Minimat for metal? Other options?

[Muso]

I think youre searching for the impossible mate, I've been there and looked around a fair bit. Decent valve distorsion at bedroom volumes just don't happen, for metal that is The matamp XV interests me but I'm wondering what the distorsion actually sounds like. I can't seem to find any soundclips anyone know of any?

[gwEm]

i highly recommend the hughes and kettner cream machine which is a 2 valve amp (power and preamp), with an extra opamp booster on the input.

search ebay for one. it has 1watt of power which is more than loud enough in a flat (a bit too loud).

metal is no problem - it has plenty of overdrive to spare, i know - i have one ;) even with the preamp changed for a 12at7 it has easily enough drive for hardcore experimental grind. with the gain on the minimum setting, it has a "bluesy breakup". you have to roll back the volume on your axe for a real clean.

i describe it as "vintage hi-gain". for a more modern metal sound, you might want to pair it with an eq pedal.

[Random Riffage]

How do you get a tube amp to sound its best at domestic volume?
A Canadian company LONDON POWER AMPLIFICATION PRODUCTS make
power scaling amps and amp mod kits,which enable you to get full amp distortion and tone at very low volume levels !
      The only problem is, that in Europe the only authorised dealers and amp manufacturers who use this system are in SWEDEN !

[Hozze]

Well, apparently it's not possible to do a built-in attenuator on the XV, so that idea is out the window.

Back to the drawing board, I guess... :(