Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

I_M_Ken

I_M_Ken

New member
Hi guys,

I'm torn between these 2 amps.
the Peavey Windsor Studio 15w full valve 1 x 12 speaker
and
the Peavey ValveKing 112 50w full valve 1 x 12 speaker

They're both going for the same price...and reviews im reading isnt really helping much either, so what do you guys think?
Or do you guys have any others to recommend for the same price range?

Cheers,
Ken
 
Last edited:
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

Valve King is more versatile. Has more channels. The Windsor does a good copycat of the 80s JMP/JCM tone.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

You get a power attenuator on the Windsor in addition to being able to swap tubes willy-nilly, and it has the texture control, too. I think the versatility of an amp that can take any tube AND be attenuated is gonna be more than the two channels and fixed tube-set the VK has. IMO.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

They're two extremely different amps. Even tho they're both 1x12 combos, 50 and 15 watts is a HUUUUUUUGE difference.

the Valve King will give you channel switching and way more clean headroom but it will be more difficult to get the 'totally awesome cranked tube tone' out of it, which will be no problem to nail down with the Windsor.

Of course if it was me I'd dodge Peavey all together and grab the 15 watt Blackheart head but...that's just me.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

Empty Pockets said:
They're two extremely different amps. Even tho they're both 1x12 combos, 50 and 15 watts is a HUUUUUUUGE difference.

the Valve King will give you channel switching and way more clean headroom but it will be more difficult to get the 'totally awesome cranked tube tone' out of it, which will be no problem to nail down with the Windsor.

Of course if it was me I'd dodge Peavey all together and grab the 15 watt Blackheart head but...that's just me.
Click to expand...

+10000000000 to Blackheart. They are just incredible! They are awesome bang for the buck. Very versatile and cool looking!
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

Empty Pockets said:
They're two extremely different amps. Even tho they're both 1x12 combos, 50 and 15 watts is a HUUUUUUUGE difference.

the Valve King will give you channel switching and way more clean headroom but it will be more difficult to get the 'totally awesome cranked tube tone' out of it, which will be no problem to nail down with the Windsor.
Click to expand...


15 watts class a running from a KT-88 will knock your socks off. Remember that a 50 watt amp is only twice as loud as a 5 watt amp through the same speaker, so that Windsor is totaly gig ready.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

Rid said:
Crate or Peavey...;)
Click to expand...

To be honest, Crate has lifted the loin's share of what they know about tube designs from their aquisition of the Ampeg patents, copyrights and schematics/designs. Before that, they were SS junk...now they're SS junk and some tube-y goodness.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

guitfiddle said:
15 watts class a running from a KT-88 will knock your socks off. Remember that a 50 watt amp is only twice as loud as a 5 watt amp through the same speaker, so that Windsor is totaly gig ready.
Click to expand...

i didn't mean to infer the Windsor wasn't gig ready. I'm the dude who's said a 5 watt Valve Jr. into a 4x12 is gig ready...just saying that the two amps will operate totally differently and that would be the final deciding factor for me: Do i want a super-clean channel and a digital-sounding dirty channel, or do i want an amp i can crank to an open-sounding overdrive and clean the tone up with the volume knob? I'm more like the latter but i know lots of guys who prefer going from super clean to cornball dirty and totally neglect that 'in between' spot that tube amps sound perfect at.

oh and i've never played a Windsor combo, i just think the Valve King is totally boring-sounding and lacks character and the Windsor half stack was pretty rockin so yeah y'know.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

Empty Pockets said:
i didn't mean to infer the Windsor wasn't gig ready. I'm the dude who's said a 5 watt Valve Jr. into a 4x12 is gig ready...just saying that the two amps will operate totally differently and that would be the final deciding factor for me: Do i want a super-clean channel and a digital-sounding dirty channel, or do i want an amp i can crank to an open-sounding overdrive and clean the tone up with the volume knob? I'm more like the latter but i know lots of guys who prefer going from super clean to cornball dirty and totally neglect that 'in between' spot that tube amps sound perfect at.
Click to expand...

We're on the same page for sure.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

actually im going more for the clean factor. so i think i will get whichever can provide a nicer clean tone. the built-in attenuator is a big plus as well.

seems like its almost a 50/50 kinda response here... come on help me out a little :P
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

guitfiddle said:
To be honest, Crate has lifted the loin's share of what they know about tube designs from their aquisition of the Ampeg patents, copyrights and schematics/designs. Before that, they were SS junk...now they're SS junk and some tube-y goodness.
Click to expand...

In all fairness their solid state stuff has come a long way, and some of it sounds fairly good.
 
Re: Peavey ValveKing or Windsor??

I_M_Ken said:
read that you just bought one. what made u decide to get the valveking 112?
by the way i also read that it is a fixed bias amp, so when changing tubes its just plug and play yeah?
Click to expand...

fixed bias amp yes, as long as the tubes are the same type ig 6l6 - 6l6
12at7 - 12at7 yes

I decided on the valve king for now because it has a great clean channel, versitile and tweakable to accept pedals for od/dist/solo's. The dirty channel is good too but im just really picky and like the sound of a clean channel pushed more than a dist channel.

Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top