Unsurprisingly, the amp’s beefy E元4 preamp tubes (rather than the more common EL84s) offer up plenty of crunch, and for even more, you can engage the pull-boost on the gain pot (or with a footswitch) to push it even further. There’s classic Marshall tube tones and styling combined with a bunch of useful contemporary features, such as power switching, an effects loop and a DI-out. The Origin’s name and aesthetics suggest a recreation of a truly old-school Marshall, but in fact, this amp should please both traditionalists and modernists. + Footswitchable pull-boost for two-channel-style operation Its standalone version provided a powerful and clean way of amplifying a preamp or a pedalboard, and so pairing it with a quality preamp stage from Orange is an easy path to amplifier happiness.ĭescription: Solid-state amplifier head voiced after the Orange Rockerverb The power-amp stage is actually just the Orange Pedal Baby 100, integrated into the output stage of the amp. There’s more than enough gain on tap for the crushing, thick metal tones the Rockerverb is famous for, but the amp will stay sparkly clean at high volumes if you need it to. There’s no digital amp modelling here, in fact, the only digital part of the signal chain is the reverb. Iterating on the well-received Crush Pro, the Super Crush uses JFET transistors rather than op-amps to more accurately capture the vibe of a tube amplifier, and comes complete with a dirty and a clean channel. The recently-announced Super Crush 100 head from orange is a great option for those looking for the volume and presence of a Rockerverb – for a third of the price. Tube or solid-state: Tube Orange Super Crush 100 It does go slightly above the $500 mark, but its sheer versatility earns its place on this list.ĭescription: Small fully-featured two-channel tube combo Tube-wise, the HT5R MkII has a 12AX7 in the preamp and a 12BH7 in the power amp. Two channels – clean and overdrive – inbuilt reverb, the brand’s patented ISF feature, three-band tone stack, a USB audio out, XLR DI out, and a power reduction switch to take you down to 0.5 watts are its standout features. The HT5R MkII condenses all of Blackstar’s most renowned features into a compact five-watt combo with a 12-inch speaker. – International pricing means its above-budget for US buyers + Effects loop for more headroom in a low-watt amp Tube or solid-state: Solid-state Blackstar HT-5R MkII Guitar Amp Combo Thanks to the effects loop, you can also leverage this power with the preamp of your choice.ĭescription: Digital modelling combo with a wide range of amplifier models and effectsĮffects: Banks of drive, boost, modulation, delay and reverb effects There’s also double the number of amp sounds compared to MkI, thanks to the new ‘Variation’ function.Īnd, with a 100-watt power stage and two 12-inch speakers, it’s more than powerful enough for large gigs.
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If you’re yet to collect a wardrobe full of effects pedals, there’s also a handful of onboard options available, and you can have five engaged at a time. However, that’s not unwarranted – this iteration is especially easy to recommend, with its updated amplifier models, reliability and power. The BOSS Katana’s well-regarded status as an affordable, giggable all-rounder has made it almost a meme in some guitar circles – forever recommended to any newcomer looking for their first amplifier. However, if you’re looking for a low-volume amplifier for home, studio or even live use, a budget of $500 will get you some great low-power tube options, perfect for cranking in order to get that luscious valve distortion. Is sheer volume what you need? Quality 100-watt tube amps tend to be far more expensive than their solid-state counterparts. This is especially important when you’re on a budget. READ MORE: The best solid-state amplifiers to buy this year.READ MORE: The best tube amplifiers to buy this year.Instead consider the intended application of your amp to best choose between heated glass and cool silicon. It’s best not to get into heated debate as to which is better. This list comprises both tube and solid-state amps. Enthusiasts can easily spend thousands on a new amplifier, but that doesn’t mean you have to drain your bank account to get hold of a solid amplifier. As you dive further into the world of guitar amps you might have noticed something: they can get very expensive.