What is the ultimate bedroom tube amp?

[Victor]

I haven't touched my guitar in a year, but now I have some free time, and I'm trying to get back into it. I'm moving to an apartment soon, so I want to trade my current amp for a more neighbor-friendly one. I'm looking for an all-tube amp with one or less watts (or an attenuator to bring it to that level). Here is a list that I've compiled. Please tell me if I missed anything.

• Vox AC4TV, AC4TV8, AC4 Mini (4W - .1W)
• Bugera V5 (5W - .1W)
• Blackheart BH1H Killer Ant (.25W)
• VHT Special 6 Ultra (6W - ?)
• Blackstar HT-1, HT-1R (1W)

[Chuck H]

We pretty much build amps here. There are some very good 1watt- offerings at the AX84 site if you don't mind soldering. Otherwise I would say just get what sounds best to you (in any wattage) and buy a good attenuator.

[tedmich]

people really like the VHT S6U, as it brings the gain and an inefficient speaker, ideally ported with no tweeter, gives the best low volume tone IME.

Some like modeling amps into headphones or POS...I mean POD..feh!

[stormbringer]

What is your price range? There are lots of excellent amps with power scaling or VVR to get decent tone at low volumes. Those amps cost much more than a Blackheart. You can even find modded Blackhearts (e.g., by Rat Valve Amps).

Get something that sounds good, then look into tricks for running it at low volumes.

[Chuck H]

Like buying something you like and using a good attenuator...

Attenuators and power scaling do pretty much allow the sound of a cranked amp because it IS a cranked amp. But, the lack of volume also plays a roll in whats lost using these devices. That same lack of volume exists by using the mini watt type amps too, so it's a wash IMHO. If you just buy what you like in a more typical power range and an attenuator you'll still have an amp you can use for a gig, should it ever come up. Of course if you go with a mini watt type amp you'll have much lower tube replacement costs. Probably between $18 (pair of el84's) and $50 (pair of el34's) every six months to a year for a 15 to 50 watt amp depending on how much you crank it. A mini watt type amp would be a single preamp type tube at around $15 a year I suppose. Then there's the initial cost of the amp or project. Small costs less, bigger costs more. Added to the cost of a bigger amp is the fact that good attenuators aren't cheap either. A 5e3 type "kit" amp with a simple resistive attenuator built in could be done for around $800, but it's a real amp of excellent quality. Where most of the mini watt types are under $200 made as chincy as possible. Then there's the used amp market for both amps and attenuators...

JM2C

[MWJB]

Having built a couple of bedroom amps & consulted on a couple more, I'm finding 0.1W to 0.25W to be a good range if you're not going to disturb neighbours in the next apartment. Given the OP's options in the first post, I'd go with the Blackstar 1W, it seems to use a ECC82/12AU7 power tube...if you double the speaker load you could probably use a ECC81/12AT7 power tube to cut power further - check with Blackstar, but in my experience they are not very "chatty" ;-).

Sure, attenuating down a bigger amp is a viable option but most amps that you would gig with would need massive attenuation (repercussions tone-wise) to be noise friendly in the typical apartment, plus if you are taking the amp out regularly it means a lot of plugging in/out/resetting. You could lso use a larger amp with a speaker load/emulator box, DI'd out, feeding something to give room friendly volume. But the nice thing about a tiny amp is that it can stay permanently set up, if it has a line out/slave ability then you can also take it out & gig it through a PA/bigger slave amp.

[stormbringer]

another consideration would be the amount of preamp gain you are looking for in your amp. If you play with lots of preamp distortion, you could get a relatively low power amp with a master volume. Baron Custom Amps has a low-power unit called the Snott Watt. There are some impressive clips on youtube.

A different option would be to play your guitar through your computer using garageband or amplitude.

[Csquare4]

That is purely a perception thing. Depends on your circumstances. My wife considers the perfect bedroom amp to be the one that powers my Guild acoustic. I consider it to be my JTM45 driven into the "hairy" zone and cut with a few dB of external attenuation. My neighbors, though I haven't asked, probably side with my wife.

[Chuck H]

Well, if it's perception... I use my main amp, a 20 watter, balls out whenever I can and attenuate it when I can't. This allows me to use the same amp and settings for recording and performance with a better feel for what's going to happen on stage when I hang a note or go for a specific feedback harmonic, etc. Closing the windows and doors is usually enough for neighbors unless you live in an apartment... Or play your amp in your front yard.

If you live in an apartment your almost limited to headphones. It's impossible to get apartment neighbors to tolerate ANYTHING they can hear from other units. They'll complain if you run your TV too loud.

I don't envy any guitar player living in an apartment. I did it in my youth because I had too. I found a band to play with as quick as possible just so I would have a place to play my guitar. I got lucky there too. The drummer had a sound padded detached garage and gave me free access any time. We played together for almost ten years... Good times.

[Ramsay]

Attenuators sucks the tone (I have one).
It is much better to buy a small power tube instead of a attenuator.
But, too small tube amps only is usefull for headphones, because the volume is too low and not worth it.
So, the VHT Special 6 Ultra would be the ideal amp, but still high volume for bedrom use.
So I suggest the Blackstar HT-1.

[Chuck H]

Attenuators sucks the tone (I have one).

I really tire of hearing this. How exactly do they suck tone??? My own attenuator is home made and uses an active load but is still variable power via a resistance. So it's technically a combination resistive and reactive device. There is a difference between cranked and full attenuation. Just like there's a difference between the tone of my 20 watt amp and some little half watt Chinese made junker. Half the battle is VOLUME. You can never have all the tone of your loud amp at quiet attenuated levels BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS LOUD. Just like a little half watt amp is not as loud. It's when you lose volume that you lose tone. And you lose volume with either an attenuator OR a cheapy mini watt thing. At least with the attenuator you still have a real amp when you remove or bypass it. With a mini watt thing you get a bedroom amp and that's all. There are many proponents for the mini watt thing but tell me this... If you normally play through, say, a 5f6a Bassman but it's too loud for home practice, will you get closer to your tone at bedroom levels by attenuating the Bassman or by switching to a mass produced mini watt thing with a completely different circuit and gain structure???

If your attenuator dissapoints you that much then I guess it does suck (tone). But I don't think all attenuators are created equal. Then again, I've used purely resistive attenuators with acceptible results. Acceptible being a relative term. When I consider the option of attenuating the amp I want to play through or buying some little Chinese unitasking turd I usually opt for the attenuator.

Rant over

[MWJB]

I don't agree that when you lose volume that you lose tone....I feel, when discussing separate amps (rather than trying to make one amp work at all dB levels) they can be pretty separate criteria. You may lose the physical impact of a certain amount of dB, or pushing a soundwave of a certain Sq. inches, but the "tone" (in terms of harmonics, overdrive etc.) can be excellent...maybe not identical to a large amp (inevitably, gain structure, method of bias etc may be different - but then so will attenuating a 20W amp down to 1/4W) but certainly "ball park". For bedroom/apartment levels it's going to be very difficult to attenuate a 5F6A, even a 5E3, to the point where you are making <1VAC at the speaker. The HT1, with the 12AU7 power tube, may only still be half as loud as a champ and still pretty loud for daytime use with neighbours just through the adjoining wall...so even that might require some attenuation. Plus as the signal voltages drop to <2-3VAC then attenuators & headphone hook ups become simpler and cheaper to implement.

My 2x6SL7 amp can be played with a "grown up tone" at volumes barely louder than that which I have the TV, certainly quieter than the HiFi, ditto for my 12AT7 powered amp. A good friend of mine converted his 6SN7 amp to take a 6SL7, loved the tone of the latter...but found it TOO quiet. I guess here is where the perception issue comes in, some folks need to hit a certain dB level to excite them...if that is more than your neighbours can stand then your screwed every which way.

[Chuck H]

some folks need to hit a certain dB level to excite them...if that is more than your neighbours can stand then your screwed every which way.

Or they are

[MWJB]

Ha ha, indeed!

[Chuck H]

I'm lucky to live in the woods with my nearest nieghbor about 800' away. It's when the wife is home that I must attenuate.

I don't want to be a scrooge. I actually think it would be fun to build a mini watt amp. I've had the idea since a little before the Nano amp came out and the AX84 moonlight designs were popular. I just never got around to it. But it would be a sort of novelty to me. Like giant sunglasses or those 10oz. beers. I figured to design it with a built in switchable load so that it could be used as a preamp as well as a mini amp.