Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesPeters
I've made 10W amps in the past which were part of my product line, and also some lower powered amps than that (down to 1W) but just for my own testing/learning. I don't even want to make the 10W amps anymore, let alone less than that. I turn the amp's master volume down and use the damping control. It sounds great. And no one can complain that it "sounds too small". Too many people complained about my 10W amps, even though I'd compared them to other 10W tube amps on the market and mine were easily at least as good. I'd warn people in advance they're not going to sound the same as 100W amps. People believe what they want to believe though; all it takes is one instance of confirmation bias (hearing a sound clip they like or listening to someone else's opinion), and they ignore my recommendation then later blame me. So I discontinued them and it's unlikely I'll ever do them again. Sometimes you have to make decisions that are in the best interests of people whether they realize it or not. 
Nowadays I even warn people against getting 50W versions of my amps just in case. I tell them the 100W makes the most sense whether you play loud or not. It's the safest choice.
If you want "output tube distortion" at low power levels, know this: nothing sounds like a cranked 100W amp at low volume. You can use a 1W amp with a specific oddball tube for the output, you can use attenuators, you can use "power scaling", you name it. It's always a noticeable compromise in some way. In that case I say using the controls on my amps which are designed to help get great sounds at low volumes: that makes the most sense. |
After I posted that question I got to thinking how for you it's prolly about the same amount of work to make a tiny low power amp as it is to make a normal one.
I'm actually pretty happy with the little Micro Terror amp, but have always wished it's power amp section was tube rather than solid state. I never run it loud enough to hear through the closet door, and monitor what is being played through the studio monitors after it's been through a speaker cab and mic'd.
I just posted earlier a revamped song from 2009 where a VERY GOOD guitar player friend of mine (now deceased) played through the Micro Terror amp and vintage Gretsch speaker cab with three different kinds of tones. Clean jazz, medium funk, and distortion rock. I'm sure it doesn't sound as good as your amps, but what a great guitar performance. Here's a link to that post.
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=223039