Small tube amp
In the near future, I'm looking at purchasing a small tube amp. I wont use it for gigging or band practice so it doesnt need to be powerful. I want it small enough so I can crank it without killing my hearing. Any recommendations?
# 1
To crank your tube amp at home without ear problems or neighbours calling the police , you'll need a power attenuator.
# 2
I avoided some of the bigger names, because they are priced high.
Crate V58 Tube, alot of people dont like crate, btu i dont see anything wrong them.Its 5 class A watts, groove tubes, for 260 bucks.
The pignose G40V tube amp is 40 watts through a special design 10 inch speaker, for $216
Epiphone has a galaxie 10 tube combo, 10w, for $200. Grade A.
Peavey has a transtube 25 watt amp( peavey transtube 258 EFX).Transtube's almost sound slike real tubes. For around 200.It has some digital effects on it. It has a 8" marvel speaker and weights about 15 pounds.
I cant think of anymore at the moment
Crate V58 Tube, alot of people dont like crate, btu i dont see anything wrong them.Its 5 class A watts, groove tubes, for 260 bucks.
The pignose G40V tube amp is 40 watts through a special design 10 inch speaker, for $216
Epiphone has a galaxie 10 tube combo, 10w, for $200. Grade A.
Peavey has a transtube 25 watt amp( peavey transtube 258 EFX).Transtube's almost sound slike real tubes. For around 200.It has some digital effects on it. It has a 8" marvel speaker and weights about 15 pounds.
I cant think of anymore at the moment
# 3
# 4
As an experiment, I built a 5 Watt amp based on a 6AQ5A tube, which is a miniature 6V6. It sounds great!
I don't get to use it much, because none of the guys I jam with has a decent PA set up. And they all want to wail with their Maximegawatt Earbleedinloudenboomer Mk XXVI amps. If I ever get off my duff and put another band together, we're [u]all[/u] gonna use itty-bitty amps like my 5 Watt WeeBeastie.
For your situation something like that would be just fine. In fact, if the speaker is efficient, you may find that 5 Watts is actually too loud. Due to the logarhythmic nature of our hearing sensitivity, a cranked 5 Watt amp is going to sound 1/2 as loud as a 50 Watt amp driving the same speaker! Something to think about, while you read through this thread.
I don't get to use it much, because none of the guys I jam with has a decent PA set up. And they all want to wail with their Maximegawatt Earbleedinloudenboomer Mk XXVI amps. If I ever get off my duff and put another band together, we're [u]all[/u] gonna use itty-bitty amps like my 5 Watt WeeBeastie.
For your situation something like that would be just fine. In fact, if the speaker is efficient, you may find that 5 Watts is actually too loud. Due to the logarhythmic nature of our hearing sensitivity, a cranked 5 Watt amp is going to sound 1/2 as loud as a 50 Watt amp driving the same speaker! Something to think about, while you read through this thread.
# 5
Thanks alot lord, that thread helps alot. Although I wouldnt be able to build an amp, something like the one you built sounds great. Are there any manufacturers that make an amp similar to yours?
# 6
Not that I know of. Marketing hype has pushed the 'bigger is better' concept so hard for so long that a company that tried to sell a feature-rich 5 Watt amp would get killed in the marketplace.
Because a multi-channel preamp is going to cost a lot to build, it's easier to sell it as part of a $1000 100 Watt amp than to build it into a 5 Watt amp that would be priced at about $400. I paid about $400 for the 3-channel Peavey Rock Master preamp, so a front end like that might bring the cost of a good 5 Watt amp up to the $500 mark!
It would not be a big seller initially, due to severe resistance to the concept in the marketplace, so it would be a long time before sales volumes allowed lower prices. {deep sigh} :p
Because a multi-channel preamp is going to cost a lot to build, it's easier to sell it as part of a $1000 100 Watt amp than to build it into a 5 Watt amp that would be priced at about $400. I paid about $400 for the 3-channel Peavey Rock Master preamp, so a front end like that might bring the cost of a good 5 Watt amp up to the $500 mark!
It would not be a big seller initially, due to severe resistance to the concept in the marketplace, so it would be a long time before sales volumes allowed lower prices. {deep sigh} :p
# 7
I would avoid Crate. I have a very large place in my heart for their sound, but fact is their reliability completely sucks. Every person I've known with a crate amp/head had had problems with it without exception.
With tube amps I think it's better saving up and getting the best you reasonably can. If you get your hands on something like a mesa mark 4 or a laney VH100r if it fits your style you'll never need another amp.
With tube amps I think it's better saving up and getting the best you reasonably can. If you get your hands on something like a mesa mark 4 or a laney VH100r if it fits your style you'll never need another amp.
"If one has realized a truth, that truth is valueless so long as there is lacking the indomitable will to turn this realization into action!"
-A.H.
-A.H.
# 8
I've never had a problem with crates gear myself, but im sure people have. Any equitment i suppose does haveits risks.
Some of those you mentioned can be priced high in certain places. I wouldnt spend alotof money on something i would only use as a pratice backstage amp. I agree though, i also like to get the best for my money. The once you talked of are good...I guess it all depends on how much he really wants to spend
Some of those you mentioned can be priced high in certain places. I wouldnt spend alotof money on something i would only use as a pratice backstage amp. I agree though, i also like to get the best for my money. The once you talked of are good...I guess it all depends on how much he really wants to spend
# 9
Well, price isnt really important (to a certain point around $1000). I just want a small tube amp that I can crank without killing myself. Under 30 or 40 watts for sure. More like somewhere around 10 watts. Thanks again guys for the help, keep it comin.
# 10
http://www.amptone.com/under20wamps.htm
Try that. I dont know if its any help but thats all i have found so far.
Try that. I dont know if its any help but thats all i have found so far.
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 11
Musiciansfriend.com has a Rouge GS100R combo for 199.00 it is 100 watts with 2x12, the clean channel sounds real good but the overdrive leaves alot to be desired. I run my Johnson J station Amp modler through the clean channel and us the Jstation to do all the distortion. Sounds good and has alot of power but wont break your bank either
You are only coming through in waves, your lips move but I cant hear what you're saying.:cool:
# 12
I have been looking at the site that i just put a link to and they were saying that a 15watt tube amp is way too loud and that a 5 watt amp was loud enough !!
I dont even understand how a 5 watt amp could be big enough to have tubes in and how it could be so loud. My friend has a 10 watt solid state amp and thats not too loud !
I dont even understand how a 5 watt amp could be big enough to have tubes in and how it could be so loud. My friend has a 10 watt solid state amp and thats not too loud !
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 13
Probably because they are all grade A, and not B..If you have a 40 watt watt grade B, then you get your hands on an- A. Its going to be really loud.
# 14
These topics got a lot of discussion over the last couple of years! Use the search icon at the top of the page. Use 5 Watt as the keyword, and be ready for an extended reading session.
# 15
dude, what you need is the Fender 15W Hot rod series pro Junior. i have one right now. it is awsome. i am running a Boss Blues Driver with it, and playing my U.S. Highway 1 fat strat with it. it has excelent tone too. i dont know if this may be pricy for you but it was $300. and well worth it.
Creedaz
Creedaz
# 16
# 17
I have heard good things about the peavey classic 30 ! I know one person on this forum has one and was saying its really good.
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 18
look at pignose...ive been eye balling them for a while for a nice tube practice/recording amp.
Try once,fail twice...
# 19
I have a Pignose Hog20 and it is really nice. Good tone and alot of volume for a Ni-cad powered mobile amp. I got mine for about 99.00
You are only coming through in waves, your lips move but I cant hear what you're saying.:cool:
# 20
