Members vaiguy777 Posted November 15, 2014 Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 I have a Carvin Legacy VL212 combo which I just use to practice but now it is way too loud even on 1 on the 50w setting with young kids in the house. I am strongly consider selling it. Looking for something quieter that has headphone jack and mp3 or IPod input to play along with. I'd prefer a tube amp. Thought I found what I was looking for when I stumbled upon a Peavey Vypyr series but I understand they are discontinued? I have heard mixed reviews about modeling amps such as Line 6 Spider. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted November 15, 2014 Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 The Blackstar HT series may have something that will work for you. They have headphone jacks and aux inputs and are low powered tube amps I have an HT-1 and I like it a lot. I've even used it miced for some small gigs. http://www.blackstaramps.com/products/ht1/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonK Posted November 15, 2014 Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 How much are you willing to spend? Fender Champion is a nice tube practice amp, but you'll need a pedal board to get anything other than clean sounds. Vox AC4T is better, since you can set it for 1/4 watt, 1 watt, or 4 watts, so you can get it to overdrive at lower volumes depending on which setting you choose (and which guitar you're playing). I have both of the above, but my favorite practice amp by far is my Line 6 Amplifi 150 (Amplif 75 is $100 cheaper). It ain't cheap, and some will regard it as a gigging amp - I don't, though it's certainly useable in a gig setting, especially if you mic it. The Amplifi works with an accompanying software app available for iOS that allows you to get just about any sound imaginable out of it (it works with Bluetooth) while controlling it with your iPhone or iPad. And that's just the beginning.... But again, it ain't cheap. The Amplifi allows you to stream backing tracks or songs from your phone or iPad to the amp while you play. The 150 watt version is loud enough to gig with, though I don't use it for that. Check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 15, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 Thanks for your response, I will definitely check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 15, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 Thanks for your response, I really appreciate it. My budget is about $450 and I just want to noodle around and practice, I just play for fun, no gigging. I will check out your suggestions. One thing I am torn between is going the way of the iPad or staying the traditional route. I use JamUp Pro on iPad to practice and play along w/ songs using headphones which works for my household. Is there an easy way to play the iPad thru a cabinet in lieu of headphones? But I also like using my real tube amp, bad horse wah, Maxon OD9 (Analogman mod) and DOD delay pedals, thus the need for a scaled back tube amp. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted November 21, 2014 Members Share Posted November 21, 2014 Get something like a Fender Super Champ XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted November 21, 2014 Members Share Posted November 21, 2014 Epiphone Valve Jr is a great little tube amp. Only 5w but they kick butt and make a nice recording/practice amp for getting those cranked tube tones at low volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 23, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 23, 2014 Thanks I will check it out but at first glance it appears there is no mp3 input or headphone jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 23, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 23, 2014 Thanks for the response I will look into it. Although not a tube amp, I am now considering an Orange PiX CR20LDX. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The Orange PiX CR20LDX certainly looks like it has all the features you requested - lower power, line input for jamming along with MP3's, headphone output... plus it has onboard effects and built-in overdrive. It's not a tube amp, but most tube amps won't have all of those features either, although you can probably find one with onboard effects (Super Champ XD) and headphone output (many have this, although the SC XD doesn't) - Unfortunately I suspect the line input you want is going to be tougher to find on a tube amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FormerlyBassred Posted November 24, 2014 Members Share Posted November 24, 2014 Just playing around at home?! I'd go with a Vox Valvetronix - I know it's a modelling amp and not a tube amp, but I use one for gigs as part of my setup and it sounds great. I have the little one VT15 or something and it cooks, but also sounds really good at low, low volumes. It has a headphone output as well and if you are just messing around at home you get all sorts of options for different tone options, and they sound really good. (I run a wet/dry setup with all effects - delay and chorus are all I run at the moment - going through the Vox and a distortion option so I can even have two different non-effected sounds to choose from. Haven't once thought that the vox, for all intents and purposes a 'kids starter amp' wasn't cutting the mustard!!) Heck, it saved my butt this week at church, too! The worship leader asked if I could use a wah for a song and I don't own one, but I remembered that the vox has an auto-wah effect and dialed it in so tasty and funky. I know you asked about tube amps, this is just my two cents. I don't lug the tube amp into the house to jam or record ideas/rough tracks, I bring the little vox!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 24, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2014 Thanks for the info. My research into the Orange CR20LDX uncovered that it is not foot switchable between so I may not consider it now. I am considering the Blackstar HT5R as it is a tube amp and has the features I want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vaiguy777 Posted November 24, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2014 Correct, no gigging, just playing around and practicing at home. I am strongly considering the Blackstar HT5R now but will also check out the Valvetronix too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted December 2, 2014 Members Share Posted December 2, 2014 +1 on the Blackstar. I have the HT-5C. Great sounds at low to moderate volume levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonK Posted December 3, 2014 Members Share Posted December 3, 2014 I have a Carvin Legacy VL212 combo which I just use to practice but now it is way too loud even on 1 on the 50w setting with young kids in the house. I am strongly consider selling it. Looking for something quieter that has headphone jack and mp3 or IPod input to play along with. I'd prefer a tube amp. Thought I found what I was looking for when I stumbled upon a Peavey Vypyr series but I understand they are discontinued? I have heard mixed reviews about modeling amps such as Line 6 Spider. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks You might consider one of the Line 6 Amplifi models. I've owned a ton of amps (and still own more than a dozen) and I'm a tube freak, but for what you're describing the Amplifi is pretty cool (I have one). I have the 150, but there's also a 100. Here's what I find makes it great for practice: - You can play at bedroom volume and still get great sounds. Line 6 has been doing the tube emulation thing for a long time, and they're good at it (I owned the original AxSys back in the late 90's when Line 6 first started). - It operates as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can stream a song from your iPad or phone to it and play along. - For a given song, you can use the included software (runs on an iPad or iPhone) to find presets for that song, created by others - there's usually at least one that's pretty close to the lead guitar tone for the song. - It has four built-in presets, but they're just banks you can change to any sound you want, and you can manage it all from an iPad: the tone possibilities are pretty amazing. - It can get plenty loud if you need it to. I typically play through a Twin, AC-30, or a SuperSonic (the 22-watt version) depending on the venue and the sound I'm looking for, but I use the Amplifi as my family room practice amp at home (I've got it set up to get any of the foregoing tones I want, and it gets very close). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JureGolobic Posted December 4, 2014 Members Share Posted December 4, 2014 I have a Blackstar HT5 head and it sound really good! you can also have it for smaller rehearsal if everybody else in a band are not super loud, it should do the trick. Plus it's supper light! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted December 5, 2014 Members Share Posted December 5, 2014 Just playing around at home?! I'd go with a Vox Valvetronix - I know it's a modelling amp and not a tube amp, but I use one for gigs as part of my setup and it sounds great. I have the little one VT15 or something and it cooks, but also sounds really good at low, low volumes. It has a headphone output as well and if you are just messing around at home you get all sorts of options for different tone options, and they sound really good. (I run a wet/dry setup with all effects - delay and chorus are all I run at the moment - going through the Vox and a distortion option so I can even have two different non-effected sounds to choose from. Haven't once thought that the vox, for all intents and purposes a 'kids starter amp' wasn't cutting the mustard!!) Heck, it saved my butt this week at church, too! The worship leader asked if I could use a wah for a song and I don't own one, but I remembered that the vox has an auto-wah effect and dialed it in so tasty and funky. I know you asked about tube amps, this is just my two cents. I don't lug the tube amp into the house to jam or record ideas/rough tracks, I bring the little vox!! I have the Vox VT30 and it's a handy lil sob to have around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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