Author Topic: Tube amp for home use, so confused (Read 16719 times)

kellar · « **Reply #30 on:** May 24, 2008, 08:38:59 AM »

+1 on the Roland Cube.

Roland Cube amps are ideal for home use and give you a variety of effects and distortion onboard to play with. They also have a tuner onboard as well for recording and mp3 capabilities. Surprisongly good sounding amps. I love mine.
If you are interested I do a full review of the Cube 20X on youtube. Go to the players section and click on the clip and it will take you to my videos.

bamboofrog · « **Reply #31 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:28:33 AM »

Thanks for the info all, I have to say the advice on this forum has been great.

I will have a look at the cube, it was a nice review, I was really surprised by the tones you could get from it. I know my local shop has some of those, so it looks like I am going to have a fun afternoon. :D

Scotty477 · « **Reply #32 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:33:13 AM »

I've played a lot of small tube amps in the last few months, looking for the right one.

I currently have a Marshall TSL601, which I'm simply going to have to accept is just too much for home use. I also have a Vox AD30VT, which is a good practise amp but can't really touch a real tube amp.

Obviously I haven't tried an Orange TT combo yet but I would have to say that the best value for money small amp out there right now IMHO has to be the Fender Super Champ XD. It's not a true all tube amp, but it basically sounds like one. It's a hybrid solid state / tube setup in technical terms but (like the Vox AD30VT) but unlike the Vox the SCXD has a tubes for power output as well. The preamp tube has a dual triode, wich is why it can't be termed a true all tube amp.

Make no mistake though. This sounds like a 100% all tube amp. You simply wont be able to tell the difference.

Actually finding a new one in stock is a different matter altogether. At £199 they tend to fly out the door of stores just as soon as they get them in stock - or are snaffled by pre orders ....

ailean · « **Reply #33 on:** May 24, 2008, 04:57:21 PM »

Quote from: hamfist

"wet" amp

WTF? You can play it in the shower? What the hell is a wet amp? (ok showing my noob credentials here :oops: )

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #34 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:48:07 PM »

Quote from: tomjackson

Fender Vibro Champ

Very versatile, okay Digital effects with a valve power stage. Fender blackface(ish) tones in a small package. good at low volume.
In action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MagOWeWUMU

Fender champ 600

never owned but tried. Good twang for the bang but speaker farts and no verb.

Orange Tiny Terror combo

I'm going to get one with a Holy Grail Reverb so I can play Albatross!!

I modded my Fender Champ 600 for less than £50 and also bought it new for only £114, with a bit of haggling in Sound Control. Altogether it cost £164, and the mod I did put 2 JJ Tesla valves in it, 1x ECC83 + 1x 6V6S as well as a Jensen CH6 speaker, it's now the perfect practice and recording amp, but only get it if you prefer complex/clean tones, orange are definitley better for dirtier sounds, but you can just put a distorition pedal in front of the Fender Champ 600 and it will be more versitlie. The stock speaker it comes with is pants though, so if you can only do one thing change that first.

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #35 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:51:36 PM »

Quote from: Machinehead

The preamp tube has a dual triode, wich is why it can't be termed a true all tube amp.

plus digital fx eww.

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #36 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:58:24 PM »

Vox VR30's were only £100 when they were still avaliable, and they are amazing sounding for that price, if you can find one, they are awesome, a very simple amp, with a great tone.

hamfist · « **Reply #37 on:** May 25, 2008, 08:47:10 AM »

Quote from: ailean

Quote from: hamfist
"wet" amp

WTF? You can play it in the shower? What the hell is a wet amp? (ok showing my noob credentials here :oops: )

Rich, a wet/dry rig is one where any delays/reverb go to a completely different amp/speaker rig. So your dry signal remains uncontaminated by delay or reverb trails.
This is much more important with any NMV amp or amp without an effects loop, as you are then forced to put delay/reverb before the distortion, which sounds cr@p IMO.
To get a signal from your dry amp you need to actually mic it, or tap the post-distortion signal somewhere after the power amp (the line-out of a hotplate is ideal). That signal then goes to delay and/or reverb processors, and the wet-ONLY (ie none of the original notes that are coming out of your dry amp) output is fed into another (the "wet") amp.
You have all the kit to do it if you want. Just use the VK's clean channel as your wet amp. The DD-20 has a wet-only output option.
Worth experimenting with if you use much delay. It sounds great !

ailean · « **Reply #38 on:** May 25, 2008, 10:06:28 AM »

Quote from: hamfist

Quote from: ailean
Quote from: hamfist
"wet" amp

WTF? You can play it in the shower? What the hell is a wet amp? (ok showing my noob credentials here :oops: )

Rich, a wet/dry rig is one where any delays/reverb go to a completely different amp/speaker rig. So your dry signal remains uncontaminated by delay or reverb trails.
This is much more important with any NMV amp or amp without an effects loop, as you are then forced to put delay/reverb before the distortion, which sounds cr@p IMO.
To get a signal from your dry amp you need to actually mic it, or tap the post-distortion signal somewhere after the power amp (the line-out of a hotplate is ideal). That signal then goes to delay and/or reverb processors, and the wet-ONLY (ie none of the original notes that are coming out of your dry amp) output is fed into another (the "wet") amp.
You have all the kit to do it if you want. Just use the VK's clean channel as your wet amp. The DD-20 has a wet-only output option.
Worth experimenting with if you use much delay. It sounds great !

Ok, I think that makes sense, but you will be quizzed when we next meet!

Ted · « **Reply #39 on:** May 25, 2008, 11:39:50 AM »

Save your money youre at home... get one of these

bamboofrog · « **Reply #40 on:** May 25, 2008, 07:49:59 PM »

Cheers

I thought about the Fender Champ 600, because like the EVJ I like the lack of buttons to play with, but the reviews seemed very mixed, lots of complaints about the hum. But if i find one I will have a go.

Sorry Ted the picture didn't show up so I am not sure what your recommnedation was.

LazyNinja · « **Reply #41 on:** May 25, 2008, 08:07:41 PM »

I have a Cube 60, it's currently being borrowed by a mate. It's certainly very versatile but I have to say it can't touch the real deal. All the models sound roughly in the ballpark but they all sound heavily processed and distinctvely fake sounding. Being a modeller the amp responds poorly to pedals as well. I'd say go for a cheap low powered valve amp with a proper preamp (i.e not VJ). Otherwise, I think the Vox are the best modeller at the moment so I'd go with one of those.

kellar · « **Reply #42 on:** May 25, 2008, 08:55:56 PM »

In reference to the Roland Cubes, the 30 and 60X don't seem to be nearly as good as the 20X. Whatever sense that makes I don't know because I thought they were all essentially the same amp, just larger versions. I tried them all out side by side and thought that the 20X was far superior in terms of the quality of the effects and the sound. Very nice sounding amp and perfect for the house.
As far as the buzzing problems with the EVJ, that should be fixed with the current models that are in the stores. That doesn't fix the way the amp sounds though. :?

bamboofrog · « **Reply #43 on:** May 25, 2008, 09:02:53 PM »

That's interesting. I thought the same that the cubes were essentially the same just a bit bigger. I tried out the 30X yesterday, thought it was pretty good, quite warm. They didn't have a 20x to try.

I also tried the Marshall MG15 (I think), didn't really like the sound. Also tried a Fender Vibro Champ, very loud, good sound but I didn't like allthe voicings and effects, a bit to much for me.

I was recommended the Orange Crush 30R, by another guy in the shop. Has anyone had any experience with these, they seem to get good reviews.

My quest continues. :)

Ted · « **Reply #44 on:** May 25, 2008, 09:15:25 PM »

one of these...