Help me spend $650 to improve tone

[chrisf]

Yep, it's my birthday and I have managed to score $650. I want to use this money to finally be satisfied with my tone. I want this to be designed to play in the bedroom so it will be nice if it sounds good both at high and low volumes. Basically I have a Digitech RP350 going through a KRK Rokit 6 that sounds pretty good but it is missing something (maybe just a bigger speaker) and I want to really feel my tone and I want it to be fatter and nicer. I would like to be completely satisfied when the money is spent and not need to get anything else. So if any pedals or effects are needed I would like to have it included in this price.

So let me have your ideas. I have asked similar questions in the past but wasn't planning on having this much money to work with when I asked them. I appreciate and respect all your ideas and opinions and always learn a lot when you all answer my questions... Thanks

Right now I am debating:

Buying a nice bedroom tube amp
Getting a rack unit
Using powered PA speakers for the RP350
Saving up more money to buy something better than I can get with $650

[rdamaral]

first, take $650 and change your font to white, so we can read your posts

[chrisf]

first, take $650 and change your font to white, so we can read your posts

WTF... not sure how that happened. I think I fixed it now. Thanks!

[Mazrim]

Well, I have to say, despite having an Eleven Rack, Axe FX Ultra, Marshall JVM and so on to record and gig with, I bought a Line 6 Spider Jam 75 combo 2 months ago for shits and giggles and the tone at bedroom levels is killer. Plus you can do some limited recording and jam along to backing tracks and so on. Its a great affordable little fella.

You'll have shitloads of money left over to get hammered or whatever. Happy birthday.

[mjtripper]

Those line 6 combos are pretty nice as are the boss cube 60 and 80 series. I would say play all the modeling style combos and pick the one you like the most. They really do make great practice amps.

[Larz]

what types of music do you generally like to play? tone is obviously wicked subjective.

Tube amps at low volume can be tricky. Depends on the amp wattage to some degree because you need to get the tubes cooking a bit to deliver their best sound (or have a decent attenuator). Lots of good lower watt stuff out there.

[chrisf]

I typically like 80's rock and metal. I've heard the Peavey Vypyrs sound better than Line 6 combos.. have to check them both out. I'll also check out the Rolands.

[mjtripper]

Those peavey amp do sound good, I know a couple guys with them now. We checked out the tube version at a store and it seemed better, it's just a tube power section with the same front end. For cleans I like the roland the best but for anything else I could make any of them work I think it comes down to preference with any of them though - just like tube amps. The good thing is most chain stores carry these amps so you should be able to check most or all of them out.

[Larz]

A lot of people like the Peavey 6505+ tube amp, the combo verson is around $600. But that is 60W, not sure how it sounds at bedroom levels.

Of course you need some pedals for many 80s rock sounds though.

[mjtripper]

actually that's a good idea - get a nice tube amp and use a pedal for quiet practicing at home.

[dannyr]

Jet City Amplification will get you the tone you want at your price level.

[Mazrim]

Well, never played a Vypyr (they look interesting) but the Spider Jam does 80s rock and metal very well. In fact it does all kind of sounds very well but particularly metal. There's like 300 presets in it and though they're mostly variations on a few themes, they're very well done.
And you dont need any pedals with it. Onboard tuner, fx, amp models, drums, backing tracks.. what more could you ask for for that kind of money?

I sound like a Line 6 salesman but I'm not at all. Their stuff is very hit and miss but the Spider Jam is a full on bullseye.
Go and try one out (and a Vypyr) before you spend any of that dough.
From what I've heard of the Vypyr (online only, admittedly), it lacks the crisp definition, punch and response of the Spider but, well check em both out.

I wouldn't bother with tube stuff at low volumes personally. Cooking away in a club, sure. But the digital stuff you can get now is much better at low volumes than tube stuff and far more versatile and affordable.

[BigE13]

I like the Roland Cube 20XL for low volume practice and playing. It has a power soak function to get loads of gain at low volume. It has onboard effects that sound very good and the best thing is they are not very expensive. In my opinion the cube is far superior to the Vypyrs. Good cleans as well...that leaves you 500 bucks for pedals or a really nice guitar and a bit left over for hookers and beer.

[chrisf]

I like the Roland Cube 20XL for low volume practice and playing. It has a power soak function to get loads of gain at low volume. It has onboard effects that sound very good and the best thing is they are not very expensive. In my opinion the cube is far superior to the Vypyrs. Good cleans as well...that leaves you 500 bucks for pedals or a really nice guitar and a bit left over for hookers and beer.

So the cubes take pedals well?

[Mazrim]

It should do, Roland own Boss after all. They'd design anything to work with that shit.