Which "portable" metal / rock amp ?

[mindwalker]

Hey guys!

Age old question I suppose...
I am a hobbyist guitar player but my main job is actually computer programming. Anyway, I like to play and trying to improve myself. Right now I own a POD X3 Live and a couple of guitars. My situation is quite specific because I'm temporarily living in the Netherlands and because of my temporary situation I don't own a car. So everything around here is done by bike... which means that if I want to jam with friends, my amp needs to be portable on a bike! (in other words, me biking with the amp in one hand... yay!)

So I've been looking into possibilities... I've tried the Blackstar HT-5 which has the perfect size but didn't quite cut it for me regarding metal. The ENGL Screamer fared a bit better but there's new options out these days. I've seen the Engl Gigmaster but most videos have sucky sound so not so sure about that one! Same goes for the H&K Tubemeister.
Another option would be a pre-amp (like the Engl e530) but it may be big to carry around ? (however I'm guessing that it's not too heavy..)..
Also there's the Mesa Mini Rectifier out now... that looks good! But expensive..

Any good hints or anything I may be missing ? I should also say that money is not the issue here.. but I like to get the best bang for the buck!

I'm thinking that although the HT-5 didn't cut it, with a pedal it might (such as the new Blackstar HT-Metal).. Also being a combo it really is 100% portable because there isn't always a cabinet in the places you go to jam...

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Well, when I hear "portable amp" this is the first thing that immediately comes to mind:

A distortion pedal running into an EHX 44 Magnum.

EHX.com | 44 Magnum - Power Amp | Electro-Harmonix

EDIT: Just re-read your post. Since you don't have a cab at your jamming spot, it'll be a little tricky using that... I'd say get the HT-5 combo, and get an overdrive pedal to boost it.

[macgruber]

orange dark terror!

[Loomer]

Originally Posted by macgruber

orange dark terror!

BACKIN THIS SO HARD BRAH

No seriously, you need the Dark Terror. It really sounds amazing.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I thought the OP wanted a combo since he can't always get a cab.

[mindwalker]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

I thought the OP wanted a combo since he can't always get a cab.

sorry I didn't make myself very clear. I'm looking into both options first (combo and not combo) with what regards to tone. Then I'll see if I go for the combo or head route

The combo is the most convenient option but it doesn't exclude a separate cabinet.

I'm liking the videos of the dark terror so far.. gotta find one in my area to try it out.

[mindwalker]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

Well, when I hear "portable amp" this is the first thing that immediately comes to mind:

A distortion pedal running into an EHX 44 Magnum.

EHX.com | 44 Magnum - Power Amp | Electro-Harmonix

EDIT: Just re-read your post. Since you don't have a cab at your jamming spot, it'll be a little tricky using that... I'd say get the HT-5 combo, and get an overdrive pedal to boost it.

yeah at the moment there's no cab but there's always the possibility of getting one and leaving it there or something like that. But the Magnum seems like a good tool too.. poweramp in a small box.. could push a pre-amp hard!

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Originally Posted by mindwalker

sorry I didn't make myself very clear. I'm looking into both options first (combo and not combo) with what regards to tone. Then I'll see if I go for the combo or head route

The combo is the most convenient option but it doesn't exclude a separate cabinet.

I'm liking the videos of the dark terror so far.. gotta find one in my area to try it out.

Oh, well then.
The Dark Terror would be a good choice then. Or you can wait and see about the Jim Root signature Tiny Terror.

[epsylon]

You should check out the Carvin V3M as well. 50 / 22 / 7W (switchable) head, 3 channels (2 overdrive / disto & 1 clean), versatile as hell and... only weighs 8kg.
The only downside is that it's not MIDI-capable and is a bit costly in Europe (paid mine 1100€ with footswitch and cover).

[Sephael]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

Oh, well then.
The Dark Terror would be a good choice then. Or you can wait and see about the Jim Root signature Tiny Terror.

Probably an .8 to 10 months wait on that..

With my Dark Terror I got a jet 12XS, it's just 18lbs/8.2kg. Toss the DT in its bag And I'm good to go..

[guy in latvia]

why dont you just get a monitor and use that with your pod? seems hell of a lot cheaper and more logical than biking with a tube amp in your hand. plus, if its raining, i cant imagine having the amp out on a bike to be a good thing...

i used to have to carry a 1x12 combo amp with my pedals and guitar to practice at least once a week and that was the most painful thing ive ever experienced, i cannot possibly imagine why anyone would want to do that...

[USMarine75]

^ ditto... POD into studio monitor. I jam with a Zoom G9.2ttu and studio monitor all the time sounds great... just beware won't be loud enough over a live drummer.

[Andromalia]

As a rock amp the H&K Tubemeister is very good and has a host of features most other lunchboxes don't have (direct out, multiwatt, etc), but you'll need a pedal for death metal, say.
Build quality of this head is excellent.

[mindwalker]

maybe you guys are right and lugging a tube amp around might not be the best idea (even if it's small).

I've carried around my X3 live a few times and it's not so friendly either (at least the floor model which I have, it barely fits in a gym bag) plus you have to connect it to the computer speakers / monitors at your final place, adjust the POD's sound to the monitors.. and other minor stuff (such as... if the speakers are also used to play a backing track from a computer then you need to connect it to the POD's input..)

It just seems simpler to have 1 guitar - cable - amp But yeah... maybe that's going to be a pain to move around. And yeah, in Holland there's usually an annoying drizzle that might not be so good for a valve amp... (even if it's wrapped in a protective cover)

[mindwalker]

Originally Posted by Andromalia

As a rock amp the H&K Tubemeister is very good and has a host of features most other lunchboxes don't have (direct out, multiwatt, etc)

That's a definite plus, to be able to juice out the direct signal for recording with impulses!

[Rock4ever]

I've never used one, but I've seen youtube videos of roland micro cube that sounded good. Their regular cube models looks like the come in various power output ratings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djchH-Xd2Vw

[Sepultorture]

Mesa has a Mini recto, extremly portable, 25 watts, goes down to 10 watts if you want, could be pretty damn badass

[op1e]

Blackstar HT-5R - $380
Jet City 2x12 -$220

[Sephael]

Originally Posted by op1e

Jet City 2x12 -$220

Did you even read the OP?

[op1e]

Oh, forgot about the bike bit, haha. But ya, I read it.

[jarnozz]

blackstar ht5rh, no more words. it does it all

[ZOMB13]

iPad with iRig.

I tried that out at NAMM for about 2 hours, had a really awesome tone.

[urklvt]

Originally Posted by ZOMB13

iPad with iRig.

I tried that out at NAMM for about 2 hours, had a really awesome tone.

It can do the trick. Apps like Jamup Pro or Ampkit sound pretty good if you put some time in to designing the presets.

Here's a tone test I did with the Ampkit app by Agile Partners:
Session 01 from AmpKit by urklvt on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Bear in mind that these work on the iPad and the iPhone equally well.

[Loomer]

I also have Ampkit on my iPhone, it actually sounds surprisingly good!

[mindwalker]

Would be cool to huntdown a shop where I could test drive the Dark Terror, HT-5r and Mini Rectifier! (and the Carvin V3M mentioned before if I can find it).
The iPhone/iPad + iRig combination seems good too however if I'd go down that route I'd probably just get a POD HD bean instead.

I seem to remember somewhere reading about a low wattage 5150 ? Maybe it's the 50watt.. not so low wattage...