Would like a low volume tube amp...any suggestions?

A sneak peek at the SdB signature amp. Although I think the grill cloth may change before it goes into production

amp.jpg
 
Since you are famous for the White Westie, is this an all-white-tolex amp with gold control plate and a little dragon somewhere?

It has been (and continues be) really hard not to share the details of this incredible experience with you guys. I can't say too much but, yeah, it'll pair up nicely with something I've got.
 
It has been (and continues be) really hard not to share the details of this incredible experience with you guys. I can't say too much but, yeah, it'll pair up nicely with something I've got.
I apparently have a fixation on this now, so I will speculate:

First, observations:

The pic Shawn posted looks very white, whiter than a DG amp.

The design of the grille and front fascia and the front edge of the top of the amp look similar to the DG or HXDA amps. i.e. as if the controls are on top, front edge.

The corner protector does not look like the ones used on the DG or HXDA or any other PRS amps - the edge doesn't extend to the inner edge of the framing on the front panel. Although it is silver-ish like the DG.

The box shown looks head-sized, not combo-amp sized.

Handle appears to be black.

Speculation:

A new budget-priced non-USA manufacture amp head, perhaps based on Sonzera, in a limited edition white tolex, with certain gold features - maybe gold knobs on a black control plate? Certain upgrades over the Sonzera like the corner protectors. A re-issue import Sweet 16, in "white tuxedo"?
 
I apparently have a fixation on this now, so I will speculate:

First, observations:

The pic Shawn posted looks very white, whiter than a DG amp.

The design of the grille and front fascia and the front edge of the top of the amp look similar to the DG or HXDA amps. i.e. as if the controls are on top, front edge.

The corner protector does not look like the ones used on the DG or HXDA or any other PRS amps - the edge doesn't extend to the inner edge of the framing on the front panel. Although it is silver-ish like the DG.

The box shown looks head-sized, not combo-amp sized.

Handle appears to be black.

Speculation:

A new budget-priced non-USA manufacture amp head, perhaps based on Sonzera, in a limited edition white tolex, with certain gold features - maybe gold knobs on a black control plate? Certain upgrades over the Sonzera like the corner protectors. A re-issue import Sweet 16, in "white tuxedo"?


That is definitely not an over exposed photo of a DG head. :)
 
I apparently have a fixation on this now, so I will speculate:

First, observations:

The pic Shawn posted looks very white, whiter than a DG amp.

The design of the grille and front fascia and the front edge of the top of the amp look similar to the DG or HXDA amps. i.e. as if the controls are on top, front edge.

The corner protector does not look like the ones used on the DG or HXDA or any other PRS amps - the edge doesn't extend to the inner edge of the framing on the front panel. Although it is silver-ish like the DG.

The box shown looks head-sized, not combo-amp sized.

Handle appears to be black.

Speculation:

A new budget-priced non-USA manufacture amp head, perhaps based on Sonzera, in a limited edition white tolex, with certain gold features - maybe gold knobs on a black control plate? Certain upgrades over the Sonzera like the corner protectors. A re-issue import Sweet 16, in "white tuxedo"?
That is definitely not an over exposed photo of a DG head. :)


And those corners have been used before. :)
 
basically any two rock

Seriously? My Two-Rocks were the loudest amps I’ve ever owned (I had five of them, I like loud amps. ;)). They need to be opened up to have “that sound.”

But on another front, what’s interesting to me is that the OP says, “What tube amp should I buy?” and lots of people tell him to buy a solid state modeling amp.

Huh?
 
But on another front, what’s interesting to me is that the OP says, “What tube amp should I buy?” and lots of people tell him to buy a solid state modeling amp

Well, for me it was a couple things. First and foremost, that the OP said 3 times in the post that it needed to sound good at levels quite enough to play while the kids were in bed. Even mentioned that he played unplugged many times now so he wasn’t too loud. Then I factored in my own personal journey with the small low watt amps. I haven’t played them all, but I’ve played plenty. Enough to know what they do and don’t do. I had a VHT Special 6 head, Special 6 Combo, Special 6 Ultra head, and 3 different versions of Valve Junior heads and combos. I played every amp guitar center had of that type for probably 10 years. Never owned one of the Vox 4 watters but played them all. Behringer, Black Star, Blackheart, etc. And I extensively modded the Valve Juniors (so much they actually sounded good! I built a turret board, AX84 High Octane single ended Class A with a high gain Marshall style front end with all very good parts, transformers, etc. It sounded great.

One common factor with all these amps is that if they are good enough to sound good (many of them aren’t) they need to breath a bit before they do sound really good. You want that SE Class A magic? You don’t get it at 65dB. Inefficient speakers can help. VERY limiting on the other side though if you ever need to be heard above a TV. But they just don’t sound that good til they are opened up.

So where does that leave you? Well, modelers don’t rely on either breathing tubes OR pushed speakers to get great tone. Dial the AA3 in and it sounds great at any volume level. If I played at really low volumes all the time, I’d go with it, or a small modeling amp like a Yamaha TRH or Mustang or something like that. Wait til you get to play a little louder before you get a tube amp.
 
Well, for me it was a couple things. First and foremost, that the OP said 3 times in the post that it needed to sound good at levels quite enough to play while the kids were in bed. Even mentioned that he played unplugged many times now so he wasn’t too loud. Then I factored in my own personal journey with the small low watt amps. I haven’t played them all, but I’ve played plenty. Enough to know what they do and don’t do. I had a VHT Special 6 head, Special 6 Combo, Special 6 Ultra head, and 3 different versions of Valve Junior heads and combos. I played every amp guitar center had of that type for probably 10 years. Never owned one of the Vox 4 watters but played them all. Behringer, Black Star, Blackheart, etc. And I extensively modded the Valve Juniors (so much they actually sounded good! I built a turret board, AX84 High Octane single ended Class A with a high gain Marshall style front end with all very good parts, transformers, etc. It sounded great.

One common factor with all these amps is that if they are good enough to sound good (many of them aren’t) they need to breath a bit before they do sound really good. You want that SE Class A magic? You don’t get it at 65dB. Inefficient speakers can help. VERY limiting on the other side though if you ever need to be heard above a TV. But they just don’t sound that good til they are opened up.

So where does that leave you? Well, modelers don’t rely on either breathing tubes OR pushed speakers to get great tone. Dial the AA3 in and it sounds great at any volume level. If I played at really low volumes all the time, I’d go with it, or a small modeling amp like a Yamaha TRH or Mustang or something like that. Wait til you get to play a little louder before you get a tube amp.

For goodness sakes, a 5 Watt Suhr Corso amp is quiet, and if you need quieter, it can be switched down to less than a Watt, and there are plenty of other tube amps like it. There are also attenuators. You can even get tube amps with headphone outputs.

I’m not buyin’ it.

Dude says tube amp inspired him, don’t tell me he needs solid state or bust. Plenty of tube solutions.
 
Back
Top