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Best small 5W tube amp?

ILikeGuitar

By ILikeGuitar
in Electric Guitars

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Joranges Newbie

Joranges

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The Royal 8 really ain't bad. The speaker leaves a little bit to be desired, but in comparison to the EVJ combo it sounds a lot better. IMHO, speakers makes up for a lot for that "good" sound as well. The only time where I might say the EVJ is better is when I'm using my own speakers, although its not by a long shot either. (Yes, I've had both versions of the EVJ.)

 

I've always really wanted to try the Valbee as well.

 

But damn that Laney looks sweet. Bright switch, Clean/Dirty control, EQ, Tone, Reverb *AND* FX LOOP. Celestions too. :o I'm tempted to buy it just to try it. :freak:

 

But as far as low watt amps goes, my favourite is still my Nano Head. :thu:

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jjpistols Newbie

jjpistols

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I love my Crate - going strong for 7 or 8 years now

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=615074&songID=5460744

 

this is at apartment volume (around 2) - sometimes using a YJM308 pedal as a boost (you should be able to tell when the pedal is on)

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=615074&songID=5545550

 

this is just the amp, no pedal, the whole time

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Verne Andru Newbie

Verne Andru

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I changed the pre-amp tube in my V8 and reduced the amount of distortion. So the V8 gets distortion from the TL701 as well as the pre-amp tube?
:)



I wouldn't go so far as to call it "distortion" in the guitar-tone sense of the word. It is responsible for all the fizzing, farting, hissing and other random artifacts in the signal. Get rid of that opamp and you're left with pure class a tube tone.

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allthumz Newbie

allthumz

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I wouldn't go so far as to call it "distortion" in the guitar-tone sense of the word. It is responsible for all the fizzing, farting, hissing and other random artifacts in the signal. Get rid of that opamp and you're left with pure class a tube tone.



Excellent!

I'll follow your instructions in your V8 modification thread... or I'll find an amp tech to do the work. I'm unsure of my abilities to do a mod. :)

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larryguitar Newbie

larryguitar

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I wouldn't go so far as to call it "distortion" in the guitar-tone sense of the word. It is responsible for all the fizzing, farting, hissing and other random artifacts in the signal. Get rid of that opamp and you're left with pure class a tube tone.

 

 

If you truly get rid of the opamp, yes, that would be 'all tube' tone. But as long as the opamp (or a substitute) is supplying gain, it's coloring the tone, and especially coloring the distorted tone. "Pure tube tone" wouldn't have opamps providing any part of the signal path, much less a gain stage. The fact that changing the opamp changes the nature of the distortion proves that it's involved in the tone.

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Verne Andru Newbie

Verne Andru

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If you truly get rid of the opamp, yes, that would be 'all tube' tone. But as long as the opamp (or a substitute) is supplying gain, it's coloring the tone, and especially coloring the distorted tone. "Pure tube tone" wouldn't have opamps providing any part of the signal path, much less a gain stage. The fact that changing the opamp changes the nature of the distortion proves that it's involved in the tone.

 

 

It's important to keep in mind that there has always been a problem using tube's for the first preamplification stage since they introduce noise which just gets more problematic the further down the signal path you go. The practice of using opamps is, when implemented properly, to provide a cleaner primary signal boost which provides a cleaner overall sound. There are arguments pro and con which transcend this discussion.

 

Having looked at the schematic and worked on the amp it appears to me the purpose of the opamp is to give the input signal a boost before it goes into the tone and tube gain stages - the "gain" control comes between the opamp and the tube. The "distortion/noise" the opamp introduces is nothing more than a byproduct of using a very poor opamp which, in this case, is worse than had they just used the tube. But the circuit design is first class and once an Excalibur opamp is in place, the added 10db of clean headroom is more than enough to pass a pretty pristine signal - with a boost - on to the tube stage which is driven by the gain knob providing "pure tube tone." My position is the new opamp is about as tone-neutral as you're going to get, leaving the OD to the tubes, as it should be.

 

But, since they've used an opamp for the first preamplification stage then, yes, there is solid state in the signal path. This starts becoming an exercise in splitting hairs.

 

FWIW - With the FX loop it is very easy [i do it all the time] to bypass the preamp/opamp altogether. In that configuration, it's is pure el84 tube tone which is impossible to get with an amp that doesn't have an FX loop.

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ILikeGuitar Newbie

ILikeGuitar

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So far what I've gathered from this thread (correct me if I'm wrong)

Champ 600 - $200
Pros: Fantastic Cleans
Cons: Crappy speaker, mediocre distortion

Crate V8 (MIA) - $200
Pros: Pretty good sound, 10" Celestion Speaker
Cons: Could get one made in Asia (is there a way to for sure get an MIA one?), Noise, Bad Distortion, Bad SS Preamp thing (I don't know what you guys are talking about because I know nothing about tube amps)

Epiphone Valve Jr. - $150
Pros: Very warm sound, above average distortion, $50 cheaper
Cons: {censored}ty speaker, not as clear as the Fender?

Silverface Champ
I can't get one for $200 unless I get very lucky :p

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jjpistols Newbie

jjpistols

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So far what I've gathered from this thread (correct me if I'm wrong)


Champ 600 - $200

Pros: Fantastic Cleans

Cons: Crappy speaker, mediocre distortion


Crate V8 (MIA) - $200

Pros: Pretty good sound, 10" Celestion Speaker

Cons: Could get one made in Asia (is there a way to for sure get an MIA one?), Noise, Bad Distortion, Bad SS Preamp thing (I don't know what you guys are talking about because I know nothing about tube amps)


Epiphone Valve Jr. - $150

Pros: Very warm sound, above average distortion, $50 cheaper

Cons: {censored}ty speaker, not as clear as the Fender?


Silverface Champ

I can't get one for $200 unless I get very lucky
:p




bad distortion on the crate? listen to my clip :mad:

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larryguitar Newbie

larryguitar

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Ahh I'm confused so why are there so many complaints about that preamp thing and how it's not all tube
:blah:
? I haven't taken my trip to GC yet so I don't know



I can only say that I didn't like it. I've owned lots of tube amps, lots of modelling amps, lots of gizmo 'direct' boxes. I'm not prejudiced against anything, as long as it sounds good. I don't think the V8 sounds good-to my ears.

I have no objection to using SS in the first gain stage, except it SOUNDS like it. And while Verne is able to get very nice sounds with his, if you read about his rig he's NOT just plugging and playing; with a practice amp, I want to deal with nothing more than a cord, frankly.

Try it out with an open mind. Consider that some like it, some don't, and there's no 'right' answer until you figure out if it will work FOR YOU.

Regardless of what it is, I hope you find something you love that makes you want to play more!

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Wyatt Newbie

Wyatt

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Which one of these little SOBs gives a good bassman early marshall sort of sound?

 

 

The Allen Class Act was designed specifically for that, and did it convincingly well. But he dropped it from his line to revamp it and it never really came back (though you can get it as an unsupported kit).

 

But they were more than $200.

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MorganBucks Newbie

MorganBucks

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If you do not want to spent a lot of money get an H&K edition blue SS amp if you want a low wattage tube amp,with good sound it will cost you more than a higher wattage one!!!!!!! The Palomino V32 kicks ass...But to get that class A sound in a 5 Watt lower volume amp you have to pay more.

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