Like I said, YMMV - I just disagree with you entirely.blakestree wrote: I feel like for a tube amp really work in this range it needs to be low watts (5 or less).
I haven't tried the top dollar bedroom amps - Carr Mercury is on my bucket list, and Alan Sparhawk makes is sing on stage and in the studio. But the mass produced and/or lower priced low wattage amps just don't work for me.
- Lots of them don't have a Master Volume. So to get any grit at all, you've got to push them past bedroom friendly levels.
- Those that do have MV always disappoint me. I don't know if it's a design thing or just inherent in low wattage amps, but you start playing with the MV to get a little dirt and it's fizzy, like a cheap dirt box - and not in a good way. The only MV I've ever liked on a sub-50W amp is on the Frenzel stuff, but those seem to be hard to find used these days - but would be a good solution for the OP.
- The low end response just isn't there. Maybe for the bluesman, the cock rocker, or the cowboy that needs to sit in the mix that's fine - but me, I want as wide a soundstage as possible. Partially due to growing up playing bass, but also due to the space and economic realities that often have me using one amp for guitar and synth/noise/whatever duties.
- EL-84s. While it's gotten better, when the modern SE craze started with the Epi VJ you couldn't spit without hitting a low wattage EL84 amp. With a monster cab (I was using a Musicman folded bass 15" at the time) the EVJ isn't bad, but IMO EL84s just don't have the grit of a similarly spec'd amp with larger tubes. The one exception being the Gibson GA-15RV - that's was a beautiful little amp, mainly because it wasn't designed by Gibson's fascist patriot penny pinchers (Still too loud for 'round the house though).
- Low wattage combos are almost always opened back, which I find to be louder and harder to control in a small space. Maybe it's only my perception, but with a closed back cab you've got sound going in one direction bothering one neighbor/roommate - openback, it's going in two...
For some reason I have strong opinions on this subject.
I don't have a problem with solid state power sections - they seem to fix a lot of my complaints re: bass response. In fact, if my rig was stolen or I needed to add another head, top of the list would be one of the Trace Elliott Bass Heads - rack mount, SS power stage, Tube pre, all sorts of switching and EQ options. Had one for a couple of weeks last year. Killer amp, some of the best doom and all out filth dirt I've gotten from an amp at home W/O using pedals. If I'd had the space, wasn't attached to my current stuff, and didn't have need for the stupid profit I made on the thing, I would've gladly kept it.
I'll also admit to being curious about the Marshall JTM 1 watt.... Tried it at GC for a minute. Interesting enough that I still perk up when I see one for sale, but I'd have to try it through real cabs - and I'd have to sell one of my current heads to afford it.
But to the OP, if this is just a fool around amp and you've already got stuff you like elsewhere, look hard at the Fender Champ 600 (or whatever the Gretsch model is called? Elctromatic 1234 or something?) and the Micro Terror. Champ if you want cleans, Micro Terror if you want dirt, both if you spend too much time on ILF. You can get either one in the $100-$150 range. Both are best in their class for freq response - with the little champ having a surprising amount of thump for that little 6" (TWS....). Both are cheap to ship if you're buying (or eventually selling) used. And both seem to be retaining their resale value when you get bored and need a nice vintage 100W practice amp.
