Amps which sound better at low volume

JohnPerry

Just curious. Are there any that sound better at home volume than they do cranked?

I can think of a few that sound better switched off.

But don't all quality amps really sound better at decent volume? Even those with really good attenuators always seem to sacrifice something when down low

RiftAmps

I’ve never heard a valve amplifier that sounds better at low volume than it does turned up.

Strat54

I've never found one....but I've not tried a Carr Mercury on say the 1/4 watt setting.

thecolourbox

They might not sound better at low volume than they do louder but that's not to say they don't still sound good. A Squier Front man 10 watt practice amp probably sounds its best at low volume but doesn't mean it sounds anywhere near as good as a valve amp at low volume

mart

I know some amps that sound best when the volume is at 0.

p90fool

I'm saying nowt...

ICBM

RiftAmps said:

I’ve never heard a valve amplifier that sounds better at low volume than it does turned up.

Fender Blues Junior.

At low volume, with the master, bass and treble up high and the volume and middle low, you can get a reasonably nice Fendery clean sound out of it.

At higher volume the more typical shouty, overcompressed, muddy, boxy tone can't be dialled out, and if you try it just becomes farty and mushy.

However the original question did say *quality* amps, so the Blues Junior may not qualify anyway .

RiftAmps

ICBM said:

RiftAmps said:

I’ve never heard a valve amplifier that sounds better at low volume than it does turned up.

Fender Blues Junior.

At low volume, with the master, bass and treble up high and the volume and middle low, you can get a reasonably nice Fendery clean sound out of it.

At higher volume the more typical shouty, overcompressed, muddy, boxy tone can't be dialled out, and if you try it just becomes farty and mushy.

However the original question did say *quality* amps, so the Blues Junior may not qualify anyway .

I said valve amplifier, not ‘amp with valves’

gordiji

Roland Blues Cube 40xl, sounds great quiet & pants loud, especially on marshally settings.

Dominic

Strat54 said:

I've never found one....but I've not tried a Carr Mercury on say the 1/4 watt setting.

NO,.........it sounds quite good dialled down but the last 2 settings are poor IMO which is true of most attenuators ...they work really well until you get down to the last 30 per cent.

Telejester

mart said: 

I know some amps that sound best when the volume is at 0.

Fender bassbreaker 7

Modulus_Amps

it is not just the quality amp issue, guitar speakers only sound good when you turn them up and get them moving a bit.

gordiji

gordiji said:

Roland Blues Cube 40xl, sounds great quiet & pants loud, especially on marshally settings.

correction Roland Cube 40xl, don't know where the blues came from.

ICBM

Modulus_Amps said:

it is not just the quality amp issue, guitar speakers only sound good when you turn them up and get them moving a bit.

I don't agree at all. Most guitar speakers sound fine at low levels - the V30 being a notable exception, but even that only needs a few watts to wake it up. In my opinion 'needing to push the speakers' is one of the huge myths about guitar amps.

slacker

My Matchless sounds awesome clean at very low volumes. It depends what you want from an amp. I always want cleans that work well with an overdrive regardless of volume and venue. 

AllthegearNoidea

I have a Marshall sl-5 It has proved to be a great.amp at low volume. It has a great clean and overdrive sound at just above talking volume. 

JohnPerry

slacker said:

My Matchless sounds awesome clean at very low volumes. It depends what you want from an amp. I always want cleans that work well with an overdrive regardless of volume and venue. 

But does it sound better quiet than when it's cranked? 

thecolourbox

I can't hear amps very well when they are cranked to be honest just sounds like loud guitar to me. I can hear them much better when reigned in a bit and then all of a sudden I can hear tone again

Modulus_Amps

@ICBM said:

Modulus_Amps said:

it is not just the quality amp issue, guitar speakers only sound good when you turn them up and get them moving a bit.

I don't agree at all. Most guitar speakers sound fine at low levels - the V30 being a notable exception, but even that only needs a few watts to wake it up. In my opinion 'needing to push the speakers' is one of the huge myths about guitar amps.

it is OK to disagree, bare in mind I said "get them moving a bit" I didn't say "push them" which implies something else. Also a few watts can still be too loud for most homes and it is very hard to know how loud someone else plays at home.

But fact is our ears respond differently at different sound pressure levels, cabinets respond differently at different sound levels and speaker respond differently at different sound levels, guitars react differently to the amp at different sound pressure levels, point is there is so much at play beyond the amps power output...

slacker

JohnPerry said:

slacker said:

My Matchless sounds awesome clean at very low volumes. It depends what you want from an amp. I always want cleans that work well with an overdrive regardless of volume and venue. 

But does it sound better quiet than when it's cranked? 

No but I don't want to take two amps out. 

JMP220478

are there any particularly low efficiency speakers that sound good but would negate the need / impact of attenuators and still allow an amp to be opened up a little ? 
 I also seem to remember seeing a speaker with some sort of volume management in too - any good ?