Recommend me an Amp!

d8m

Currently have this:

But think its time for an upgrade, I am after something simpler.

Have heard a lot of god things about Blackstars and have seen these 3 online:

HT-5C

HT-5R

HT-5210

Cant really decide which one to go for

Or maybe something completely different like a Marshal DSL5C!

I don't gig so most playing is at home but I would like to at least have enough volume available to jam if the need comes round in the future.

thisisguitar

Are you talking about jamming with a drummer? If so I'd doubt 5w will be enough, and definitely not for cleans. Unless you are playing in a place with a PA to mic up the amp.

BigBearKris

Those kind of threads are much easier to answer to when You'll state:

-style of music You play

-amp for home/recording/gigs

-Your current guitar

-budget

Thanks, regards,

Kris.

noisepolluter

I tried a Vox AC15C1 recently and was extremely impressed. If you like the sound from the vox modellers i think the AC15 would be a great amp for jamming and pub gigs. At home you would definitely get great cleans at polite volumes, and with some careful balancing of the gain and master you *might* get away with some quiet crunch too. However, it's usually easier to just use a pedal at home as you have far more control, plus it gives you far more options for your sound at higher volumes too.

bigfuzz

what patch/patches did you like on the Vox? that will help us recommend something!

spacecadet

The new Peavey Valve Kings are going studip cheap. Worth a look.

xSkarloey

The DSL5C is an absolute top notch amp. Regardless of what anyone else around these parts might say, especially when it comes to modern Marshalls. 

I've had mine a few months now. 

Pros: FX loop; great range of sounds from very clean to absolutely filthy dirty; currently available on a deal where they chuck in two pedals (which you can sell on to bring the overall cost down); switchable 1w/ 5w mode; two channels; it is a black box which says 'Marshall' on it and therefore is a design icon fit to grace any home or stage; great speaker; makes you want to play and play and play; drive sounds are so good it instantly cures drive pedal GAS.  

Cons: Still f*&%ing loud even at 1 watt; clean/crunch channel has no MV function, just a volume control; it's not the quietist amp (my model's a tad hissy). 

Overall though it's a mother of an amp, and on the Marshall forums it gets a lot of love. 

d8m

BigBearKris said:

Those kind of threads are much easier to answer to when You'll state:

-style of music You play

-amp for home/recording/gigs

-Your current guitar

-budget

Thanks, regards,

Kris.

Honestly I'm looking for an all rounder for home noodling.

The only thing I wouldn't really be playing would be full on metal.

Currently playing a Hamer XT 

Could stretch to around £450 (looking to buy on 0% finance)

bigfuzz said:

what patch/patches did you like on the Vox? that will help us recommend something!

Honestly never have liked the amp. It's likely my own impatience and lack of understanding on its controls though.

I tend to leave it on the twin blackface setting.

I don't actually have my guitar at the moment as its in for repair

My feeling is now I should go through the amp when I get the guitar back and see what patches I prefer!

My only sway to blackstar so far is from hearing them on some vids and general word of mouth.

The Marshall DSLs have come up purely because I've never owned a Marshall and the vids seem to do them justice!

Thanks guys

d8m

Skarloey said:

The DSL5C is an absolute top notch amp. Regardless of what anyone else around these parts might say, especially when it comes to modern Marshalls. 

I've had mine a few months now. 

Pros: FX loop; great range of sounds from very clean to absolutely filthy dirty; currently available on a deal where they chuck in two pedals (which you can sell on to bring the overall cost down); switchable 1w/ 5w mode; two channels; it is a black box which says 'Marshall' on it and therefore is a design icon fit to grace any home or stage; great speaker; makes you want to play and play and play; drive sounds are so good it instantly cures drive pedal GAS.  

Cons: Still f*&%ing loud even at 1 watt; clean/crunch channel has no MV function, just a volume control; it's not the quietist amp (my model's a tad hissy). 

Overall though it's a mother of an amp, and on the Marshall forums it gets a lot of love. 

yeh?

I was looking at getting the DSL15 but to be honest this is looking mighty tasty!:

Hertz32

I can't recommend the Blackstar ID TVP series enough. Even the 15w version with the 10" speaker blew me away when I turned the TVP function on. Truly amazing bit of kit. 

There's no "It's amazing for a solid state/modelling amp" about it, I thought it was just flat out amazing for the price and certainly good even if it was £50-£100 more.
 

daveyh

If you leave it on the Blackface setting I wouldn't have thought the Blackstar or Marshall would be your first choice.

d8m

daveyh said:

If you leave it on the Blackface setting I wouldn't have thought the Blackstar or Marshall would be your first choice.

I tend to alternate between that the Cali clean and  Marshall settings.

Honestly I've never found a sound on the amp that's stuck because nothing has ever got my attention with it.

Based purely on internet research alone I am very tempted to go for either a Marshall DSL15(40 if i treat myself!)

or a Blackstar HT-5R or HT-5210.

The difference between the Blackstars from what I can gather is the 5R is a single 12" speaker whereas the 5210 is dual 10"

Jalapeno

HT 5210 is an awesome spec'd home/studio amp - definite cause of spousal/neighbour comments if not an ASBO

Teetonetal

Get a Laney Cub 12 (r) then upgrade the speaker if you decide at a later date (easy to do)

Why?

Cheap. 

Fx loop, 

two inputs, 15W or <1W - I gig (yes with a drummer) with the less than 1w input! (ok I have a much better speaker than the stock, but still)

1W means you can drive the amp hard at lower volume, 15W means you still can have clean headroom if required too

Takes pedals really well (sounds great with OD and clean boost)

HT5 is also good, but you'd be surprised how loud 5W valve really is...

The 1 watt vox is also worth a look

I tried a load of amps before settling on the Laney, try as many as you can. 

d8m

Teetonetal said:

Get a Laney Cub 12 (r) then upgrade the speaker if you decide at a later date (easy to do)

Why?

Cheap. 

Fx loop, 

two inputs, 15W or <1W - I gig (yes with a drummer) with the less than 1w input! (ok I have a much better speaker than the stock, but still)

Takes pedals really well (sounds great with OD and clean boost)

HT5 is also good, but you'd be surprised how loud 5W valve really is...

In a good way?

Phil_aka_Pip

thisisguitar said:

Are you talking about jamming with a drummer? If so I'd doubt 5w will be enough, and definitely not for cleans. Unless you are playing in a place with a PA to mic up the amp.

I jammed with a drummer & bass player. Mr bassist had a 100W combo, I was using a Harley-Benton GA5 (5W, 1 off EL84). We were in a small-ish room but not cramped for space. Mr bassist asked me to turn down the GA5 as it was a bit loud!

Teetonetal

Phil_aka_Pip said:

thisisguitar said:

Are you talking about jamming with a drummer? If so I'd doubt 5w will be enough, and definitely not for cleans. Unless you are playing in a place with a PA to mic up the amp.

I jammed with a drummer & bass player. Mr bassist had a 100W combo, I was using a Harley-Benton GA5 (5W, 1 off EL84). We were in a small-ish room but not cramped for space. Mr bassist asked me to turn down the GA5 as it was a bit loud!

Yup 5W is loud. 

My band is Drummer, Acoustic Guitar, Bass - if I play at 15w then I get moaned at all the time to turn down.

Whenever we play bigger venues 15w has always been loud enough, but I can also mic up. Since getting this Laney Cub 12 my HT-40 has been a redundant door stop.

d8m

Thinking maybe the DSL40 would be overkill then. specially seeing as I live in a flat currently!

I think Ive narrowed it down to either the Blackstar HT-5R or Marshall DSL15.

Phil_aka_Pip

d8m said:

Thinking maybe the DSL40 would be overkill then. specially seeing as I live in a flat currently!

I think Ive narrowed it down to either the Blackstar HT-5R or Marshall DSL15.

anything over 1W is overkill in a flat

Teetonetal

Phil_aka_Pip said:

d8m said:

Thinking maybe the DSL40 would be overkill then. specially seeing as I live in a flat currently!

I think Ive narrowed it down to either the Blackstar HT-5R or Marshall DSL15.

anything over 1W is overkill in a flat

100% agree - I live in a flat, I can't even use 1W - it's way too loud (but then I live in the land where noise after 10pm = visit from the police).

Seriously go try a 5 W amp out and turn it up, you will be surprised at the volume. I also had that VOX (vt 20+?) and it does not get as loud as an all valve 1W, a 5W would kill it!

d8m

I have a really bad understanding of amp power in terms of volume.

A few years ago I had a 100W solid state fender but nearest neighbour was 3 miles away!

When I got back into playing I was recommended the VT20+ so picked it up.

I figured VT20+ was 20W so a 5W would be a quarter of its volume.

As you can tell gents I know barely anything about amps so could do with some educating