Need a tiny amp

DeeTee

As the title suggests, I need a little amp for just tooling around at home. I run through my Korg effects unit, so I really am just looking for a speaker so I can hear myself that doesn't sound like a wasp in a jar. My budget is equally tiny, so under £100 would be good. I play rock and metal. Any suggestions? I don't mind buying second hand.

ICBM

Peavey Rage.

Although for £100 you could go a lot further up the range, if you're going second hand. You might even get a Bandit for that.

Or you can get any number of cheap solid-state amps that actually work well as a clean platform at low volume levels, from about £25 upwards. I always set myself a challenge to get a good sound out of them when they come into the shop, and it's rare that I can't.

Jackobean

Vox Pathfinders are pretty good, as are Roland Cubes/microcubes

ThePrettyDamned

My local has a Peavey transtube 1x10 of some sort. Smaller than a bandit, but not a a studio pro or rage...

Anyway, it's used and USA made iirc, and only like 70 quid. I'm trying to persuade my mate to get it, but it's perfect for you.

p90fool

I've been using/abusing one of these for the last four years;

http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Belcat-V35RG-35w-Guitar-Amp-with-Reverb/B7J

The clean channel sounds much deeper and warmer than you'd expect from a 10" speaker, and is fantastic with pedals. I use it for fine-tuning my pedal builds at home, knowing that it'll still be in the ballpark when I plug the results into my JTM 45.

The gain channel is definitely more vintage than modern, but it's harmonically quite rich and I've used it for half a dozen or so studio sessions. It's a steal for £65.

OilCityPickups

Roland Cube family all the way

Kebabkid

Another heads up for the Roland Cubes (Micro, 20 etc..)

jonnyburgo

Second hand Blackstar Ht1 combo could be found for an extra £20ish Ive had a micro cube but much prefer the little Blackstar

skay

Since you only play at home and have a tiny budget, if you have some external computer speakers with the sub-woofer thingy then the multi effects would probably sound pretty good through that. 

I used to run my Boss GT5 through my pc speakers at uni as the GT5 had amp and speaker simulators built-in (not sure what your Korg has, this could be an important part of it), but anyway it sounded surprisingly good with the deep bass and stereo sound, go on give it a try....

ICBM

I wouldn't pick a Cube or anything else digital to amplify a multi-FX, nor a Blackstar HT. I don't much like either of them anyway but adding extra processing or compression on top of a processed, quite compressed sound isn't going to sound good… in my opinion.

Seriously - you want a cheap, clean, full-sounding analogue solid-state amp if you can't find something very simple, clean-sounding and valve-based for under a ton. (Not an Epiphone Valve Junior either, too dirty and compressed.) Skay's suggestion of a full-range computer sound system should work well too, but only if the multi-FX has speaker emulation.

DeeTee

@ICBM - It does actually. Amp and speaker simulation. Perhaps that's the best option then?
I'm surprised about the HT1. What about the Orange Micro Terror?

Rocker

DeeTee said:

What about the Orange Micro Terror?

I have one and I like it but it needs a better pre-amp valve than that supplied.  It is near the top end of your budget too and you need a speaker cabinet also a cable from the amp to the cab.  Orange gear has a distinctive 'sound' which it the reason you choose Orange over other amps.  I do not think an Orange amp is 'neutral sounding' enough for your requirements.  My five cents worth.

Kebabkid

Processors, well, Boss ones, do work on the Cube and the best models for accepting pedals and multi-fx are the the Blackface and JC models.

The best thing to do is go try your unit with them and use your ears

ICBM

DeeTee said:

@ICBM - It does actually. Amp and speaker simulation. Perhaps that's the best option then?

It may work well, yes. It will at least give you the most options for different sounds as all the colouration should be from the FX unit.

DeeTee said:

What about the Orange Micro Terror?

I disliked the Micro Terror I tried more than any amp I can think of except the Crate Powerbock - maybe even more than that. A harsh, grating, fatiguing sound of no musicality whatsoever. Definitely the wrong thing to put any kind of processor through even if for some unfathomable reason you actually like the sound, anyway .

Kebabkid

The Roland CM-30 monitors are very good, and versatile. You may be able to pick one up used for under £100 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/roland-cm-30-cube-monitor
One of the reviews refers to using it with a modeller