Recommend a small apartment amp

[andrew00]

Hey,

I've just bought a place, hurrah, and it's great but tiny and my Vox AC15C1 and gear doesn't fit, basically, so I'd like to get something smaller.

Since I'll be living here most of the time I'm not really looking for something bad, i.e. this will probably become my main amp for the time being at least, so I want something that can sound good at the size.

I like my AC15C1 as it sounds great whilst clean, I generally like a clean sound with the ability to push it so it breaks up. Basically imagine The Beatles and you got the sound I like. (I don't sound like them, but I like my amp to have that kinda clean jangle a bit breaking sound so it's an obvious reference).

One thing I'm especially concerned about is not having an amp that craps out too early and basically doesn't have any cleans, aka goes into OD before it's even got going, which I understand is part and parcel of a small amp but still, I do like my cleans.

I also do like cranking it a bit so it coughs and splutters and sounds like it's about to perish, but I'm def no hard rock guy so I don't like that Marshall sound for example.

With my AC15C1 I've been blending both the Normal and Top Boost channels to give a nice even sound, bass and mids with that little extra fizz on top, it works pretty well.

I've been looking at the Vox AC4 series, esp the new Blue as it looks like it'll get the classic Vox clean + a big of something extra, aka the Top Boost. Fender also do some decent small amps too.

Basically if anyone can recommend that'd be sweet, thanks!

Oh and if it helps, pedal wise I tend to go for that thiny jangly compressed sound, with some fuzz, delay, echo and reverb in there. George to Surf to 60's Garage.

[jh45gun]

You like your amp keep it turn it down and use a pedal. Pedals are made to mimic or copy over driven tube amps or made to push amps into clipping at any volume. Blindfolded I doubt any one can tell the difference.

[andrew00]

It's not volume, as I said I've just moved to a really small but lovely place.

It's size - I can't fit my AC15C1 in, so I want something good but small.

[waparker4]

The vox ac4 might get into the sonic territory you're after but it has very limited head room even at 4w output iirc. Maybe some lower gain preamp tubes than the 12ax7 can increase the clean headroom ; has anyone tried it?

Small, under 10" speaker I can think of champ 600, silverface champ, or a princeton reissue or clone. Or vht special 6. For starters

[musicmatty]

The Fender Mustang 2 model would be ideal...check it out before you discount it as not doable for your needs...you may be surprised

[Tony474]

Have a look at the Laney VC15 - all-valve, nice and compact in size, two channels, Voxish character, seems to tick all your boxes for indoor use but giggable at a pinch. Another approach might be the Roland Cube 20X or XL; small in size, very versatile and again just about up to gig use at restrained volume levels. Both highly resaleable if and when the time should come.

[losergeek]

I get some decent vox tones out of channel 7 on my Vibro Champ XD - if you want more volume (since that doesn't seem to be your issue) then there's some good deals on the Super Champ XD right now which will give you more watts. Also a pathfinder 15r with a nice OD pedal would probably give you the range you want.

[ce24]

Originally Posted by andrew00

It's not volume, as I said I've just moved to a really small but lovely place.

It's size - I can't fit my AC15C1 in, so I want something good but small.

How big is your camper? a pignose might be the ticket on a serious note...

[stnmtthw]

A blues jr or pro jr has a lot of tone in a small package.

[Tony474]

Here's Laney's demo video for the VC15-110 I mentioned above:



There are several other clips on YouTube featuring this amp. I reckon it comes very close to what you're specifying and the price is extremely reasonable too for what you're getting - from around £329 delivered. My pal has one and is delighted with it.

[mistermullens]

I'm going to echo waparker4. A Silverface Champ or Vibro Champ will do the trick nicely. Not much bigger than the AC4 too.

[andrenighthound]

Zt lunchbox

Small, loud, clean and dirty.

[jh45gun]

Originally Posted by andrew00

It's not volume, as I said I've just moved to a really small but lovely place.

It's size - I can't fit my AC15C1 in, so I want something good but small.

Use it as a end or coffee table

[lareplus]

yeah, if you love the amp you will fit it in. . .under the bed on its back, under the dining table with a table cloth over the table. . .on top of the fridge. .

[WGD1]

If space is the issue try a Vox DA5. They are small, fun and remarkably full of good sounds.

[montanatanner]

Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 combo? I don't have one, but I hear the cleans are great, has a 10" speaker so is a bit smaller.

[TinyGomery]

Keep the amp; sell your furniture.

[Skjold]

I vote for the Yamaha THR10. I just moved into a condo and that's what I'm using now. Sounds great at low volumes, very small, looks great. Good luck finding one though. They are kind of a hot item at the moment and are selling out worldwide from what I've read on other forums. Worth tracking one down if you can.

[willspear]

Originally Posted by TinyGomery

Keep the amp; sell your furniture.

this is what Id do I sit on amps now......no joke

[jefrs]

a) a Marshal 200W Super Lead head and an 8x12 cab - basically the size of a small apartment, so you could probably live in one as a "small apartment amp", or use it as a wardrobe.

b) Laney Lionheart L5T-112, which is the same size case or slightly larger than the AC15, but is 5W and not all that quiet cranked up, but it does turn all the way down to mousefart in a civilised manner which an AC15 doesn't do. The AC15 is a hooligan, it was designed as a stage amp, it breaks up when cranked and it doesn't do quiet. The L5T can do Vox, Fender, Marshall, or even Laney. Thing is, unlike the AC15, it has normal and drive channels rather than normal and top-boost, as well as the tone-cut (reversed). But no tremolo, which is a shame but just add a Marshall VT-1 pedal for that. The L5T uses a dual-gang pot to play a trick with the cathode bias of V2 (V1b) on the drive channel so you can set the break-up at any level and still wind the volume right the way down. So it doesn't need no half power switching nor attenuators neither. Parlour amp.

It's that or a modelling amp, and if you want Vox AC15 then it has to be a Vox Valvetronix really.
The THR10 is interesting, Yamaha instruments are always more than competent.

Btw - I took a look at their promo video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=qHKWSWCRLjY, the only problem with it I have never seen a clean lab coat, labs use special laundry services to make them dirty, we only use them for dirty jobs like when changing the sump oil in the flux capacitors, and any pens always leak out into the pocket. Beard optional (due to inability to shave), tie if any should look like it has been dipped in food and then chewed. The girl should not chew that cheap lab pen because (a) they leak, (b) they are always empty because they leak. Side pockets should bulge with objects like dead batteries, rubber gloves and strange tools whose only apparent use might be sexing tortoises.