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Marshall tone at 1-3 watts ....anything new out ?

tripletime

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Messages
189
Hi Guys-

new here....

looking for the classic marshall tone in bedroom amp.

want to start by saying that I am not a newbie at all with tube amps.

I know all about the "you cant get that tone in single ended amp - needs to be push pull " and the tone is in the outputs tubes and speaker - the speakers need to breath ......etc

I know about amps that use the full circuit and output iron and built in attenuator such as the variplex from years back ...all the stuff that was going on 5 years ago I know about

all I am asking is the following :

has any low power amp come out in the last few years that was finally able to crack the code and get the correct tone ?
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
Stephenson stage hog

Extremely well made very good sounding 1 watt tone machine

well worth your looking into.

More headroom and a few more watts of power is the audio kitchen big trees. This is hands down one of the best sounding amps I’ve ever heard or played through.
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Hi Guys-

new here....

looking for the classic marshall tone in bedroom amp.

want to start by saying that I am not a newbie at all with tube amps.

I know all about the "you cant get that tone in single ended amp - needs to be push pull " and the tone is in the outputs tubes and speaker - the speakers need to breath ......etc

I know about amps that use the full circuit and output iron and built in attenuator such as the variplex from years back ...all the stuff that was going on 5 years ago I know about

all I am asking is the following :

has any low power amp come out in the last few years that was finally able to crack the code and get the correct tone ?




Why not a Marshall? :hmm

https://marshallamps.com/products/amplifiers/one-watt-series/




 

mdubya

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
1,020
You really need like 1/10th of a watt for bedroom volume. At which point tubes are a fashion accessory, imho.

My prefered low volume Marshall options:

Tech 21 British into a powered monitor will give you some of the best low volume Marshall tones imaginable. I have recorded with this exact setup, straight in. The T21 Fly Rig would probably give you even more options.

XZ59p3T.jpg


My ghetto low volume JTM45 rig is surprisingly good.

HJ2F846.jpg



Fractal AX8 if you want to spend some $$$. Has every Marshall tone imaginable and then some. I pair this with a powered XiTone wedge.

DtHzXjZ.jpg


There is always this one trick pony; Marshall Lead 12. Sounds great. The Tech 21 stuff is much more versatile, though.

3001120687662.jpg


If you have a full size Marshall, you could run it into a Fryette Power Station.

I've been through the Vox AC4 and the Marshall Class 5. I hated both.

I use the fuzz and OD808 through a Champ with pleasure.

I had a Fender Mustang I modeler ($93, brand new). I thought the British 60's model was great. The Tweed Deluxe was very good, too. Better than the AC4 or Class 5 for me.

YMMV.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Cost being the determining factor X...........it's the the X factor as it were..........value for $$ is very much debateable:hmm
Realistically, one is paying for the name and heritage.
But by golly they look spunky don't they:wow
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
There are several all tube 1-2 watt amps at all price points out there. They mostly use a single 12AU7 tube, driving each triode for a class AB push/pull power plant with 1-3 12AX7's depending on the preamp design. Some are truly amazing. There is a SS preamp 12AU7 pedal too that I saw Pete Thorn demo, AWESOME!!

I have an Vox AC4 combo that dials down to 1/10th watt and a 2 watt Lil Night Train that serve me well.
 
Last edited:

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
Stephenson stage hog

Extremely well made very good sounding 1 watt tone machine

well worth your looking into.

More headroom and a few more watts of power is the audio kitchen big trees. This is hands down one of the best sounding amps I’ve ever heard or played through.

That's a blast from the past...I've not seen one of these for sale for years.

Have you got one Mate?
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
I had one. Really great on bass. Not much on the clean side.

They’re still being made. And really do sound fantastic dirty to full grind.

audio kitchen big trees. Tops. Tops tops.
 

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
I had one. Really great on bass. Not much on the clean side.

They’re still being made. And really do sound fantastic dirty to full grind.

audio kitchen big trees. Tops. Tops tops.

Audio Kitchen....my next port of call amp wise I reckon.

I narrowly missed out on a Big Trees in a convoluted deal a couple of years ago.

Kudos for your taste Mate. :salude

For those unfamiliar with this marque..here's an amp that I really like by them..

 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
the closest i've gotten is either using my a real amp into Rivera Rockcrusher recording Attenuator into my mixer and computer and headphones or computer monitor

Or

the Tech 21 trademark 10 is AMAZING when it comes to making marshall or even mesa boogie tones at extremely low volumes. you can even get like pinch harmonics and stuff... its pretty cool

I know there are some people who can give me an amen on that thing

you can get them for under two hundred bucks (I just saw one on reverb)

that audio kitchen big trees thing looks cool as hell!
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
the Tech 21 trademark 10 is AMAZING when it comes to making marshall or even mesa boogie tones at extremely low volumes. you can even get like pinch harmonics and stuff... its pretty cool

I know there are some people who can give me an amen on that thing

you can get them for under two hundred bucks (I just saw one on reverb)

I was going to mention the Trademark 10. I brought mine to a small jam (no drummer) recently and was disappointed in it, but that's because I was going for a cleaner Fender type of tone. It's not great at that. It gets decent Marshall tones, though. I bought mine used for $75.
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
I was going to mention the Trademark 10. I brought mine to a small jam (no drummer) recently and was disappointed in it, but that's because I was going for a cleaner Fender type of tone. It's not great at that. It gets decent Marshall tones, though. I bought mine used for $75.

Yes agree w that
 

AA00475Bassman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
Marshall Studio 15 played with speaker plugged into head phone jack . My first choice !

Marshall Lead 12 for some great tone .

Vox AC4 1/4 watt setting .

These are some I use .

There is some really great loud alternatives , I would go to some shops, the internet sound clips are only as good as the device you use IMO a phone or a computer is no way to judge a amp .
 

Stephens

Active member
Joined
Dec 30, 2001
Messages
438
There are several all tube 1-2 watt amps at all price points out there. They mostly use a single 12AU7 tube, driving each triode for a class AB push/pull power plant with 1-3 12AX7's depending on the preamp design. Some are truly amazing. There is a SS preamp 12AU7 pedal too that I saw Pete Thorn demo, AWESOME!!

I have an Vox AC4 combo that dials down to 1/10th watt and a 2 watt Lil Night Train that serve me well.

Big Al- curious if are you running your AC4 stock? I've replaced the 12AX7 with a 12AU7 (for slightly lower gain) and replaced the speaker with a Weber 10 inch Alnico Blue. But I have a love/hate relationship with it. It seems to really only sound good to my ears with my '52 Tele reissue. When I use my R9, it just doesn't do it for me.
 

Mr. Papa

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
1,418
Has anyone had success with the Z Vex tiny amp thing? I think it's 1 watt.
 

Progrocker111

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
4,013
Don't dismiss larger amps with a well designed master volume either.

This. After countless tests of many small 1-5 w combos still the best sounding home rig for me is my cranked 72 Hiwatt DR103 halfstack paired with good OD pedal with volume set to nearly zero. Still many Hiwatt signature tone are jumping out, sounds much bigger than these small 1x10 or 1x12 combos and overall the feeling is much closer to real big cranked amp than these small amps. :)
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
Those Nano guitar amps are a total one trick pony. If you’re looking for noisy buzzy, spitty distortion, then you’ll be happy.

The zvex nano stereo amp sounds great. The guitar amp? Not so much.
 

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
For home playing...I'd rather play a small amp flat out, straight in, than a big amp dialled to a whisper, any day of the week.

Different tools for different jobs.

This..

IPNC3mT.jpg


over this...

hecAPyp.jpg


every time.
 
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