Best Amp under $600 Clean warm round tones, 10 watt?

[ef37a]

Current Vox AC10 has two 12AX7s and 2 EF84s from the description I saw.

Typo Mr W? e L 84s? The schematic I found did indeed use 84s in the output stage.

Shall see if I can find it again. https://www.drtube.com/schematics/vox/ac10-v-1-3.png

Yes Hugh ^ do you have a link to the current one?

Dave.

[Wonks]

Feeding two 12AX7s. And yes, two EL84s. A typo.

From reports it’s supposed to sound really good, but the internal design/layout is poor, with cables all crammed in. So longevity seems to be a worry for those who have looked inside.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Yes Hugh ^ do you have a link to the current one?

Google does. Type in "Vox AC10C1 schematic"...

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/13107 ... tml#manual

[Wonks]

I've now seen some pictures of the inside of the AC10C1and IME it's not as bad as made out. But due to the numerous sub-boards used, you do have many wires criss-crossing in the middle and there's certainly scope for wires to rest against valves if they aren't carefully positioned. And general movement of the amp may well allow that to happen regardless. Could really do with a few cable tie mounting pads on the back board to keep things in place.

[ef37a]

The difference in loudness between a nominal 10W amp and a 15W one using the same output valve setup will be marginal. What will be very different IMHO is the loudness and quality of the speaker.

There are many, many very good 12" guitar speakers about (about the only universally hated one AFAIK is the Rocket 50?) There are far fewer well loved tens*, only a single handful of eights and nothing smaller (I actually need a good 6" speaker for a little project!)

But then practically everybody has said "go out and try some" so just bear the above in mind when you do.

*I have a 10" Greenback which I am saving for, err, something! Not sure what yet.

Dave.

[Sam Spoons]

I'd go one step further and say 10" minimum, IME 8" guitar speakers usually sound pretty weedy (but I haven't tried any of the expensive aftermarket ones).

[LBonoldi70]

Roland Blues Cube. No issues, light, great tones.

[Wonks]

I'd go one step further and say 10" minimum, IME 8" guitar speakers usually sound pretty weedy (but I haven't tried any of the expensive aftermarket ones).

I have an 'expensive' Guitar Warehouse Alnico 8" in my 1980 Vibro Champ (the original speaker was shot) but it's not great. It doesn't break up and make farting noises when the volume's above 5, but above that it doesn't really add that much to it. Certainly doesn't have the depth of a 10" speaker.

[Drew Stephenson]

::: Looks sideways at his THR10 which sounds absolutely fine. :::

[Mannyrock55]

Thanks for all of the info you have provided.

I checked out the Roland Blues Cube on Youtube, and it appears to have a lot more versatility than the Supra 10 or the Quilter Micro Pro, for just about $100 more than a new Supra. So, I'll be adding that to the list, and checking out all three at a guitar shop.

Again, thanks for helping me week things out.

Mannyrock

[Martin Walker]

Good luck, and do let us know your thoughts after visiting the guitar shop.

[Sam Spoons]

If you're considering going for solid state amps you might give a Boss Katana 50 a listen too, well within budget but comes with a 12" speaker as standard and has shedloads of modelled effects. I do prefer a small valve amp but the Kat 50 sounds very good, is super versatile and is loud enough to gig with.

[Stratman57]

I would suggest that the Katana 100 would be a better option as it can be used with the GAFC foot controller for preset and effects switching.

Regards, Simon.

[Sam Spoons]

True but there are options from XSonic including the AirStep Kat which will do the same job.

[ef37a]

Well, if we are moving on to solid state?

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blackstar-d ... fier-cream

That should deliver all the clean volume you need. Other colours are available.

Oh yes, there is a 1x12 version.

Dave.

[SecretSam]

Yes, I know you specified valves.

A friend was here last week to teach me a set list, and was astonished at how good his tele sounded through a Quilter US Superblock and a good 1x12 cab. His Princeton is now on its way out.

The cost of a Superblock is comparable to the cost of a set of replacement valves. Although a good 1x12 adds a bit.

[SecretSam]

Roland Blues Cube. No issues, light, great tones.

The guitarist I play with most uses a blues cube and it sounds very good. He plays a 339. His other amps are some kind of fender, which is OK, and an old music man, which sounds nice but weighs a lot.

[ef37a]

Yes, I know you specified valves.

A friend was here last week to teach me a set list, and was astonished at how good his tele sounded through a Quilter US Superblock and a good 1x12 cab. His Princeton is now on its way out.

The cost of a Superblock is comparable to the cost of a set of replacement valves. Although a good 1x12 adds a bit.

The Superblock I have discovered is an all analogue device, not a "modeller". IMHO I can see such amplifiers actually taking over from their digital cousins at least for such compact pedal devices?

I believe that a great part of this revolution is due to the maturity of class D amplification. It has been possible for some time now to put quite powerful amplifiers in a small space and power them from conveniently compact "PC like" line lump supplies...another very mature and reliable technology.

The Quilter is rated at 25W (8R?) but I would suggest that it is capable of considerably more power? That headroom has been used to "EQ" the response and make the amp's dynamics more 'valve like'? 25 watts might be a bit marginal for stage use but then I think bands are going through house PA far more these days or bringing their own?

Class D amplifiers also seem to be very well protected, something that was always a bit of a worry with 'archaic' class AB designs.

In another ten years we could well find that "modellers", at least for performance amplifiers, have become a guitar amp historical sideline?

Dave.

[ef37a]

Or,
https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/2 ... mbo#latest

!!!

Dave.

[SecretSam]

Yes, I know you specified valves.

A friend was here last week to teach me a set list, and was astonished at how good his tele sounded through a Quilter US Superblock and a good 1x12 cab. His Princeton is now on its way out.

The cost of a Superblock is comparable to the cost of a set of replacement valves. Although a good 1x12 adds a bit.

The Superblock I have discovered is an all analogue device, not a "modeller". IMHO I can see such amplifiers actually taking over from their digital cousins at least for such compact pedal devices?

I believe that a great part of this revolution is due to the maturity of class D amplification. It has been possible for some time now to put quite powerful amplifiers in a small space and power them from conveniently compact "PC like" line lump supplies...another very mature and reliable technology.

The Quilter is rated at 25W (8R?) but I would suggest that it is capable of considerably more power? That headroom has been used to "EQ" the response and make the amp's dynamics more 'valve like'? 25 watts might be a bit marginal for stage use but then I think bands are going through house PA far more these days or bringing their own?

Class D amplifiers also seem to be very well protected, something that was always a bit of a worry with 'archaic' class AB designs.

In another ten years we could well find that "modellers", at least for performance amplifiers, have become a guitar amp historical sideline?

Dave.

I've never tried it on a stage, but can confirm that it will go very loud indeed. My wife and neighbours are very tolerant of my bass practice, but I get complaints about the Superblock's volume before the master gets to 9 o'clock (yes I know it's not linear). I have not dared to run it flat out yet.

The manual says it is optimized for 8 ohms, and that a 4 ohm load won't make it louder. I have no idea why. There are block diagrams of Quilter amps around the web that would probably make sense to you, but are a closed book to me.

Mine is paired with a Celestion Creamback 65M in a slightly oversized cab with about 25% of the back open. It works really well.

[ef37a]

"The manual says it is optimized for 8 ohms, and that a 4 ohm load won't make it louder. I have no idea why."

^ Protection. When I read the first reviews of the Blackstar 'Amped' pedals I was bit bothered why they were quite insistent that they were not to be used with a 4 Ohm load. "I could not believe B's would market such a feeble product! Some digging revealed that 4R will not damage it but will cause the current limiters to kick in and cut the power (and possibly save the speaker! We are talking 100W in this case)

This is why IMHO class D amps are so useful. A valve amp can have transformer taps so that it can be set for various speaker impedances. That is not practical for solid state so a sensibly solution is just to make the amp cut down power for sub 8R loads.
Valves are in any case somewhat self limiting for current or an HT fuse will blow.

Dave.

[Telemaxis]

In response to the original post.
I was round at a friend's place today - to work on a couple of new songs.
I used his Harley Benton Mighty 15th amp - through an unnamed cab - and I was amazed at the quality of the sound. I was playing clean - mainly using the neck humbucker - but the sound was perfect; warm and almost bell-like.
I decided I had to have one (as you do) but that particular model has been discontinued by Thomann!! (though they do have other amps under the Harley Benton moniker.
A second-hand one would be worth considering.
Hope this helps
D

[Wonks]

I believe the Harley Benton is/was a close copy of the Vox Night Train NT15H 15W head. Again, no longer in production but if you see one used, worth trying it out. There was also a rarer combo version.

[SecretSam]

I had a 15w night train for a while. I liked it at first, but after a while I noticed a sort of nasal quality to the sound that I couldn't dial out. If you like a sort of nasal quality to your sound, then you will be very happy with one.