Tell me about your HX/DA and home use please

[CatStrangler]

I have a line on a 30w combo. Could it be used reasonably at home with the MV? I would also like to hear more about how the MV on these amps work, I heard PRSh refer to it as "built in attentuation" IIRC. Thanks!

 

[MOBirds]

I have a 50w head/cab in the bonus room above garage. I don't usually play very loud - but that's a relative term, so I've never had neighbors complain. I can play it quite quiet at night if needed, it loses a bit of warmth at lower volume like any amp would, but I consider it very reasonable. If I were in an apartment/condo that may be a different story but I don't think I couldn't keep it low enough to still be usable. I have a 40W Fender Deluxe that I have much much more trouble keeping under control. It just can't really get that quiet with standard volume pot, and it's drive/more drive setting is completely unusable anywhere as closed in as a bedroom/bonus room.

 

[László]

I have a line on a 30w combo. Could it be used reasonably at home with the MV?

If "reasonably" means that the amp will sound exactly, precisely the same with the master at 8 o'clock as it does with the master dimed, then the answer is, of course, no.

If "reasonably" means that it sounds pretty darn great at low volumes that you can easily talk over, then the answer is yes. In fact, I usually record the amp at very moderate levels, MV less than halfway up. This with a 57 or a Royer ribbon. I get very recordable tones that way.

If you want to play over bass and drums, it will do that, too. But of course, if you're having a bass player and drummer at home, you're not worried about noise anyway.

One thing that's always puzzling to me is someone buying a 30-100 watt amp, and asking about bedroom tones. If you also need an amp to gig with, sure, you want a good master volume, etc. But if your primary use is low volume, why not buy a Sweet 16 instead?

 

[CatStrangler]

One thing that's always puzzling to me is someone buying a 30-100 watt amp, and asking about bedroom tones. If you also need an amp to gig with, sure, you want a good master volume, etc. But if your primary use is low volume, why not buy a Sweet 16 instead?

The HXDA features/tones interest me and I suspect there is not a whole lot of dB difference between the Sweet 16 and HXDA 30?

 

[Serious Poo]

One thing that's always puzzling to me is someone buying a 30-100 watt amp, and asking about bedroom tones. If you also need an amp to gig with, sure, you want a good master volume, etc. But if your primary use is low volume, why not buy a Sweet 16 instead?

EL84s and 6V6s used in low power amps just don't sound like the 6L6s, 5881s or EL34s used in larger amps. IMHO smaller power sections have less clean headroom, sound thinner, and have less low end than the their 50 and 100 watt counterparts. That said, smaller amps have a chime and clarity that some big amps can't get.

oh, and I use my HX/DA both live and at home. That and a FD3 and you've got an arsenal of 60's, 70's and 80's sounds at your fingertips.

 

[yankeebulldog]

I have a 50w head/cab in the bonus room above garage. I don't usually play very loud - but that's a relative term, so I've never had neighbors complain. I can play it quite quiet at night if needed, it loses a bit of warmth at lower volume like any amp would, but I consider it very reasonable. If I were in an apartment/condo that may be a different story but I don't think I couldn't keep it low enough to still be usable. I have a 40W Fender Deluxe that I have much much more trouble keeping under control. It just can't really get that quiet with standard volume pot, and it's drive/more drive setting is completely unusable anywhere as closed in as a bedroom/bonus room.

I found the issue with it being too bright at lower volumes a deal breaker for me so I sent it back to have a fat switch added. Now, I can use it at TV volumes and get usable tones. I also had the series parallel input switch added so I can get more gain, JCM800ish, tones without a pedal.