A constant quandary for I think many of us...
You/I want a valve amp. In my case I couldn't justify dropping 2k on a boutique amp but could buy something like an HRD, an AC30, an H&K etc.
This would then make a great platform for some great pedals I'd really like to own, like a Thorpy Warthog.
Problem is, I almost exclusively play at home at low volume, so I have a Boss Katana 50 with built in FX, and some cheaper pedals (the most expensive pedal I own is a TS Mini) for the rare occasions when I venture out to jams, or sometimes to plug into the Katana 50.
I also play through a Blackstar Core 20 in the bedroom, and a Vox Handbag on my desk, which both pretend to be proper amps at low volume pretty well, but obviously they are pretending.
Anyone else have this dilemma? I know an HRD would be even at the lowest volume way too high for home. Even an HT5 and Vox AC4 which would potentially make great home pedal platforms only sound half-decent when you crank them, and when you crank both they are really damn loud.
Anyone else in the "semi-detached house with family, so no volume" trap? Should I just be happy I live in an age where the Boss Katana 50 exists and I don't have to have a Marshall MG?
Has anyone tried the highly ironic £200 pedal into a £170 Katana, and did it sound nice?!?!
I'm basically summarising all the dozens of home practise/low volume/shilling for Boss (wish I was) threads into one dilemma thread, the ultimate solution to chasing tone, and the desire to splurge on gear, when you are defiantly at low volume...
You are the dreamer, and the dream...
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In fact with a Lion Tamer you can push the clean channel a touch at any volume down to zero with no pedals, and it does an excellent impression of a Deluxe Reverb or Princeton just coming up to the sweet spot.
There's nothing wrong with the Katana as a home amp at all, but I wouldn't say it renders a half decent valve amp pointless.
Just saying.
[1] Yes, I know the difference between gain and volume, but if you’re looking for totally clean with lots of headroom to plug pedals into there is quite a lot of scope at this end...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Run the Master volume a whisker below full.
At rehearsal I don't attenuate.
All good.
Saying all that, I have never owned a valve amp and have not experienced the ‘pushing the tubes to saturation’ thing and I do wonder about getting something like a Princeton, Yerasov or AC10, how much better the core clean tone would be.
I think the answer is to try one, keep katana for low volume, and crank the valve amp when you have the house to yourself.