Amps- Bedroom / Recording Low Wattage Tube Power Amplifiers

relaxo

Inspired
Ok, there's the VHT 2/90/2 and the 2502 and Randall's RT2/50 etc etc etc. But what about affordable low wattage (1-20 watt) power tube amplifiers to use after the Axe FX? I record a lot in my bedroom and need something like I just described. I already own the venerable:

http://www.emerysound.com/Superbaby.html
http://www.emerysound.com/Microbaby.html
and Bassbaby

I am going to try those out today and post the results. In case you don't know, these amps are some of the the best small amps in the world and they are prices very reasonably. They are self biasing as well!!! so all owners have a 100 different tubes and we just swap them out all day. (And man, do I know the sound of each of my tube types!!!) So a Superbaby is a KT66 amp, KT88 amp, 6L6 amp, etc etc and you can get saggy rectifiers or a minute later put a Mesa stiff rectifier in or even a solid state rectifier. These point to point amps can be had for about $700 new and less than $500 on ebay and are nearing a standard now in the recording studio circuit.

But, any more low wattage amp ideas? Affordable hi Fi tube monoblocks maybe?
 
Cool. I stumbled on that site a few years ago but never looked further.

Keep us updated with your results, thanks!


Interesting comment on the bottom of the main webpage:

"Put the digital modeling fools to shame! There is no subtitute for the real deal."

Ummm... :roll:
 
I don't think it's a good idea. For the Axe-Fx you'd generally want as neutral sounding poweramp as possible to get the most variety out of its amp models. For that the best choice IMO would be the upcoming Atomic/Fractal Audio poweramp.

In any case low wattage amps won't do any good to you for home use. They usually have a distinctly different sound from the bigger ones and are still way too loud for home use.
 
Weak!

laxu said:
I don't think it's a good idea. For the Axe-Fx you'd generally want as neutral sounding poweramp as possible to get the most variety out of its amp models.
Sometimes, but the Emery Amps you can put any output tube into and switch to another every minute. A small power amp in a bedroom in essence is set up for the same reason as an Axe FX>Power amp>speaker on stage? What's the difference besides the wattage? please explain. Do you think all those stage players should just go straight to FRFR?

laxu said:
For that the best choice IMO would be the upcoming Atomic/Fractal Audio poweramp.
Fractal is going to make the best amp and/or most neutral (as you say) in the world coming out of the gate? Why is the Fractal going to be the most perfect amp ever created, please explain?

laxu said:
In any case low wattage amps won't do any good to you for home use. They usually have a distinctly different sound from the bigger ones and are still way too loud for home use.
So what if they have a different sound?!? and sometimes they don't.

Regarding the loudness, the Microbaby is 1 or 2 watts...who is that "way too loud" for?
 
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