Mini Tube Amp Head Discussion

[AussieTerry84]

I'll probably get a mini as my first tube some point down the track, what opinions have u got on these suckers?

I wanna hear as many opinions as possible btw

Krank Rev Pro Jr 20w
Krank Krankenstein Jr 20w
Carvin V3m
Dark Terror
Mesa Mini Rectifier
ENGL Gigmaster
DT25


I want 80's metal tone, can the mesa do that 80's Metallica/Jake E Lee tone?

[Devotee]

This is relevant to my interests. I'm considering either a Dark Terror or V3M but leaning more towards the latter because of the three channels and really versatile EQ.

[Big Al]

Check out this demo for the Carvin V3M. Go to 11:53 for a good example of what I did not like about the amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5KJPy9Gx2o&playnext=1&list=PLD3F109A433B21607&feature=results_main

I had one but sent it back along with the rack kit and footswitch. Cost $94 total in shipping to try it out.

[DonP]

I have been sort of looking lightly at these as well. A place I stopped at last night had a Vox Night Train and 'lil Night Train. Being an amp builder, I know that in order to get a full thumping metal tone, you need a certain amount of power to get that bass pumping and moving the speaker. I'm a loud bedroom player but I still prefer to go after 100 watt amps. I will say I have a Marshall Artist 3203 30 watt head, and this head has enough power to give a great tone. "I think" 10 - 15 watts is a minimum, "I believe" below that the bottom falls out. I've made a 3 watt amp using a Marshall 2203 front end, it had great gain but no bottom. The tube I used was a 50C5.

http://www.qsl.net/w/wd4nka//TOOLS/Manual/50c5.html

I might get better results using an oversized output tranny and goose the B+ voltages.

[Ward]

I've had a Dark Terror for about a year now. It's not my main amp, I use it when I don't want to crank a stack at night.

Has a great metal sound, but clean not so much. Only one channel, so you have to roll back the volume to clean it up, and it's ok at best to my ears. But I never play clean, so it works fine for what I want.

It has an effects loop. It only has a 'shape' knob (no eq or bass mid treble), so if you want to tweak your sound much an eq in the loop works well. It can be used in either 7w or 15w mode. I had to use it a couple times for band practice with 2 1x12s, and it was plenty loud enough to keep up.

Here is a link to a demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kGAunX1EZ-U

[jgcable]

You guys know how I feel about mini amps. Yuck.
Anyway, out of all of them, I would think the Mesa Mini is the best of all of them.

[coloradoman25]

Mesa mini and dark terror are okay. Listen to Haggerty's demo on the mini its pretty good and fairly spot on minus having a rather staged envt.

[Hellbat]

Check out the Jim Root terror for the 80's metal tones. It's the front end of the Crunch channel on a Rockverb 100 mixed with a terror EL84 power section. It's a little more versatile than the tiny/dark terrors because it has 3 band tone controls instead of the single 'shape' control.

[xenophobe]

Dark Terror is pretty fucking amazing. It'll do pretty much any metal tone... but you'll want to throw an EQ in the loop.

[jgcable]

Check out the Jim Root terror for the 80's metal tones. It's the front end of the Crunch channel on a Rockverb 100 mixed with a terror EL84 power section. It's a little more versatile than the tiny/dark terrors because it has 3 band tone controls instead of the single 'shape' control.

Lots of that tone is coming from his playing but I have to admit... that amp sounds damn good. My guess is that he is playing with a ton of volume. Thats the best metal tone coming from EL84's that I have heard in a while.
I just realized that he is the guy from Slipknot. Thats cool. I like that band for some reason.

[markD]

that jim root amp sounds beefy as shit. the dude IS playing loud. if you notice they put it on stand-by everytime they stop playing and a hissing noise disappears...

[horns666]

My son bought his first amp. Buy a 6505+ 1-12" combo, and be done with it.

[Hellbat]

One other benefit of the Root Terror that I forgot to mention was it's the only terror series with an effects loop in it as well.

[Ward]

One other benefit of the Root Terror that I forgot to mention was it's the only terror series with an effects loop in it as well.

Nope. Dark Terror has one too.

That Root does sound nice though.

[Hellbat]

Nope. Dark Terror has one too.

That Root does sound nice though.

Ah, my bad sorry. I thought this one was the only one that had the extra tube in it to buffer the loop, but I guess they used the other half of the loop tube for the full tone stack.