30W tube amp too much for home use?

[roycew93]

If you

[Instrospection]

Even one to two watts is still too loud for most neighbour friendly volumes. You need to get it down to a fraction, well below a watt and something like 1/10th of a watt. Most think that 5 watts is one tenth as loud as fifty, but it's half as loud. Master volume amps I like the best in that regard.

[NashSG]

From what I have gotten out of using attenuators, they work a whole lot better on tube amps that get their sound character out of the preamp not pushing the power tubes or speaker.

 

I've had very good luck using one on my Mesa Boogie F50 & Single Rectifier head, but they sounded pretty poor on a Fender Deluxe and a Vox 18 watt copy head. They controlled the volume on the Fender and that Vox head, but they didn't sound that great.

[Poltergeist]

it all depends on how nice your neighbours high, ultimately

[Red81]

eventually i'll get a jtm45 for home use?

[the_bleeding]

i built a 100watt amp.

 

for home use.

 

XD

[KGrob]

By the way, my fav amp is my Hot Rod Deluxe (40w tube) and I play that mostly in my living room. I can tell you, it can rattle the whole house without even breaking a sweat.

 

We have a little cul-de-sac party two or three times a year. My neighbors (like me) are all legends in our own minds and we pull out our music stuff on the sidewalk and play for each other.

 

Old guys, moms, kids, we all play and sing and drink beer (okay, the kids don't usually drink beer).

 

It's fun.

[AlexMC]

I don't think I've ever had such a mixof responses on a HCEG thread! Let me see...

 

 

30W is a waste of money for the type of playing/volume you are describing.

 

 

 

I have a 15w Crate V1512 and it's perfect for home use. Gets crazy loud but you can easily get amazing dirt with the gain at 7 or 8 and the master volume at just under 2. Plenty quiet enough.

 

 

 

I'd say for an apartment, it's way too much amp.

 

 

 

I only have one amp, a Classic 30, and it's fine for home use. It's got a dirt channel, so I don't need to crank it. It sounds good at low volumes, which is really nice.

 

 

 

For what you're describing you'll use it for, I think anything over 5w will be overkill.

 

 

 

30watts is loud as fark...That being said I play my twin reverb at home

 

 

 

I used to have a Delta Blues 1x15 for bedroom use. It wasn't even remotely suitable for that environment. Way too much amp unless you've got a VERY understanding family.

 

 

 

It depends on the amp...a blanket statement that anything over 5 watts is overkill is not really accurate. If it's a two channel amp, with level controls for each channel, a gain control, and a master, then you can dial down the actual output level with the master and get the sound you want out of the channel vols/gain. You won't get power tube saturation that way, but most overdriven sounds come from the preamp tubes anyway. The disadvantage of the low-powered amps is they are almost always (always?) single channel, and sometimes only have a tone control (or none, like a VJ). There are some great small amps out there, but what if circumstances change and you want to jam with friends or start a band and then need more power...now you need to buy another amp. Smaller speakers, no reverb, no effects loop...etc.

 

 

 

I have a 100 watt Marshall half stack, use it for home use etc., it has a volume knob in which stays at 2-3

 

 

 

I think it's fine. You wouldn't use all those watts anyway and it has channel switching. That amp sounds fine at a low volume and if you do eventually gig, you won't have to buy another amp, since that 30 watter will easily cover it.

 

 

 

30 watts of a tube amp is way more than you need for bedroom playing. 30 watts will hold up in many small clubs with a drummer. In fact, I never turn the volume up past 2 or 3 on my five-watt Fender Vibro Champ XD for home use.

 

 

 

Basically, if you're only gonna have one amp, and you plan on playing in a band sometime, then get a two-channel, 30-watter.

 

 

 

I think the Peavey amp is just fine for the bedroom. It will sound fine at low volume. I've used those amps and they have a lovely overdrive even at low volumes.

 

 

 

I would say that the Delta Blues at 30 watts is definitely overkill for an apartment. It depends somewhat on where your gain is coming from as well, pre or power amp, if you want to play overdriven. If all you want it for is clean and you have pedals for dirty, then by all means, go for it.

 

 

 

You guys, you keep talking about 30 watts being too much for an apartment. He's not pushing the whole 30. It's got a preamp that he can crank to get his dirt. And the Peavey DB sounds GREAT with the preamp pushed. If it were a 30 watt Bassman with no preamp section, yes, it would peel the paint off the walls to get that power tube overdrive. Those of us who have actually PLAYED a Peavey Delta Blues can tell you the amp sounds fine at low volumes. And you'll appreciate the extra headroom that a 5 watt amp can't give you even at low volumes.

 

 

 

No, you won't get a good sound from it at low volumes.. The DB sounds thin and static-y at low volumes. Crank it though, and it's a wall of sound you can feel from 30 feet away as it slams you into the wall. I sold mine because it was just too much amp for home use, exactly what you are wanting it for. So if I were in your shoes, I'd look for another amp, even though I did love the DB..

 

 

 

The Peavey Delta Blues I worked with sounded really nice at a low volume. Of course, it sounded better when cranked, as almost all tube amps do. But it sounded like a good amp with nice headroom at low volumes.

 

 

 

With the master volume turned down, I just don't think the Peavey is going to sound all that great. I guess it depends on what is an acceptable sound at low volumes. If money is no object, by all means, get the Peavey and an attenuator

 

 

 

Alex I would say that to get what you're looking for - without an attenuator - would be expensive to achieve. You would be looking at a boutique low wattage amp that can go to around 2 watts, like a Cornell or something.

 

 

 

Way too much.

 

 

 

If you like it, and will be happy with it, Buy It.

 

 

 

As far as the Peavey goes if it

[soundcreation]

Crate V1512 has all of those minus the effects loop. And there are two on ebay right now for 349. And they are made in America. I paid over 400 for mine and would again in a second. What I said was true. I was playing tonight with my girlfriend in the next room and she never once told me to turn it down. And she's sensitive to high volumes.

 

Trust me. I live in a close quarters apartment block with TONS of neighbors and never have gotten one complaint.

 

I noticed you live in the UK so the crate's on ebay are probably not a realistic option but an AC15 would be and it's the same in terms of volume. I've played one of those as well.

[AlexMC]

The only bid was at the reserve price -

[LaXu]

Basically the wattage doesn't matter. Until you get to the sub-1W stuff, it will most likely be too loud for home use. Not to mention in my experience those really low wattage amps sound kinda crap.

 

It also depends on what kind of music you play. You don't buy a 5 watter if you play hard rock or metal. The voicing of those amps is usually more "vintage" and in my experience the lower the wattage, the looser the low end is too.

 

I've found that I like a 50-100W amp the best, but the main thing is that it must have a good master volume. A 100W Marshall would be terrible because they tend to only deliver the goods at crushing volume levels. So get an amp that sounds good to you at the required volume level, regardless of wattage.

 

I don't believe in the "must be cranked to sound good" thing. It is true with some amps (like old Marshalls) but these days there are lots of amps that sound great even when turned down. Nowadays I use the Axe-Fx with the Atomic FR (50W) even at home and even on that not all amp models sound best with the virtual master volume cranked. But above all the home situation is not ideal because we perceive amp tones as sounding great when they're at a certain volume level, which is typically higher than what neighbours will bear.

[Angry Tele]

just get a British made AC30

[cogdog]

I think 30w is way too much for bedroom practice, I mean how do you even put a od pedal in front of that, even on 1 or 2 it must be freakin loud and your not anywhere you amps sweet spot, I had a AC15 that I just sold it was too loud for me, now I'm on a 5 watt and I think it's perfect, still get's pertty dam loud!

[SaSa]

Incidentally I got a Delta Blues for my parents' country house just a few days ago. I like it just fine at bedroom volumes. While 30W is of course more than I need, I have no more trouble with it really than I have with the 5-watt Blackstar in my city apartment. Granted, all I'm getting is the preamp distortion, but like I said, sounds good to me.

 

The Peavey Classic 30 also seems to have a good reputation as a home-friendly amp, and that's largely the same amp (only difference being the speaker size and the tremolo).

[AlexMC]

 

Incidentally I got a Delta Blues for my parents' country house just a few days ago. I like it just fine at bedroom volumes. While 30W is of course more than I need, I have no more trouble with it really than I have with the 5-watt Blackstar in my city apartment. Granted, all I'm getting is the preamp distortion, but like I said, sounds good to me. The Peavey Classic 30 also seems to have a good reputation as a home-friendly amp, and that's largely the same amp (only difference being the speaker size and the tremolo).

 

 

Thanks, SaSa - I may have missed this auction but it seems they pop up on eBay UK fairly frequently. Your reply has won the argument for me!

[tele0507]

I have a 100 watt Marshall half stack, use it for home use etc., it has a volume knob in which stays at 2-3 http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-BLC-HTSTU20C-LIST good choice - 20 watt looking at the 60watt

I would rather the S1-45 Combo

 

the only reason my Marshall is at 2-3 is because I have the Boss ME-70 in front with by wah pedal behind it. The ME-70 has a volume knob, otherwise my Marshall would be set at one.

 

My headrush is in my efx loop, the ME-70 has a looper also but its nice to have 2 also 2 delays. Not to mention a 4x12 cab. all at a bedroom level.

[Shamdog]

30 watts is too much.

[dcooper830]

Some 30 watt amps come with volume knobs. Get one of those.

 

 

 

.

[roycew93]

Well I

[cosmikdebris]

I've got a Traynor YCV40 and I could never crank the gain or raise the volume past 2 without the living room shaking.

 

I thought about trading it in for a YCV20 but it's only one channel so I ended up buying a DR Z Brake Lite and it makes a huge difference.

 

http://www.drzamps.com/brakelite.html

 

Cheers

[nuke_diver]

Used a Lone Star in the 30w setting yesterday for the first time (not my amp). It wasn't at home but in a 17x17 practice facility. I needed earplugs


and it was a long way from being dimed...maybe 4 on the gain and 4-5 on the master

[soundcreation]

I think 30w is way too much for bedroom practice, I mean how do you even put a od pedal in front of that, even on 1 or 2 it must be freakin loud and your not anywhere you amps sweet spot, I had a AC15 that I just sold it was too loud for me, now I'm on a 5 watt and I think it's perfect, still get's pertty dam loud!

 

 

What did you set your AC15 at when you played at home?

[the_bleeding]

you dont NEED powertube distortion. Just a decent pedal. Most people in this thread wouldnt be able to tell the difference anyway. Other than the volume and the amount of pain being inflicted on their ears.

 

ANY amp will be loud as {censored} because guitar amp speakers are very efficient and very loud. 30 watts is a great starting amp for an apartment, you dont have to play with the volume on 10 all th etime, and anybody who says you HAVE to play it loud is retarded.

 

Buy the amp.

[sfarfsky]

Pretty much all low-powered amps seem to miss features that I need (reverb, 3-band EQ, FX loop, decent sized speaker) or are WAY out of my budget. Christ, this decision is tough.

 

Have you considered the blackstar ht5? it has an eq and u can plug it into whatever cab u want. Also, you can get a reverb pedal

 

and btw u can use an eq pedal for other amps.

[Steadfastly]

Yes, it's too loud, if that's all you're going to use it for.