Harley Benton GA-5 & 15

[mrjones200x]

Hey guys any of you use or own a Harley Benton ga 5 or 15?

 

Looking for a honest review on is quality/sound and value for money. I have a vox ad30vt at the momment and want a tube amp in the £150 range $300 i think lol.

 

Only reviews on youtube are played through a strat or tele and i have a LP so dont know what the sound would be like with a decent guitar

[Biff]

I have a GA5. It's loud and clean, has a good class A crunch with higher volume.

Same thing basically as the Epiphone Valve JR. I'm thinking about picking up a Celestion 8" speaker some day

but I'm still OK with the standard one. All the mods on JRs should be doable with this one too.

 

All these 5W tube amps from China are nowadays so cheap you should buy two and play in stereo :)

[mrjones200x]

Thanks for that. I know its a 5 watt so is it compareable to a 10 watt practice amp for volume? mine was a yamaha 10 watt practice amp and it was loud but had crap tone. I have a nice vox amp (AD-30-VT) which is loud as hell for me as i live in flats it never go's to loud. Nice tone as the main tone control can be on max at low levels.

 

Really want a tube amp as there tone is unbeatable but have yet to hear a GA5. Is the speaker capable of good quality at loud volumes with and without added distortion?

To get the best tone does it have to be turned up loud?

 

Thanks mate

[klast]

Haven't tried the GA5, but it probably sounds about the same as the Epi VJ combo that I have. The GA5 is said to have essentially the same design as the VJ, with the addition of a tone control.

 

I had an AD30VT when I bought my VJ, so I could compare the sound. Although the AD30VT sounds considerably better than other hybrid/SS amps I have tried, the VJ sounds much better, also at low volume. However, the VJ is way too loud to provide power stage breakup in a flat. The same would apply to the GA5 and definitely the GA15.

 

An alternative to the GA5 would be the Grainger Valve 5 (GBP 79). This is available at SoundControl, so you should be able to try it in the UK. Seems to be a "badge engineered" VJ. They also have the Grainger Valve 15, which is in your price range (GBP 139) and has gain/master so that you can dial in preamp distorsion. It seems to correspond to the now discontinued Epi Valve Standard.

 

Klas

[Ricochet]

 

They also have the Grainger Valve 15' date=' which is in your price range (GBP 139) and has gain/master so that you can dial in preamp distorsion. It seems to correspond to the now discontinued Epi Valve Standard.

 

[/quote']

 

Small side-note: The Grainger GA15 has the DSP. The Harley Benton GA15 does not. The Grainger follows the Epiphone styling. The Harley Benton it's own cream-coloured one. Whether those are pros or cons, I'll leave up to you.

[fredo]

I have a vox ad30vt at the momment and want a tube amp in the £150 range $300 i think lol.

 

hello mrjones for your money you´ll get an Epi jr half stack

 

look here

http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/MusicStore-MusicStoreShop-Site/en_EN/-/EUR/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=TOZgSIbWhSR.WbURca0000000000OBoIj0rM?CatalogVideo=&ProductUUID=qIjVqHzmPYYAAAEXRlBgyFiu&CatalogCategoryID=vMfVqHzlugwAAAEVGx1Wf70R&JumpTo=OfferList

 

and here

 

http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/MusicStore-MusicStoreShop-Site/en_EN/-/EUR/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=TOZgSIbWhSR.WbURca0000000000OBoIj0rM?CatalogVideo=&ProductUUID=2fDVqHzmhGEAAAEXkBhgyFiw&CatalogCategoryID=xd7VqHzlWIEAAAEVshpWf70R&JumpTo=OfferList

 

greets

[mrjones200x]

The head doesnt have a speaker does it?

 

Why is the head rated a 5 amp and the box at 70 watts?

 

Can it power that much.

[Ricochet]

 

hello mrjones for your money you´ll get an Epi jr half stack

 

 

I think the Harley Benton is a nice option and you save a few squid.

http://www.thomann.de/nl/harley_benton_ga5h_bundle_1.htm

 

But if the volume for your flat is an issue I'd stay away completely. Unless you can build in a attenuator, or buy one.

 

No, the "head" or "top" does not have a speaker. If you are looking for a all-in-one you will want a "combo".

 

The 70W speaker is really of no concern. A 5W Tube amp is quite loud(you can do small gigs with it), and you want the speaker to be able to handle the powerpeaks. Smaller wattage speaker gets early breakup of tone(distortion). While higher wattage will stay clean longer.

[mrjones200x]

so a 5 watt head on a 70 watt speaker will be louder than my 10 watt yamaha como?

 

How about my 30 watt vox ad

[Ricochet]

so a 5 watt head on a 70 watt speaker will be louder than my 10 watt yamaha como?

 

How about my 30 watt vox ad

 

Not by definition. But if you are refering to a small Yamaha solid state combo. The VJ will probably blow it out the water.

Not sure about the Vox tho. I never played one.

[mrjones200x]

cant use all the power of my vox at home anyway lol!

 

Yamaha was a crap tone.

 

Im presuming that if i buy the head and i run two seperate wires from my vox speaker and mount a jack plug in the back extra i can plug the head straight in to the speaker yeah?

 

Save buying extra speaker box when the vox one is pretty good. (It only has the guitar input socket and no others. Also a headphone socket)

[fredo]

 

The 70W speaker is really of no concern. A 5W Tube amp is quite loud(you can do small gigs with it)' date=' and you want the speaker to be able to handle the powerpeaks. Smaller wattage speaker gets early breakup of tone(distortion). While higher wattage will stay clean longer.[/quote']

 

the distortion is made by the amp and not by the speaker

 

70watt speaker means you can put in the clean sinustone of 1kHz with the power of 70watts without damage the speaker(sorry for my bad english)

distorted tone will stress the speaker more than a sinus tone (damaged earlier)

[mrjones200x]

Yeah i understand how the distortion is made etc. I suppose its the same as your car stereo; Stereo unit produces 4x40 watts and you normally have 200 watt speakers so to get better quality from your speaker.

 

Could i still use the speaker out from the valve junior head and plug direct to my speaker in vox (In otherwords bypassing the amp internals)

 

Thanks

[Ricochet]

 

the distortion is made by the amp and not by the speaker

 

 

I wasn't talking about amp-distortion. Speaker distortion is the way the sound from the speaker breaks up after being hit hard, effectively "sweetening" things up rather than distorting. It is often an overlooked element in good tone.

[Ricochet]

Im presuming that if i buy the head and i run two seperate wires from my vox speaker and mount a jack plug in the back extra i can plug the head straight in to the speaker yeah?

 

Excellent idea. I happen to use that as well. I use an old combo of which the amp section has died. Great cab. And cheap. :-)

[copper1281734000]

5 watts is about 3/4 as loud as your vox ad30. 5 watts is half as loud as 50, so If you are hoping for a low wattage amp you can turn up, but can't turn up the vox, then you're going to be missing out. The VJ can get quite loud.

 

Just making sure, you might know this but lots of people don't, there is a wattage knob on the back of that vox. You can crank the master and volume knobs, and turn that knob very low. I think it goes form like .1-30 watts. That could be very useful in overdriving that tube in there. Although it still won't be like a tube amp, it will get into some realm of an overdriven tube amp.

 

And the 10 watt yamaha is not going to be anywere near as loud a VJ. Especially once the tubes start overdriving, it'll get very loud.

[mrjones200x]

Cheers for the info, Yes was looking for quite amp with tube amp crunch. You can by a box that alows you to play low volume full crank of amp if you want?

 

I always have the knob on the back up full always and then adjust the master to the level i play at. The other rarly gets touched. Still dont really understand them properly. I thought having the back one up gives the preamp all its drive and best tone even down low? Right or wrong?

 

What does master vol do?

What does normal vol do?

What does rear knob do?

 

Any help would be much appreciated

 

Thanks

[mrjones200x]

Maybe im wrong?

 

Looks like that is output watts and you have both the others on max for full tone!

 

Ive been playing it wrong for a whole year now!!!!!!!!!!

[fredo]

What does master vol do?

What does normal vol do?

What does rear knob do?

 

the valvetronix are not easy:

you can´t use it if you don´t read the manual:-"

 

1. the rear knob is like a power attenuator if you had found the sound you like you can reduce the output to the speaker to a neighbourfrienly after midnight level

2. Gain= preamplevel >more gain> more preamp distortion

3. MASTER =level of preamp to"VALVE Reactor" "powerampdistortion

4. normal vol =how loud is the amp

 

3+4 together are the overallvolume of the amp

 

the level of 2 and 4 you can store in progammabel channels

if you store the different volumes of 4 in channel 1 and 2 with same other set you

can play rhythm and soloing with this different volumes for example

 

the master- vol isn't storable

[mrjones200x]

Manuel is crap really.

 

You could prob do with out the normal volume really and just adjust the output one then. If i get your meaning. They both control output.

 

Also the normal volume is recordable to in the write channels.

 

I was origanally told in the shop that the back knob adjusted the tone to its full amount so best to alter the master for your output! obviusly they didnt know either

[fredo]

 

I was origanally told in the shop that the back knob adjusted the tone to its full amount so best to alter the master for your output! obviusly they didnt know either

 

 

lousy shop](*,)

[mrjones200x]

Yeah and there a vox stockist! Been to a couple of shops where ive tried guitars and i always try on a Vox valvetronix so i know what it will sound like on mine and they always use the master vol in the shop too? I would set the back up to a max permitted for the shop and leave the master all the way up for full preamp drive. Would sell more guitars if the tone/sound was richer! Simple things shops can do might boost sales. Mine sounds remarkably better now the back is set about 7 watts and the master is up full!

 

Cheers for all your help

[copper1281734000]

 

What does master vol do?

What does normal vol do?

What does rear knob do?

 

 

Gain Controls distortion from the preamp selected (I believe it's solid states distortion)

Normal volume control preset level

Master volume is the volume of both of the channel

Rear knob contols power amp out put wattage (were the preamp is)

 

So it goes in order:

Gain-->Volume-->Master-->Power amp(tube)

 

So with the master cranked, you are driving the tube the most.

 

Edit: Oops, I didn't read the message above before posting this. I'm glad you're liking the sound!! I've never owned a valvetronix, but the few I've tried I liked a lot, and the people who own them like them a lot. Maybe I'll have to pick one up one day.

[mrjones200x]

was nice before but lots better now!

 

70's setting on it is real kack tho. Cant seem to get nice tone ever. very dull/muddy

 

Loud as hell too. Never tried a tube amp so to me this is as good as it gets. Thats why looking at harley benton or now epi valve junior

[alfsboy]

 

Excellent idea. I happen to use that as well. I use an old combo of which the amp section has died. Great cab. And cheap. :-)

me too .I use a Fender Gdec Junior into an old Peavey Backstage with a 10" 8 ohm speaker .The old Peavey amp is still OK and may investigate further its tone at a Jam session when I can crank it up .too many knobs to fiddle around with but often a tone is usable but elusive ,It does have a spring reverb .i may get a VJ head and run it through the Peavey with an uprated speaker (getting complicated ) I just pull out the speaker wires on both amps and extend them .I may later install proper jacks .forgot to add that the Peavey Backstage 20 W is a US made early 1980's SS amp built like a tank so will last forever.Weighs a ton.