20-Year Quest for the Best Low-Volume Amp

[GHS]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

The upgraded reverb tank was introduced at the same time as the front-mounted control panel (in mid/late 2017 TMK - FYI earlier versions had top-mounted controls like their Laney counterparts), so as long as yours is a front-panel you're OK...

thanks for the info. I placed an order for one from Amazon. should be here on the 4th. Your info was very helpful. Good discount and free shipping made the decision easy. Im not a pro so spending large dollars for an amp right now would not do it for me. Ill post a full report when I check it out.

[imwjl]

I'll start out by acknowledging there are many find choices.

For truly low volume I'm still in Yamaha THR camp. I recognize that it does not do higher volume as "bigly" as some but that's the beauty for me. It's truly fine as a table or desktop amp and SO good if you mix your tablet, phone or laptop in it.

From there I'm still in love with my Princeton Reverb. First it's an all time great for tone but it also has richness many small amps do not have and many of those can't go with you where there's a drummer like the Princeton Reverb can.

This isn't intended to put others down, just point out that a THR has richness and playing feel others can't achieve when the family is sleeping or someone's doing homework. Not much should have to be said about the Princeton Reverb. It's one of the best amps that's ever existed.

[Hoodster]

Originally Posted by imwjl

I'll start out by acknowledging there are many find choices.

For truly low volume I'm still in Yamaha THR camp. I recognize that it does not do higher volume as "bigly" as some but that's the beauty for me. It's truly fine as a table or desktop amp and SO good if you mix your tablet, phone or laptop in it.

From there I'm still in love with my Princeton Reverb. First it's an all time great for tone but it also has richness many small amps do not have and many of those can't go with you where there's a drummer like the Princeton Reverb can.

This isn't intended to put others down, just point out that a THR has richness and playing feel others can't achieve when the family is sleeping or someone's doing homework. Not much should have to be said about the Princeton Reverb. It's one of the best amps that's ever existed.

Curious if you or anyone else here has tried the THRii models, particularly the 30. I'm intrigued but think they should have made the 30 a stereo 2x8 - Yamaha would have sold boatloads of those.

[srbell]

I'll throw in another nod to the 15 watt Monoprice tube amp. I bought one 2 or 3 years ago - the one with top mounted controls. It has the old not-so-great reverb tank, but no big deal as I'm not a spring reverb fan so I don't use it anyway (I use an external reverb). In any case, the Monoprice amp is fantastic. I really like it's tone. It's a basic amp but has everything you need. No modeling or digital effects (not that I'm against that, but I'd rather not have it built into the amp). I'd love to have a 2-channel version of this thing.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Hoodster

Curious if you or anyone else here has tried the THRii models, particularly the 30. I'm intrigued but think they should have made the 30 a stereo 2x8 - Yamaha would have sold boatloads of those.

Another satisfied THR 30ii owner. For a "room amp," it gets plenty loud, but still sounds great at lower volumes. No, it isn't going to compete with something like a Princeton Reverb all on its own, but you can also run a 1/4" line from the stereo out to a bigger amp or PA.

When I first saw the earlier versions years ago, I thought they would have limited use. I got interested a few months ago when my music partner bought the THR 20ii... I was impressed with the variety of tones. It took a while to find the 30ii in stock. I appreciate having the stereo lines out on the 30.

The idea of making this with a couple 8" speakers is interesting, but would take away the "desktop" aspect of the 30ii the way it is. Most gigging size amps can't show off their great tone until you get to higher-than-room-size volumes. I had read that Yamaha considers this "your third amp", but I do get the niche they are after. Not playing in bands these days, I don't miss carting around a heavy amp. Should the need arise, though, I could plug this into my Bose L1c and still have less weight than the Twin Reverb I used to have.

[Captain Jim]

I figured I better try it.

I have been using an acoustic guitar(s) with the THR 30ii, and a Taylor T5. Both of those sound good. I have been using a Bose S1 to record videos with the Shure MV88+, with the mic close to the S1. Thus, my reason to run the THR 30ii to the S1 (convenience).

I hadn't tried the THR 30ii with a line out to the Bose L1c, even though I surmised it would be fine. At a volume I would never be playing in the house, the THR 30ii tones were reproduced nicely through the L1c. As powerful as 2-12s in a Twin Reverb? Probably not, but plenty loud and good tone. Not what the L1c is designed to do, but I wanted to give it a try. I'd likely need to go with a powered speaker to get that same kick, but the L1c and THR 30ii combo was plenty enough to rattle the other guitars on the wall in my music room.

[ataylor]

I got the Champion 20 for my daughter for Christmas. It sounds a lot better than I expected it to, so I've "borrowed" it a little bit here and there over the past several months. I just park it in the Deluxe Reverb and spring reverb settings and it sounds really nice, whether it's warm P-90s from my Casino or clean, crisp Tele pickups from my Baja.

The amp I usually use is a Vox P15R and this little Champion 20 is the closest Fender equivalent I've found in terms of great solid-state tone with a small price tag and small footprint.

It's a great little amp. If they made an FSR version of these in blonde or tweed or something, I'd buy one for myself.

[Ray175]

My solution was to buy a Fender ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb. The power attenuator means I can set volume at 6+ to get breakup, but dial the power as low as 0.5 watts, whilst keeping all the tonal characteristics you would associate with an early original Deluxe (not the reissue). The XLR and DI outputs plus 22lb weight are an added bonus. If I need to play out, I can take the power attenuator through 5 increasing output levels up to 22 watts (0.5, 1, 5, 12 or 22w). If I want a clean sound I can stay below 5 on the volume and use the attenuator for the power I need. Great reverb. Tremolo sound is good but on its slowest setting is a little too fast for some numbers I play - I’ve asked Fender to include a fix in their first firmware update, others have asked for a bright switch bypass (not on the original Deluxe either) to be included.

[KevWind]

Fortunately the good news is it's all "subjective" like the the notion that an amp has to be breaking up, or overdriven, to sound good.

Personally I am liking my REVV D 20 head ,,, yeppers cabinet, pedals, cables and all, in the Bedroom. And even the Supro Titan 50 sounds good at low volume.

[Puerto Player]

My two favorites were a little Goodsell 5 and a Fuchs 7.

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by Ray175

My solution was to buy a Fender ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb.

This is likely my next purchase. I’d prefer a smaller footprint with something like a Princeton, but I think Fender will do a couple tweed amps before they do another blackface classic.

[blue]

You can get a Mesa TA-15 for south of $700 if you shop. The only downside is that it isn't available in a combo and doesn't have an Effects Loop. The TA-30 solves both those problems, but for closer to a grand. You get a pretty good vox, Fender (not really tweed as they claim but close), Marshall, and Boogie tone.

[rockabilly69]

We all go through the quest of finding a small amp for the house. And after all my years of this, I say, just buy a Princeton Reverb, and if you want more gain just add overdrive of choice. I've played all of the new offerings from Fender, and still own a Fender Superchamp XD, which I modded with a Celestion G10 speaker that sounds decent, but for me, I quickly tire of these little modeling amps, as they get to sounding boxy. I'm just waiting to gift my Superchamp to my grandson, who is showing an interest in guitar. For a beginner it should be great. But if I'm going to sit down and play some guitar for more than a few minutes, I plug into a Princeton Reverb, or my vintage Ampeg Mercury, and have at it. If I want FX or overdrive, I just use my pedal board, which sounds far better than the FX in these amps. This way, when I practice, I sound like I do live using the same pedalboard. If I want to practice quiet, I'll use the plug-ins in my computer with headphones.

[DukeX]

I didn't watch the video. I already have the best three. For me.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by GHS

How about that Monoprice 15w tube amp I see on Amazon for about 229 dollars. What say you??

I just looked it up, and the price has increased considerably, probably due to tariffs on Chinese goods. $249.99 on the Monoprice site, $302.93 on Amazon.