Low wattage amp recommendation

[Brazilian wood]

Hi guys, i am wondering about a new amp for playing home. Thinking about a good amp under 15 watts ( maybe a boutique one). I already have a Fender Blues jr which i like but would like to have another one with a more complex sound!

thank you in advance

 

[jfb]

With Experience around the corner it might be a good idea to wait before purchasing in case we something new from PRS.

I've played a few of the smaller Orange amps and loved them with all of my PRS guitars. The OR15 and Jim Root Terror especially. I'd love to check out a small PRS combo. A Sweet 16 in some form is on my immediate "to play" list.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

My favorite low-wattage amp so far... Bad Cat Alley Cat (7 watts). I have never tried a Sweet 16.

Jim (Zebra PRS) had a custom 10-watt PRS amp made. Might be worth looking into.

 

[Rider1260]

Since this is a PRS site look at the smaller PRSa
I have a Egnater Tweaker 15 that I put EL34s in and really like it

 

[Egads]

I love the Sweet 16. just keep in mind that it is not a quiet amp! The sweet spot is definitely enought to keep up with a drummer.

What kind of music do you play?

 

[Drew]

I have a Marshall 1 Watt JVM anniversary combo amp that has a 8" speaker and can be powered down to .1 watt. If you can find one, it is hands down the best bedroom level all tube practice amp in existence.

 

[Rango]

I have both a Tungsten Mosaic and a Victoria 5112. BOTH are hand built Tweed Champ 5F1 with 12" speakers.
Long story but I bought one and then was made an offer I couldn't refuse on the second. :laugh:

Now that I have them, I'm keeping BOTH for now. Surprisingly they each have a bit of their own thing going.
The Tungsten has the advatage that you can run 6v6 or 6l6 that gives you a pretty big range of tone and a choice of how much clean headroom available. At some point I may trade the Vicky away for the 8" speaker version or up to the 20112 just to get a bit more spread in tone.

It's pretty dang fun to just go Guitar, cable and amp....turn the amp to the stop and hear REAL tube distortion and compression.... All that "magic" that people TRY to get with pedals just HAPPENS - at volumes that won't make your ears bleed. :top: Don't misunderstand - IT'S STILL LOUD :laugh: and will keep up with a drummer for practice...

There is a reason so much classic rock was recorded with a Champ. :rock:

To your question -> Tungsten Mosaic. :wink:

 

[sleary]

Hughes and kettner tubemeister 18 with the ability to turn it down.....

 

[aduayer]

I just love Mesa's TA15. The clean channel is really amazing.

 

[Tosca]

Here's my low wattage "Tower of Doom"...can't go wrong with any of these...

 

[t.shamone]

Here's my 1 watt wonder. Right tube is the preamp, left tube is the power amp. The tubes can be swapped for different tones and headroom.
Huge amount of tones with the toggle switches. I hook it up to a 2x12 cab at home. Surprisingly loud for a 1watt amp.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Cool amp but be careful. I've heard that under-powering your speakers can kill them. Though I wouldn't know from 1st hand experience. I usually kill them with too much power.

 

[veinbuster]

Cool amp but be careful. I've heard that under-powering your speakers can kill them. Though I wouldn't know from 1st hand experience. I usually kill them with too much power.

I wonder if that would only be if you never used more power. I've used 1/2 watt into my MDT 4x10 and never noticed any problem when hooking back up to the MDT at power.

And t. I really like that little amp.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Where's Em7? I'm sure he can shed some light on this.

 

[veinbuster]

Where's Em7? I'm sure he can shed some light on this.

Yes, I'd like to understand the science. My entirely uninformed speculation would be that low power would be no worse than never using the speakers at all.

 

[Boogie]

I plan on spending lots of time with a Sweet 16 next month, if Martysnarf says it's okay. :biggrin: Hopefully his house has an iso booth because I doubt the Sweet 16 is too good of a late-night-jam-while-the-family-sleeps amp.

If funds aren't an issue, the Fargen MiniPlex MkII has always been on my radar.

 

[CoreyT]

Have you checked out the Blackstar HT series?
I have the HT5R-H which is the head version, but they also make combos.
The amp can do everything from clean to metal.
For five watts is is very loud, as I can barely turn it up in my place.
I run the head through a Carvin 2x12 cabinet, or an Orange 1x12 loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30.

 

[Dancing Frog]

Tone King Metropolitan. With it's power control system, it's output can be anywhere from 0.1W to 40W.
http://www.toneking.com/products/metro/

 

[vchizzle]

I prefer small head and cab combo for the low wattage option. I like the mini Recto a lot, the H&K 18w tubemeister. Its got a variable wattage knob on the back which is handy. The Blackstar stuff is a great value and sounds good too. PRS doesn't really address this market right now, might be worth talking to Doug and see what could happen?

 

[László]

If you want one of the finest very low power amplifiers in the world, the 7 watt "Little Chopper" may be it; the amp is used in the studio by some very "for real" players and producers. Check their users list if you decide to look at the amp. My son says it's a favorite of Flood's:

http://www.mutronics.co.uk/audiokitchen/product.htm

It's expensive for the wattage, but it's fantastic.