Suggestions for a good amp that is 5 watts or under.

StanleyAccrington · November 2018

I've tired of using my second hand Kustom 20 watt combo amp. The clean channel is ok but the overdrive is gash and the reverb has died. It's stood me in good stead for around 8 years but I reckon it's time for a newer and better one.
I'm a home nurdler so anything up to 5 watts should be ok. A diddy one with amp simulators and some inbuilt effects would be canny. Any extra gizmos would be a bonus. Fire away folks!

Tenebrous · November 2018

Big fan of the Yamaha THR series, but some people feel that the Vox Adio has surpassed it. I can only speak for the former, but I don't think you can go wrong with it. 5 amp models, some basic effects, great reverb, USB recording, very portable.

Love my THR10C.

skunkwerx · November 2018

If it doesnt have to have toobs...

The katana 50. No brainer.

Fifty9 · November 2018

I’ve got a handwired champ clone and a vox adio. Best of both worlds there I feel so would recommend either. Had a thr5 which is also excellent but I prefer the adio.

StanleyAccrington · November 2018

skunkwerx said:

If it doesnt have to have toobs...

The katana 50. No brainer.

I've been a solid state lad for the past 8 years. But I'm open to valve options.

Tenebrous · November 2018

StanleyAccrington said:

skunkwerx said:

If it doesnt have to have toobs...

The katana 50. No brainer.

I've been a solid state lad for the past 8 years. But I'm open to valve options.

In that case, it's a bit expensive, but I absolutely loved my Laney Lionheart. 5-watt, all valve, parallel fx loop, pedal included to swap channels. Style for days.

StanleyAccrington · November 2018

skunkwerx said:

If it doesnt have to have toobs...

The katana 50. No brainer.

Too loud dude.....but the Katana Mini is an option.

ICBM · November 2018

Power is irrelevant, it's the ability to control it that matters.

I've often found it much easier to get a great low-volume sound from a 100W amp than a 5W one, providing there's a decent master volume or some other form of power control that works well.

The Katanas have a 0.5W setting anyway.

That said, if you really want a 5W amp - Vox Mini5 Rhythm. [/stuck record]

(Which also has a power control switch, but sounds better on the 5W setting with the volume turned down.)

StanleyAccrington · November 2018

ICBM said:

Power is irrelevant, it's the ability to control it that matters.

I've often found it much easier to get a great low-volume sound from a 100W amp than a 5W one, providing there's a decent master volume or some other form of power control that works well.

The Katanas have a 0.5W setting anyway.

That said, if you really want a 5W amp - Vox Mini5 Rhythm. [/stuck record] (Which also has a power control switch, but sounds better on the 5W setting with the volume turned down.)

I noticed that the Katana 50 had a dial that could be set to 25W or 0.5W. What is this switching all about?

ICBM · November 2018

StanleyAccrington said:

I noticed that the Katana 50 had a dial that could be set to 25W or 0.5W. What is this switching all about?

It reduces the maximum power output of the amp, so you can play at home or at a smaller gig while keeping the same dynamics you would at the full power when playing loud.

For what it's worth, 5W through any kind of efficient speaker will be *far* too loud to play comfortably in the house with other family members/neighbours - that's why the lowest setting is 0.5W, not 5W. Power vs. volume is an extremely non-linear relationship, especially when compared to different surrounding noise levels.

Tenebrous · November 2018

ICBM said:

StanleyAccrington said:

I noticed that the Katana 50 had a dial that could be set to 25W or 0.5W. What is this switching all about?

It reduces the maximum power output of the amp, so you can play at home or at a smaller gig while keeping the same dynamics you would at the full power when playing loud.

For what it's worth, 5W through any kind of efficient speaker will be *far* too loud to play comfortably in the house with other family members/neighbours - that's why the lowest setting is 0.5W, not 5W. Power vs. volume is an extremely non-linear relationship, especially when compared to different surrounding noise levels.

As a new Katana owner, I can confirm - the 0.5W option on the Katana with the master maxed is still very loud (too loud in my case) for home use.

Sporky · November 2018

Buy the Cornell that @bad_alice is selling - I think it's my old one, refinished. In which case it sounds very ace just straight in, and every bit as ace with pedals.

JezWynd · November 2018

Vox Pathfinder 15r. Built in reverb and tremolo. I've never found another solid state combo I like as much. Reverb is mild but enough to give sound some space. Trem is very valve like. No longer available but they turn up on eBay quite often.

edit. Just read the full text of your wish list. Cancel the Pathfinder (but you might want to watch the YouTube where it’s a/b’d with a Fender Princeton Reverb).

StanleyAccrington · November 2018

ICBM said:

StanleyAccrington said:

I noticed that the Katana 50 had a dial that could be set to 25W or 0.5W. What is this switching all about?

It reduces the maximum power output of the amp, so you can play at home or at a smaller gig while keeping the same dynamics you would at the full power when playing loud.

For what it's worth, 5W through any kind of efficient speaker will be *far* too loud to play comfortably in the house with other family members/neighbours - that's why the lowest setting is 0.5W, not 5W. Power vs. volume is an extremely non-linear relationship, especially when compared to different surrounding noise levels.

You always come up with the Amp related queries goods Mr ICBM. Dunno why I stipulated a 5W limit in my opening post as I generally play through headphones anyway!! On the rare occasions that I play without phones, I reckon the master vol would be set to say 2 or 3 out of a max of 10 which was plenty loud enough. Need to keep my options varied and maybe an amp with higher wattage levels but with power control could be the way to go. Thank you.

ICBM · November 2018

No need to thank me

It's just something I've noticed, that a lot of people equate low power with low volume, when really it's not as simple as that.

You probably don't want a 100W 2x12" combo if you're only going to play at home - they're huge, heavy and expensive even if they can also go down to low volumes, which some can - but basically, don't rule out any smaller amp based on its power until you've heard what it can do.

True bedroom volume power is incredibly low - actually around 0.1W - unless the speaker is also tiny and inefficient, in which case it usually won't sound very good. The exception is the 'radio' type amps with small hi-fi-like speakers, eg Yamaha THR5/10.

Even on my Vox Mini5, which has three power settings - 5W, 1.5W and 0.1W - as well as a small speaker, I actually prefer the tone with it set to 5W or 1.5W and with the volume turned down rather than set to 0.1W.

bad_alice · November 2018

Sporky said:

Buy the Cornell that @bad_alice is selling - I think it's my old one, refinished. In which case it sounds very ace just straight in, and every bit as ace with pedals.

Listen to the man @StanleyAccrington. For it IS indeed @Sporky ‘s former amp (refinished with a Celestion Greenback installed - hope I didn’t ruffle any feathers with those changes @Sporky ?). It’s a marvellous amp for home use and with pedals...and it needs to go to a good home so I’ll stop feeling so goddamn shit about having to sell it...

Sporky · November 2018

Not at all - it's your amp.

tone1 · November 2018

I had a Laney L5t head which I wouldn’t have sold had it not been for a Tweed Deluxe. That had lots of bells and Whistles.... but my favourite was the Blackstar HT1R head through a 1x12....

maltingsaudio · November 2018

Bluguitar Amp1 works brilliantly at all volumes for me, run it through a 1x8 for most things

Phil_aka_Pip · November 2018

Harley-Benton GA5, Epiphone Valve Junior. Good straight in from guitar, take pedals well. Best of both worlds.

boogieman · November 2018

tone1 said:

I had a Laney L5t head which I wouldn’t have sold had it not been for a Tweed Deluxe. That had lots of bells and Whistles.... but my favourite was the Blackstar HT1R head through a 1x12....

I’ve got tone’s Laney and it’s a great amp. I use it on the half watt setting and still can’t really use it above half volume. Still sounds good at low levels though.

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Suggestions for a good amp that is 5 watts or under.

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