Purchasing a tube combo amp for the first time may sound like an ordeal, especially with the many options available in the market today. Most beginners tend to think that an amp is solely used to amplify sound. But actually, amps can also give the sound a distinct shape and color.
This is most probably the number one reason why guitarists take amp shopping very seriously. The amp you choose will eventually dictate the overall tone and style of your music.
Although there are plenty of digital modeling amps or effects processors that are able to produce almost any kind of sound, their sound is not comparable to the stunning possibilities only tube amps can offer.
If you’re looking for an amp that can help you find your signature sound, there is no doubt that a tube combo amp is the best solution for you. Below is a list of our favorite tube combo amps in the market today. Check it out and hopefully, you’ll be able to find the best option for you.
Contents
Top 10 Best Tube Amp Combos (2024 Reviews)
- Fender Champion 20
- Marshall Amps (M-MG30GFX-U) Combo Amplifier
- Monoprice 611815 Combo Amp
- Line 6 Guitar Combo Amplifier
- Ibanez TSA15 Combo Guitar Amplifier
- Vox AC4-4W Combo Amp
- Roland CUBE-10GX 10W Combo Amp
- BUGERA V5 5-Watt Class Amplifier Combo
- Line 6 AMPLIFi 75 Modeling Guitar Amplifier
- Archer TUBULARBK Tubular Guitar Combo Amplifier
Runner Up | Editor's Choice | Also Great |
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Fender Champion 20
The Fender Champion 20 is a long-standing favorite of ours. There’s just a lot to love about this amp with qualities that are hard to beat. No matter how many times we’ve mentioned the Fender Champion before, we never get tired of talking about it.
In my opinion, the best thing about the Fender Champion is its portability. This amp sports a compact and lightweight design that makes traveling with music a breeze.
It is also very easy to use and friendly enough for beginners to start jamming with. And thanks to its straightforward controls, this amp isn’t just easy, it’s convenient even for the more experienced guitar players.
My favorite part about the Fender Champion is in its cool effects and versatile amp voicing. This amp makes it so easy to dial in just the right sounds for blues, rock, metal, jazz, and many more. Like I said, this one is hard to beat.
- Compact and lightweight
- Perfect for both private practice and gigging
- Offers a variety of cool effects and plenty of amp voicing possibilities
- Super affordable
- Fits the budget of any beginner on a budget
- Not enough power for larger gigs and live performances
Marshall Amps (M-MG30GFX-U) Combo Amplifier
This Marshall MG30GFX may look like your ordinary amp but don’t be fooled because it packs a lot more than you think. This amp delivers a wide range of classic and modern tones.
It even covers all the essential features that both beginners and veteran guitar players may need. In short, the Marshal MG30GFX is one of the best amps to get if you’re looking for an amp for long term use.
Even if you’re just starting out, this amp is simple enough to understand and use. But just because it fits the needs of a beginner, it doesn’t mean that it’s completely useless for the pro guitar player. No matter what your level, the Marshall MG30GFX can deliver your needs.
- Made with high-quality durable components
- Offers a wide range of classic and modern tones
- Comes with a headphone output for silent practice
- The consistency of sound quality needs improvement
Monoprice 611815 Combo Amp
Before anything else, I have to say that this amp is one of the most attractive ones I’ve seen in a long time. The Monoprice 611815 is a beautiful cream-colored amp with a textured synthetic leather exterior and chrome corner guards. The clean and subtle color is a nice change from the bold and black colored amps.
The Monoprice 611815 also has a cabinet with an open back for extra storage – perfect if you’re thinking of taking this beauty out on the road.
However, the Monoprice 611815 isn’t all about looks. It comes with three industry standard 12AX7 tubes that drive the preamp and reverb sections. Its powerful EL84 tubes deliver a punch like no other amp. Its spring reverb can be switched on or off with a foot pedals and the 3-band equalizer provides easy access to custom sound.
Personally, I think that this amp is one of the best in terms of delivering that iconic tube sound. It makes the perfect option for those who want an authentic sound-shaping amp.
- Sports in a beautiful yet subtle design
- Made with high-quality materials
- Simple and easy to use
- Allows easy dial-in to the desired sound
- Comes with top-notch tubes for consistent sound quality
- Not as loud as other amps of its size
Line 6 Guitar Combo Amplifier
The Line Spider V 20, in my opinion, is the best option for those who are new to guitar amps. For a very affordable price, you get 16 diverse amp presets from Clean to Crunch to Insane. You also have Acoustic and Bass presets which makes this amp adaptable to almost any music genre. This is great for beginners who are still looking for their signature style and sound.
Each preset also contains three effects that can be switched in and out stompbox-style with the dedicated FX buttons on the front panel. And speaking of the front panel, the Spider V 20 sports an intuitive design for easy and simple controls.
Users can tap in delay times and modulation rates with the Tap/Tuner button. The dedicated Reverb control adds more depth to the sound, while the 1/8-inch stereo headphone jack allows a private practice.
Overall, I believe that this amp is great for practice. Plus, its compact size and 5kg weight make it easy to travel with whenever you want to take your music with you on the go.
- Lightweight and portable
- Perfect for traveling
- Contains 15 diverse amp presets that are switchable stompbox style
- Sports an intuitive layout and easy controls
- Great for beginners
- Lacks more input and output
Ibanez TSA15 Combo Guitar Amplifier
The best thing about the Ibanez TSA15 is the Tube Screamer overdrive pedal – a highly coveted feature according to die-hard Ibanez fans. Although I can’t attest its value, I have reason to believe that they are indeed desirable.
First of all, this Ibanez amp comes with the Celestion speakers that are popular for producing a clean, rich, and clear tone. Together with the Tube Screamer circuit, the Ibanez TSA15 can also deliver warm punch and crunch when you need it. The best part of it all? It’s foot-switchable and it also comes with easy Tone and Level controls.
What I love about this amp is the fact that you can also switch between 5-watts and 15-watts. So if you’re just at home practicing or recording in your home studio, a 5-watt should work with that type of environment. Even while working in a quiet environment, you can still access the Tube Screamer tone.
- Delivers a clean rich tone with warm punch and crunch
- Switch between 5-watts or 15-watts depending on your needs
- Has easy foot-switchable controls
- A bit pricey compared to other options on this list
Vox AC4-4W Combo Amp
The Vox AC4 delivers two classic Vox tones a lot of guitar players love: a classic clean chime and a rowdy Top Boost. The Vox AC4 is a compact 4-watt combo amp with a Celestion 12-inch speaker that delivers robust sound quality.
It has volume, treble, bass, and gain controls that allow easy sound shaping. Thanks to the classic chime and Top Boost tone, it is now easier for any player to recreate the iconic Vox sound.
And if you love the vintage style, the Vox AC4 makes a beautiful option. With its diamond grille cloth and basket-weave vinyl exterior, this amp will surely stand out from the crowd. Personally, I would recommend this amp as a practice amp or for a small private gig. Its size and portability make it a great companion for travel.
- Lightweight and portable
- Sports a compact design that does not take up a lot of space
- Provides players with two iconic Vox tones
- Clean chime and Top Boost
- Has a unique and beautiful vintage design
- Perfect for those who love a classic look
- Lacks volume
- Not recommended for larger gigs and live performances
Roland CUBE-10GX 10W Combo Amp
The Roland CUBE is another compact amp on this list. It is a 10-watt guitar amp with custom-designed 8-inch speakers. It comes with three presets such as Clean, Crunch, and Lead. What I love most about this amp is that users can also replace these presets via the free CUBE KIT app compatible with iOs and Android devices.
The Roland CUBE also has three onboard effects: chorus, delay, and reverb – including plate and spring reverb types. For tone controls, it has bass, middle, and treble.
Plus, users can also get high-quality direct tones for quiet practice and recording with the Rec Out/headphone jack. And for jamming, there’s the Aux In jack that accommodates an external music player. Overall, the Roland CUBE is the amp to get if you’re looking for a solid practice amp.
- Lightweight and portable
- Sports a compact design that does not take up a lot of space
- Provides players with two iconic Vox tones
- Clean chime and Top Boost
- Has a unique and beautiful vintage design
- Perfect for those who love a classic look
- Lacks volume
- Not recommended for larger gigs and live performances
BUGERA V5 5-Watt Class Amplifier Combo
The Bugera V5 is popular for its revolutionary INFINIUM Tube Life Multiplier technology, making it a great option for those looking for a long-term solution. This 5-watt class-A amp is driven by an EL84 tube and comes with 8-inch Turbosound speakers. Plus, it is also handbuilt so you are sure that everything is meticulously built for perfection.
If you love all things vintage, I would highly recommend this amp. It has an authentic preamp design from the ’60s featuring a 12AX7 tube that delivers everything from the blues to a mind-blowing crunch. Plus that super cool vintage look and feel of its appearance are worth everything for a vintage fan.
- Sports an attractive vintage design
- Great for fans of the classic look
- Has an authentic preamp design from the 60s
- Features the Bugera INFINIUM Tube Life Multiplier for added durability
- Limited amount of gain on tap
Line 6 AMPLIFi 75 Modeling Guitar Amplifier
In my opinion, the Line 6 AMPLIFi is one of the most user-friendly guitar amps available today. This plug-and-play amp is great for both beginners and advanced users; simply plug it in, choose your desired preset tone, and start playing. Its more modest size in comparison to the regular guitar amp size makes it the best build for living room practice. Plus, it allows complete wireless remote control for easy access.
Not only does the Line 6 AMPLIFi have wireless audio streaming and tone editing capabilities via Bluetooth, it also has 2 mid-frequency drivers, 2 high-frequency drivers, a 1/4-inch input and 1/8-inch stereo, plus 1/4-inch headphone output and Aux input. Users can access a huge library of tone possibilities provided by the graphical remote app too.
Personally, what I love most about the AMPLIFi series is the fact that every amp is also an audio interface. Simple set the amp as the interface in your recording software, load up a tone, and start recording. This makes recording a breeze since users no longer need extra plug-ins, and they also enjoy its zero latency features.
- Provides remote control access and Bluetooth connectivity
- Has a wide range of tones
- Accessible via an app
- Can be used as an audio interface
- Records sound accurately
- The included software is complicated and a bit difficult to use
- The app needs more improvement
Archer TUBULARBK Tubular Guitar Combo Amplifier
When it comes to choosing the best combo amp, one of the most important things to consider is the environment you’d be playing in. If you want an amp that sounds perfect no matter where you are, then you must consider the Archer TUBULARBK. With a humble 5-watts of power, this combo amp comes with a custom designed 8” speaker and a single-ended Class A circuit. It also features 12AX7 tube preamp and EL84 tube power amp.
On the outside, the Archer TUBULARBK is robust and simple. It wears a mesh grill that dampens the speaker sound, providing a better quality tone. Its premium leather bounding promises maximum durability for travel and gigging. In short, this amp is made for the road and that being said, I highly recommend this tube amp combo for the travelling musician.
- Well-built
- Contains high-quality components with a durable leather bounding
- Contains tube preamps and tube power amps comparable to higher-end amps
- Portable
- Plays well no matter what the environment maybe
- Power transformer produces excessive voltages
- Shortening the life of the tubes
How To Choose The Best Tube Amp Combo
Tube amp combos aren’t just for amplifying sound; they can shape the sound you produce as well. So why not take advantage of its features to bring out the best in your music? If you’re looking for the best tube amp combo for you, the first things you might have to consider are the number of watts and the type of tubes.
If you are looking to perform in bigger venues and bigger events, then a 5-watt amp may not be the best solution for you. But on the other hand, it may suffice as a practice amp at home. Apart from wattage, the type of tubes is really important as well as they tend to produce a particular sound based on their characteristics.
There are many different types of tubes out there, but the most popular one is the EL84. This type produces tight lows and sparkling highs with a nice mid-range. However, they tend to lack output. Before purchasing a tube combo amp, it pays to figure out what kind of sound you like and which type of tube corresponds to that style.
And lastly, you might want to take a look at the list of presets an amp offers. Although the tubes have a lot of control in terms of headroom and breakup, the pre-amps are usually responsible for the overall tonal shaping of the amp.
Keep an eye on the preamp circuit type and the features the amp possesses such as reverb, loops, and channels. Again, it is crucial that you first identify what your sound requirements are and your personal taste.
Our Choice
Without a doubt, the Fender Champion 20 still wins this roundup of the best tube combo amp. The Fender Champion isn’t just easy to use and friendly for beginners, it also provides more effects than an amp within its price range.
It has all the basics covered but with enough room to make it a reliable amp for more experienced players as well. Its portability is also a big plus for those who would like to take their music with them wherever they go.
