Best low watt tube amp9/13/2023 ![]() ![]() There is more to rave about it than to complain. For under $200 (delivered), it is a solid bargain. Not to say that it is badly made, but the materials and components are merely ‘good for the price’ – they aren’t going to satiate anyone who intends to gig or record with their tube amp.īased on the above, this amp is best suited for students, hobbyists, or tone enthusiasts who want something that is a step up from the cheap solid-state combo amps. For example, the cab panels are made from fiber and the screws seem rather flimsy. The construction is palpably inferior to other amps. ![]() In many ways, this amp reminds us of the Laney CUB-12R but with a lower asking price. One can’t help but appreciate the tone and power that Monoprice 15W is capable of. Conversely, you can also hook it up to an additional speaker or amp using the extra audio-in jack. The attenuator does a great job of dropping from 15W to 1 watt of power when needed. It delivers a solid tube tone that is in line with the Brit rock sounds from the 60s. It houses a 12-inch Celestion speaker with two EL84 tubes for the power amp and 2 12AX7/ECC83 tubes for the preamp and spring reverb. The portable all-tube amp is built with textured synthetic leather panels in a vintage-shade of beige. Although this isn’t a premium unit, it does have a classic tube sound with the requisite flexibility for tone sculpting. We approached it skeptically but it surprised us with its performance (for the price). ![]() Monoprice is a relatively unknown brand that is gaining favor after some raving online reviews. Other than that, the V5 is an affordable but highly desirable amp for guitar players on a tight budget. The mellow grit may not appease metal or rock guitarists, nor will this be sufficient for gigging. It offers a lot of features and sounds fantastic at all output settings. The clean tones are great too, and the reverb, even though it is digital, does a decent job for the price.įor under $200, there isn’t much to complain about the Bugera V5 combo. You can expect equally pleasing fat tones with humbucking pickups or Les Paul style guitars. The amps overdrive pairs well with Fender Strats or guitars with single-coil pickups. At full power, it screams with warm Brit tones with an ever-so-gentle breakup. The control panel hosts knobs for Gain, Tone, Volume, and Reverb. It has a power attenuator switch to drop the output all the way to 0.1 Watts, which makes it ideal for a late-night ‘quiet practice’ session in your room. While time will tell if that holds up, the amp is very well built for its size. The manufacturers boast of a 20x lifespan thanks to this engineering feat. The V5 is a combo amp with a rich, classy exterior that houses an 8” speaker and one Class-A powdered EL84.īugera has designed it with their proprietary Infinium tube technology to improve the life of the tubes and protect them from power surges. We will kick start our roundup with the Bugera V5, a tube amp that excels at performance without breaking the bank. On that note, let’s get straight to the best options for low watt tube amps in 2021. For that reason, reliability, construction, and durability also play an important role in the selection criteria. Moreover, amps take a lot of beating over the years of (ab)use we put them through. After all, tube amps need to be great at what they do to give you the right value for money. So, my selection is based on function rather than form. While I understand that amp design is important, it will add to the manufacturing costs without truly improving the output or the sound. And, the more powerful ones deliver gritty drive and a high-gain sonic signature in a bedroom friendly volume. Fear not, even the smallest of ‘lunchbox amps’ can pack a solid punch. I’ve put together a list of my favorite models to help you stay current and make the best purchase. Everyone from Orange to EVX to Marshall has entered the race to dominate the market with a scaled-back version of their flagship ‘face-smelters’. In the past decade, there has been a keen demand for amps with great tones but more manageable volume. The time is ripe to contemplate the goodness of downsizing your rig with a low-watt tube amp for practice sessions. The new year is here and perhaps you’ve made a resolution to not torment your neighbors with hot-rod distortion. ![]()
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