My current set up is a Line 6 pod go and some AKG monitoring headphones, and also a Blackstsr Fly 3 which is surprisingly good as a tiny portable amp.
I recently moved house and have a spare room that now houses my gear and recording PC, and after years of playing with headphones I've got a hankering for an amp.
I've got a budget of £300-£400 to get something that will be used in the house 99% of the time, with the odd jam at a friend's house. Used gear is fine.
Some criteria:
FX loop
2 channels ideally
Separate EQ per channel is nice, but I know not all options will have this
Needs to work well at bedroom levels, so attenuation could be useful
Preferably a line out or USB out for recording without mic'ing up
Reverb / delay is a nice to have but if not I can put a pedal in the FX loop
I don't have a cab currently so if it's a head then the cab needs to fit in budget too
How would you spend this budget? Some ideas are:
Orange Rocker 15
Marshall DSL 20
Blackstar HT5
Boss Katana 100 or Artist
PRS MT15 and a load box, not in budget though...
Sell the Pod Go to free up another couple of hundred and buy a used helix stomp and an FRFR/powered cab?! This would only really give me the benefit of more DSP
I mostly play hard rock and 2000s metal, but some blues and would like decent cleans to give me flexibility.
Thanks!
Comments
You’d need an FRFR cab if you want monitoring. At home I use it connected to my Adams powered monitors. Bought it as a tiny gig backup.
I’m probably going to sell mine as it’s surplus to requirements.
-headphones
-amp in room
For the first, keep the pod go and use it for recording too.
For the second possibility an Orange rocker or Marshall sc20, a modeller will not give you the same feel as amp in room. (95% of the time more enjoyable than a modeller into headphones or monitors)
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
if you like your Pod Go models then the Catalyst could work well.
A secondhand one will be in budget if you're patient.
That model gives you a respectable line out for recording which I'm pretty sure the 20 doesn't have.
I have the 40cr, it doesn't have an attenuator but the master volume works well and sounds great at home levels. Plus is you ever do go out and play with others you turn it up and you've got a beast!
Cleans are great - will it do metal? Depends on your definition of metal but you might want a boost pedal in front to kick it a bit.
It has built in reverb but tbh it's shit. It's the only thing on the amp but it really is so you would probably want a pedal in the loop too, but you can get a good 2nd hand basic reverb for not much money.
The Classic 30 might be a bit overkill if you're only using it at home 99 percent of the time.
Others have said the speakers in the combos are the weak spot - but you could pick up a mk2 100 combo and a changed speaker new for less that £400
And if you want you can just use it as a power amo for the pod go......
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum