What's good these days for home that isn't a tiny little desktop thing?

Chuffola

I know there are a million of these threads but I've perused them all and can't quite make up my mind. 

I'm in the mood for a new amp, 100% used at home these days. Clean / mild dirt suit me, not really into the high gain stuff.

I have a THR 10C that I've had for years and it's fine. I've just sold my Stomp which I was using into monitors, mainly because I really just want to plug and play, rather than tweak and although the Stomp was completely brilliant, I definitely spend more time fiddling than playing. I've a few pedals knocking around from over the years to add a bit of colour. 

Budget is up to around £600 (but lower is fine too) and it's unlikely I'll be able to buy used since I live in NI and the cost of posting an amp over here that is any weight is probably prohibitive, especially currently.  There aren't many of interest for sale locally and it's pot luck if something comes up. 

I've looked at videos and reviews of the following which I quite like the look of....

Blackstar Silverline 50c
Blackstar HT5R MkII
Marshall Origin 20c
Vox ACsomething ( I had a AC10C1 some time ago but it rattled a bit so not really tempted to go back there...)

I've also looked longingly at @dazzajl 's TM Deluxe Reverb, which has thankfully now sold, and I must admit, I think it would be the dream amp for me with the power soak down to 0.2w. Is it worth spending £800 for a new one to scratch that itch?

Although I play at home, I don't need to be whisper quiet but can't go balls-out loud. 

I used to think I was really only a Fender amp fan, but over the years I think I've broadened my palette - I love Marshall and Vox cleans and early breakup just as much. 

If anyone has any sage advice, and, sure, what else would you be doing these days...  please fire it this way.

Valves / Solid State / Hybrid, I don't really care. Not sure I want a billion amps / cabs / fx - happy with something that has reverb and, maybe, tremolo. 

I await with baited breath.

Legionreturns

Worth considering the Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister range. The redbox DI is hands down the best DI I've used for  recording and the amps sound great. 

strtdv

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, a Laney Lionheart would be ideal, particularly the 5 watt studio head which has a 0.5 watt setting and can be used with headphones and no cab if needed.
It also has a range of outputs for home recording including USB preamp out I think

Chuffola

I tried the H&K Tubemeister 18 combo (I think) and found it all a bit sterile. Not my cup of tea.  And I've no need for headphones or usb recording, although the Lionheart might be worth considering.

Chuffola

P.S. no need to worry about sounding like a broken record, after all I've just started a new thread replicating about 500 similar ones!

vivalacoulter

Fender Bassbreaker’s sound good! I’d have a look at one of those.

digitalscream

Far better than any all-valve solution would be...a Harley Benton GPA-100 power amp and a 1x12" of some sort, and a decent preamp.

Any of the Victory preamps would do, or maybe even a couple of the AMT solid state pedal preamps.

I've got a slightly different thing, but also kinda the same, in my ADA MP-2 -> GPA-100 -> Jet City 2x12". It sounds epic at pretty much all levels from home-volume to divorce-volume, and I've got every confidence that it's going to sound just as good at band volume.

What you have to remember is that even 1W is way too loud for any reasonable neighbours to put up with, but lower than that and you're really strangling the signal too much for most valve-based power sections to sound decent.

Chuffola

Had a Bassbreaker 15 before and agree it’s great. Could be a consideration. Although previously there was an issue with the fx loop I seem to remember- very noisy.

Digi - all sounds a bit convoluted for me! I kind of want one box rather than a few separate things.  I get what you say about the 1 watt thing but as long as there’s a master volume of some sort, I’d be fine without annoying neighbours.

The demos I’ve seen of the TMDR sound superb even at the 0.2w setting - although since they aren’t valve, maybe that’s why. 

I’m more and more tempted by it. Looks pretty much perfect for clean / edge of breakup stuff which won’t need to be searingly loud to sound good.... I think.

Silverline looks quite interesting too as a non valve solution but might have a bit too many options. 

dazzajl

I know it’s a bit over your budget but I’d hand on heart recommend the TM Deluxe. If either stretching or waiting a little bit longer are options. I’m sure there are things out there that are cheaper, other things that sound better, something that is smaller, something that has a bigger clean sound, or a dirtier drive. I don’t think there is anything that is a better all round solution to being a guitar amp. 

It looks gorgeous, sounds just like a Deluxe is supposed to, has wonderful reverb and trem and is super light for a 1x12 combo. 

I only sold mine because I had the chance to buy something very special and sadly, it’s not possible to have all the toys. If I ever buy another DR it will absolutely be another Tone Master. 

bencowling81

THR100HD can do your Fender, Vox and Marshall impressions without being too tweaky.

EDIT: sorry I re-read your post and somehow hadn’t considered budget.

fastonebaz

Spark amp

Chuffola

@dazzajl You’re not helping! Going to sleep on it - can stretch the budget ok just not sure if it would be more amp than I need. On the other hand, it might be the last amp I buy. 

THR100 is just too expensive when you factor in a cab Ben and I really just want a combo.

Spark is exactly the sort of desktop amp I want to avoid. Too much fiddling!

ICBM

Vox modellers all sound great at the price points they are. I’ve had a couple of the VT series and the Mini5 (which is probably too small unless you need something that can run on batteries), and the AV15 seems to get good reports too, although I haven’t tried one personally.

clarkefan

Bluguitar Amp1 and a 1x12.  No fiddling with bazillions of options, great clean and driven sounds, pick a channel and put the master on 6, then use the channel vol for loud/baby asleep, done

Chuffola

@ICBM  I think if I go modeller I want something that does one thing really well, I.e. the TMDR.  And since I have the budget, maybe now is the time to do that.

On the other hand, something like the Mk2 Blackstar HT5 also sounds very good, cleans sound much better than the earlier HT amps and it has a 12” speaker but a 0.5w mode too. Would leave some GAS funds for another toy.

@clarkefan Again, it’s not one box. 

And, I have to admit, it has to look nice too. Call me shallow...

Grumpyrocker

I really like my ht5 mk 2. Definitely sounds much better than the mk1. Some nice QOL features too such as xlr out. 

It also has one of the best sounding headphone out tones, thanks to a nice stereo verb on it. 

Chuffola

Interesting @Grumpyrocker - what’s it like on the dirty channel for lower gain tones. All the vids I’ve watched are sort of full on crunchy and higher. Can it do an early ZZ Top / Skynyrd type drive?

JezWynd

I've been thinking along similar lines recently but every time I compare something against my Vox Pathfinder 15R, the Vox wins. Coming to the conclusion I should stop looking and enjoy what I have. I’m always impressed with loudspeakers that Vox put in their small combos; they seem to work with the cabinet to create a sound greater than the individual parts.

Slash'N'burn

Agree with Marshall origin 20c

not sure how much the studio classic/vintage combo’s SC20c / SV20c go for used, they sound incredible.

Lots of choice about, might be worth listening to a few YouTube demos /shootouts of a few different amps if you’ve not already.

NPP

maybe there's something for you here? https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/201447/fs-a-wheelbarrow-full-of-interesting-and-unique-amps#latest ;

andy_k

Wildcard, Boss Katana 100 head, everything in one place ( and a software program ).