

Stay away from any amp that has a 6 or 8 inch speaker. That's just too small and you won't be able to replace it with the ease you can of a 10 or a 12.

You could also consider the Marshall Haze 15 watt head with a 1 x 12 cabinet. That's what I'm gonna do and use a Weber attenuator with it.

The Class 5 is another option but won't be available until later this month.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I have a THD Univalve and it's perfect for low volume use. I wouldn't look any other way anymore. The in-built attenuator is a great feature as I find that even 6 watts is really loud for bedroom use without attenuation.

 

[James Rock]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I'm another one for modelling no I don't own a modelling amp but I do use modelling software and they get about 80-90% of the tone. A valve amp on low low volumes gets no where near what it sounds like at its sweet spot (not enough bass end, punch, clarity, dynamics etc).

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I've owned a blackheart 5W with an attenuator. It was pretty great, I wish I'd kept it. The attenuator really helped me keep it to volumes that the room mates and neighbors could stand. That's what 'bedroom level" really means right?

Consider the Blackheart over the crate V5. The crate was... too small.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I've been looking at those Marshall Haze amps. I don't want to lug my JVM for jams thats just a pain in the ass to do a lot and is just overkill for a jam too. I'm gonna jump on the first Haze 40 combo I can get for a decent price just so I have a practice/jam amp that isn't too far off from my JVM. They have a HAZE 15W too I think. It's like the size of the micro stacks Marshall has but the Haze line is all tube so it's a real amp. IDK how the tone is to your standards but for me if it'll crunch, sound half decent, and can be used to jam and practice it's all good for me because I have a big 'ol Marshall for gigging and recording. I also has built in verb and delay which is a plus.

EDIT: If anyone has used, heard, or heard about the HAZE 40 let me know because I want to know what I'm getting in to.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Bedroom tube amps

I've only seen videos of the haze 40 but it seems to be a decent sounding amp. Maybe it's not "the" marshall tone we hear in our heads but it seems like a truly decent amp. The non-master volume channel looks like the winner on that one