85 Db is the "relative threshold" to actual hearing damage. 85 Db is way louder than us "as modern people" really understand because we break that threshold so much. I really want a amp that can do heavy and thick at very low volume, say 75 Db. However it really doesn't matter for me anymore as my ears are already genuinely destroyed. I have permanent tennitus (roaring) and probably will eventually go deaf from my previous loud headphones and music if I live long enough. I just want to kinda look out for the next generations of musicians/listeners.
Sorry to hear about your condition, and I agree we are bombarded with noise. 85db would be common just walking down a city street. I use noise cancelling isolation headphones walking around, so I don't have to turn music up too high.
Yeah...... my hearing is gone. And its affected my playing because I find it way to easy (and prevalent) these days to be off by a half step in the higher registers because I simple can't distinguish high frequencies anymore.
I hear you, waynepurcell. Sort of. Cause I’ve got hearing loss and tinnitus too. I attribute half of it to a single Judas Priest concert back in ‘82. My ears were ringing for three days. 🤯
85dba SPL seems quite loud because of OSHA standards but realistically it is certainly a sound level most modern humans spend a whole bunch of time in whether it's a busy city sidewalk or a loud talking in a crowded restaurant/bar. 85dba SPL is a good point to shoot for as that is about where a smaller guitar amp starts to function the way it was really intended to. This is a somewhat reasonable working level just don't play for hours at it. Take ear breaks, it does actually matter and it helps to give your ears a rest. 30-45 min at this level isn't crazy. Really good video here and cool that you actually mention the distance from the amp that you were measuring from. Sound pressure level is meaningless without a reference to distance from the source and many people overlook that. Another aspect to keep in mind is the eq of your amp. Be aware of just how much high frequency you are producing. Generally the more you turn an amp up the more you should be turning the treble down. If you are playing really quietly (like quiet conversation level) then cranking the treble is cool and can help give definition to the sound but if an amp is at full tilt (with most amps) having the treble knob on the amp quite low is proper. Always protect the wonderful gift of hearing but try to find that spot where things sound exciting but aren't truly dangerous.
Im toob😢 un this problema hearing and fear to must leaving music and playing guitar😢😢😢. I pjay at home , no pro. And Ihave no go to concerrts for a year algo 😢😢😢
This is original and honest. You make clear, in the video and in response to the comments, that it's how you hear the amps. We all have different tastes so that makes sense. Seeing the decibels is also helpful. From my perspective, the Fender sounds best and that’s consistent with other videos. I'm surprised the Vox was even a candidate at these low volumes.
I think it's a nice amp. It seems particularly good at cleaner low tones. My electric cello player uses it, where cello's low string is a C below the lowest E on a guitar.
Great topic! I’m my search for a bedroom safe volume amp I looked for small wattage. I wound up with a fender custom 57 champ. It’s only 5 watts, but even at 5 watts when wide open (which is needed for that cool tweed sound) it is very very loud! If I had it to do again I’d focus less on wattage and more on features like a master volume and separate gain control.
Fantastic video, topic, and execution. No one really talks about dB in their amp reviews. Read the comments and I think they're invaluable too. Hearing is taken for granted until it's compromised. Protect it.
Completely agree...that's why I did the video. It's hard to find information out there to guide us on this topic. And ya...the comments offered a lot of new ideas.
Some of the best amps for this scenario are the Orange Micro Terror and Micro Dark. Both can do clean to full crunch at whispering volumes (around 70dB) while remaining controllable via guitar volume and picking force, thanks to the valve preamp. The Micro Terror with its matching practice cabinet sets you back around 200 quid.
@@jasonpillingmusic Aye, works great for me. I can jam along while my wife sleeps next door. It does drive my Orange PPC412 and Bogner oversize 212 cabinets gigably loud as well. You should try one. Might be too gritty for a Fender player though.
@@jasonpillingmusic These won't work for Studio. They are ideal for home jamming and band room practice. The head weighs in at about two pounds. You leave the 4x12 in the band room and the 1x12 or 2x12 (or even the 1x8 that comes with it) at home. You just take the head back and forth, and that is almost pocketable. The point is though, it sounds better than any of the combos you showed, particularly at whispering volume, and its also louder (except maybe the fender, that sounds pretty good in the video).
The Fender really does it for me on this video- but I own one too and think it's just great- but it is what it is- it's a clean to light crunch amp at best. If that's what you want- the Tone Master does that very well. If you need more- just buy a 100 watt Boss Katana- it does the bedroom thing really well- and you can gig with it too- playing both Van Halen as well as SRV- same amp- same night! In other words- it's very flexible. My 100 watt Katana get's way more gig time (and home time really) then any of my other amps- because it just does so much so well.
Ya, I agree tone wise...the Tonemaster is nice light crunch. Since this video I've started to really appreciate it's cab-sim output for recording as well.
@@jasonpillingmusic I haven't even tried that with mine yet- good to know- I might set it up today see if I like it's tone and start recording with that full time!
I gigged with a AC15 for quite a while and they do have a beautiful, jangly sound at home levels. Honestly though at gig volume they get another voice, with the master all the way up and just enough gain to get the volume you need they saturate on the output side and just sound amazing.
I was surprised by the Marshall’s clean tones, very full! I’m torn between it and the fender, but leaning toward the Fender because of the cab sim and line out for recording. Of the two, which has the least noise? I just returned a Vox Cambridge 50 due to a really loud annoying hiss even with nothing plugged in.
The Fender's cab sim out is very useful. I use it for recording all the time, and I've used it live too. Fender has got to be the quietest....I think it just doesn't have the internal electronics to pick up the EM waves floating around and make noise. Good luck!
I keep circling that Tone Master. Never owned a valve/tube amp, but that one always sounds so good in these types of videos maybe I never need to go tube.
@@jasonpillingmusic Thanks for your reply, I think I'd take T.M. over the tube D.R. because of the attenuation. I don't gig, just play here in the house and we have close neighbours. Might be time to trade up. Just wish the T.M. had a headphone jack, then it'd be just about perfect.
It does have a line level out for cabinet simulation recording - which can be done with the speaker off. So if you have recording equipment, specifically an audio interface that can take a line level signal and pass it through to headphones, you'd be good to go.
@@jasonpillingmusic Unfortunately I don't have an audio interface, it's just me, my guitar and my amp (I'm old, I like to set it and forget it) but that's a great recommendation. I'm currently running the Yamaha TR30ii with the Line 6 Relay G10 wireless, and it's great, but (remember I'm old) it's very busy. A lot going on, 15 amps built-in, and 4 effects, and the app on the phone and... it's cool to experiment but I find myself yearning for simpler days and those gorgeous Fender cleans (and break-up when I want it). Thoughts on the blonde T.M. with the bright cap off versus the original? Preference between the two?
@@astewart9410 I've only actually tried one of the TM's. I'm sure that the Twin version has a nicer bass response just because of physics, and a bright switch option doesn't hurt anything. I guess I'd say I justify my choice of the smaller one because I was getting into gigging with electric guitar pre-pandemic (I was previously bass and acoustic guitar), and I wanted to be able to go as quiet as possible at higher gain levels for practice - and then take the same amp, same settings (except the attenuator) to blast out any higher volume I needed.
I’ve got the Vox AC30CH. It’s the head version with a built in attenuator. This thing will do complete breakup without too much volume. You’re still pushing the amp so you do get the good stuff
@@jasonpillingmusic definitely not new, i've seen it on the photos of this head on thomman's website a few years ago. Somehow no one talks about this feature, idk why..
@@lucaszembrzuski The kind of people that like Vox's are usually people that like/want a combo I guess I mean come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen someone play a Vox head in person, I've only seen them online or very occasionally used in stores... I bet most people just simply don't know because they don't look at the head lol
I am not trying to start an argument when I say that I, personally, would not call the Fender Tone Master a "modeling" amp. It does not try to emulate multiple heads or cabs but just the one Deluxe Reverb (and there is also the Twin Reverb.) I hope Fender and their competitors offer more of these solid-state "clones" that do everything the original tube models do but at a more affordable price, not to mention the weight saving. Thanks for the comparison.
No argument started....I haven't really used the term all that much in regular conversation with other players...so I could be wrong and it's more commonly understood to refer to a configurable multi-voice amp. I considered the Tonemaster as a model of just one amp...I guess literal definition of the word? And I also agree that I'd like more solid state clones. I'd trade my Vox for a clone if it existed. It's nice to just have the intuitive classic controls and no extra buttons to F around with.
For all intents and purposes, those tone masters are definitely modeling their tube counterparts, digitally. I personally can't get myself to like them although I really really want a TM Twin because I've played twins for years. But they absolutely do not have the chime and warmth I'm used to which is hard to get over when you're used to what they sound like. The feel is also really hard and too immediate for my liking. All that said, I really hope Fender continues to improve on them and hopefully they'll get even closer to the tube version someday.
Thanks for this. I'd be interested in hearing them with an OD pedal, particularly the vox and fender. Surprised at how well the Fender compares soundwise, and at how bad the Marshall ultra gain channel sounds.
Fender is good at clean sounds and this Fender amp is much more expensive than the Marshall dsl5. I have a Marshall DSL 5, which sounds much better than in this video in a much lower volume (9 clock volume normally in the bedroom). This should be caused by the recording condition.
I have the marshall and in classic mode there is no way you can produce any sort of breakup tonewise. i tried volume max gain max, hot bridge p90 and powerchord -> still 95% clean. The ultra gain is a bitt fuzzy for my taste but i use pedals with the clean mode so it is all good. My tipp: crank the amp but turn the volume down on the guitar. This way the tubes really work but it isn´t too loud.
If I go 10-10 on gain and volume, it's low 90's dB, and I guess I could call it still "mostly clean". But it's quite compressed at that point. If we were standing together we'd probably agree if A is cleaner than B, but on a one-off, "clean" is a subjective term I guess. If I want more break-up, I'd flip to the ultra side and go 2 gain / 10 volume and you're at a similar 90dB with a bit more grit, but not the full fizz of the Marshall overdrive. Much higher gain on Ultra, and I agree the Marshall is quite fuzzy. The Marshall never "roars" with a low end break-up like the Vox does at higher volumes.
The same effect can be established with something like JHS pedals little black amp box plugged in the external effects loop (which the Marshall has), the box has a master volume so you can crank both amp and guitar all the way and still play at bedroom volume in 5 Watt mode.
I liked the small Bassbreaker...one of the Fender models with a gain and master. I ruled it out mostly because it didn't have an on board reverb. But I can see how it would work really well for people that use pedals more than I do.
Can you make an update video? I am shopping for a new / used amp because i have new neighbors. I need an amp that i can crank and play while only outputting like 60db decibels so there are no noise complaints.
@@jasonpillingmusic, oh, I see what you're saying. I'll just try to find one that plays on lower volume levels because a deluxe reverb is way loud on volume 2.
Hi Darwin. I think it's a matter of taste. There is no right or wrong answer for that. Sorry, I can't be more helpful. I haven't really played a p90 solid body...so I don't have any direct experience.
Great video. I really enjoyed the comparisons between the 3 amps. I like the sound of the Vox best. Go figure. It just makes me more stoked about the Vox AC 15 CH head I just picked up. It has a three level attenuator, so it can be run at 15 watts, 1.5 wattts, or .15 watts. I haven’t been able to play through it yet, because I need to build a cab for it. But I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks!
thanks....I didn't know VOX had a head with built in attenuator model - that would be nice because it's still quite loud if you want the "roar" tone. Some of the roar is going to be speaker based, so would be interesting how that really works at 0.15W. I usually track/practice at lower volumes, and then I'll re-amp a captured dry guitar up to high volumes while wearing ear plugs to get "roar" tone recordings.
Yeah, when I found out about this head, I had to have it. I love Vox amps in general. I mostly play at home. And I found a Celestion 12” Goldback on the side of the highway, next to its ruined cabinet and twin a while back. Seems like destiny. 👍
@@mmpatriot2170 thanks! Lots of studio recorded tracks by me up on UA-cam, Spotify, etc...wherever you listen! ua-cam.com/play/PL-PrZzQv6waqaNxi2p6fmHQEi9jQMmWvH.html
I always think the Marshall's relative strength is a deeper bass clean tone, which is hard to convey in a YT video, and isn't often what you want...but that's what it does well.
@@jasonpillingmusic I picked up a 2 watt tube amp from the 60s that works amazing, I would recommend something like that, these modern amps have speakers that are too powerful to break up right with an attenuator
@@jasondorsey7110 I have a 70's Garnet 5P (5W), and yes, it sounds very cool at about 95dB. Maybe you're right that it's the speaker specifically...I've sometimes wondered about swapping out the speaker on the Garnet?
@@jasonpillingmusic Those old speakers are low wattage/low efficiency, and they're magic...you can crank the amp and let the tubes work their mojo and the speaker is actually working hard to keep up...and for all that, it's still not stupidly loud
I've been shopping for a combination bedroom yet gigable (small venue) tube amp and was really surprised at the ToneMaster's response. Solid state but it had the fullest sound and tone. Especially under attenuation. The Marshall sounded muffled... no bottom... but expected at this volume and speaker size. The Vox chime was clearly evident and it struck me as something of a race horse being forced to govern its gait. My biggest complaint towards the amps I have demo'd is background noise at idle (hiss mainly). The volume level set for these amps would seem to negate any noise. I have observed that the Vox AC/15 is one of the quietest amps I have tested. Most of the Fender's I have reviewed are noisy. I suspect the Tone Master is a quiet amp since its solid state.
Yes, the Tonemaster is very quiet. For gigable quality I also like it's DI-cab-sim out, and then I use the attenuator for stage volume control. The "volume" pot is for tone of course! The Vox is noisy in my studio specifically...but I believe it's particular to the specific lights I have in there, so it is sensitive to some things. I usually play the Vox by lamplight at home, and it's not been an issue when I take the amp elsewhere.
I can’t for the life of me decide between the Fender Tone Master Deluxe and Marshall DSL5 ! I have been able to test the Fender but not the Marshall but I played a Marshall tube amp and liked it a lot. Wish i could test the DSL5….. I play a Telecaster and like bluesy / crunchy / indie / psych / classic rock all sorts of music. I really feel i could go either way. Any advice !? ( for home usage )
Something I didn't highlight in the video is that the cab simulation line out on the Fender Tone Master is quite a bit better than the Marshall's headphone jack IMO. I use the Fender line out for recording all the time. You have to mic up the Marshall. Otherwise, IMO the Marshall actually has a nicer "beefy" compressed low clean tone vs the Fender if you want to chug power chords. Or if you really like the Marshal high gain sound, that is something the Fender can't do.
@@jasonpillingmusic That is conservative for a live band. In a studio we had a 2000 watt sound system going through 2 18's, 4 12's and 8 5's in stereo that could not keep up with a live 3 piece band acoustically.
In the second generation that includes the DSL20, the Ultra Gain has been tamed so you can get some nice nuances of overdrive now.In the previous DSL it was way too heavy and liquid in distortion.
@@jasonpillingmusic You may also be able to put a JJ ECC223 in the V1 tube slot, it works to tame the 15 watt amp, idk if it would help the 5 watt. The ECC223 is a tube that is a 12ax7 on the clean channel's side and a 12au7 for the gain channel.
@@watersnortmoment3734 possibly! Thanks. I've never really thought about amp modifications, but obviously something as simple a a tube swap is easy to do.
would have been a good choice...wasn't rentable (at my nearest store), so I didn't try it I guess? I like the tremolo of the 15...but it's not essential.
Depends on your situation I guess. If you were trying to be quiet for someone on the other side of a hollow wall...then ya, 70dB. But, just a solid chord on an acoustic guitar hits 85dB. So 70dB is basically no amplification at all. I think you'd be far better off with headphones if you need to get that quiet. Lots of small amps now offer a headphone jack option, or just play through a virtual amp on your computer would probably give you lots of good options.
They all sound great. I thought #1 the Fender sounded the best, #2 the Vox and 3rd the Marshall, it sounded tinny to me not bad but completely different from the other two.
thanks. I wasn't using them at the time of the review, but I've got a lot of use from the Fender also having a great cab-sim output directly to a DAW. The Marshall does this too, but I haven't tried it yet (because I've been so satisfied with the Fender).
@@jasonpillingmusic I just picked up a pawn shop a Fender Performer 1000 it's a hybrid with a single tube, I'm completely inlove with this amp, I only paid $200 for it, its like the workin man's Fender twin lol, I can't go past 4 on the volume it's that loud. Cheers!!
I had it's predecessor the VT40+. Very versatile modelling amp, I Iiked the built in Fender amp models, and replaced the stock Vox/Korg speaker with a Jensen C10Q to bring out more Fender chime. I sold it with the original speaker in. Now have a Fender Super Champ XD, 15W Hybrid Tube Amp with modelling features. It works well for me, great Fender Cleans, a range of built in amp models. The clean channel takes all manner of pedals with no problem. Very reliable, not too large/heavy, good sound at sensible volumes.
Try a Fryette PS2 or P100, run any amp (tube) up to 200 watts at any volumn, their vavlulator gpdi is nice as well for a 1 watt, I use for bass but works great for both
I seriously thought about getting an attenuator as well. I think if you've already got expensive heads and cabs that you like, this would be the way to go.
The Marshall sounds far better than the others here for my taste (except for that “ultra gain” tone). The Tone Master sounds more dark than I would expect from a Fender, and the Vox sounds really bad. It’s all boxy, nasal mids, like one of those cheap, plastic, battery powered, belt-clip amps.
I don't remember specifically...but it's generally higher on the initial gain, and low on the master. There will be some sweet spot, and it depends on the guitar.
@@jasonpillingmusic yeah I’m using a 335. I’m trying to find the that sweet spot. Master at 9ish. I usually have tone cut at about 12. I like playing on the neck pickup, might switch to middle. I’m more of a cowboy strummer. Thanks for replying!
great video! I use vox ac15 and its just too loud for my band (play homeless shelters and church outreaches)...ive had to resort to amp simulator pedals :(
sure...it's a reasonable consideration. But sometimes I actually like to hear the acoustics of an electric guitar. The tone of the acoustic thing is the foundation of everything...so technique to make that sound good first goes a long way.
That about what a robustly strummed acoustic guitar puts out. If you attempt to play much quieter than this, the acoustic sound of the electric guitar is part of the mix. At some point you need to use headphones if you want amp tone at lower volume (to other people).
@@aliengrey6052 that's awesome!...I have an 80's 50W Marshall combo, and it's master volume does NOT do that. Must be a modern upgrade? I noticed it had a silent recording feature, so I guess it's just designed to operate at all volumes.
@@jasonpillingmusic Can you not understand that an Amplifier has to be Valve/Tube Driven in order for it to be Attenuated. That which you refer to is nothing more than a glorified Volume switch. On which is a Digital Amplifier, a totally different concept to a Tube Driven Amp.🤔🤨🙄
Ya, I think the Vox suffers a bit at that volume if you’re used to full throttle. But it still sounds the most “Voxy” of the three of that’s what you want at that volume.
85 Db is the "relative threshold" to actual hearing damage. 85 Db is way louder than us "as modern people" really understand because we break that threshold so much. I really want a amp that can do heavy and thick at very low volume, say 75 Db. However it really doesn't matter for me anymore as my ears are already genuinely destroyed. I have permanent tennitus (roaring) and probably will eventually go deaf from my previous loud headphones and music if I live long enough. I just want to kinda look out for the next generations of musicians/listeners.
Sorry to hear about your condition, and I agree we are bombarded with noise. 85db would be common just walking down a city street. I use noise cancelling isolation headphones walking around, so I don't have to turn music up too high.
Yeah...... my hearing is gone. And its affected my playing because I find it way to easy (and prevalent) these days to be off by a half step in the higher registers because I simple can't distinguish high frequencies anymore.
I hear you, waynepurcell. Sort of. Cause I’ve got hearing loss and tinnitus too. I attribute half of it to a single Judas Priest concert back in ‘82. My ears were ringing for three days. 🤯
85dba SPL seems quite loud because of OSHA standards but realistically it is certainly a sound level most modern humans spend a whole bunch of time in whether it's a busy city sidewalk or a loud talking in a crowded restaurant/bar. 85dba SPL is a good point to shoot for as that is about where a smaller guitar amp starts to function the way it was really intended to. This is a somewhat reasonable working level just don't play for hours at it. Take ear breaks, it does actually matter and it helps to give your ears a rest. 30-45 min at this level isn't crazy. Really good video here and cool that you actually mention the distance from the amp that you were measuring from. Sound pressure level is meaningless without a reference to distance from the source and many people overlook that. Another aspect to keep in mind is the eq of your amp. Be aware of just how much high frequency you are producing. Generally the more you turn an amp up the more you should be turning the treble down. If you are playing really quietly (like quiet conversation level) then cranking the treble is cool and can help give definition to the sound but if an amp is at full tilt (with most amps) having the treble knob on the amp quite low is proper. Always protect the wonderful gift of hearing but try to find that spot where things sound exciting but aren't truly dangerous.
Im toob😢 un this problema hearing and fear to must leaving music and playing guitar😢😢😢. I pjay at home , no pro. And Ihave no go to concerrts for a year algo 😢😢😢
Jason....really great video. I'm picking up my Marshall DSL5CR tomorrow, so looking forward to it.
This is original and honest. You make clear, in the video and in response to the comments, that it's how you hear the amps. We all have different tastes so that makes sense. Seeing the decibels is also helpful. From my perspective, the Fender sounds best and that’s consistent with other videos. I'm surprised the Vox was even a candidate at these low volumes.
Agree
Agree.
For me vox and marshall are better for dirty uses but that is because of my limited use of those 2 platforms.
I think I’m in love with that Marshall
I think it's a nice amp. It seems particularly good at cleaner low tones. My electric cello player uses it, where cello's low string is a C below the lowest E on a guitar.
I have a Mesa Boogie lonestar special that sounds good at low volumes. It has a five watt setting.
the vox ac 15 is a great amp!
Specs on that Lonestar look pretty good. I never came across it in my travels. The store near me didn't rent many Mesa's.
Great topic! I’m my search for a bedroom safe volume amp I looked for small wattage. I wound up with a fender custom 57 champ. It’s only 5 watts, but even at 5 watts when wide open (which is needed for that cool tweed sound) it is very very loud!
If I had it to do again I’d focus less on wattage and more on features like a master volume and separate gain control.
Yep, 5W is still a lot of volume without master volume.
Fantastic video, topic, and execution. No one really talks about dB in their amp reviews. Read the comments and I think they're invaluable too. Hearing is taken for granted until it's compromised. Protect it.
Completely agree...that's why I did the video. It's hard to find information out there to guide us on this topic. And ya...the comments offered a lot of new ideas.
have 2 Marshall DSL40CR amps. I think they're perfect for home or stage given most venues now want you playing through the front of the house.
what does front of house mean?? thanks
how is the DSL 40 perfect for home? does it sound good at low volumes? I had a 5W one and fehlt it was too loud for my appartment.
Some of the best amps for this scenario are the Orange Micro Terror and Micro Dark. Both can do clean to full crunch at whispering volumes (around 70dB) while remaining controllable via guitar volume and picking force, thanks to the valve preamp. The Micro Terror with its matching practice cabinet sets you back around 200 quid.
Never tried them, but glad you found something you like!
@@jasonpillingmusic Aye, works great for me. I can jam along while my wife sleeps next door. It does drive my Orange PPC412 and Bogner oversize 212 cabinets gigably loud as well. You should try one. Might be too gritty for a Fender player though.
@@adrianguggisberg3656 I've never been a separate head & cabinet guy...but for studio setup I can definitely see the appeal
@@jasonpillingmusic These won't work for Studio. They are ideal for home jamming and band room practice. The head weighs in at about two pounds. You leave the 4x12 in the band room and the 1x12 or 2x12 (or even the 1x8 that comes with it) at home. You just take the head back and forth, and that is almost pocketable. The point is though, it sounds better than any of the combos you showed, particularly at whispering volume, and its also louder (except maybe the fender, that sounds pretty good in the video).
The Fender really does it for me on this video- but I own one too and think it's just great- but it is what it is- it's a clean to light crunch amp at best. If that's what you want- the Tone Master does that very well. If you need more- just buy a 100 watt Boss Katana- it does the bedroom thing really well- and you can gig with it too- playing both Van Halen as well as SRV- same amp- same night! In other words- it's very flexible. My 100 watt Katana get's way more gig time (and home time really) then any of my other amps- because it just does so much so well.
Ya, I agree tone wise...the Tonemaster is nice light crunch. Since this video I've started to really appreciate it's cab-sim output for recording as well.
@@jasonpillingmusic I haven't even tried that with mine yet- good to know- I might set it up today see if I like it's tone and start recording with that full time!
Would you share any good SRV setting for the katana please. I have the artist mk2. Thanks anyway
If you only need it for home use save yourself a lot of money and get a Vox Pathfinder 15r. Great little amp that can get loud too ;)
if you're happy, I'm happy.
The best SS amp ever made. They had to discontinue for saving AC15 sales
That's a fantastic little amp. I bought one brand new back when they were still making them, and I've always loved it.
@@pabloruizocana3637 the vox mini superbeetle is a close contender to the 15r
Extremely interesting and well thought out!
Thanks...."well thought out" is definitely a goal for me. So it's nice to hear it that translated!
I gigged with a AC15 for quite a while and they do have a beautiful, jangly sound at home levels. Honestly though at gig volume they get another voice, with the master all the way up and just enough gain to get the volume you need they saturate on the output side and just sound amazing.
two volumes - two voices. I agree.
I was surprised by the Marshall’s clean tones, very full! I’m torn between it and the fender, but leaning toward the Fender because of the cab sim and line out for recording. Of the two, which has the least noise? I just returned a Vox Cambridge 50 due to a really loud annoying hiss even with nothing plugged in.
The Fender's cab sim out is very useful. I use it for recording all the time, and I've used it live too. Fender has got to be the quietest....I think it just doesn't have the internal electronics to pick up the EM waves floating around and make noise. Good luck!
The AC15 master works amazing. It's a very good "bedroom" amp.
Head or combo??
Cant believe he didn't take up your offer for head
(spits coffee on screen...)@@edreed5571
I think I’m glad I went with the ac15. We will see in just a few days.
I keep circling that Tone Master. Never owned a valve/tube amp, but that one always sounds so good in these types of videos maybe I never need to go tube.
Ignoring the cost/value, I would rather have the Tone Master than any full-tube Fender. I wish VOX made the equivalent, I'd get it.
@@jasonpillingmusic Thanks for your reply, I think I'd take T.M. over the tube D.R. because of the attenuation. I don't gig, just play here in the house and we have close neighbours. Might be time to trade up. Just wish the T.M. had a headphone jack, then it'd be just about perfect.
It does have a line level out for cabinet simulation recording - which can be done with the speaker off. So if you have recording equipment, specifically an audio interface that can take a line level signal and pass it through to headphones, you'd be good to go.
@@jasonpillingmusic Unfortunately I don't have an audio interface, it's just me, my guitar and my amp (I'm old, I like to set it and forget it) but that's a great recommendation. I'm currently running the Yamaha TR30ii with the Line 6 Relay G10 wireless, and it's great, but (remember I'm old) it's very busy. A lot going on, 15 amps built-in, and 4 effects, and the app on the phone and... it's cool to experiment but I find myself yearning for simpler days and those gorgeous Fender cleans (and break-up when I want it).
Thoughts on the blonde T.M. with the bright cap off versus the original? Preference between the two?
@@astewart9410 I've only actually tried one of the TM's. I'm sure that the Twin version has a nicer bass response just because of physics, and a bright switch option doesn't hurt anything. I guess I'd say I justify my choice of the smaller one because I was getting into gigging with electric guitar pre-pandemic (I was previously bass and acoustic guitar), and I wanted to be able to go as quiet as possible at higher gain levels for practice - and then take the same amp, same settings (except the attenuator) to blast out any higher volume I needed.
65 prinston, Brill practice amp, distortion is fantastic on channel 2. Built in reverb, great clean.
I’ve got the Vox AC30CH. It’s the head version with a built in attenuator. This thing will do complete breakup without too much volume. You’re still pushing the amp so you do get the good stuff
Cool...I've never seen and AC30 model with built in attenuator. Sounds like a winner
@@jasonpillingmusic AC15 head also has a attenuator. I wonder why the combo version do not have it.
@@lucaszembrzuski I wonder if that's a new feature? I'd trade up my combo to get that feature.
@@jasonpillingmusic definitely not new, i've seen it on the photos of this head on thomman's website a few years ago. Somehow no one talks about this feature, idk why..
@@lucaszembrzuski The kind of people that like Vox's are usually people that like/want a combo I guess
I mean come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen someone play a Vox head in person, I've only seen them online or very occasionally used in stores... I bet most people just simply don't know because they don't look at the head lol
I am not trying to start an argument when I say that I, personally, would not call the Fender Tone Master a "modeling" amp. It does not try to emulate multiple heads or cabs but just the one Deluxe Reverb (and there is also the Twin Reverb.) I hope Fender and their competitors offer more of these solid-state "clones" that do everything the original tube models do but at a more affordable price, not to mention the weight saving. Thanks for the comparison.
No argument started....I haven't really used the term all that much in regular conversation with other players...so I could be wrong and it's more commonly understood to refer to a configurable multi-voice amp. I considered the Tonemaster as a model of just one amp...I guess literal definition of the word? And I also agree that I'd like more solid state clones. I'd trade my Vox for a clone if it existed. It's nice to just have the intuitive classic controls and no extra buttons to F around with.
For all intents and purposes, those tone masters are definitely modeling their tube counterparts, digitally. I personally can't get myself to like them although I really really want a TM Twin because I've played twins for years. But they absolutely do not have the chime and warmth I'm used to which is hard to get over when you're used to what they sound like. The feel is also really hard and too immediate for my liking. All that said, I really hope Fender continues to improve on them and hopefully they'll get even closer to the tube version someday.
Thanks for this. I'd be interested in hearing them with an OD pedal, particularly the vox and fender. Surprised at how well the Fender compares soundwise, and at how bad the Marshall ultra gain channel sounds.
You're welcome! I understand why the question is interesting....I'm just not a pedal guy. But not a bad idea for a follow up video.
Fender is good at clean sounds and this Fender amp is much more expensive than the Marshall dsl5. I have a Marshall DSL 5, which sounds much better than in this video in a much lower volume (9 clock volume normally in the bedroom). This should be caused by the recording condition.
Good vid, very informative. Thank you sir 👍
You're welcome sir.
I have the marshall and in classic mode there is no way you can produce any sort of breakup tonewise. i tried volume max gain max, hot bridge p90 and powerchord -> still 95% clean. The ultra gain is a bitt fuzzy for my taste but i use pedals with the clean mode so it is all good. My tipp: crank the amp but turn the volume down on the guitar. This way the tubes really work but it isn´t too loud.
If I go 10-10 on gain and volume, it's low 90's dB, and I guess I could call it still "mostly clean". But it's quite compressed at that point. If we were standing together we'd probably agree if A is cleaner than B, but on a one-off, "clean" is a subjective term I guess. If I want more break-up, I'd flip to the ultra side and go 2 gain / 10 volume and you're at a similar 90dB with a bit more grit, but not the full fizz of the Marshall overdrive. Much higher gain on Ultra, and I agree the Marshall is quite fuzzy. The Marshall never "roars" with a low end break-up like the Vox does at higher volumes.
@@jasonpillingmusic exactly!
The same effect can be established with something like JHS pedals little black amp box plugged in the external effects loop (which the Marshall has), the box has a master volume so you can crank both amp and guitar all the way and still play at bedroom volume in 5 Watt mode.
Have you tried the Marshall origin 20c and the nextone stage? Both have also attenuators
haven't tried, but the attenuator specs look about right.
Great post .I have the vox and the dsl ..witch I love but I would have also included the bassbreaker 007 witch I love as well 👍👍
I liked the small Bassbreaker...one of the Fender models with a gain and master. I ruled it out mostly because it didn't have an on board reverb. But I can see how it would work really well for people that use pedals more than I do.
Great video.
Can you make an update video? I am shopping for a new / used amp because i have new neighbors. I need an amp that i can crank and play while only outputting like 60db decibels so there are no noise complaints.
60dB is unrealistic. You'll mostly hear the electric guitar acoustically at that level. A ukulele outputs about 65dB.
@@jasonpillingmusic, oh, I see what you're saying. I'll just try to find one that plays on lower volume levels because a deluxe reverb is way loud on volume 2.
@@archaicrevivalsYTchanneldid you find something please share Im looking too 😅
@@aymanMF, nothing yet because there's an amazon sale october 8 so waiting to see the sale price for amps. hard to pick because i want them all.
Thanks for the video. Which amp do you think will best sound for a les paul junior with p90 pickups?
Hi Darwin. I think it's a matter of taste. There is no right or wrong answer for that. Sorry, I can't be more helpful. I haven't really played a p90 solid body...so I don't have any direct experience.
Thank you!
Great video. I really enjoyed the comparisons between the 3 amps. I like the sound of the Vox best. Go figure. It just makes me more stoked about the Vox AC 15 CH head I just picked up. It has a three level attenuator, so it can be run at 15 watts, 1.5 wattts, or .15 watts.
I haven’t been able to play through it yet, because I need to build a cab for it. But I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks!
thanks....I didn't know VOX had a head with built in attenuator model - that would be nice because it's still quite loud if you want the "roar" tone. Some of the roar is going to be speaker based, so would be interesting how that really works at 0.15W. I usually track/practice at lower volumes, and then I'll re-amp a captured dry guitar up to high volumes while wearing ear plugs to get "roar" tone recordings.
Yeah, when I found out about this head, I had to have it. I love Vox amps in general. I mostly play at home. And I found a Celestion 12” Goldback on the side of the highway, next to its ruined cabinet and twin a while back. Seems like destiny. 👍
PS. I really enjoy your playing in the video. Some very cool riffs, played with passion. 👍
@@mmpatriot2170 thanks! Lots of studio recorded tracks by me up on UA-cam, Spotify, etc...wherever you listen! ua-cam.com/play/PL-PrZzQv6waqaNxi2p6fmHQEi9jQMmWvH.html
Give the Orange Rocker 15 a try. It has a built-in attenuator that can go 15, 7, 1 or 0.5 watts.
Sounds like a good option. I'd give that a try if I had a chance. Thanks!
Great video. I have the Vox Ac15 and a Fender Champ head. Great amps. To me the weakest is the Marshall in this demo
I always think the Marshall's relative strength is a deeper bass clean tone, which is hard to convey in a YT video, and isn't often what you want...but that's what it does well.
@@jasonpillingmusic I picked up a 2 watt tube amp from the 60s that works amazing, I would recommend something like that, these modern amps have speakers that are too powerful to break up right with an attenuator
@@jasondorsey7110 I have a 70's Garnet 5P (5W), and yes, it sounds very cool at about 95dB. Maybe you're right that it's the speaker specifically...I've sometimes wondered about swapping out the speaker on the Garnet?
@@jasonpillingmusic Those old speakers are low wattage/low efficiency, and they're magic...you can crank the amp and let the tubes work their mojo and the speaker is actually working hard to keep up...and for all that, it's still not stupidly loud
@@jasondorsey7110 wisdom of Jasons is priceless obviously
I've been shopping for a combination bedroom yet gigable (small venue) tube amp and was really surprised at the ToneMaster's response. Solid state but it had the fullest sound and tone. Especially under attenuation. The Marshall sounded muffled... no bottom... but expected at this volume and speaker size. The Vox chime was clearly evident and it struck me as something of a race horse being forced to govern its gait. My biggest complaint towards the amps I have demo'd is background noise at idle (hiss mainly). The volume level set for these amps would seem to negate any noise. I have observed that the Vox AC/15 is one of the quietest amps I have tested. Most of the Fender's I have reviewed are noisy. I suspect the Tone Master is a quiet amp since its solid state.
Yes, the Tonemaster is very quiet. For gigable quality I also like it's DI-cab-sim out, and then I use the attenuator for stage volume control. The "volume" pot is for tone of course! The Vox is noisy in my studio specifically...but I believe it's particular to the specific lights I have in there, so it is sensitive to some things. I usually play the Vox by lamplight at home, and it's not been an issue when I take the amp elsewhere.
I can’t for the life of me decide between the Fender Tone Master Deluxe and Marshall DSL5 ! I have been able to test the Fender but not the Marshall but I played a Marshall tube amp and liked it a lot. Wish i could test the DSL5….. I play a Telecaster and like bluesy / crunchy / indie / psych / classic rock all sorts of music. I really feel i could go either way. Any advice !? ( for home usage )
Something I didn't highlight in the video is that the cab simulation line out on the Fender Tone Master is quite a bit better than the Marshall's headphone jack IMO. I use the Fender line out for recording all the time. You have to mic up the Marshall. Otherwise, IMO the Marshall actually has a nicer "beefy" compressed low clean tone vs the Fender if you want to chug power chords. Or if you really like the Marshal high gain sound, that is something the Fender can't do.
@@jasonpillingmusic how is the sound of the Marshall with classic gain maxed out? does it get crunchy without going to ultra gain?
here you go...
ua-cam.com/video/5rB-kHcFq78/v-deo.html
This is great! Do you have a video of playing with a drummer? I wonder what the db would be then!
Usually +95dB unless they are making a point of controlling it. Get earplugs.
@@jasonpillingmusic That is conservative for a live band. In a studio we had a 2000 watt sound system going through 2 18's, 4 12's and 8 5's in stereo that could not keep up with a live 3 piece band acoustically.
@@51bobtube indeed. why I added "plus" to the 95. :)
@@51bobtube 2
Buy any amp with an FX loop. Put a volume pedal in the FX loop. Play any amp at bedroom level.
Sure, I think that will work for some people.
In the second generation that includes the DSL20, the Ultra Gain has been tamed so you can get some nice nuances of overdrive now.In the previous DSL it was way too heavy and liquid in distortion.
Thanks...interesting.
@@jasonpillingmusic You may also be able to put a JJ ECC223 in the V1 tube slot, it works to tame the 15 watt amp, idk if it would help the 5 watt. The ECC223 is a tube that is a 12ax7 on the clean channel's side and a 12au7 for the gain channel.
@@watersnortmoment3734 possibly! Thanks. I've never really thought about amp modifications, but obviously something as simple a a tube swap is easy to do.
Why did you go for the ac15 over the ac10?
would have been a good choice...wasn't rentable (at my nearest store), so I didn't try it I guess? I like the tremolo of the 15...but it's not essential.
I dont think 85db is bedroom level, its really too much. You should experiment it around 70 db.
Depends on your situation I guess. If you were trying to be quiet for someone on the other side of a hollow wall...then ya, 70dB. But, just a solid chord on an acoustic guitar hits 85dB. So 70dB is basically no amplification at all. I think you'd be far better off with headphones if you need to get that quiet. Lots of small amps now offer a headphone jack option, or just play through a virtual amp on your computer would probably give you lots of good options.
They all sound great. I thought #1 the Fender sounded the best, #2 the Vox and 3rd the Marshall, it sounded tinny to me not bad but completely different from the other two.
thanks. I wasn't using them at the time of the review, but I've got a lot of use from the Fender also having a great cab-sim output directly to a DAW. The Marshall does this too, but I haven't tried it yet (because I've been so satisfied with the Fender).
@@jasonpillingmusic I just picked up a pawn shop a Fender Performer 1000 it's a hybrid with a single tube, I'm completely inlove with this amp, I only paid $200 for it, its like the workin man's Fender twin lol, I can't go past 4 on the volume it's that loud. Cheers!!
Vox VT40x. All i need tbh.
I had it's predecessor the VT40+. Very versatile modelling amp, I Iiked the built in Fender amp models, and replaced the stock Vox/Korg speaker with a Jensen C10Q to bring out more Fender chime. I sold it with the original speaker in. Now have a Fender Super Champ XD, 15W Hybrid Tube Amp with modelling features. It works well for me, great Fender Cleans, a range of built in amp models. The clean channel takes all manner of pedals with no problem. Very reliable, not too large/heavy, good sound at sensible volumes.
How good is the ac15ch attenuation
don't know? I don't have the model with an attenuator.
Try a Fryette PS2 or P100, run any amp (tube) up to 200 watts at any volumn, their vavlulator gpdi is nice as well for a 1 watt, I use for bass but works great for both
I seriously thought about getting an attenuator as well. I think if you've already got expensive heads and cabs that you like, this would be the way to go.
The Marshall sounds far better than the others here for my taste (except for that “ultra gain” tone). The Tone Master sounds more dark than I would expect from a Fender, and the Vox sounds really bad. It’s all boxy, nasal mids, like one of those cheap, plastic, battery powered, belt-clip amps.
What were the settings used for the ac15?
I don't remember specifically...but it's generally higher on the initial gain, and low on the master. There will be some sweet spot, and it depends on the guitar.
@@jasonpillingmusic yeah I’m using a 335. I’m trying to find the that sweet spot. Master at 9ish. I usually have tone cut at about 12. I like playing on the neck pickup, might switch to middle. I’m more of a cowboy strummer. Thanks for replying!
@@1222chrism good luck...I don't think you'll need much. 335/ac15 combo will work out well.
Did he call it an “entenuator”? That’s what Phillip McKnight calls them.
great video! I use vox ac15 and its just too loud for my band (play homeless shelters and church outreaches)...ive had to resort to amp simulator pedals :(
Thanks! Ya, the AC15 definitely needs to get louder for certain tones. Good luck!
It has to be at least louder than your pick hitting the strings, some guitars have pretty loud strings…
sure...it's a reasonable consideration. But sometimes I actually like to hear the acoustics of an electric guitar. The tone of the acoustic thing is the foundation of everything...so technique to make that sound good first goes a long way.
AC15 I don't think so. I have one. Its pretty loud.
The meter doesn't lie!, it can be run at 85dB, and sounds pretty good IMO. But also agree it's not the same thing as the amp at 100dB.
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Thanks! Haven’t tried it myself, but good to know other options for people to consider. Glad you found what works for you.
Marshall clean / rhytmic sound thin
No AC10? It’s the better choice at low volume. And if you really need tremolo (and hardly anyone does), get a pedal.
Ya, a few people have mentioned they like the AC10. I won't argue if anyone prefers it on balance. It depends on whole picture of what you use it for.
new sub 202
Awesome thank you!
Oh look its Alistair from Supernatural :D
85 decibels bedroom quiet 😂😂 are u insane …try that in a condo or apartment…but it’s a very good review thank you
That about what a robustly strummed acoustic guitar puts out. If you attempt to play much quieter than this, the acoustic sound of the electric guitar is part of the mix. At some point you need to use headphones if you want amp tone at lower volume (to other people).
Add the jvm 210 combo
how are we downshifting 100W of Marshall to 85dB?
@@jasonpillingmusic the jvms master volume on that amp is so good it provides an amazing tone at extremely low volumes. You need nothing else.
@@aliengrey6052 that's awesome!...I have an 80's 50W Marshall combo, and it's master volume does NOT do that. Must be a modern upgrade? I noticed it had a silent recording feature, so I guess it's just designed to operate at all volumes.
@@jasonpillingmusic I bought it well used and revalved, broken in speaker for 400.00. this amp is 1200 gdp in the U.K. what a bargain.
Perhaps you would care to explain how you go about Attenuating a Digital Amplifier???😂🤣😂
see 2:09 It's basically the equivalent of a master volume hidden on the back.
@@jasonpillingmusic Can you not understand that an Amplifier has to be Valve/Tube Driven in order for it to be Attenuated. That which you refer to is nothing more than a glorified Volume switch. On which is a Digital Amplifier, a totally different concept to a Tube Driven Amp.🤔🤨🙄
Vox sounds really thin.
Ya, I think the Vox suffers a bit at that volume if you’re used to full throttle. But it still sounds the most “Voxy” of the three of that’s what you want at that volume.
Fender sounds dull, like it's underwater
Fender sounds Not as articulate as the other two to my ears.
I wouldn't say that in the room...but I wouldn't argue with anyone else's perception either. 😁