Amp advice please....

[jclogston]

Hi all -
I need some amp advice. I currently have a vox ad15 and after 4 years with it, it's time for a change. Some background, i play only at home in an apt, looking for nice cleans and a 80's metal distorted tone. I don't like any of the other modelers out there.
Looking at the following options:
1 - Peavey Valveking 112: I liked the second channel of this but the clean wasn't as great as i would have liked. The 50 W is overkill for my apt but i can always play lower.
2 - Fender Vibro champ xd: very nice cleans, distortion is lacking. I would use a pedal for my 80's metal tones. Tried and liked the Seymour duncan twin tube classic, want to try out their metal mayham. This option seems more appropriate but is more expensive.
3 - Mesa boogie subway rocket: have to buy used, always wanted one since they came out but cannot try one now. Always liked the mesa cleans; don't know if the rocket can handle 80's metal though?
Your thoughs/advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
jeff

[jtr]

You might want to try the Peavey Windsor Studio it's all tube class A 15-22watts it list for $499. Or go to Harmony-Central and check out some of the reveiws .

[Spivonious]

Any tube amp will be too loud for an apartment.

What model do you like the most on the Vox?

[jclogston]

Any tube amp will be too loud for an apartment.

What model do you like the most on the Vox?

For distortion - the us gain model or whatever its called, the one modeled after the soldano.
As for cleans, i have to check my amp as i'm at work and can't remember off the top of my head.....

[jgcable]

Any of the Mesa DC series.
I would also look at the Mesa Studio Caliber series.

[emperor_black]

How about the Mesa F series? I tried one at a guitar shop at extremely low volumes and it still sounded pretty good. the cleans were good too.

BTW, you dont like the cleans on the valveking? Are you looking for fender cleans or something? High gain and great cleans dont mix. Great cleans and 80's metal...you cant get better bang for your buck than the valveking IMO.

[jclogston]

Thanks for the advice so far. I'm going tomrrow night to try out some amps at my local store. They have if i remember correctly the following:
Peavey Royal 8
Peavey Valveking 112
Peavey mini collosal
Peavey Classic 30
Peavey Windsor Studio
Fender Vibro Champ XD
Fender Super Champ XD
Fender Champion 600
Fender Blues Jr
Traynor Custom valve 40 ?
Mesa Express 5:25
Mesa Express F-50
Mesa Express 5:50

Any ones i should really look at?
Thanks
Jeff

[thetroy]

The ValveKing needs more than apartment volume to sound good IMO.

Try this one: Made in USA https://www.carvinguitars.com/produc...?product=SX300

They also have a 2-channel version cheaper and a 1x12 version cheaper still.

[jtr]

The Windsor studio has a power soak, reverb, FX loop ,class A ,12inch speaker and takes EL34 ,6l6s, KT66 ,6550 and a of couple other power tubes at a list price of $499 street $399 or less.

[jclogston]

The Windsor studio has a power soak, reverb, FX loop ,class A ,12inch speaker and takes EL34 ,6l6s, KT66 ,6550 and a of couple other power tubes at a list price of $499 street $399 or less.

Can it pull of 80's metal w/o a pedal though?


jeff

[Spivonious]

For distortion - the us gain model or whatever its called, the one modeled after the soldano.
As for cleans, i have to check my amp as i'm at work and can't remember off the top of my head.....

Yeah that's the Soldano one. So you're after a turbo-charged Marshall sound, but at apartment volumes.

That's a tough one. I don't think the Mesa F series is going to give you that. The Valveking has the right sound, but you need some volume to let it really open up. Same with the Carvin Legacy.... this is tough. Not very many tube amps sound good at low volumes - they have a tendency to get fizzy.

[Tivey]

I'd really recommend the valveking, can get some nice clean tones from it, really warm and jazzy. the lead channel has an insane amount of gain and is really defined, definatly will get your 80s metal sound from it even at room volume. Tried it the other day along aside a peavey xxx and a few of the big hughes and kettners and a boogie. Valveking was the best amp there for me, the boogie was good but alot more money for something that probably wasn't as well suited to me than the peavey. The hughes and kettner were a real disappointment thou.
Have you made your choice yet?

[jclogston]

I'd really recommend the valveking, can get some nice clean tones from it, really warm and jazzy. the lead channel has an insane amount of gain and is really defined, definatly will get your 80s metal sound from it even at room volume. Tried it the other day along aside a peavey xxx and a few of the big hughes and kettners and a boogie. Valveking was the best amp there for me, the boogie was good but alot more money for something that probably wasn't as well suited to me than the peavey. The hughes and kettner were a real disappointment thou.
Have you made your choice yet?

Thanks. Still looking, but will try out some of those amps this week. I tried the XXX vs the vk112 and for the price, the XXX didn't offer that much more to justify the price. What boogie amps did you try?

Jeff

[UFORocks]

VOX AD30VT - Will do exactly what you're looking for...

Here's a few vids...

And some random demos

http://youtube.com/watch?v=68Qpz6WgsKg&feature=related

And

http://youtube.com/watch?v=y7QGElzgP1Q

The VOX Promo Vid

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yayu2Qq-SPw&feature=related

Pretty versatile amp.

-Steve

[Tivey]

tried the single rectifier, was pretty good. Really loud...and expensive bout £1500 for the head Think there quite abit cheaper in the US though??
wish the valveking looked as good the mesa though, not that it matters haha