The official don't buy this amp if you play at home list...

[DonP]

Ok I'm wrong and I admit it. I run my DSL100 Master Volume Red side at the 8 to 9 o' clock position, and I thought that was higher numerically, but it's only 1 or 2 on the dial. I still like the tone I get at low volumes.

[PowerTube]

I'm leaning strongly toward a JVM. Granted, once I get a chance to try one out I might be disappointed. But so far it sounds excellent in most of the videos.

[VitaminG]

the only solution is a non-MV 100w Marshall with a Digitech Grunge pedal out front. Nothing sounds as glorious and toneful as the tube saturation you get from a big tube head with the volume halfway to "1" and the power tubes barely ticking over.

[roodyrocker]

I have used many amps at home that technically belong in a loud, live, big venue. I don't know that I can tell anybody not to use a certain amp at home. This includes the non-master volume Randy Rhoads Marshall. Probably the toughest to tame as far as sheer volume goes, but I have used it. I also see nothing wrong with using attenuators either. I tried a few various ones and they're not all the same. Even in a larger venue I see Paul Gilbert used a THD Hot Plate with his Rhoads amp. It sounded good and there is nothing wrong with doing it that way. Also, even for gigging live you don't need as much volume as you might think. When we mic up bands to run sound for them the volumes are actually pretty low. There is no need to turn up the amp to 6 or 7 as all that does is cause everyone else to turn up and play louder which leads to uneeded stage volume. This usually sounds like crap. I'm also not opposed to taking a high dollar amp and using a $75 pedal in front of it. As long as the combination of the two sounds good I could care less that there is a transistor device in front of my tube amp. There really are no rules, let your ears be the judge.

[PowerTube]

I have used many amps at home that technically belong in a loud, live, big venue. I don't know that I can tell anybody not to use a certain amp at home. This includes the non-master volume Randy Rhoads Marshall. Probably the toughest to tame as far as sheer volume goes, but I have used it. I also see nothing wrong with using attenuators either. I tried a few various ones and they're not all the same. Even in a larger venue I see Paul Gilbert used a THD Hot Plate with his Rhoads amp. It sounded good and there is nothing wrong with doing it that way. Also, even for gigging live you don't need as much volume as you might think. When we mic up bands to run sound for them the volumes are actually pretty low. There is no need to turn up the amp to 6 or 7 as all that does is cause everyone else to turn up and play louder which leads to uneeded stage volume. This usually sounds like crap. I'm also not opposed to taking a high dollar amp and using a $75 pedal in front of it. As long as the combination of the two sounds good I could care less that there is a transistor device in front of my tube amp. There really are no rules, let your ears be the judge.

Well said. For me, all that matters at the end of the day is that I like how it sounds and feels, and it doesn't really matter how it got there.

[jgcable]

I'm leaning strongly toward a JVM. Granted, once I get a chance to try one out I might be disappointed. But so far it sounds excellent in most of the videos.

I have heard the JVM several times live now. Both at low volumes and at gig volumes with a loud heavy rock band. I will admit its a very nice sounding amp. The clean channel is outstanding. Shimmering actually. I don't know how it would sound at whisper quiet levels but at low, medium and cranked volumes it sounded REALLY good. Very professional sounding if that is any kind of description.

[PowerTube]

I have heard the JVM several times live now. Both at low volumes and at gig volumes with a loud heavy rock band. I will admit its a very nice sounding amp. The clean channel is outstanding. Shimmering actually. I don't know how it would sound at whisper quiet levels but at low, medium and cranked volumes it sounded REALLY good. Very professional sounding if that is any kind of description.

From the videos I've watched (and I know that's a limited way to assess an amp), it's probably the best clean Marshall has produced in their entire history. I can't wait to plug into one and see for myself.

[veemagic]

Fascinating thread John! You always know how to stir things up. Just when things were getting quiet around here.

[xenophobe]

Quoted for truth:

That being said, this thread is doomed to failure because the players it is aimed at have serious denial issues. I'm talking to you, Mr. Man Cave Dweller standing 3 feet from your $7000 custom shop Bogner 8x12 rig!

They may have serious hearing issues too, so add that into the big equation.

The never ending re-occurring issue I have with the JCF after over 15,000 posts is I constantly forget that the people on this forum aren't really listeners. Instead.. they do what they want to do and even though they ask the questions.. they don't listen to the answers.

Now we have the luxury of asking any question we want and getting pro's to answer them. Ask John P from Dream Theater what amp he uses at home. Ask any pro what they jam on at home. It ain't full stack tube amps. Trust me.

You have no idea what your high gain high power 1/2 or full stack all tube monster rig ACTUALLY sounds like or what it was intended for UNLESS you play live in a band. That could be jamming at home with a band or gigs.

A lot of people also have a problem splitting the difference between want and need. That's fine. Everyone is free to do whatever they wish.

[Frigo89]

We can agree to disagree even though I am right!

I have been thinking about it and since you hated the Splawn you may love a straight up Marshall DSL or TSL. You might want to look at Hughes and Kettner too... just not the Switchblade which is a VERY generic sounding amp.

I think "Cold" might be a better description.

It's not the most cuddly amp around, but I wouldn't trade my Switchblade for anything on the market today.

[mantis]

I gotta agree and disagree all at the same time.
Ok power amps especially Tube amps sound their best at higher volumes because of Tube Break up. Most high power tube amps don't sound as good at lower volumes.
BUT it doesn't mean you shouldn't use your main amp for home practice. Thats what the volume control is made for and what a volume pedal is made for. I practice all the time using my volume pedal and get excellent tones very low. But when I crank it up ,it just get s better and better.

Another factor here is that many of todays amps have wattage switches so you can limit their power and still drive a small set of tubes and get great tone.

[mantis]

I gotta agree and disagree all at the same time.
Ok power amps especially Tube amps sound their best at higher volumes because of Tube Break up. Most high power tube amps don't sound as good at lower volumes.
BUT it doesn't mean you shouldn't use your main amp for home practice. Thats what the volume control is made for and what a volume pedal is made for. I practice all the time using my volume pedal and get excellent tones very low. But when I crank it up ,it just get s better and better.

Another factor here is that many of todays amps have wattage switches so you can limit their power and still drive a small set of tubes and get great tone.

[jgcable]

Fascinating thread John! You always know how to stir things up. Just when things were getting quiet around here.

Sometimes I feel its my duty as a JCF bro to get the juices flowing and get some good dialog going. Believe it or not.. this type of stuff is very helpful to the players out there.

[roodyrocker]

I gotta agree and disagree all at the same time.
Ok power amps especially Tube amps sound their best at higher volumes because of Tube Break up. Most high power tube amps don't sound as good at lower volumes.
BUT it doesn't mean you shouldn't use your main amp for home practice. Thats what the volume control is made for and what a volume pedal is made for. I practice all the time using my volume pedal and get excellent tones very low. But when I crank it up ,it just get s better and better.

Another factor here is that many of todays amps have wattage switches so you can limit their power and still drive a small set of tubes and get great tone.

The thing many here don't realize is that even for live gigging a cranked tube power amp is still too loud. So the reality is you can't turn it up for home use and you can't turn it up for live gigs. That's why you are using a volume pedal or, some use attenuators. The switches that cut wattage on many amps also change the tone. My Mesa Mark V has that feature but the 45w setting isn't the same as the 90w just at lower volume. You end up having to compromise just a bit tone wise no matter how you go about reducing the volume of a high power tube amp. I personally either turn it down at the power amp or use an Attenuator. Btw, this is one feature something like an Axe Fx is good at. It can give you cranked tube amp tone at just about any volume.

[veemagic]

So... I think I can sum this up. There are 2 schools of thought here. There are those that believe you can, and should play what sounds good to YOU no matter what the wattage or the volume, and then there is the, John is always right, and is only trying to save everyone from themselves! (Thank you by the way)
Now your job is to decide where you fall.