Best Guitar Amps For Recording (Jan 2023 Update)

I bought a Fender Champion XL 50 for a small light weight amp to bring to local jam sessions. I have to say I am not disappointed. I know there's no comparing solid state to tubesl when it comes to filling up a room with sound but this little amp cranks. It's closest competition is the Boss Katana and those are really nice. I like the ones I've played, but I'm really into that clean Fender sound and this amp has it in spades. You get the full range of cleans, from black or silver faces to tweeds. There's overdrive and high gain models in there too but as I said it's the cleans that sold me. It is a two channel amp, but I'm not sure why anyone would use the first channel as tall the digital goodies are on the second. That being said, the digital reverb in this amp has a bit of a whistle I don't like. Instead I used the chorus on the amp and a Boss Fender Reverb pedal. If your playing on a stage lugging around a forty pound tube amp may be the thing to do, but for sitting around a garage with friends this amp will save your back and please your ears.ADarkBard

I usually don't leave comments, but feel I must let the frustrated AMP user know, yes Jessica there IS a Santa Claus! Was looking for an AMP that was "SIMPLE" – On channel 1 ONLY the volume is usable, I didn't check but probably the Bass & treble too! On Channel 1 the gain control is set and turning the knob does nothing, and none of the FX are accessible! I was so busy checking out Channel 2 that I didn't check to see if Treble & Bass could be adjusted. You have 12 "Voice Settings" and 13 FX Selections. So I checked out all 12 Voice Settings combined with all 13FX settings – add this to checking these out with a single coil Strat and a Jazz/Full Shred Charvel DK24. I feel this is one of the BEST choices I have made in electric guitar choices! The AMP sound CLEAN!!!! I Imagine Channel 1 would be great with an Accoustic as well! Don't have one though! Channel 2 is GREAT and I don't need any more than it has to offer. It is so uncomplicated & stress free! If you are an expert guitar player and can concentrate more on AMP settings, rather than playing, then go for the Katana 50 MKII, or the VOX Cambridge. I was thinking hard on all three. When I got to GC I had pretty much decided on the Fender Champion 50XL. The VOX Cambridge is $150 to $160 more, with only $10 between the Fender & Katana. Since what is on the AMP is all my mind can handle, I decided to go with the Fender 50XL. It has to be on of the simplest AMPS to operate. I do have an Ibanez Tube Screamer, and if I have a need I can look at other pedals down the road. I do plan on getting a Cry Baby! Latter down the road I might get more pedals, but for right now this AMP has all I need. The Celestion Speaker sound GREAT! I couldn't be happier – it is as loud as I need – It's EASY to learn – NONE of the settings sounded muddy, muffled, or shrill. If I was going to get an AMP that needs a lot of downloading, I would have gone with the VOX Cambride. Glad I traded in my old AMP!Karl, M

Great overall amp. The obvious comparison is the Boss Katana 50. I tried both and I found I could dial in a sound I like from the Champion easier than the Katana. The Katana has way more features and the connect-ability. I prefer just plug in and playing which was far easier with the Champion. One of the largest selling points for me was the headphone jack feature for silent playing. The Champion has it right in front of the control panel and it's a 3.5mm jack. The Katana has one but its on the back and it's a 1/4inch jack which would require an adapter to 3.5mm. The location and the fact that it's 1/4in jack gave the Champion the edge. I also preferred that taller design of the Champion. It made it more comfortable to reach and adjust. Some of the cons are the knobs. especially for the "voice" and the "fx-select". A rotary knob would make it far easier to select the presets. Fender does provide a 3 color LED light that changes when you reach the next model or effect. However, a rotary knob that stops at the preset would be a better. Another con is that the reverb effect is combined with chorus and delay. I would much prefer it to be on it's own rather than combined. This is something that the Katana has. Overall the Champion is great for home use and I would recommend it to someone that wants a good amp that is easy to just plug and play. If you want more effects and enjoy experimenting then the Boss Katana would be a better choice.E. Bran

This amp is versatile and easy to use stand-alone. It has a great selection of amp models built-in, along with enough effect and delays so that you can find something that you like fairly quickly. I like the clean and boutique models with some reverb. Then I played around with the other models, adjusting settings and effects. You can adjust everything on the amp, not necessary to connect a computer. I did find it confusing initially due to all the different methods required, i.e. "press a button", "press and hold", "press for 2 seconds", etc. That's why I read the manual a few times! Line6 puts a nice 2-sided "cheat sheet" on top of the amp around the carrying handle which is a lot easier than flipping through small pieces of paper staring at small font printing. So don't remove the amp-topper sheet and toss it in the box with the rest of the packing material :-). The best feature of the Catalyst amp is the manual channel. This is WYSIWYG. Adjust the knobs and controls just like a "regular"amp. You can then save the settings once you get something you like. In the future I will connect the amp to the computer and see what else you can do. Right now I am quite happy with the Catalyst amp and I highly recommend it. Go get one!Gene

After suffering a disabling back injury I needed an amp that was easier and lighter to move and set up than the tube amp combos I was used to playing through. I never cared much for the solid state amps as they could never duplicate the warmth a tube amp provided and was considering retiring from live performance altogether. Then I heard about the Catalyst series of amps and decided to try them out and was amazed! My bandmates were as well, telling me how much more clean and clear my sound was. Programming channels was a snap ( just follow the "cheat sheet on top of the amp and read the manual) and the manual button provides the familiarity of a regular amp, and at a third of the weight of my Blackstar 40 watt tube combo I can continue to perform without dealing with debilitating back pain from moving a 70 pound amp. I was so impressed I went back to GC and got the 60 watt Catalyst as well for home and playing at open mic and jams. I couldn't be happier with these amps and am grateful for the help and guidance the folks at Guitar Center in Concord Ca. always provide.Stephen

I have a few amps that I'm selling and a couple that need work – I picked up this Catalyst 60 on a whim so I'd have something reliable and portable while I'm moving amps around my local used market – but I'm super impressed with this amp and am probably going to upgrade to the 100w model! (In fact, I'll get two because I play in stereo!) I found it impossible to get a bad sound out of this, I plugged in direct with my Vox Virage DC and tried all the possible pickup combinations and did not want to stop playing. Great cleans, great crunch. The higher gain amp settings had me revisiting the metal riffs of my youth, haha. I haven't dived into the software editor because: I haven't needed to. This thing sounds great out of the box.FitzG

Based on a friend's recommendation, I purchased a new Boss Katana 100 MK 2 in June 2021. The first thing that impressed me was it's power…it seemed to be a real 100 watts in a portable and lightweight package. I was able to dial in some useful tube-like tones right from the start with the clean channel. The Katana warmed up quickly to single coil or hum bucking pickups. The tone "variations" are also very useful for dialing in the right sounds to your liking. The delay adds the right amount of sparkle to your overall sound…very cool! Unfortunately, I was not able to get much help from the Boss Tone Studio when I downloaded it to the amp. (The response was: "Amp not connected"). Another disappointment is no Boss Tone Studio for iOS users…really guys? The required Boss foot switch is another issue…look online to see pedal "hacks" that use standard one-button or two-button formats. (Save a few bucks with a regular pedal). All in all: I'm very pleased with the amp. The line-in is a great feature to use with backing tracks along with the headphone jack for late night practicing. The basic amp tones has a realistic tube texture that reminds me of Marshall, Fender or Vox models.Scotty, M.

I have had the 50 watt for several months which is a great amp, but decided I wanted more foot switching options provided by the GA-FC controller. I figured if I was to buy the 100 watt it might as well be a 2X12. The 100 2X12 sounds awesome. And it is really loud to play at home even on the .5 watt setting. I'm tired of messing with tube amps and effect pedals so the Boss Katana series is just what I need. I have not dived in to the software and deep settings on either amp yet. These are apparently had to get. SAM Ash had it on backorder from Boss. The web and phone support at SAM Ash is great. Chris from phone support helped me complete the order and was super knowledgeable and helpful throughout. He even called me back a couple of times to update status and follow up once it was delivered. Oh… And the 2X12 is way heavier and bigger than the 1X12.Pupster

I'm a Fender fan to the core. I love their electric guitars and amps but their Amps aren't even affordable anymore. They've completely out priced themselves and either you are going to pay for a severely overpriced bare bones amp or a severely overpriced amp with far more electronics than a lot of us care to deal with. This is a great sized combo amp that's easy to use and has a great sound and plenty of power and all at a great price!!! There is no reason Fender couldn't do more of this…combo's that aren't easy to use with plenty of effects and a fair price for blue collar musicians. I used a Fender Princeton Chorus combo this same size mic'd through a sound system for over two decades and it started having issues. This was the closest amp I could get (and afford). The 100 has everything you need in a combo amp and at a fraction of the price of everything else Fender makes. Buy it! You won't be disappointed!Josh

I bought this amp because my gig amp died a cyber twin 2-12s 100 watts that was about 16 years old. I have had many Fender amps they were great. I do country and 50s and 60s rock and roll. I figured 100 watts would put it out there and it does. At performing volume, the distortion is a pure heavy metal on the clean channel. Mine is not much good for high volume for my type of music. I have an old champion 110 75 watt that I will be using It has worked for me when the others were down. Not sure what to do.stev_majo

Sound: With the second channel .First it had the twin reverb and super sonic voicing with a chain loop for pedals I was set on that alone. When it got to the house and realized I didn't need my pedal chain and it sounds amazing even though ill still use my pedals here and there. The bassman, tweeds , Princeton all clean or dirty are amazing to play . again to get those sounds with out the tubes and speakers is amazing.. You get volumes that punch against you that are clear without any nasty whitenoise or unwanted sounds. the dirty settings added with the compression build in make all that possible. Outta all my guitars I enjoy to plug into this amp .My 63 firebird , g400 s.g. and my jaguar Ease of Use: Its real easy for me to get the sounds I need .I'm well aware of all the amps they used for the voicing.For new players it might take a little to understand but with no time you'll understand how to dial it in and add the right effects to the amp models to get those amazing fender amps . Quality: Only had it for a week but as for holding it up and down 3 flights of stairs at the studio in Philadelphia id say the strap is well build . Speakers have not blown but I have not had to dial all the way up amps loud as it is half way . Value: yes it is im surprised its not another $100 more.Wish more companies would do this. Manufacturer Support: No problems yet . But in the past fender has always been amazing to me. Overall: (DON'T LET THE $399 TRICK YOU)When dialed up there are so many different fender amps you have here. First off the blackface style clean channel is just amazing. id say that its a twin or deluxe especially when you dial in the spring reverb only thing missing to call it that are the speakers/tubes but fender has made it very clear they can accumulate that sound with out the tubes . I know the tubes will make a difference but not much to this amp unless you have the trained ear for tubes you can't tell.The 2nd channel with all the voice modeling Id say every setting is 99.7 spot on with the models . I love this amp .After watching a few videos online of the 100 I decided to go with it .My friend has the champion 50 so I have already played through this style of amp. When I saw the 2×12 combo version with a double channel pedal it was set in stone . I love combos more than any kind of amp . I came on zZounds looking for an amp to hit the road to the higher states of the new England area of the states in November and December and a long ride from New Jersey to Chicago and Milwaukee in January . the amazing price for a well build and sounding amp there was no way i wasn't gonna leave the website with out another toy.So after adding to the card I headed over to guitars and ordered the squier 70s classic vibe jaguar .One of my favorite things about this amp is I don't have to change out the speakers to get that sound I want. its easy for me to use because I know how to dial in the right sounds to get the sound of the amps in amp unit.Mike

I bought this amp after not playing for a couple years, been playing around with it for about 4 months before writing this review and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with it. At first I loved it because of the on board delay effect and I still find it to be a fun addition to this amp. Onto the bad, the eq knob doesn't adjust the tone as much as I had hoped and the overdrive isn't adjustable. If you're gonna play clean this is a great practice amp but if you're looking for a cheap amp that does a lot of things this ain't it palBrandon I

Super clean tones and the built in delay is hella cool! Always love purchasing from AMS, the payment plans are the only way I can buy the gear I want/need!very fast shipping and customer service is always superior. Would recommend this amp for anyone practicing in an apartment like myself. I’m was surprised at how powerful the 10 watts sounds when I have it cranked.Evan

It's not a bad little practice amp. There's not a lot lot of range on it, but it doesn't boast to be. It has a fairly nice clean channel. The overdrive is a bit lackluster, but it offers a decent little punch. Speakers sound good. They have a good sound just using this as a speaker for an MP3 player through the AUX in. If you're looking for nice cleans and a decent little rock sound in a small form this will do the trick. The AUX and headphone jacks are a nice touch, and do their job. If you're looking for a more heavier sound I would suggest the 15e for a couple of dollars more. Definitely not disappointed.Charlie

This Amplifier is all I will ever need for my electric guitar. I love the sound! I have to be careful with my neighbors as they can hear it and I don't have it turned up that loud. I am 58 and don't like things that loud but when playing I might get a little louder than normal. It has a lot of different settings and I pretty much stick with a basic sound. I thought it was a great price for a quality amp. It fits nicely in my small room.wallyjc

I had been reading a lot of good things about line6 amps so I decided to give one a try. Let me tell ya I'm glad I did. This thing sounds great and has some cool efects. I would recommend to every one that is looking to buy a new amp to give line6 a try. You will not be disapointed!turkeyhunter-2012

This one has gone end of life – but new at a great price, this amp is killer. Great sounds and tone. Super loud volume. I bought footpedal separately to control it remotely – a big win. Glad I go this to play with!zappajesus

I was excited to procure this battery/ac amp at a fair price, so I bought a used one listed as "great condition." These amps are hard to find on the used market and ZT told me in an email production has ceased for this model until Q2 2022. The amp was indeed in semi-great condition except for a small puncture in the foam of the 5" speaker which buzzed. Quality control was obviously lacking as it's noticeable while playing the bass strings on an electric guitar irrespective of where the ZT's tone control is set. Accessing the speaker simply requires removing the grill without tools and applying a bit of speaker glue to the damaged part of the cone. I did it myself instead of returning it to GC, which I would have pondered if ZT wasn't horrendously backlogged. These amps sound stellar for home, busking, or as a personal stage monitor. I have two of them for a stereo pedalboard and Rick-O-Matic guitar. I have a DI on my pedalboard. I wouldn't mic the ZT. Conversely, the active tone control has excessive bass for the small speaker to handle, and I suspect many amps result in ripped cones if played loudly with the tone control at less than 12:00.Ed

The sweet analog tone coming from this little guy really inspires me to play & practice. Great cleans but the real surprise is it has the best grind of any solid state amp I ever played when pushed. This amp reacts very much like a valve amp. I owned a 200w lunchbox and like the tone of the junior more.tony f

I was well aware of the dimensions of the thing before it arrived, but opening the box and actually holding it is still pretty shocking. I found it to be small on a scale that it left it hard to believe that it would be functional for more than a practice amp. I accepted that the small size could be handy but expectation of sound quality was suddenly diminished. I stand corrected. The sound is excellent. It is definitely more than a curiosity that is smaller than a breadbox. It will put out a substantial amount of volume with a substantial low end range that was a tremendously satisfying surprise. For my modest needs, it far exceeds my expectations. I would like to note, for jazz guitarists I think you'll find this to be a surprisingly versatile and capable tool, not just a toy.Bliss

I've been looking at modeling amps for awhile. Have a little Fender Mustang that I really liked, but wanted something a little more versatile and that had enough power for gigging. Tried the new model Mustangs, but I just didn't hear that great a difference in sound quality and the choice of presets just didn't impress me. Things that did impress me about the Peavey – 27 amp models (54 if you count clean/dirty as two amps), plus all the stomp boxes and effects – a balanced direct out that can go direct to the DAW or a mixer – the "power sponge" knob on the back to dial up the warmth Now that I've had it a few days, here are my observations – I wouldn't call the interface a "snap" to learn, but you can figure everything out in a day or two, that's not bad given all that it does – once you figure it out, using the computer interface is the best way to modify the presets in the amp – instructions are non-existent so be prepared for a learning curve – I've been able to dial in great sounds for each of my guitars. I've got a very nice Gibson 339, but I've never been happy with the tone – I found the compressor stop ahead of the Matchless amp to be very tasty – I play mostly folk and folk rock. I really like the Peavy fat acoustic ahead of either the Orange Clean or the Plexi clean to be a great sound (who knew?) – I haven't yet gotten the cabinet simulator to sound like I want – too much bass. I've had to change up the EQ on the presets to get close. So that's s work in progress. – the amp is heavier than I'd like. I'm not a kid anymore and I'm trying to keep road gear to a minimum – Peavey really touts the Sanpera pedal, but it's pretty pricey. I'd like to find a pedal that just controls the presets – don't know if there is one. Overall, very versatile amp packed with great tones. I'm a happy camper.RIM

The distortion on this thing is AMAZING! There are amp models that just scream! The Diezel, Dual Rect, Plexi & JTM45 are really nice! The Sanpera controller is a must if you want to use the Looper function. You can assign effect parameters to the foot controllers – say you want to control delay feedback or depth – assign it. You want to control the drive on the Wylde OD – assign it. Up to 3 different effect parameters per pedal so you can assign 6 different parameters if you want. This amp is a very overlooked product! No reviews on YouTube except a couple & Peavey has a series of How To's that you can watch which are really good. I bought it 3yrs ago & it's just a beast man! 100 Watts LOUD – no problems getting loud like some amp modelers out there! Built in power sponge so you can go 100W down to 1W & everywhere in between. Definitely a sleeper out there & the distortion is just INCREDIBLE!Gear-a-holic

Still figuring this amp out. I currently use a Kemper for live shows, but wanted something a little less expensive to gig with. It took a few hours to find the noise gate and the boost level. It also took a while to store presets as well. The Sanpera Pro is a must with the V Pro, and has everything laid out. The boost is top left which is a little inconvenient The dirty sounds are good, but sound similar. The 12 string model is awesome. I plan to gig with it, and should be able to find it since there are many amp combinations and can use up to 4 at a time. I plan to do a real tutorial on YouTube in the near future because some of the stuff is hard to find. Unfortunately there are no head versions.Frank werner

Took them a while, but Boss have blown the competition out of the water with an amp that sounds as great as it is versatile, and provides an amazing platform that’s as at home in the studio as it is in the rehearsal room.Zach G.

I was lent this amp from a pal before buying one. Really really like it. The vocals are superb and the guitar voicings are really handy. I play an uke, acoustic, semi acoustic guitar thru it and get a great sound. Recently got a Jazzmaster Single Coil and running this thru the amp on our mains get a hell of a lot of noise. However, running it thru the battery all the noise is gone. This is normal apparently. My daughter has used it for busking and it does a great job. RecommendedReviewed by Andertons Music Co.

This busking amp is perfect. I have already performed with it 5 times and my colleagues are all jealous. I love its' longevity. I love that it has alternative sonic settings ie. distortion. I love that I can accompany myself with two mics, or play with a friend. 100% would recommend.C-stine

I just used this amp at an outdoor gig lawn type affair, lots of people. Guitar and vocals. I dreaded dragging my PA system and all the stuff that goes with it so I just took the Cube. It gave plenty of coverage and good sound. I had no complaints everyone could hear me. No I was not blowing the solo cups off tables but it was plenty loud enough. And to mention I was loaded in and out in no time. I felt like I was forgetting something. (I used the pedals I usually use for guitar and my Boss simple harmony pedal that has effects also). Use the guitar setting on the amp and then play with the volume and gain knobs to get your desired volume. I had the 50 watt one long time ago but never needed the full 50 watts and it was heavier. Don't discount this amp because it's only five watts.AZ Solo

I've been playing night clubs, Casinos, Hot Rod Runs, Bike Runs, weddings, parties, and everything since 1979. I used to use 2 Fender Twin Reverbs with Celestian G-12-65's and a rack of effects processors (to run STEREO), with a octopus of wiring to set up at every gig, plus an octopus of switches and stomp boxes and wall warts on power sttrips on the floor. Set up time and tear down time took hours. Sometimes all that wiring maze would pick up the 60 cycle hum, and what a mess locating the buzz! After a gig I had to set all that stuff up again at my home studio to practice. Sometimes there was no time… In 1996 I bought a Line 6 Flextone 2-12 (stereo) and that changed everything. It ended all the major problems and electrical buzzes. I programmed the Flextone right next to my Fender Twins and matched the tones exactly on the Flextone. WOW! No more Octopus Monster and Heavy Gear! I have since had a Spider III HD 120 with 412 bottom, 2 Spider III 210 combo's a Spider Valve 100 head, and recently a Spider IV 120 210. I Use the Spider iii 120 210 and Spider IV 120 210 amps on stage exclusively, with an FBV floorboard. Very Simple for stage and Awesome Sound everywhere I play! But again, many times my gear is loaded in a trailer, or at the venue and I need something that sounds like my Spider IV,,, so I got a Spider IV 15 watt. I quickly dialed in my 6o's Fender Reverb Tone for Country and Surf Tone on Ch 1, my StevieRay Vaughan "Little Wing" tone on Ch 2, The Stevie Ray Vaughan Roto-Vibe Tone on Ch 3, and a Van Halen tone on the Insane CH 4. I'm good to go! The only thing missing, is that the larger Spider Amps have a separate Reverb knob and the Spider 15 shares either the Echo Delay or reverb on the same knob, so you can't have both to smooth out the delay. It's one or the other on the Delay or the Reverb, but that's not a big deal on a great practice amp, that i could use onstage if I had a mishap with my other amps. Sounds best when you aren't pushing the master all the way to the max. Crank it up, dial in your tones, then back it off about 7 on the Channel Volumes, match them, and run the master at about 6 or 7. I can switch the channels with my FBV Floorboard and use it for practicing in real small rooms with a band. If it's not loud enough…Mic it! The tones I use are there and I can pack this amp in 2 minutes and walk out with my guitar without breaking my back with the heavier stuff. Fits right on my front seat. Done Deal! If it's your first amp, it's probably the best starter amp for the money, and for me, I have my tones dialed in for practice anywhere with no hassles.Kenny

Ups dropped it off yesterday, and it is everything I hoped, but better. The metal and insane channels are perfect. The clean is gorgeous, for a sort of metal clean tone. If you want to play a lot of Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, you might be better off with a Vypyr. but if you want Mettallica and Crue, to A7X, back to AC/DC and Aerosmith, youll love it. The metal channel is heavy as hell, and can still get up and throw piercing highs and mids. Everything is tight and punchy as hell. The biggest thing that shocked me was the clarity at seemingly stupid volumes for such a small amp. MF was out of stock when I ordered it, and I still had it in 7 days with free shipping. I highly recommend this amp to all metalheads. Thanks Musicians Friend and Line 6. RNFRJag

Very satisfied with this guitar amp. It has a lot of great effects, like flanger, reverb, tremolo, and tape echoes (to name a few). It's very fun to mess around with settings to create great spacey sounds and heavy, sludgy tones. It's also very easy to use. The amplifier also has very useful features, like a built-in tuner and a "save" feature, where the amp can save and remember four different settings at the push (and hold) of a button. It has great tone, volume, and variety, and it picks up things like pinch harmonics extremely well on the Metal and Insane tones. It's also pretty light to carry. I'd definitely recommend this amp for someone just starting out and for someone who's rather experienced with guitar playing. Great price for an amazing amplifier.Katastrophecy

Blackstar are once again delivering a fantastic amp that is powerful and yet simple for beginners to use. The range of tones available from this little box is outstanding from the warm clear crisp clean to the full dirty and muddy distortion with the option for added delay across the board is something I dreamed of when starting out. This is all at your finger tips for a amazing budget price! If your just starting out on your guitar journey this is the amp to go for!Chris C.

Great practice amp. Had a problem getting enough volume using headphones. Bought a headphone pre amp which has improved things. I contacted Blackstar about the issue. They responded quickly and recommended 8 Ohmn headphones. Overall pretty pleased with it.Michael C.

First of all, being able to save 128 of your perfectly dialed in presets with an all-tube amp is so amazing. One feature I really like is that as you move into different banks, it will keep your sound your playing on until you select a preset in your new bank. I own this amp, I've done a few gigs and recordings with it and it sounds incredible. I highly recommend using a cab with vintage 30s in it.. I think you'll get the best tone with those speakers. All the channels are great, I use the clean, lead and ultra the most.. but only because the crunch isn't my style. Sparkly clean channel. Tons of great, heavy, clear distortion from both lead and ultra channels. The digital built in effects are great.. the only downside is the reverb is digital and I prefer a spring reverb. But with all the other qualities of the amp, eliminating other pedals, giving me the best tone I've had, and giving me instant access to my favorite sounds, possibly getting a spring reverb pedal in the future is no big deal. It has the best features, great tone, great price = best amp to me.ESPguy-suFG3

I am nowhere near famous, but you would never guess that by my soon to be moth-balled rig. I use to lug, and get quite a work out doing so, Mesa's Roadking, Triple Rec, Triaxis, Mark IV and Studio Preamp amps with 2 Simul-Class 90/90 power amps and get this, 4 Recto Stereo 4×12 cabs with 2 Randall CS215 ( 2 x 12 + 15) cabs with a 22 space rack system, plus midi controllers out the butt. Thats a lot of gear to drag out to play for a few hours but I have been through so many amps trying to down size and STILL get my tone. Everytime I would buy something, it would sound great until I tried to gig with it and then I would hate it and start looking for something else. My search is over though with my recent purchase of the H&K Switchblade 100. It gets amazing tone, compariable to a Mesa Dual Rec and plus I can leave my noisy rack system at home and save my back by not lugging all that Mesa gear. I still use 2 of the Recto cabs with the 2 Randalls but now I only have to take one head to get my sound. Now if I can just figure out a way to down size my guitar store on wheels, I'll be a happy man. Just one question, an all tube amp with quality internal effects, what has taken amp companies so long to think of this?Danny7String

I saw reviews on this head and I'm glad I bought it! For any metal style of player it's pure punch and metal tube sounding! I'm extremely pleased with this head and recommend it to anyone who wants that perfect sound which can be dialed in anyway you like. The effects are very good and can be adjusted to your liking with just a twist of a knob and they all sound awesome. I must admit though unless you want to keep turning your guitars volume knob off you should go and get a noise gate and use it for the high gain channel which does have some noise at high volumes but of course this is a tube head and should be expected! And YES, this head is LOUD! I use it with a Marshall full stack with Celestion T75's and my guitars use EMG 81's and I recommend this head to anyone for any style of music especially metal! So what are you waiting for, go and get one!GTO 1968

I bought this amp because my gig amp died a cyber twin 2-12s 100 watts that was about 16 years old. I have had many Fender amps they were great. I do country and 50s and 60s rock and roll. I figured 100 watts would put it out there and it does. At performing volume, the distortion is a pure heavy metal on the clean channel. Mine is not much good for high volume for my type of music. I have an old champion 110 75 watt that I will be using It has worked for me when the others were down. Not sure what to do.stev_majo

Great starter/practice amp. It gives a great tone for a great price. Gives some really great crunchy distorted tones for metal and rock. Also gives a great clean tone. Has plenty of built-in effects too. It gets pretty loud when you need it to, and has a 3.5mm headphone jack for convenience and quiet practicing. I love this amp! If you're just starting out and looking for your first amp, look no further. Or if you're an experienced guitarist looking for a good practice amp, this is a great choice.danielk2852

It is a great amp. Very good sound and options for the price. It is not heavy which is a big deal to someone who has had back surgery. I gave it a 5 in spite of one big complaint. When you turn it off you hear a loud "POP!" Wow, is that loud is what I thought the first time I heard it. I read about it online and there is a simple fix. Find an old set of ear phones or ear buds that you would use on a cassette player or a Sony Walkman. (Yes, these are ancient electronic relics from the past for you younger people. You might ask your parents if they have a cassette player and borrow the ear plugs.) Just plug that earphone jack into the "PHONES" input BEFORE you turn it off. THEN you only hear a little blip when you turn it off. THEN just pull the jack out of the "PHONES" input before you start it next time.chasmigu

Long time line 6 fan. I’ve owned several of their solid state offerings but this DT 50 to my ears is the best sounding tube amp made. It’s very versatile. Add a line 6 hd 500 or pro x and a Variax standard and there isn’t a sound you can’t get with this rig. I purchased a DT 50 head. Liked it so much I purchased a DT 50 212. The only thing I don’t like about the combo is it’s friggin heavy. I installed high quality removable casters that helped. I think this is the most under rated amp made.Mark Schuster

I really like this amp. I bought it used at a really good price, so I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice it sounds. It has loads of power and nice tone. I bought it as a practice amp, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it on stage in a small club.voltyr

THE 8 INCH SPEAKER IS ALITTLE WEAK SOUNDING ,CAB IS BUILT WELL, EFFECT ARE GOD THE ACTIVE EFFECT IS REALLY KOOL SOUNDING,WELL WORTH THE 100 DOLLARS I PAID JUST NEED TOO UPGRADE SPEAKER SIZE TO A 10 INCH!!PAUL

Fantastic amp for the price! The clean channel is great, and has time delay effects that is unexpected for an amp in this range. The overdrive is excellent too, and you can control different frequencies as well. It also has two inputs for guitars, and a microphone input! So you can jam with friends and sing along. At 40w output, it is pretty loud. If you are in the fence, get it! You won't regret it!integrationbyparths1