Practice amps are very important in the life of a guitarist. Having big tube amps are great options but they are not the best amp for practice (unless you own a studio for practicing). All tube amps will require the volume and gain to be decently cranked up in order to get the overdriven tone. Size is also a huge consideration where space is luxury and not available to everyone.
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What do you need to look for in a practice amp?
Normally you will look for a modeling amp or a solid-state amp. If you are a lover of valve amps you will need a way smaller practice amp.
Valve Amp
Valve amps are driven by valves or tubes. These are basically small glass bulbs through which electricity runs and gives the amps their sound. But the problem with these valves is that it needs solid volume and gain to get saturated and deliver the creamy lead tone.
Solid State Amp
So here comes the solid-state amps which run on transistors. Unlike the valve amps, these can crank up any gain at any volume. The circuit drives the effects in these amps. These could be small and portable and can give you the desired effects even at low volumes.
Modelling Amp
Lastly, there are modelling amps. These are modern amps where the circuit inside these amps can emulate the sounds of the most famous amps that we have always heard and wanted to own. So, a modeling amp is many amps in one amp. These also come with additional effects which you can add to the basic amp sounds. Modeling amps are the new generation true practice amps where you just need an amp and a guitar.
Let’s check which are the best options available in the current market now.
Boss Katana-Air
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Boss has been hugely popular with the Katana series. With Katana-Air now, they bring all the modeling amps in the line to a 30-watt desktop practice amp and make it even better – wireless. So, you can lose the guitar cable and do all your antics while practicing on your pad. Boss calls this the first true wireless amp as the amp itself can also be battery powered. So, you can practically carry the amp anywhere and play.
The Amp
The Katana-Air comes with an app through which you can choose your amps and effects. There are 5 amp types from clean to crunchy brown and in addition to that, you can dial in modulation, distortion, and time-based effects. The effects are really good and you have access to more than 50 such effects from Boss’ Tone Studio.
This amp is a true wireless joy. The wireless transmitter and the amp head are in perfect unison and provides ultra-low latency transmission. This is a powerful wireless system and you can be really far away from the amp and still, the transmission will be intact.
The thing which we don’t like about this amp is the wireless transmitter. If you are playing and the wireless transmitter hooked into your guitar which has an output jack like what you have in a Les Paul, then the transmitter rubs on to your thighs and you have a feeling you might knock it off while playing. With Fenders, this works fine. Boss should look at modifying the design of this.
Our Assessment
Otherwise, a lovely amp, perfect for a practice set up with all possible effects which you may need. A great option to go for.
Boss Waza Air
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If you have loved the Boss Katana-Air and the liberating experience, then perhaps you will love the Boss Waza Air a lot more. What Boss has done is they have taken the Katana-Air and have squeezed it into a headphone and a wireless router and have made it technologically even better.
3D sound
The Waza Air provides all the fancy amp modulation, effects and the app which the Katana Air does. In addition to that, it provides you with a three-dimensional experience of the sound. Let me explain how.
Unlike the Katana Air, the Waza Air is a headphone. So, Boss has done away with the desktop amp set up and brings here a very intimate and personal sonic experience through their headphones. Boss has incorporated the Gyro Sensor technology in this headphone which gives you a virtual three-dimensional sound. This is very different from an ordinarily closed-back headphone which just injects sound into your ears.
The Waza Air comes with three modes – Static, Stage and Surround.
In the static mode, you can virtually fix the position of the amp relative to yourself in a room. It gives an amp in a room experience. When you move around or move your head, the experience is similar to you moving around a room with an amp in it. It’s an amazing experience.
Similarly, the Stage mode gives the feeling you are on a stage with the amps behind you. If you are importing a backing track via Bluetooth to jam on, it will give the feeling that you are jamming on stage with a band behind you.
Lastly, the Surround mode gives a very uniform feeling of sound coming from various directions. Possibly how you will feel in a studio sort of a setup.
Our Assessment
The wireless connection works seamlessly and it is incredibly easy to pair. With Waza air, now you can have your sessions with your instrument without disturbing others but at the same time have the larger-than-life experience of being on stage or a perfect intimate session between you and the sound.
Yamaha THR 10 II Wireless
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The THR Series is Yamahas Desktop Series of Amps and are made primarily for practice or one to one play. The THR 10 II is a 20 W desktop masterpiece from Yamaha. Yamaha has been modifying the THR 10 series from the time it was launched in 2011 to date. Now the THR 10 11 includes a fantastic wireless feature, which apparently seems to be the way to go for the newer generation of practice amps.
The Built
The built of the amp is solid and it is not bigger than perhaps a toolbox. It is cream in color with Y shaped grills, which give a very elegant look to the amp. This practice amp has improved 3.5-inch speakers which are slightly larger than the previous ones and have a better bass response.
The amp clones the sound of the classic tube amps through the modeling circuit and the looks of a tube amp through the glowing Orange LED inside the grills.
Effects
The AMP provides 15 guitar amp models, 3 bass amp models, 3 acoustic mic models and it has a flat mode as well for the likes of keys. These different models come from the combination of the three modes – Modern, Boutique and Classic.
The effects include modulation, reverb, and delay and you can dial in all of these to the most minute details by the app and save them in one of the 5 presets. There are 2 level knobs provided – for backing tracks and the guitar. This is to balance the audio as per the requirement.
The THR 10II is an all in one solution as it can be also used as an Audio Interface to your DAW. You can connect via USB to your DAW to record.
This is also a wireless-ready amp and has the Line 6 relay system built-in and pairs with a G10T wireless transmitter (sold separately). It finds the right frequency quickly and good to be played.
Our Assessment
Yamaha’s VCM (Virtual Circuit Modelling) technology is at the best here. You have the feel of the real valve-like fat low and sparkling highs which respond remarkably well to the guitar dynamic – just what you expect in a valve beauty. The amp can transform from a nice clean to slight crunchy gain boost tones to a full-fledged screaming monster of modern generation metal. The EQs are extremely sensitive.
You also have the bigger brother to this which is THR 30II wireless. That is a 30 W wireless one. Also, a great choice but for home, the 20W models we feel are fine.
Fender Mustang I V2
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The Fender Mustang I V2 is perhaps one of the most sought-after amps in the small amps space. It is a modeling amp and offers some extremely good tones out of the amp modeler in a 20 W package. The sounds range from the 60s blues to 80s hard rock to the 2020’s metal tones.
The top panel of the amp is divided between the standard inputs and the modelling section. It houses a guitar input, Gain, a 2 band EQ of treble and bass and a master knob for the guitar section.
You can also hook the amp to the Fuse software and change every bit of the settings to your heart’s content.
Effects
The modelling section has 17-amp models which cover almost every amp which you can think of or would need. The amp comes with 24 presets with different effects and gain dialled in. You can change the presets by changing the effects or adding effects.
This amp also comes with a tuner built-in which you can activate by holding the “tap” button. The Mustang V2 has a footswitch input button and also a headphone out. With the AUX input, you can also jam to your favourite backing tracks.
You can dial in effects from a bank of 44 effects from stompbox (compressor, overdrive, distortion. wahs, etc), modulations (chorus, flanger etc), and time-based effects (rever and delays). But you can only access the stompbox effects through the Fuse software.
Our Assessment
Though being a solid-state amp with an 8” speaker, the amp does produce some amazing sound. It does replicate the warm tones and highs of a tube amp. My favorite is the Twin Reverbs and it sounds very close to them. The low gain amps do really well while the high gain ones might miss a bit of the tightness desired from a metal sound.
Overall a good sounding practice amp that is very versatile which can cover many different genres of music. A perfect practice amp, just right for home use and get the desired response even in low volume. Definitely would recommend using the software to further sculpt the tones. Easy to use, sounds great, in a small package, and pocket friendly. Ticks all the right boxes.
Blackstar Fly 3
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The concept of Blackstar Fly 3 is a microamp but in no way are the sounds micro in reality. It is a micro 3 watts amp stereo pack. Do not let the size of the amp fool you, it is an incredibly loud amp with brilliant sound.
The Amp
The amp can run on battery or by the mains as well. It provides good battery life. The top panel is extremely simple with an input section for guitar, gain, volume, and EQ, and a Delay.
The EQ is called ISF which is Blackstar’s “Infinite Tone Shaper”. You can play with the EQ to get a more British or American amp by tweaking it. You can engage the dirt mode by activating the OD button.
It also has a line in for jamming on backing tracks and a headphone out for silent practicing. You can add another speaker for a little more money and you get a stereo system which is brilliant.
Our Assessment
It is an incredibly versatile practice amp and perfect for home playing, it easily fits into your luggage to play in your hotel room when you are travelling or having a session with friends around. It can be also loud enough to be played outside if you prefer.
The cleans sound nice, clear, and crisp. By dialing in a higher gain this gives a very nice thickness and crunch. The dirty channel can bring a much more saturated version of this sound and considering the small speaker size, it does not disappoint us. The delay works well in getting a fuller sound.
Overall a decent amp for practice with great portability and ease of use. Though the crunch is good keeping in mind the relatively smaller size of the amp, but it might not fully satisfy a metal head. This amp shines best in a low to moderate gain territory.
Orange Crush 20 RT
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The Orange Crush 20 RT is a great option for a practice amp. This model is an improvement on the Crush 20 with the inclusion of a Reverb and Tuner which lends RT to the name.
The Amp
As the name suggests it is a 20 W amp and hosts an 8-inch speaker which Orange calls “voice of the world”. Overall a just the right size for a practice amp.
Let the small size of the amp not deceive you, it delivers the wonderful orange sound in this small package. It’s a 2-channel amp with shared EQ and Gain controls. The tuner is placed as a strip on the panel with the reverb next to it. The reverb can be made applicable to both the channels but the gain can only be applicable to the dirty channel. You can connect a footswitch to toggle between the clean and the dirty channel.
The amp has a headphone out with cabinet simulation. This can give your headphones the sound as if coming out from a larger orange 4 x 12-inch cab. You can also import your backing tracks for jamming.
Our Assessment
It’s amazing how Orange retains its signature warm tube-like sound even in a small solid-state practice amp. The cleans provide a nice signature orange fat sound which gives a fullness to the chords. The dirty channel with the gain dialed in half brings the classic rock sound while cranking the gain all the way up can provide insane chugs with screaming lead tones and pinched harmonics.
Overall, the amp provides in a small unit to the lovers of Orange a true Orange sound, which you can place at your home and practice in low volumes. The headphone simulation feature can provide you with a more robust sound. The amp does not come with Bluetooth connectivity and a USB connection to your laptop. Most guitarists will anyways have an audio interface for home studio usage so USB is connectivity is not a real showstopper.
Marshall DSL 1CR
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The Marshall DSL 1 CR is the lowest powered real valve amplifier which Marshall has. We all love valve amplifiers but to get the real overdriven tones, the volume, and the gains need to be cranked up, which is challenging to achieve in a home set up due to the loudness these amplifiers generate.
The Amp
In such a situation a 1-watt valve amp comes real handy. The amp comes with 2 channels – classic and ultra gain. Both the channels are foot-switchable. It comes with a 3 band EQ of bass, mid, and treble with a “tone shift” added variation. The tone shift essentially provides a mid-scoop. In the end, you have the reverb. The panel comes in a traditional Marshall Gold Plate with a Red On/ Off button.
The rear of the amp features an Fx loop which is a great feature to include reverb, delay with or without modulation separately in the signal chain separated from the front of the amp. This feature is not found in amps of this size.
The rear panel also has an input for footswitch, a low power mode when even 1 W is too loud and takes the amp to 0.1 W, emulated speaker out, and audio in for backing tracks. The speaker is not hardwired to the circuit and provides options to be connected with external cabs.
Our Assessment
The Ultra Gain channel of the amp does provide the true Marshall gain and sound. Dedicated gain and variations of EQ with tone shift, provides the player adequate means to sculpt the tone. You can also dial the gain back and bring the classic crunchy sound of the 70’s rock. The amp has loads of headroom for gain for real hard-rock players.
Overall a smart and intelligent amp from Marshall that can be used at home with the in-built speaker or if required, through a cab in a practice set up. The dialing down of the power of the amp to 0.1 W makes it so easier to get real valve sounds in a bedroom set up. A great choice for the lovers of both Marshall and valve amps.
Vox AC4C1 – 12
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Do you want the Brian May sound at home but even a VOX AC 10 is too loud? Worry not, here we have the 4 W Vox valve amp with a 12 inch speaker. This is a great upgrade as a 12” Celestion VX12 Custom speaker can deliver you a bigger Vox tone without getting fizzy.
The Amp
The amp is powered by 2 x 12 AX7 in the preamp section with the original EL8 4 in the power amp. The main panel is simple with a guitar input, and chicken head controls for gain, 2 band EQ with bass and treble, and a master volume control.
The amp does not come with an inbuilt reverb or delay and you will need to add that to the signal chain. The AC4C1-12 has the classic VOX looks and sound.
Our Assessment
Though it is a small practice amp, VOX has managed to retain its signature sound. The cleans are typical of Vox with sparking treble, with a nice warm base, and a controlled mid. Dialing a higher gain brings the true British blues and rock sound. If used along with a boost pedal with the gain dialed in, you get a marvelous overdriven tone with great sustain. While using a strat gives you more of the classic Vox “Chime” for rhythm, using a humbucker for lead can give a beefy fat tone and superb sustain.
Overall an amp with legendary sound but in a small package. This makes the amp portable to be used in practice pads or at home at low volume and still enjoy the British tone of Vox that we all love. A brilliant little amp for practice and for the lovers of the Vox sound. The only drawback is that the amp tends to get heated quickly.
Roland Jazz Chorus 22
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Another iconic amp known for its luscious chorus. In a way, this is the miniature version of the legendary Roland Jazz Chorus 120 (and its smaller brother JC -40), now in a 30 W package perfect for home use and practice.
The Amp
This is an amp with Stereo capability with two 6.5” speakers. The amp has a clean channel and is able to handle pedals efficiently to shape any tone. The amps legendary sounding chorus (and reverb) can be switched on or off by the use of a footswitch.
The Jazz Chorus provides a dimensional chorus. In simple terms, it blends the dry signal from the guitar with the wet one in a spatial mix. A blend of these 2 signals mixing in the air produces the amazing luscious chorus sounds associated with this legendary amp.
The amp has a stereo input and also has a stereo pair of jacks at the rear of the amp for connecting it to larger cabs or two of them for a true big stereo experience. The front panel of the amp is simple with a bright switch, volume, 3 band EQ with Treble, Middle and Bass and Reverb. The chorus section of the amp comes after the Reverb with a Speed and Depth control.
The rear of the amp provides a headphone out and a stereo out as well. It comes with an effects loop and footswitch options to on-off the chorus or the reverb. The original JCs were specifically built for gigging and the build for the same reason is super sturdy. The JC – 22 continues with the same tradition of built and is built like a tank.
Our Assessment
Overall a great sounding amp that can be used for home playing and if the need is, can also be used for gigs. A smaller brother of the legendary JC -120 providing you the cleans and the iconic chorus used by the likes of Albert King, Andy Summers of Police, Edge (U2), Billy Duffy of the Cult to Metallica used in albums like “And Justice for All” and “Metallica”.
Summing Up
Modern generation modelling amps have taken the world by storm by their very accurate rendering of the original legendary amps. Though these amps are great choices and provide a wide range of amp sounds in a single package, the lovers of the true valve amps can also get their favourite sounds thanks to the low wattage valve amps which are now available.
All the amps covered here are extremely versatile and are great sounding. Keeping in mind a low-volume home playing or practice environment, you cannot go wrong with any of these. Do your research and choose the one which fits your budget and playing style the most. Happy jamming!
Last update on 2024-05-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
