Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

[Misanthrope189]

Hey guys,
I'm looking for something fairly specific. I have my Mesa Boogie, a Triaxis and Mesa 50/50. 100 watts is killer, although generally I run it at half-power as it is. I have a 50 watt trans-tube Peavey Revolution 112, which is a great amp - my first amp - and has some nice tones...but you know, once you go tube, especially Mesa tube, it's difficult to go back. I'm in college, and I'm looking for a quality, low-watt amp that uses tubes. I wanted something really low, lower than 50 watts, because even cranking 50 watts is sometimes too loud for the dorms. I thought about the Mesa 20/20...but I was thinking if I really wanted cranked tube tone, something even less than 40 watts might be in order. What would you recommend? It could be a power amp, or a combo amp...I just want it to be quality, tube, and low watts. Or is my only choice a power attentuator?

Thanks a lot,
Nick

[RickStar]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

i'd just get a thd. that's probably your best bet

[srommes]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

[ QUOTE ]
i'd just get a thd. that's probably your best bet

[/ QUOTE ]

+1....A THD Hotplate will solve your problem.

[Misanthrope189]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

Alright, thanks. Now, I run an 8ohm cab from the Mesa...I haven't found information on the specifications of the THD, but I assume it can handle the stereo speaker cab? Also, if I were to get a second cab, and run them both at 4 ohms, would I need to buy two Hotplates, or can one hotplate handle the 4 total cables necessary to run two stereo speaker cabs?

Thanks a lot,
Nick

[paddok]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

I was in your same situation. Let me tell you, the 20/20 is WAY too loud for dorms. It may only be 20 watts, but my god is it loud.

[Riscchip]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

I know what you mean about wanting uncompromising tube amp tone at low volume. Unfortunately, tube amps don't deliver uncompromising tube amp tone at super low volumes. If you are living in a dorm / apartment with wall-sharing neighbors, even a 1 watt tube amp will be too loud at a volume that sounds decent. That's my experience anyway.

You're going to need something like a hotplate with any tube amp you might try, unless you are in a somewhat noise-friendly environment. I still think if you A / B something like a Tech 21 TM60, Pod XT or Vox Valvetronix with a tube amp choked down to converstaion volume, the tube amp is likely to lose out on the tone front.

If that's not the case for you...great. I suggest trying this: Rather than using the hotplate as an attenuator, set it to LOAD. Run the line out (NOT the speaker outputs) on the hotplate into a seperate, small, cheap SS combo amp with an effects loop, plugging into the effects return. Put any effects you would normally use in your effects loop between the hot plate line out and the combo amp. Use the volume on the SS combo to control volume, and run the tube amp as loud as you want. You might be suprised how good this can sound.

Good luck!

[Misanthrope189]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

That sounds like a pleasant idea...I have the Peavey Revolution 112, a Peavey "trans-tube" amp...which means it does it's best to sound like a tube amp with SS circuitry. I could use the setup you mentioned, running the LOAD on the hotplate from the line-out into the Peavey and use that.

My original question, though...what should I do about the hotplates if it has only one input, and I have a stereo signal coming out of the 50/50 with two cables? I would hate to have to buy two hotplates...

Thanks,
Nick

[yabba]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

another option for stereo attenuation:

https://weberspeakerscom.secure.poww...ber/stmass.htm

(unfortunately, it doesn't have the EQing options the regular Mass does for the line out)

[Misanthrope189]

Re: Baby tube practice amp...Mesa 20/20?

That looks pretty sweet, and it's rack mountable [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Is the EQing really a serious issue, or could I just use the amp settings to counter any tone changes? I'm going to need to keep my 12-space rack: power conditioner, triaxis, effects, tuner, power amp, attentuator...*shrugs* I'll look for some reviews of the Weber, too.

Thanks for the help,
Nick