# Best 15w practice amp?



## potatohead (Jul 27, 2009)

I am currently considering... 

Line 6 Spider III
Marshall MG15FX
Peavey Vypyr 15
Roland Cube 20x (15x doesn't have many options, and 20x has built in tuner)
VOX VT15

I am pretty new to all this but am mostly into metal and harder rock. I would like the Peavey but it doesn't seem many local people carry it. Second choice is the Line 6 because it has more channels/effects than the Marshall but probably not worth it if it doesn't sound any good. The Roland and Vox are more money, but have a few more options than the others. 


Ideas?


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 27, 2009)

Both the Roland and Vox do a pretty good job for metal. Although I'd say the Roland sounds better for high gain stuff.


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## Pewtershmit (Jul 27, 2009)

vypyr kills all


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 27, 2009)

Hey sweet we're all from BC


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## ralphy1976 (Jul 27, 2009)

potatohead said:


> I am currently considering...
> 
> Line 6 Spider III
> Marshall MG15FX
> ...



i own the roland cube 20x. it is pretty decent for 20W and will keep your parents awake at night. the tuner isn't that great and the effects are ok too, but you need to stop playing when you want to change them, so with hindsight i'd say not worth the extra money.

but good sound, good power, good price.


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## poopyalligator (Jul 27, 2009)

I would go with the peavey vypyr as my first choice, and the roland cube as a second choice, but that is just me.


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## Breakdown (Jul 27, 2009)

Peavey vyper 
I've only tired it 3 times for a short period but I guarantee you it'll sound a hell of a lot better than the line 6


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## jymellis (Jul 27, 2009)

im a peavey fan, have been since 88.


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## Pewtershmit (Jul 27, 2009)

potatohead said:


> I am currently considering...
> 
> Line 6 Spider III
> Marshall MG15FX
> ...



by the way, I work over at R & R Music in Delta which is really the only Peavey dealer now. We've got a Vypyr 15 for like 129 I think. Definately the best practice combo I've heard.


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## potatohead (Jul 27, 2009)

Sounds like the vypyr is the way to go. 

I know this is probably a major noob question, but would setting the Peavey to crunch and overdrive result in the same kind of distored sound as a "metal" or "metal stack" setting on the Line 6? The Line 6 just spells it out a little better I guess. 

Is the tuner ok in the Peavey or should you buy a seperate one anyway?


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## scottro202 (Jul 27, 2009)

if you dont have one already, then one in the peavey should be fine. I'd get a better tuner, though, but the peavey one is difinately capable.

and the crunch + overdrive may get you to that sorta sound, but it will sound a bit different than "metal" setting. just think of the crunch + OD as a crunch but more gain (which is basically what your doing, depending on the settings you use)


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## Pewtershmit (Jul 27, 2009)

ya the vypyr does all that. the tuner is great as well


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## yingmin (Jul 27, 2009)

potatohead said:


> Sounds like the vypyr is the way to go.
> 
> I know this is probably a major noob question, but would setting the Peavey to crunch and overdrive result in the same kind of distored sound as a "metal" or "metal stack" setting on the Line 6? The Line 6 just spells it out a little better I guess.


 The Vypyr models twelve different amps, among them the Krankenstein, a Diezel and a Dual Rec. Combined with the optional overdrive "pedal" effects, you'll never be wanting for gain.


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## CrushingAnvil (Jul 27, 2009)

Orange crush


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## budda (Jul 27, 2009)

Personally I am a big fan of the peavey rage 158. Sounds suprisingly good for its size, and will get heavy.


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## potatohead (Jul 27, 2009)

Thanks guys

Looks like the Vypyr is hard to beat, lots of effects/channels and the built in tuner is nice for a beginner.


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## budda (Jul 27, 2009)

do it up


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## timmyg1978 (Jul 29, 2009)

I've been debating between the spider III and the vypyr myself for home use and coffee house open mics. Leaning towards the peavey but I've read some complaints that the speaker rattles a bit, also that the volume is quite loud on 1. I live in project housing with around 400 other tenants so that could be a problem (walls are thick but ceiling is pretty thin). But from the videos I've seen the vypyr sounds more lively (anolog circuitry I guess). Could anyone who owns the vypyr address my concerns over volume and speaker rattling? 

Here is the comparison video I found for the spider and the vypyr;^]


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## Ben.Last (Jul 29, 2009)

Take that vid with a grain of salt though. The "Tone King" is a complete tool.


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## Valserp (Jul 29, 2009)

timmyg1978 said:


> Could anyone who owns the vypyr address my concerns over volume and speaker rattling?



The volume will be no problem. The Master Volume moves smoothly. I can imagine that someone might have had a loudness prob if they had their patch volume set to 100%.

Mine used to rattle, which was annoying but not something I couldn't live with. I keep thinking that this is a problem for the 15 watters only and that just SOME of them have it, but I can't confirm it.


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## sami (Jul 29, 2009)

timmyg1978 said:


> Could anyone who owns the vypyr address my concerns over volume and speaker rattling?
> 
> Here is the comparison video I found for the spider and the vypyr;^]




I've got the 15w Vypyr and yeah it can get pretty loud!! lol. But you DO have two volume knobs to mess with.

And in regards to that video, the Delay function is set somewhere else and not the FX knobs. The guy didn't read the manual so he didn't know how to turn it off.


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## Sepultorture (Jul 29, 2009)

i own a Roland so i vote Roland, this cube 60 fuckin RIPS for bedroom level death metal


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## Ben.Last (Jul 29, 2009)

sami said:


> And in regards to that video, the Delay function is set somewhere else and not the FX knobs. The guy didn't read the manual so he didn't know how to turn it off.



Like I said, The Tone King is a complete and utter tool. His are some of the worst review vids I've ever seen. He's a babbling moron who doesn't even know how to properly demo gear. It depresses me that he has so much stuff.


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## timmyg1978 (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks for the info. heh, I had read that about the delay on his comments, but he at least gave basic examples of the tone differance between the two. I'll probably order the vypyr tonight then while I can get one for $80, but on last question if anybody knows, how well does the tuner pick up the seven string in drop A? I'll probably still buy it anyway, I got other tuners but it'd be cool to have it all in one package;^]


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## sami (Jul 30, 2009)

Yes, it does. Even a 6 string tuned down to low A.


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## potatohead (Jul 31, 2009)

Well, I bought the Line 6

I don't know why, but my gut told me to buy that one, and it was a good deal. If the Peavey was more available around here I would have taken a harder look at it but I kept reading about how bad the cabinet is and how the speaker rattles at medium + volume, which turned me off.


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## Cadavuh (Jul 31, 2009)

The vox sounds great! It doesnt have that icky oversaturated tone that most high gain practice amps have. You can get a good high gain tone from it and its really good for leads


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## rvai (Jul 31, 2009)

potatohead said:


> Well, I bought the Line 6
> 
> I don't know why, but my gut told me to buy that one, and it was a good deal. If the Peavey was more available around here I would have taken a harder look at it but I kept reading about how bad the cabinet is and how the speaker rattles at medium + volume, which turned me off.



I was stuck in the same situation like 2 weeks ago, but their 75W versions, I played botha amps and didn´t really understand what was so awesome about the vypyr and so shitty about the line 6, I actually liked more the line6 hi gain sounds..


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## xtrustisyoursx (Jul 31, 2009)

I'd go with the Vypyr or Cube. I have a micro cube and i love it, but i've played some of the peaveys, and they're great too.


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## TomParenteau (Jul 31, 2009)

I like my Fender G-DEC. 20 watts. Many amp models, easy to program effects. Very nice tuner you can see clear across the room. Bass/drums backing tracks to play along to. CD input w/phrase trainer that can slow parts down down to 1/2 speed without changing pitch. MIDI. All for $270!


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## budda (Jul 31, 2009)

he did in fact buy an amp, gents


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## signalgrey (Jul 31, 2009)

vox ac15


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## timmyg1978 (Aug 5, 2009)

Got my vypyr 15 yesterday & so far I'm lovin' it, just the analog boost my tone needed. It's a little bigger than I expected, would be a little akward carrying it on the bus but it's lightweight. I also had to lower the post gain on my presets to keep it from being too loud over my mp3 player or metronome but that gives me greater control with low level volume as well. Editing and saving presets is very easy, tuner works ok & picks up my low A, effects are decent, the krankenstein model is sweeeeetttt!!!! I'm very glad I chose it over the line 6, for $80 it was a steal;^]


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## sami (Aug 5, 2009)

potatohead said:


> but I kept reading about how bad the cabinet is and how the speaker rattles at medium + volume, which turned me off.



I had this problem. Turns out it was just shaking on my desk so I put something a little heavy on top of it.


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