Author Topic: What is the ultimate home (bedroom) amp/setup? (Read 13423 times)

Gizmo · « **on:** January 10, 2008, 08:27:14 PM »

If you had the choice and the money to buy the ultimate guitar sound for bedroom use what would you do!?

I dont play in a band and am craving to get the sounds my fav artists create. Nearly all are Marshall users, Hendrix, clapton, Slash, Gary Moore etc.

I dont play anything past hard rock (mainly classic rock and blues) and am looking for the best bedroom sound.

I really like the "tube" sound so firstly how good are the simulators and software amps you can get?

I started looking into getting this sound back in May and bought my first tube amp, a Little Rock and 112 cab. The amp is great dont get me wrong, its really good for the price, its just not quite the right sound and its 4W which seams low but its so loud. I read a review on harmony central which said the amp comes alive once the volume is full and the master is over half. Now at this volume it is too loud for my house at the moment with flat mates. I had the pleasure of trying this today as my housemates moved out this week but its only time before more move in. I've tried my Fulldrive 2 pedal an this helps alot at quiet volumes. Its sounds great but not quite what im after.

Since May Ive been saving up and now have the opportunity to get either get more guitar/s or a new amp. I've been reading about London power scaling. If the reviews are to believed I can get the cranked sound down to 1% of the full volume if required.

I am curious though as to: How good they sound at bedroom volume even though they all quote they dont suck tone and; if they can be reduced by this much does it matter if you get an 18W or a high watt amp as they both can be controlled to such a low volume?

For example companies in both the US and UK offer amps like this. Soultone which creates the perfect sounding amp by description. It has 2 Marshall settings:

"[/i]switch on the back labeled "jtm45/plexi" allows you to switch from a jtm45/2245 "bluesbreaker" circuit to a late 60's/early 70's "plexi" circuit. what this means is that you now have the option of switching the amp from a thick, rich blues machine, to a tighter, grindier rock one for those zep/cream/jimi/acdc tones we all love so much"

or the Suhr Badger 18W amp.

This is whats caught my eye as the clips sound so so gd. Now the waiting like is massive to get amps like this built but a Badger happens to be in a shop up north in stock. Problem is its £1200. this kind of money buys you amps like the Thunderverb 200 or top line main brand make territory!!

I have the money i'm just wondering if its worth this much and the 4hr hike each way to try it. Will it give me the dream bedroom amp sound im after? Anyone tried power scaling yet?

P.s getting my Black dog and Mule installed in my LP and set up by a techie this weekend so im gagging to see what these PUPS can do.

Thnx sorry for the long post

sambo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2008, 08:33:03 PM »

One problem is that a lot of certain sound comes from the actual projection of the air that you get at higher volumes, so it's never gonna sound EXACTLY the same turned down.

Aside from that, I know nothing about the power scaling things. There is always a THD Hotplate Attenuator which is the same principle as far as I'm aware. Never personally used one, but are very popular and effective by most accounts.

As I'm sure you're aware from your Orange, an 18W will still have to be turned right down for 'bedroom levels', so that won't necessarily solve your problems entirely.

Twinfan · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:09:56 PM »

Sam's right - speakers being pushed by volume account for a lot of what makes the good sound from the guys you list. You just can't get that tone at low volume.

If money really is no object, then you're looking at a boutique amp with power scaling. The Suhr Badger you're talking about is probably the one in Sounds Great? I've walked past it plenty of times but I've never played through it. £1200 is a lot of money for a bedroom amp though, it's more of a professional recording amp for the well heeled. There are lots and lots of other options/alternatives as power scaling can be fitted to any lower powered amp fairly easily. I've played through a few power scaled amps now and they work great, but no amp sounds like a cranked Marshall stack at bedroom volumes. Unless you have the hideous thing they call a POD........

In my humble opinion, it won't sound much better than your Little Rock at bedroom levels. Maybe a bit, but power scaling works best as a highly sophisticated master volume to take the edge off your recording or gigging volume.

For home use I'd get a good speaker in your 1x12, hook it up to your Little Rock and use a good pedal in front. My practice rig is:

Guitar -> Blackstar HT-Dual -> Little Rock -> 2x12 with a V30/G12H

More than good enough for anyone.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:19:03 PM »

Badcat are now offering a power-soak device which is supposed to be great. No idea of price, but it'd expect it to be expensive.

The Allesandro muzzle is also supposed to be great.

Myself, I use a 100w Superbass with a master volume set to bedroom levels into a dirtbox of some description (depending on mood) and my 4x12.

Doesn't sound like it does cranked, but its more than passable.

:twisted:

Dakine · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2008, 04:06:22 AM »

The Badcat Leash.
Bout same price (here) as Dr.Z trainwreck one.
VERY noisy with the fan running on power EEK. As good as Dr.Z but it's an atten. and is still an atten. not matter what. I thought it coloured less than most (although can tweak a THD) and about same as Dr.Z but still no sub for amp tone alone.

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:33:31 AM »

As per my usual answer for amp questions........ Vox AD30VT.

If you're using it in your bedroom, you're not going to need it to sound 100% like the originals (as explained by previous posts). It has an attenuator on the back that you can turn it down to 0.5 Watt.

I've had a proper guitarist round to put mine through it's paces and he thought it was an awesome little amp.

Well worth a look in my humble opinion..... not very expensive either,

hunter · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:53:11 AM »

I have tried the Suhr Badger recently, and it was a very very fine sounding amp for the sounds you're looking at. The power scaling was phenomenal and I would have one, if I was OK with 1 channel. At least it has a loop which I find important.

But as usual, when you get into a certain money range, options become endless. If I was to get a single channel bedroom amp around 1,500 EUR, I'd probably gamble and get a Fargen MiniPlex Mk II rather than the badger, although I haven't tried it. The Youtube clips are just awesome.

Personally, I think any tube amp that gives a mid/high sparkle clean/breakup kind of sound combined with a Box of Rock and a good Wah Pedal is also a killer combination for what you're seeking (also heard great things about the HT Dual).

For example a VOX AC15 with a good speaker and the right pedal could be a great way to go.

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2008, 01:39:48 PM »

Roland VG-88.

Seriously.

hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2008, 02:09:59 PM »

Quote from: TwilightOdyssey

Roland VG-88.

Seriously.

Hmmm going down that road, a new Digitech 1101 with a good pair of active monitors and a good expression pedal would be killer too.

Gizmo · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2008, 02:31:27 PM »

Thx for the replies.

I did check the Fargen amp. it sounds killer but im not sure where you get one from in the UK. Not sure about shipping from the US and how reliable it is. Tried ordering a crunch box on the 3rd Dec and its still not here! not been lucky with post recently.

I would really like to try what ever i decide to buy especially if its that expensive. The clips are what im looking for though. I'm looking for a long term investment. As i said i dont play in a band so spending what you guys spend on a loud amp is what I should spend to get the sound im after as its what i do 100% of the time.

As for the sim route that is what I did at Uni. i bought Tannoy active speakers @£450 at the time 3 years ago which sound great for music and used a boss GT6. The boss doesnt sound great. I dont know how to describe it. Its just sounds a bit false. The Little Rock sounds real, organic. You know what i mean. Tube sound.

Now ive got a proper job im keen to get the 'sound' im after.

hunter · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2008, 02:40:53 PM »

It's a bit silly because people always recommend to others what they play themselves, but I really like the master volume of the Bogner Shiva. Check some of my recordings, they were all done at normal TV volume and sound very cranked anyway.

It's the best low volume amp I ever played. Budda Superdrive is great too, but the master volume is frickly at low levels, which is why I often use a pedal in the loop to finetune the master level.

Gizmo · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2008, 02:58:53 PM »

i like those clips. its the reason I'm getting the black dog pup installed in the bridge position this weekend.

The shiva head non reverb is £1399 i think. Bogner make a Duende but its not got that same valve sound ie non EL34 british sound,its 6v6. The Duende is a combo as well I think. I'm hoping if i get another amp to just use the matamp 112 G12h cab I have. Its really good.

Its suprising how good an 80W is at that volume.

Ted · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2008, 07:33:33 PM »

There is no easy answer here.

This is what I have tried to acheive and I reckon I have failed.

I would recommend either:

OR

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2008, 12:37:40 AM »

I'd just buy Guitar Rig 3 if i were you and call it a day! It simulates everything, although do some research because there's LOTS of opinions on which is the best amp simulator. You'd easily be able to afford the top of the range DI Box to go with it too!

for example.

http://www.dv247.com/news/Radial%20JDI:%20The%20World's%20Finest%20DI%20Box%3F/131552

it's still all about technique though, it's in the hands!

Henk · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2008, 11:59:10 AM »

+1 on a normal but turned down master amp, had all kinds of smaller amps but dont think they sounded any better because i could crank them a bit more compared to the bigger head and 4x12 cab with low DB rated speakers(tip!). My JCM also gives me plenty of controll, it does sound better cranked and once in a wile i do crank it and thats alot more satisfying that being able to crank or powerbreak a smaller amp to me. Actually i think powerbreaking a crancked amp only gives a better tube drive but you still miss on the full resonance range of the cab. A master amp can be boosted or better said preamp tricked into giving a better drive, not the real thing but still quite pleasing.