Best Low-Volume amp solution?

Hydra19

I have not been using my tube amps a lot lately as I play at home most of the time now, and having a Yamaha THR10X makes it more useable to get overdriven sounds a low volume. My tube amps are a Fender Deluxe 5e3 and a Vibroverb 63' reissue, I do have an attenuator but the VVRI in particular is very punchy and in your face, whilst it sounds good a low volume, it does feel a bit restrained, and you have to pick gently as if you hit a string hard it will be loud.

I have always thought about a Kemper...getting all those tones from those amps, and can do low volume. Having all those profiles is a bit of an overkill really though and I cannot see myself using more than a handful of profiles. On the other hand I feel even a Boss Katana may be a solution as good as the Kemper as if will give me a handful of profiles and I can go at any volume.

Do you have any recommendations? What is your best home low volume playing setup? I really do like the convenience of Yamaha THR range, and would be looking to hook up my iPhone to the Kemper to play along to music....does it still sound good like that? Thank you

PolarityMan

reaper + helix native

WiresDreamDisasters

Valve amp + loadbox + IR loader.

p90fool

The Katana is a really good home practice amp. 

TTBZ

For me it's Mercuriall Spark and either some decent headphones or monitors. The ultimate for me would be an Ox Box but not at that price.

Fifty9

I have the same conundrum so went with an Atomic Amplifire 3. Sounds great to my ears so far. Not put it through an amp/FX loop yet but expect it to be good.

The Boss Nextone seems like it may be a good option too

Hydra19

Yeah, I'm waiting to get more info on the Nextone because that seems ideal, a few classic preamps to play with. Plus, there is more options every day, but I've been using the Yamaha daily for at least 5 years now so I know I like it. I should be able to find some Katanas and Nextones in London to try out....if not I'm thinking of getting a Mesa Boogie Mark V head and running it through the 5e3 cab.
Never found a place I could try a Kemper, but judging just from my Yamaha THR10 experience, I don't think I'm too fussy. I'll check out some of these recommendations above, because I've never heard of them. THanks

munckee

Hydra19 said:

Yeah, I'm waiting to get more info on the Nextone because that seems ideal, a few classic preamps to play with. Plus, there is more options every day, but I've been using the Yamaha daily for at least 5 years now so I know I like it. I should be able to find some Katanas and Nextones in London to try out....if not I'm thinking of getting a Mesa Boogie Mark V head and running it through the 5e3 cab.
Never found a place I could try a Kemper, but judging just from my Yamaha THR10 experience, I don't think I'm too fussy. I'll check out some of these recommendations above, because I've never heard of them. THanks

Whats the issue with the THR if you know you like it?, I have a THR5 which I use to play very quietly or if I only have a few minutes, otherwise I play my princeton and pedals which is fine for home.

Hydra19

Although the Yamaha THr10x is nice but I'd like to have even more tonal possibilities. I use the fender clean profile and the brown 2, that's it. I used to have a THR10c and also used 2 profiles, for clean and dirty. I'm getting back into heavier music so would like to have have an amp that has more variety for overdrive. Something like fender dirty, marshall, mesa and something for ultra metal. In fact I did sell my THR10c to get the X and although the heavier sounds are better, I liked the clean better on the C and kinda miss the mini Z profile it had. I guess I'd be happy with the all the Yamaha THR1o range in 1 amp.
With the Boss Katana and all the competition I'm sure Yamaha is gonna do something along the lines of a bigger cab, to compete with the Katana, so in that sense I'm not in a hurry since I know with these digital modleers, the design can update quickly and the THR10 range is quite old by now, so Yamaha will need something new. Kemper should also do a mini kemper, with less features, and less profiles, and lower price. I can afford a Kemper, but I'm sure I would not use more than 5-10 profiles so seems like overkill

MentalSharps

If you've already got tube amps that you like at volume, get a reactive loadbox instead of buying a new amp just for quiet play. It will preserve your amps tone and dynamics and let you play at any volume. There's a comparison of various loadboxes and also a Kemper on YT. While the KPA sounds really impressive and very close, if you don't want all the profiles then it would be a waste for your needs.  

You'll want to do your own research but afaik:

If you have a DAW setup with low latency, then you can choose whichever reactive loadbox you prefer, and use a software IR loader into monitor speakers / studio headphones. The loadboxes have slightly different tonal characteristics depending on which speaker the impedence curve is modelled on. The Suhr RL is popular while also one of the cheaper ones (has no extra features). It has a brightness / clarity people like, the impedence curve is modelled on Greenbacks AFAIK.

If you don't have a DAW setup, you'll need an IR loader pedal to go along with the loadbox - ie Mooer Radar or Torpedo C.A.B.

Or, you could use analog cab sim instead of IR's, which some loadboxes have built in (Torpedo Captor, and Fryette Power Load), which will save needing an IR loader, but don't sound quite as good. (you'll still have the option though to use IRs).

If you want to also be able to play through your guitar cab with control of the volume, then you'll need one of the higher end ones: Fryette Power Station, Torpedo Reload, Ox Box, Torpedo Live.

Fifty9

Sounds like you need a vox handbag

RMJ

Helix plus monitors does the job for me. I even choose to use headphones sometimes over monitors. 

markr76

I've just picked up a vox adio air and I think it's ace. Sounds fantastic! Better than my old Yamaha thr10. Which is an unfair comparison really as the Yamaha is an older design than the vox.
It also doesn't look as bad in person. Well, I think so anyway. 

breezytele

Another approach - if you’re keeping your current set up- is to try a good compressor ( Cali76)
Apart from taming errant picking, it can add sustain and dialling the output down does attenuate the volume

ToneControl

 I sold most of my boutique/classic designs valve amps after I bought my AxeFx2.
I hardly use my Kemper, even though I bought loads of pro profiles for it. The basic FX on it are lame.

Just got an Axefx3, and bought the patches from Austin Buddy. These are very good, and you can combine with the DAW-plugin quality FX.

The outcome of this is that if I want to play rock or metal sounds, it's always the Axefx, at what ever volume I want
If I want to play clean to saturated, I can play my remaining nice valve amps, or use the AxeFx if I want to record or play quieter

I tried every attenuator I could find, and wasn't really happy with any of them. Same with the power scaling circuits. Some are good, but a top-notch amp sim can sound better to my ears

dern

Most things sound flat at low volumes. Best I've found so far is a Roland JC40 which sounds a lot better than the valve amps I have at low volumes. I also have a valve maker P1800 plexi that sounds ok at low volume but not as good as the Roland and it's a pale imitation of itself when turned up. Fine for practice though.

Creed_Clicks

Quilter might suit? They also do a little pedal that has a headphone socket, like a micro amp. Supposed to be good for what it is.

cbellanga

I use a Torpedo Captor 8 with my Lazy J20 at home so I can either attenuate or go completely silent.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

If it's Fendery type sounds you like (which it sounds like it is from your initial post) then any of the Roland Blues Cube range would work well, as they all have power-scaling to drop the wattage down to 0.5w.

The 'Hot' version is cheapest and fine if you just need one channel, the others in the range have a bit more versatility but are pricier and bigger.

Th4fonz

I personally havent tried katanas but i would check them out.  I have a princeton 65 reverb ri and a thr 10.  The yammy is very good at low volume but i kinda hated it for turning it up.  It would be great if they made a combo.  I am selling the thr 10.

Hydra19

Now I'm looking at the Marshall DSL range or the 50th anniversary 1 watters. I think I can sell my Vibroverb, it doesn't get mused much and I would much rather have an amp that I can use more often