Is your amp better than a Micro Cube?

[Songman]

For practice that is. In a small room at a lower volume, I have had my Roland Micro Cube for past several years to do just that. However I'm always looking for ways to try new and better things...yes typical gear addict, that's me. I have also come to realize over the years that tube amps generally do not do so well for practice where versitility and lower voumed is needed. I mean 5 watts tube is still way too loud for most house and getting it to break up at a lower volume requires a pedal or two. I have also experimented with power scaling and I don't care what others say, it does not work as well as my Micro cube at a lower volume when it comes to gain. Perhaps only tube amp I can think of that might fit the bill really well is Carr Mercury...

I am wondering if any of you who once owned Micro Cube found a better practice amp and moved on without any regrets.

So how about it? Anything better than Micro Cube in your experience when it comes to praticing in a small house or apartment?

PLEASE, I am not asking which amp you use to practice right now so don't just list what you use. I am specifically asking for those of you who have owned or experiemented eith Micro Cube and have moved on.

Thanks!

[stratzrus]

I practiced with my MicroCube for a while but now I use the Axe FX or Cube 60. Either one is a much better choice, even for late night apartment practice.

[Songman]

Originally Posted by stratzrus

I practiced with my MicroCube for a while but now I use the Axe FX or Cube 60. Either one is a much better choice, even for late night apartment practice.

Thanks! Care to elaborate what makes them better than micro cube for late night practice?

[zosozep7]

I had the Micro Cube as my first amp. Thought it rocked! Until I bought a Vox 15 watt with the steel grill. Whats the name of that series? Anyways, that amp blew away the MC away!

Another amp I thought was real cool was the Fender GDEC. Excellent practice amp! All kinds of great combo tones and beats to play along with.

[gadjet]

I like my ZT Lunchbox... does low volume with a pedal very very well... I can run a mutli-effects pedal and again works very well.. does get loud enough and sounds good enough for gigging... I agree with you 1000% about not being able to find a low wattage amp that is quiet enough for quiet practice.. a lot of tube amps will do it with a pedal.. ZT Lunchbox vs. my ex MicroCube, no regets and I don't miss it but I agree they do work very well...used mine for quite awhile.

[Eak]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

I had the Micro Cube as my first amp. Thought it rocked! Until I bought a Vox 15 watt with the steel grill. Whats the name of that series? Anyways, that amp blew away the MC away!

I think you're talking about the Valvetronix series.

I'm a big fan of the Vibro Champ XD for practice purposes

[zosozep7]

Originally Posted by Eak

I think you're talking about the Valvetronix series.

I'm a big fan of the Vibro Champ XD for practice purposes

Valvetronix. Thats it!

I have the SCXD and it is an awesome practice amp! Especially for $199

[Songman]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

Valvetronix. Thats it!

I have the SCXD and it is an awesome practice amp! Especially for $199

So which one do you use for practice and prefer? the Valvetronix or Super Champ XD?

[guitarman3001]

I don't have a microcube but when I was looking for a small apartment amp about 3 years ago, I spent over an hour at guitar center A/B'ing the microcube with the vox DA5. The vox blew it way in every category. Now I have a vox VT30 which has an adjustable power setting and my DA5 is now sitting in a closet gathering dust. The VT30 is small and with the wattage set low it's great for apartment use. Turn it up and it becomes a great practice amp. I've used it to practice with my band and it's easily loud enough to hang with the entire band. Obviously doesn't sound as big as a larger amp but it's easily heard.

So yes, my VT30 is better than a microcube.

[Redhouse-Blues]

I tried a bunch of small amp's, the microcube and a DA5 that will fit in a back pack for practice and taking on trips to National Guitar Workshop. I got a ZT Lunchbox amp and I'll never look back. It sounds like an AMP and has really great tone for something so small. It takes pedals very well and you can mike it and jam with it. You can also use it as a 200 watt head into a cab and it just kill's. If you try one out, you'll never look at other little amp's the same. It's a little monster!!!

[Songman]

Originally Posted by Redhouse-Blues

I tried a bunch of small amp's, the microcube and a DA5 that will fit in a back pack for practice and taking on trips to National Guitar Workshop. I got a ZT Lunchbox amp and I'll never look back. It sounds like an AMP and has really great tone for something so small. It takes pedals very well and you can mike it and jam with it. You can also use it as a 200 watt head into a cab and it just kill's. If you try one out, you'll never look at other little amp's the same. It's a little monster!!!

Is the lunch box tube or SS?

[Redhouse-Blues]

Originally Posted by Songman

Is the lunch box tube or SS?

It's SS but the way they designed it sounds like a tube amp.

http://www.ztamplifiers.com/products/lunchbox.html

[zosozep7]

Originally Posted by Songman

So which one do you use for practice and prefer? the Valvetronix or Super Champ XD?

Sorry bout that Songman.

I sold the Valvetronix a while ago. I use the SCXD for practice. Have you checked them out yet? It has the knob with 16 voicing selections to choose from. I prefer the regular channel and like to add my own pedals.

[Songman]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

Sorry bout that Songman.

I sold the Valvetronix a while ago. I use the SCXD for practice. Have you checked them out yet? It has the knob with 16 voicing selections to choose from. I prefer the regular channel and like to add my own pedals.

I actually did own SCXD for couple days...yup had to sell it for another purchase. I recall really liking it. However I don't recall how it did at a whisper volume... My Micro Cube cranks hard even at whisper volume. Does your SCXD crank with approperiate channel at a whisper volume?

You see some amps...especially tube amps, you have to work on it hard to get it to crank at lower volume. One of the thing about Cube was that I didn't have to hit the strings hard in order to get that drive. I just don't recall if SCXD was like that.

[zosozep7]

Yes, it will crank at whisper volume but you have to use the voicing channel.