Need help choosing a mid-high end practice amp...

[xenophobe]

I've been looking everywhere, searching threads... I see names like Vox, Randall MTS, Krank Rev Jr, Orange Tiny Terror, Fender SuperChamp... Roland Micro Cube, etc...

I don't care about clean channel. I want amazing epic thrash / technical death metal lead-rhythms tone. It can be tube, hybrid or solid state. Can't be muddy. I don't mind mini head/mini cab, but I think I might rather have a combo unit.

If I were going to play any covers... it would range from Exodus, Vio-lence, Forbidden, Dark Angel, Carcass, Suffocation, Immolation, Necrophagist, Spawn of Possession... Hell Awaits/Reign in Blood era Slayer. I don't necessarily need to nail any of those tones specifically, but something that falls under the type of sound I normally play or have been inspired by.

Anyone here familiar with most of these little guys help me weed out what I absolutely shouldn't get? I don't have any particular spending limit and I would need an extremely good reason to spend more than a grand. So far I think Krank and Orange seem to be on the short list. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

I can't help you on those amps, and i've never heard any of those bands,,,many I've never even heard of, but I'm with you on fuck the clean channel. And the 2nd.

[Ward]

If you are thinking about Orange, you should be looking at the Dark Terror more than the Tiny Terror. Much more gain. More metal than the Tiny Terror. It's got an effects loop too, which is nice. An eq in the effects loop gives you a lot of control over the sound.

I've got one for late night playing when I don't want to fire up a 100w head. Sounds great at bedroom levels (it can be used in 15w or 7w mode). I run mine through a 4x12, but I have also used it with 2 1x12s. I had to use it in band practice once that way, and it actually kept up with the drums just fine even without the 4x12.

Let me know if you want any specific details about it.

[straycat]

The dark terror is that dark.Might be worth looking into.

[Hellbat]

Good demo of the amp here...

[RacerX]

I can't help you on those amps, and i've never heard any of those bands,,,

Really? I've heard of them all, but I've been into the thrash & death scene for ages. In fact, I'm listening to Suffocation right now!

[AussieTerry84]

Never heard of carcass? D: D:

[xenophobe]

Wow.. never heard of any of them. Add Death, Malevolent Creation, Kreator, etc... to the list.

And yeah that is shocking, Carcass is one of those bands like Death or Cynic that every metal musician should know.

And that Dark Terror with EMG sounded pretty nice to me.


After looking around, yeah I think it will do very nicely! Purchased.

+rep

[straycat]

Cool Xeno give us a full report.
From the YT clips they seem to be great amp.

[skullfunkerry]

Another vote for the Dark Terror here - I use one with a pair of 1x12s and it destroys! Plenty of volume, plenty of gain, plenty of tone... just awesome

Here's a song my band recorded with it:

http://db.tt/IdHSPU8K

That's with the gain on about 2 o'clock and the shape control at about 12 noon... it goes far more scooped and far more gainy than that. My brother used my amp with his grindcore band last time we gigged together and declared that if he needs a new amp soon, it'll be a Dark Terror

[EvilOdin]

Perhaps the Mesa mini rectifier?

[Nightbat]

So far I think Krank and Orange seem to be on the short list. Any advice would be appreciated.

Randall MTS RM50 (6L6/5881/EL34/6CA7/E34L/6550 - take your pick, will handle any of these types) or RM22(EL84)
with Salvation 'Kraken' and 'Graphic OR' or stateside modding with a jaded Faith 'Stein' and 'Rverb' modules

Reason why you'd spend over a grand for this?
-Because buying a Krank and an Orange will put you well over that withouth the benefit of swapping modules if you ever get tired of the tone of one

By now there's quite some choice in modifications of the base modules
http://www.jadedfaithmods.com/

http://salvationmods.com/

[petez0r]

my vote is always a mkV.... i can nail anything i want with that amp, but i also have the evhIII, which is really impressive if you only want metal. if price is a factor the 6505/5150 is probably going to do exactly what you want. as for the orange, i played the tiny terror and it was very muddy/not tight at all, i wasnt impressed at all, i havent played the dark terror but from the clips it sounds like more of the same to me.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Really? I've heard of them all, but I've been into the thrash & death scene for ages. In fact, I'm listening to Suffocation right now!

I know...I need to get out more!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Never heard of carcass? D: D:

Stuck in the 80s dude, and loving it. I'll give it a hear and see what I'm missing.