Does a tube amp make sense for playing at home?

[RudyH]

I keep reading that tube amps sound better than solid state, and there are dual-power models that have a 5 watt mode and higher watt mode. Is there any advantage to using a tube amp if you play at low volumes at home?

 

Also, for those who have tried both with currently available models, what can tube amp do for me that a Roland Cube 30x or Line 6 Spider Jam cannot? Is there really a significant difference in the sounds played at low volumes?

 

There seem to be two camps on this issue, with one saying that tube amps are much better than solid state, and others who say that we live in a time when there is precious little difference between a good tube amp and a good solid state amp.

 

I'd like your opinion on the matter, especially if you used solid state for a long time and then got a good tube amp.

[Thundergod]

In my opinion there is not a huge difference IF PLAYED AT LOW VOLUME. I repeat not a huge difference. But there is one: SS will most of the time sound the same at any level, while tube amps will sound a little weak at low levels and amazing at higher levels.

 

Which do you preffer? One that sounds decent at 1 and sounds decent at 10 or one that sounds way below average at 1 and way above average at 10?

 

If you never plan on taking them to 10 I would go with a solid state amp. In fact, the only amp I have at home is a 15w solid state vox pathfinder 15r. I keep the tube stuff at the studio (ok... former studio )': )

[RudyH]

Thundergod:

 

Thanks. I've never seen it explained that way. I can understand that. I seldom play above 3, and then only up to maybe 4 or 5 just because my wife and kids aren't at home and I want to make some noise.

[Homz]

I have a Line 6 Spider III 75W combo (SS) and a Vox ac15 CC1 15W (tube). This might sound a bit goofy, but I think the reason I love my Vox so much and rarely use the Line 6 is more for the air between the notes. That is on the fade after you strike a hard power chord. It's almost as if the amp is taking a breath and you hear the in rush of air. And when you hit that sweet spot with overdrive into feed back or break up point it's almost a spiritual experience. Can't get that from the Spider. At least I never could. Don't be surprised by the low wattage of the Vox. That 15w Vox will put out nearly as much as the 75W Spider. I have to say (IMHO) no comparison my vox ac15 CC1 15W combo kicks the *** of the Line 6 Spider III.

 

As far as the other amp you mentioned. I have never played through one. Don't know.

[Taylor Player]

For starters, I am primarily an acoustic player who just messes with electric guitar. I get plenty of time playing my acoustics at low volume.

 

I have had both types of amps and can say that the one I like best is my tube amp. Granted, at low volume solid state is very acceptable especially if using pedals or modeling effects. For me though, there is something better in the tone of my Eric Clapton Strat directly into my Peavey Delta Blues 30 watt tube amp. I have managed to find settings that work good for me at low volume but for that most of the time I run my guitar through a multi effects pedal with a pre-amp. When I really want tube tone, (when the wife and kids are gone... I go direct into the amp with a monster cable and crank up the gain and have some real fun.

[Californiaman]

Hey Taylor Player:

 

"When I really want tube tone, (when the wife and kids are gone... I go direct into the amp with a monster cable and crank up the gain and have some real fun."

 

Yeah Baby! That's just it. "When Big Mamma and the lil' ones are gone," that's when we find Tube Heaven.

[Rosewoody]

I have a small tranny (Mountain amp, 3 or 4 watts), and I run it straight or sometimes color with a Pod. At low volume it works great, and I can switch it off and on 20 times a day, no stress on amp and no warmup, etc.

 

Then, when I'm alone in the house, I might fire up the Champ or the Deluxe, just to fool around.

[Riffster]

This is a very oversimplified reason as to why tube amps sound more soothing. If you you where to look at a graph with the sound waves of solid state amps and tube amps the difference is that the SS amp wave is square and the tube amp wave is rounded.

 

I have been playing my Fender Champ a lot and it is great to be able to turn the volume up so the tubes go to work.

 

I saw a guy playing a super champ xd and it sounded real good. You get tubes and modeling in the same amp.

[surfpup]

Yes, low wattage tube amps are perfect for home use. And you can still find cool vintage, low power amps cheap. I have a '66 Epiphone all tube combo that sounds beautiful. I got an old Harmony 303 that's all tube for $10 once in a pawn shop. It nailed the 60s/70s Rolling Stones tones perfectly. There are even decent bargains still in silverface Fenders. The Champ is great for home use (just ask Rich) and the Princeton's are great home amps too.

[Bluemoon]

I am not sure this is true because I haven't played a solid state in years. Anyway, I read somewhere (perhaps in this forum) that after an hour or so of playing through a solid state you ears get really fatigued. That doesn't happen with a tube amp.

 

Here is how someone else put it...

 

"There is an argument about sound being a never ending wave that pleases; while digitizing creates stairstep auditory spikes that our ears respond to with fatigue."

[Riffster]

Yep is the square wave produced by solid state vs. sine wave produced by tube amps...

[Dynadude]

Tube amps are just cooler too. :(

 

All of your friends with SS amps will envy you, and that's what it's all about.

 

NOT!

 

It's the tone dude! The tone is the bottom line. Whatever amp gives you the tone that pleases you is the best. Shop around, or you'll get stuck with something that will just frustrate you. Been there, done that.

[SRV-Zeppelin]

In my opinion, tube amps are much better than solid state... IF (as Thunder mentioned) you plan on cranking them. Most tube amps don't sound really good until about 3 on the volume dial, and by that time someone's ears are liable to start bleeding... I currently have a Marshall avt275 which is SS with a valve pre-amp that sweetens the tone. Great for home use, but I'd like to get a DSL100 eventually...

[jefleppard]

i've always found that solid is fine for the home. close miked into the recording platform and you can get exactly the tone you want at a house/apartment volume. imo, solid state disappears in a live setting. maybe it is the perception of the sine wave as stiffhand illuded to. solid state absolutely has to be miked live and at band practice. they can't compete with drums and bass. however they are, as i said, great for studio use. there was an article on the lifestyle page last month telling about eric clapton using a 3w amp to record 'layla'. a small amp can be very versatile and create any illusion or wall of sound at home for sure. i've found the vox valvetronix good for this. a friend of mine, who plays nothing but metal, uses a 8X12 mesa stack live but at home he uses the vox tone lab directly into his interface and it sounds huge. you cannot tell its not a monster amp rig. the only setback is, if you want feedback, you've got to crank it.

[Robin Nahum]

To my ears, tube amps definitely sound better than SS, even if they're not running at near breakup levels.

 

Just this week, I had occasion to confirm this again.

 

On Thursday, I took my Deluxe Reverb to the lesson for my teacher to try out. At home, he plays his 175 through a small Polytone. There was a huge difference playing through the DR - much greater warmth and a sense of the sound really "filling" the room.

 

But there are tube amps and tube amps.

 

A second tonal factor, which has not been mentioned in this thread, is sag - the ability (or lack of it) of the amp to deliver the signal to the speakers quickly. The older-style tube amps with single tube rectifiers and smaller output transformers have more sag and you hear this as the sound "blooming" rather than "jumping out" of the amp when you play a note. I feel this helps the player get closer to what a voice or a horn does - which is what I am aiming for in my playing.

 

Solid state amps and higher powered tube amps have solid state rectifiers which deliver a more linear response - which is fine too - when you are after that sound.

 

RN

[retrorod]

I say it makes great sense to have a tube amp at home! Not to toot my own horn, but I have seven amps(at home) and six are tube. I,ll have to admit I,m a bit of a vacuum tube freak and actually work on and maintain my own gear. The one solid state amp brand that I love and covet (but do not own one) is the old Kustom amps. Tube Tone Rules...Rod

[retrosurfer1959]

Tube amps make more sense for home use than ever before. Tube amps are famous for the sound the tubes make when they are played at volume because then they break up and have the true tube sound. there are a ton of tube amps out with everything from fractional amps 1/4 watt 1 watt and then a whole series of amps jump in with low watt amps from 1watt up to 20 watts or so and yes many have adjustable power the new Egnater rebel 20 that several people have talked about has two sets of power tubes to select from and a variable power from 1 to 20 watts.

 

My Favorite amp for home right now is a fractional Little Lanilei 1/4 watt that sounds great and has great driven tube breakup at comfortable bedroom or apartment level.

 

If you really want a small amp check at the nanoamp from ZVEX a small tube amp that's the size of a typical boss guitar pedal use tubes from a old car radio mfg.

 

I am waiting for delivery on the Egnater Rebel which should be delivered next Tuesday with two of the 1x12 matching cabinets which Im hoping sound as good as they look

 

 

Here are some pics of the small tube amps I talked about

 

[Guitar slinger]

Can't help but love this little thing.

 

[Dynadude]

Can't help but love this little thing.

 

 

Just got one.

 

Replaced the tubes, (a must) and removed the feedback resistor.

 

Love it. ;)

[Guitar slinger]

 

Just got one.

 

Replaced the tubes' date=' (a must) and removed the feedback resistor.

 

Love it. ;)[/quote']

 

I replaced the tube as well =)

I wanted to replace speakers but it is tough job in Brazil.

 

So you removed the feedback resistor. What does it do and how removing it improves the little amp?

 

EDIT: AWWW the negative feedback. Ok, you gave it more crunch =)

 

EDIT 2: Some guy just swapped the 6v6 for the 6l6 without rebiasing. Funny thing, I looked all over the internet at the beggining of the year and everywhere said not to do that.

[Lazvision]

for a small tube situation...

 

Check out the Egnator Rebel 20

 

you can lower the wattage so you can push the tubes at lower volumes getting that rich tone of tubes doing there job, or crank it up when you need that extra beef.

 

Also the Fender Champ XD

 

Like already said above.. Fender Crispiness, Tube quality, Modeling versatility, and even stays crunchy in milk.

[jefleppard]

+1 on the egnator. looks like a great amp. youtube has a demo of it. it seems so versatile and the price is right (about $600). it has a power soak too so you can get a nice crunch at low volumes.

[EADGBE]

I've been playing my SG special with a Fender G-DEC Junior, until recently when a friend of mine borrowed his Music Man 110 RD Fifty to me. After that the practise amp has been left unemployed. The Music Man is so loud that I mostly play it with volume turned barely to 1. Still, even to my unsophisticated ears, it sounds hundred times better than the G-DEC.

 

Eventually I'll have to give the Music Man back to its owner and there's no way I'll try to live with the Fender, after enjoying the Music Man sounds. I really like the fat clean tone of the MM and even the distortion on low gain settings. So for home use, what kind of an amp you'd recommend for me?

[RichCI]

I like using a tube amp at home. While 5 watts is too much for getting a crunchy sound in an apartment, it's great for getting some of that tube sag at reasonable levels, particularly if it has a tube rectifier like my little Champ here:

 

 

For crunchy tones, I just use a pedal and the Analogman King of Tone is a pretty natural sounding pedal.

[wonderful remark]

http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=2330100000

 

Has anybody tried this??

 

fender's 5watt tube amp?