Help me find a new small head...

champ222

Hi all. 

I'm looking for a small low powered head. My guitar room is the tiny box room, and also doubles as a computer room. Currently,  I use a 1x12 combo under the desk, which is awkward to operate, and generally gets in the way.

Now, a small head that could fit on the end of my desk would be perfect. I could pop the cab out the way in the corner, and it would be easier to operate, and would give me more space. 

The width of the head is the limiting factor, and about 400mm wide max would be perfect. I could squeeze a little more with a desk rejig.

I like my cleans to be big and warm, and my distortion thick chunky, modern American I think.

Now, I have some distortion pedals, plus more of them in the pipeline, so if it did the cleans, and worked well with pedals, that would work for me.

I've recently discovered the egnater tweaker 15 head, and the rebel 20 head. Videos on the tweaker seem good. Not managed to find as many about the rebel.

I see jet city have a 5 watt head coming out soon too...

What else can people suggest? Budget would be about 2...300 quid used.

My guitars are mainly les paul copies and ibanez rgs, s etc.

Controls on the front would be much better for me than top controls, and an fx loop would be great.

Cheers

ecc83

ICBM was (unusually!) quite taken with the HT-1. Not 5 watts but loud enough I bet in that tiny room into a decent twelve?

Plus they are REALLY dinky!

Dave.

guitarfishbay

The HT1R would be cool for this. HT5R also if it fits.

Another option is to get your sounds from a pedal that sits on your desk. AMT Legend Series 2 pedals have a clean sound and a drive sound based on a particular amp, might be worth a look. 

champ222

Hi. Yeah I've looked at the blackstars. Certainly seems like a good option. I've not been thrilled from the videos I've seen. I once played the ht5 combo when it first came out. Sounded good in isolation. but when I went back with my Marshall dsl 201 combo, the ht5 just didn't seem as nice when compared to the Marshall. I've also seen the amt stuff, looks good, also seen the proper preamps they do, which seem good too, but quite expensive for what they are. The legend series seem good though 

monquixote

http://lessthannegative.com/images/Movies/supermariobros2.jpg

thomasross20

I'm the opposite re Marshall & Blackstar - I love the HT range!!

richardhomer

champ222 said:

Hi. Yeah I've looked at the blackstars. Certainly seems like a good option. I've not been thrilled from the videos I've seen. I once played the ht5 combo when it first came out. Sounded good in isolation. but when I went back with my Marshall dsl 201 combo, the ht5 just didn't seem as nice when compared to the Marshall.

The HT5 combo might not have given you a fair impression - it is relatively small, so will always sound like a 'lesser' option compared to a grown up amp.

I have an HT1R combo - which (again in isolation) sounds great - but played after my LSS, it sounds tiny.

If I plug it through the LSS speaker, it sounds huge.

HHwarner

Id second the Blackstar HT1R head. Iv got one here and its superb and really quite loud. Iv played this head to head with the HT5R and the 1 watter sounds way nicer. Headphone/Emulated output is great and MP3/Line in is good for practising to tracks on your phone/mp3. Iv also bought the Blackstar Tone Link which is a bluetooth adaptor which i use in the line in.

champ222

Thanks guys. The ht1 head is cheap enough used that it's worth a go. 

Was there a non reverb version of the htr1? Like there was with the ht5? Or is there just one version? 

I've got a blackstar I'd core 10 that I use downstairs when everyone has gone to bed. Seems OK, so I've nothing against blackstar in general. 

The lack of control put me off the ht1, only 4 knows and no fx loop.

Putting cost and watts to one side, has anyone compared the ht1rh with the egnater tweaker 15?

Thanks again guys

thomasross20

richardhomer said:

champ222 said:

Hi. Yeah I've looked at the blackstars. Certainly seems like a good option. I've not been thrilled from the videos I've seen. I once played the ht5 combo when it first came out. Sounded good in isolation. but when I went back with my Marshall dsl 201 combo, the ht5 just didn't seem as nice when compared to the Marshall.

The HT5 combo might not have given you a fair impression - it is relatively small, so will always sound like a 'lesser' option compared to a grown up amp.

I have an HT1R combo - which (again in isolation) sounds great - but played after my LSS, it sounds tiny.

If I plug it through the LSS speaker, it sounds huge.

So it's mainly down to the speaker and not the amp itself? 

thomasross20

monquixote said:

http://lessthannegative.com/images/Movies/supermariobros2.jpg

I love that film!

ecc83

"So it's mainly down to the speaker and not the amp itself?"

You have just thrown me back some 55 years Thomas! Unlike most of Joe P I had access to a couple of decent (hi fiish) 10 and 12" speakers in my yoof. I used to hook the home radio* to one and the sound was magnificent! Dad was a music lover (foreman cabinet maker at an organ works) and was very impressed when we could at last hear the double basses on Radio 3 (or the Third Programme as I think it was then) .

Same principle applies to guitar amps, bigger and better will always be good trouble is they cost more!

*Did the same with the telly. Direct connection not safe of course but Radio Spares sold this "universal matching and isolating" transformer. Only 3 watts rating but did the bizz!

Dave.

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

So it's mainly down to the speaker and not the amp itself? 

Did we not prove that when you were trying out the HT-5 and the HT-1?



For the original question, I think the HT-5 head would fit the bill perfectly. Warm cleans and 'modern American' distortion is what it does. Although as I keep saying, they have the ISF control the wrong way round! The 'US' sound - assuming they mean Mesa - is on the *right* hand side of the dial. The left-hand side is more the bright ringing Marshall crunch. I have no idea why they think it's the other way.

thomasross20

Yeah @ICBM is right of course ! @ecc83 I'm just glad I got my lightweight 2x12 - sounds immense and is light, to boot!

FYI the HT20 with master volume is more home friendly! 

57Deluxe

How about this great little head from Yerasov...15w and looks uber cool

http://i68.tinypic.com/28m1roz.jpg

http://yerasov.co.uk/products.html#amps

champ222

Looks interesting, bit the top controls would irritate me. The amp would be up quite high when I'm sat down

Gadget

THD Univalve?

crunchman

I never sold the VHT in this thread:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/73794/fs-ft-vht-special-6-head-and-award-session-1-x-12-cab-with-g12-65#latest

It replaced a Blackstar HT5 and in my opinion it's much better than the HT5.  It does the big warm cleans and takes pedals well.

simonk

Gadget said:

THD Univalve?

Have you tried one? Maybe mine was duff but it was the most lifeless amp I've ever played through and I couldn't shift it quick enough.

I have a Blackstar HT-1Hr that lives in the front room and always manages to put a smile on my face. Or, for a bit more cash, a Suhr Corso would fit your bill, apart from the loop.

Cabicular

The Peavey mini heads are good for that application
just pick the one that suits you

hugbot

Laney ironheart studio