Guitar Gear Forum

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:59 am**

c_corie wrote:Well just to let you guys know what I have and don't like at low volume-Mesa TOV half stack, Vox AC4TV head and cab-Orange OR50 head (through Mesa 4x12) 1964 6G6 blonde Bassman also through Mesa cab. Maybe I'm just used to when I was able to turn every amp at least 1/4 to 1/2 the way up. It not only changes the tone but the whole feel too.

Quite the range of amps you have there. I still stand by my Laney Cub12R suggestion (or actually a Cub8 might be better suited to your needs!)

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:11 am**

+1 for modeller or something + headphones.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:36 am**

apt rig , I use a Vox amplug classic , which sounds pretty darn good or my new / used Pignose which is kinda loud . I also have a Fire fly 1 watter and just sold my Black Heart Killer ant , at 1 watt cranked those are actually pretty loud . I also play direct into Cubase wtih IK and LePou plugins . Silent but deadly .

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:42 am**

For apartment use, you can't beat a modeler. I'd go with a used Eleven Rack. I love mine and would use it for live use too if I had time to play in a band

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:47 am**

Mesa mark III with the 15w switch

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:07 pm**

The THR10 does a hell of a lot for the money and the mid gain tones are fucking amazing.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:15 pm**

Yamaha THR10

One of my favorite amps, period.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:17 pm**

K-Bizzle wrote:To be completely honest I actually think my HT-100 sounds every bit as good if not better than my HT-5 at TV level volumes.

Yep, if it has a good master volume, it'll sound fine at tv volumes IMO. My xtc classic is 100 watt and sounds great at low volumes it's more that it's too tempting to turn it up/I tend to keep it packed up ready to go so don't bother setting it up in the apartment. I do have a rivera-era fender super champ, a classic 50 and a podxt I can use at home. But for actual practice a lot of the time I just use a metronome and don't even plug in. Even a 5 watt amp "cranked" is too loud for an apartment honestly so a good master volume is more important IMO.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:26 pm**

In before the Yamaha THR10.....

Oh wait. 8-|

Seriously, it lives up to the hype. Lovely little mofo, really inspiring.

I don't think valves are the way to go for low volume in most cases. I nabbed a dirt cheap little Line6 Flextone II and it's the only thing I bother playing at home now (apart from amp sims on the PC).

For JCM800-style rawk, the Marshall Lead 12/Master Lead or all those other tranny Marshalls can get some serious balls at low volume. If you're into cleans, the Fender Pro Jr/Blues Jr are nice. Fender Greta looks like funky but I haven't tried it out. Anything heavier than classic/hard rock, modelling all the way.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:16 pm**

Blackstar HT-5

if you have a little more coin, the Orange Dark Terror with an Orange 1x12 cab is a pretty beastly amp. Switchable between 7W and 15W too. It will be my next small amp.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:19 pm**

Orange Micro Terror.

Mrs Watt bought me one for Christmas. Love it.

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:27 pm**

The Peavey Vypyr 15 watter I just got is pretty stellar as far as tone goes, and it was only 100 bucks...

Also...placemat jackson...nice avatar!!

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:31 pm**

My idea of a good home practice amp is a smaller version of whatever you main rig is or as close to it as you can get.
I am using the DSL with the band and a Valvestate AVT50 for low volume playing, which is perfect because it is a similar tone, only quieter

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:05 pm**

K-Bizzle wrote:Honestly for apartments I think modelers are better than tube amps.
I mean I use my Blackstar HT-5 in my apt and I dig it quite a bit however I'd probably enjoy a modeler more if I were looking for a range of tones like you are.

For small amps that are pretty kickass and do a number of tones the Eggy Tweakers are pretty cool little amps too.

I agree. get something like a Super Champ XD

Posted: **Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:18 pm**

just get a podx3 and a clean amp and be done with it.

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:32 am**

'63-Strat wrote:
K-Bizzle wrote:To be completely honest I actually think my HT-100 sounds every bit as good if not better than my HT-5 at TV level volumes.

Yep, if it has a good master volume, it'll sound fine at tv volumes IMO. My xtc classic is 100 watt and sounds great at low volumes it's more that it's too tempting to turn it up/I tend to keep it packed up ready to go so don't bother setting it up in the apartment. I do have a rivera-era fender super champ, a classic 50 and a podxt I can use at home. But for actual practice a lot of the time I just use a metronome and don't even plug in. Even a 5 watt amp "cranked" is too loud for an apartment honestly so a good master volume is more important IMO.

+1. My JVM sounds better than my ht-5 at low volumes.

I would take this a step further and say mic the big amp turned town
And use monitors or headphones. IMO, even at low volumes a good mic captures
Subtleties your ear wont. Ive always been happier with the tone i hear this way
Than with any modeler

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:51 am**

I never thought about mic and headphones for just playing-sounds like a neat idea!

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:13 am**

I'm digging my Marshall DSL-1 combo. Lots of tones, and very low-volume friendly.

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:41 pm**

Elessar [Sly] wrote:I've owned a couple of hybrid amps, but from my experience they don't take pedals that well, certainly not dirt.

The vox valvetronix had a really nice sound, and the Orange micro terror was more of a novelty than anything. I'd have like to have used it for recording though! The clean channel was okay, and the dirt channel was just as basic low gain overdrive, but it looked cool as and was fun to play.

Im gonna have to record my Micro Terror because mine can do Sabbath without a boost. Im starting to wonder if mine is the exception though.

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:43 pm**

Jp77 wrote:The coolest amp to have around tha house without a doubt is the super champ xd. It has some great tones inside from old Marshall to old bassman to high gain and does so pretty convincingly. It has built in digi fx like reverb, trem, delay, chorus, etc. reverb is pretty good too and works nice. Clean channel is all tube 6v6 like an old champ. Great grab an go amp to bring over bandmates place to write. I had amps around costing much more like the bogner duende which was also a great amp and sounded great but I often found myself plugging into the champ xd. It s hard to beat the super champ xd , and when given their price it's a no brainer. I wish they made a higher watt version loud enough for gigging.

I picked up the SCXD for the clean channel alone. It's incredible

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:26 pm**

jayd41 wrote:THR10

/thread

came in here to say this

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:28 pm**

I play my JVM210H constantly in my condo at pretty quiet volume (slightly louder than TV), never one complaint from my neighbors and I love the tone

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:14 pm**

Blackstar HT 5 would be high on my list.....great little amp. The Yamaha THR 10 would also be good choice if you dont need to gig it.

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:30 pm**

jayd41 wrote:THR10

/thread

This gets my vote.

Posted: **Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:06 pm**

Wookieslayer wrote:There's also the Tubemeister 18 or 5w heads; both can be run at lower wattages.

not true. the TM18 can be lowered to 5W, 1W or silent (XLR out). The TM5 though can only be run at 5W or muted.

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