Our Favorite Amps for at Home: with Lyle from Psionic Audio
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- čas přidán 17. 06. 2024
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I love to revisit this topic every couple of years and when I was brainstorming ideas for a conversation with my friend Lyle from Psionic Audio, I thought he'd have a great perspective on this.
Join us and share your favorites with everyone there.
Keith - Zábava
A thing that needs to be said about Lyle and his CZcams success is that he has a very soothing voice.
For sure.
I hate to admit this, but I've fallen asleep to his voice too many times while trying to learn more about amp repairs. That's not a bad thing, as it's the end of a long day and I'm exhausted. His voice soothes my head. 🤣
@@mikewithers299you’re not alone, I started watching his stuff to learn more about amp circuits and repairs etc. because he’s detailed and speaks very clearly, easy to take in the knowledge drops he gives out for free… but learned if I watch in the evening, eyelids get heavy… so now I also use his videos as a drug-free sleep-aid on the nights where my brain is firing on all cylinders hahaha! Ain’t no shame in that. Lyle could make a fortune selling sleep audiobooks
I also often fall asleep to him and then wake up with an inexplicable urge to make sure all my input jacks are properly tightened.
Total “radio voice”. He should do some Simpsons or Family Guy voiceovers
Great idea working with Lyle...like watching 2 of my favorite channels at once! I have not worked on amps in 25 years but still enjoy the videos and discussions. Really relaxing for geeky retired engineers! Thanks!
Lyle would make money as an audio book narrator
And he is an English major, so you know he's going to nail the cadence, too!
@@BradsGuitarGarage , cadence, and pronunciation, yes.
Laney L5 studio here, 5 glorious watts of raw all tube class A power (yes it’s LOUD) that can also run at 0.5 watts which is still plenty through a decently efficient speaker but good for living room jams. It sounds glorious clean and can go gritty (pushed power section) to full overdrive, has all the bells and whistles including 2 channels, fx loop, (cab modeled) line and headphones out, reamping and usb connectivity.
Used to have a Laney L5 Studio and I can also attest it was GREAT! Was using for Gilmour tones but straight into the gain channel for some hard blues and even rock tones was AMAZING.
@PsionicAudio should design well laid out Princeton PCBs and create a kit with the PCB, components and a good chassis. A good Princeton clone or otherwise is suprisingly hard to find.
I love that two of my favourite CZcamsrs collaborate like this!
I love Lyle. I don’t watch the full videos since I am not 100% into amp repairs but I do love his commentary. I like how he is very straightforward. That’s a value missed by society nowadays.
Great show...always fun to see Lyle. I love both your channels and learn a lot from each!
Agree 100%
Lyle is great.
Watch his channel all the time!
I play Blues here in Los Angeles. I'll be 75 in a month. I use two amps that cover
everything for my gigs. All made in the USA Fender Blues Deluxe and Blues Junior.
I never mod guitars or amps, I just buy another to capture the sound and volume I need
Play on Peace Los Angeles
That intro, I need to loop that for maybe 3 years!!!
Yes, Jeff’s Les Paul tone is unparalleled.
Cannot believe the Yamaha thr10 isn’t on this list!!
THR30II = Phenomenal. I will Never be without.
Thank you, Five watt.
I bought a Boss Katana Artist combo and its just fantastic. Probably goes against the grain for many here but I love it.
That’s my dream home rig. Right now I have a 50 MkI and a 50 MkII connected ABY and that’s cool too. Nothing against the grain from here! The attenuation alone makes them great home amps. Boss is great.
100%. I’ve had all the Katana larger amps in the MkII series: 50, 100, and Artist, as well as the Fender Mustang GTX100, Yamaha THR, positive grid spark, etc. The Artist is my clear #1 and sold all the others. The quality of the speaker and cabinet is well above the others and the build quality of the electronics is as well. Amazing amp that outshines many tube amps I’ve had it next to short of vintage and boutique and I picked it up used for $400. My tube amps are unplayed most of the time as the Artist mkII sounds terrific even at bedroom volume.
I only play clean and had a Blues Cube Hot and loved the sound I got out of it at home. (I don't play out).
Solid state amps just keep getting better and better.
have boss katana artist and love it...but mainly playing vox pathfinder 15 solid state amp (killer little amp with 8 inch practice speaker.😁) thru jenson p12q fantastic clean or with drive on it...also adding little Kingsley Constable (pedal setting) in front of it...great set up.
@@TheDrewjay I always like Vox amps.
I really enjoyed the video, thanks!!!
5000 bonus points for Lyle’s use of the phrase “sic transit gloria mundi”. Next, let’s see if we can get Jeff McErlain on camera saying “dulce et decorum est”…
I love Lyle's videos and insights. More than a few of his videos have played a big role in my decisions of what to buy or not buy. I already know if an amp sounds good, but his videos really illuminate whether or not something is built well. I bought my Swart STR Tweed and Marshall SV20H only after watching his clips on them.
Swart user since 2007. Best service! The Jr and Pro are amazing.
Two of my favorite channel’s , so much knowledge ‼️🚨🔥👍
Thank you both so much, enjoyed this interview tremendously
I have a VOX AC15C2 and love it. And yes... it is very heavy!
That’s an uncommon version of the AC15. It seems like a great option.
Hey Lyle ! This episode was fantastic.! You two guys have taught me a lot and I thank you
I have a Super Champ x2 with a GA10-64SC speaker that is great for home use, more than loud enough to play with a reasonable drummer, and has a line out if you need more volume. Those Super Champs are real sleepers.
I have a five watt Fender Vibro Champ Reverb Amp, it was recommended by another CZcams channel to get another sound/experience from this is amp by turning BOTH the tone knobs down to 1. Then turn the amp up a bit (or a lot). This worked well, especially for a pedal platform situation such as when using a Helix or a Plexi pedal or a Metal pedal. It as if one is now working with a different amp, its like having two amps in one.
Love and subscribe to (both) of your channels. I wish I lived closer to Lyle. He'd be "The Only Guy" to service my Fender Princeton Reverb - guy is knowledgeable & meticulous.
Thanks for today! It was a real treat! I think the home amp thing is a real topic of conversation with us 70s kids. Even if we budget $500 or $2600. ...
Ze Frank is fantastic. So glad he started making videos again.
However, a ZeFrank nature scene living inside of an amp would be an amp tech's worst nightmare. Bees, spiders and slime molds, oh my! Or sad beetles suffering from unrequited love in a swampy morass....
Fun conversation, really enjoyed that.
Great to see Michael Swart getting some love. He builds superb amps, and is definitely under appreciated. For the record, Mike is located in Wilmington, NC.
My #1 amp since ‘03 is a Swart Atomic Space Tone; after hundreds of gigs with it, that is still my desert island amplifier. Ten years ago I also bought a Swart STR Trem, 5 watts of tonal bliss, and my pick for a premier home amp. Swart’s trem circuit is lush like velour sheets.
Love my AST.
Love my Atomic Junior, best reverb ever.
Great show and great info !!
this was great , thank you
Lyle is one helluva technician and more importantly to me, a fantastic consumer advocate!
A very interesting exchange... ( of information ) between you guys , continued best wishes for both your channels !!
There's an old Princeton at Guitar Center Cerritos right now.
Lyle gives me peace of mind. Yes there are amp gurus still out there. Yes he cares about the details. Yes he knows the science. Has the experience. Works for pros. Its also OCD.
Another vintage fender amp restored properly. Sigh....the universe is a little bit better now.
That there are people out there....still keeping it all alive.
Love Lyle's channel and how he's so giving with his knowledge. Got an AC15 on his advice over a Hot Rod and have never looked back. Further took his advice and put a Blue in it and found my sound.
So that's what the Psionic Audio guy looks like. I listen to his channel every day. I've learned a lot!
Of the 5 amps I have that are suitable for home use...
1. 1969 Fender Champ which is magical. My second amp I ever owned. These used to be dirt cheap. Not any more!
2. 1966 Airline Valco, which was my first amp and IS THE 5 WATT AMP I gigged with exclusively for the first 10+ years since it was my ONLY amp back then. So YES a 5 watt amp CAN be a regular gigging amp, because I did it, though I understand why you would dissuade folks from doing it.
3. Fender SuperChamp X2 for when I need more effects, and also the line out comes in handy for gigs, it makes this a very versatile amp. It is about 10 years old and it has not failed yet.
4. Fender Rumble 25..I like it for Jazz, Classical and acoustic fingerpicking. Good for bass naturally.
5. AER Compact 60 for the same reasons as the Rumble 25 but with vocal capability. This is my most gigged amp as well, for the last 20 years. I'm not a shredder, mostly standards and classical so this does the trick and is very portable. This is an expensive piece of gear but I've done thousands of gigs with it. It paid for itself in the first month. The only minus is their is no breakup; you cannot overdrive it, so you need a pedal for that, which fits in the side pocket of the amp's case. Everything I've needed for 90% of my gigs in fact fit into the pockets of the case.
So there it is, the two MAGIC ones at the top and the 3 practical ones at the bottom. All useable at low volumes. All will keep you on good terms with your neighbors.
Keith and Lyle, i loved watching this colab. Subbed to both channels and always learn things from you guys. Great to see Lyle let his "hair down" and talk about things other than amp circuit topography, but thats what he does best. I got to agree that my go-to home rig is a Korg AX3000g as i get tweek things and make presets that will be used later if there is a chance to play live. I guess theres that "being efficient" thing to get things set up the way that sounds best before gigging that i like.
This was great...
You two bounce off each other well
Great conversation guys! I enjoy both perspectives but I own 2 amps that Lyle probably hates. So far they have never failed so I guess Lyle will not have to fix them. My 64 Super Reverb is probably one that we all agree is pretty great.
Great duo with you two together! His problem solving savvy is legendary.. and an English major to boot! 😊
I just play around the house and love my Benson Vinny Reverb with the Aunt Gertie finish. For me, it’s perfect
I gigged extensively (blues band in SoCal) for well over 25 years but basically retired from all that about 2011-2012. Nowadays I just amuse myself at home. Just yesterday I picked up one of the relatively recently released Suhr Hombre's. KILLER AMP!! About a year ago I grabbed one of the new '64 Custom Hand-Wired Fender Deluxe Reverbs. I also have a reissue Princeton where I replaced the stock speaker with a 12" speaker. Along with the other amps I've had for years I have MORE than enough great amps. I love all this stuff!! BTW, the only reason I have the $$'s to afford all this crap is that my regular day gig was program mgmt. in aerospace. I was lucky... and smart to not rely on my music to live on. 😁
so what band did you play in here in orange county?
Love my Dr Z Maz 18 . Pretty flexable at all volumes. Great show. Love to see more of this combo ..
Just bought one. Absolutely killer
I like the Maz 18 Mk II a lot. If you get the reverb version get the combo - the tank hums in the head version.
If this had been a list of 10 home amp options the Z might have made my list, though I think Top Hat would beat it out.
So crazy! I just discovered Lyle’s channel for myself last week, and here he is on FWW! 🤟
This was really fun! I’ve enjoyed Lyle’s channel for a while now. After this conversation with Keith, I like him even more. Part of it is our similar backgrounds - I started adult life in 1981 as a computer programmer so maybe our minds tend to follow similar paths. His sense of humor came out more here. I also got a better sense of the extensive context his videos come from, not that I doubted his expertise before. And the back story of the YouScrewed channel makes so much sense. He wants to share his experiences and knowledge.
“Nipple distortion” 🤣 I’d read about it. I built a Blackface Super Reverb replica for a friend, and the deal was he bought me an oscilloscope. Wired up my Princeton Reverb and pushed it until … YEP nipple distortion! It does not sound pretty, but now that I know what it sounds like I can just dial back the volume a little.
Glad that you had Lyle on Tuesday/18th . . . I watch Psionic Audio regularly . . . I"m glad that I ventured here today (Sunday) . . . tks for putting up the Suhr Hombre amp in your best amps @ home . . . sure wish I had the $ to purchase one as this one seems to fit my needs . . . I got a '65 Princeton RI and a '65 Deluxe-reverb . . . just replaced the caps in the Princeton and will do that to the Deluxe this coming fall/winter season . . . I gotta start watching " 5W world" more often 👍 😎 . . .
Great video!!!…🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Honestly the Yamaha thr30II wireless is by far my favorite at home practice amp. And for recording I use the fender tone Master pro.
Very enjoyable video guys! I’ve learned a great deal from both of your respective channels and this collaboration video was a fantastic idea. Would love to see further collaborations between you, perhaps a recurring weekly show of some kind. 👏🏻
Loved this conversation
Good show ! Thank you
Lyle and Keith need to make a follow-up video on their other shared interests. I could listen to these guys talk about anything and everything.
I meant to mention the Tone X as an equivalent option to the HX stomp, particularly for high gain/metal players whose neighbors don’t appreciate Slayer at 1am. And various plugins like the Neural if you’re doing a lot of computer recording.
Wow, it’s Lyle! I’ve watched many of his videos, first time I’ve seen him! Awesome stream guys!
I bought a used Vox ac15 with the greenback speaker at a pawn shop a few months ago for $400 out the door! Only 1 year old. It's a great sounding amp! Not long afterwards, I found a new Fender 68 custom deluxe reverb for $1300. A $300 discount and i just couldn't pass on it. I disagree with Lyle that the 68 custom stuff is "crap" like he says. It's noisy compared to the 65, but that's it? Beyond that, it sounds great! Imo. I have a 74 Fender pro reverb, all original in great condition and the 68 more than holds its own in sound quality. It absolutely outshines the Vox and i love the Vox. The 68 stuff is not crap, and I love Lyle and his channel, btw.
I will have to get a Princeton next thougn. 65 this time. Spread the love
Excellent level-headed discussion!
I really like this guy. I appreciate him caveating his statements based on genre
Can't agree more about the Vox AC15C1 Recently bought a used one for $500, its a G12C version which just means an alternate/"upgraded" speaker (Warehouse Reaper HP) and like Lyle said is super versatile and sounds fantastic. Can do pretty much anything rock/classic rock/country - super happy with it and is a great value at the price point. And yes it is pretty heavy, probably only drawback
I love watching Lyle’s repair videos, especially on amps I have owned. Wish I had more time today Orr to this . We need more GOOD amp techs in the C. Massachusetts area!
I bought a Suhr Hombre and absolutely love it. I often perform as a single in small clubs with a looper and this amp is the perfect size. I love the tone, it’s lightweight and I never need to put it past 3. I use it with a small board that has reverb, delay and an overdrive and that’s all I need.
I really want a Laney Lionheart. I'd love to get a 20w 4x10. But it's tempting to get a 5 watt which has a half watt mode and a built-in DI.
Lyle has been great to discover. As a mesa owner, he shattered my trust in my own amp in a way, but it was great to at least , be aware. I have no answer for what i'm going to do with my amp, but there are some very good amp builders out there. Headfirst or MI audio are probably highest on my list so far. Being an Ozzie, would like to support Australian made stuff
I would love a old Princeton ..i settled for a princeton 650 ..sounds great to me and i will always just be learning at home .12inch celestion .love it
I also have a legacy valve edition 5 plus ..its cool ..love it too
This is such a great channel.
So much to learn, so easy to listen to.
I am going to check out Ze Frank though.
50:57 “Get a Princeton and grab almost any overdrive pedal and you’ll be fine.”
Love my Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue on 2.25 paired with a Spaceman Polaris overdrive for my condo! ❤
I played the 65 Princeton and 68 and much preferred the 68 in shop. Outside of being a bit bass heavy it sounded much better to my ears. Tone being subjective.
I bought my first tube amp in February for home use. Spent a lot of time trying to find something in my price range. Was considering the ‘65 Deluxe Reverb for quite a while. Eventually decided I wanted something with a master volume. For just a bit more money than the Fender I went with a Mesa Fillmore 18\25,and am absolutely loving this amp. I can play it at night with my stepson sleeping downstairs and it never bothers him. The master volume is great at using the drive channel but keeping the volume reasonable.
I am already subbed with Psionic Audio good channel for amp repair AMSR...I may be sending you my 65 RI Princeton...making a lot of noise , then perfectly silent....anyway I will clean the pots and the tube slots...but you may be hearing from me... :) I am using a 1x12 Eminence Cannabis Rex
80's Fender Super Champ, Conford Harlequin.
One of the best crossovers possible.
Beautiful ambient musings! Love what you’re playing! Solid advice on finding your own voice. Daniel Lanois Acadie “White Mustang II” (Lanois, Eno). The album definitely one of my favorites!
Love the Benson Vinny reverb combo for home use.
So sorry I missed this live! Lyle is fantastic.
I love my vibro champ reverb 68 (reissue) - same size speaker and features of a Princeton but in a smaller package.
Great show & thanks
If i needed an amp these days , which I don't I would get a Tone Master Super Reverb no doubt abot it.
Sorry I missed it live... but the first 'bounce is sweet enough! Another great show, Keith... Thank-You! 🐺
I've got a Friedman Runt 20 that I have a master volume pot in the effects loop thats helps to tame it, but its the best sounds for me at home. I also have a Koch Jupiter 45 that has a built in dimmer pot that acts as an attenuator and that sounds very good as well.
I really enjoyed this video. I'm needing a new amp and have been considering, mainly, Vox ac15, Princeton reverb, or deluxe reverb. I've very much outgrown my ac10c1. I find the vox sound very appropriate for what I like to play but I also really love the way the fender amps sound. Trying to decide has been an ongoing difficult process.
I wasn't familiar with Lyle prior to watching this. Very entertaining and of course incredibly knowledgeable.
I scored a really nice and super clean '69 Princeton Amp that I was not worried about at all with losing the reverb, since I have the tube reverb unit! One thing I noticed is that the non-reverb amps tend to always play cleaner louder than their reverb counterparts. Might be a really great way for someone to scoop up a classic low wattage amp on the cheap if you can find it!
Lyle is THE guy - thx!
I got a 65 Princeton reissue for dirt cheap at GC because the input jacks weren’t even finger tight and it sounded horrible.
5 minutes with a socket wrench… a keeper. Next step is follow Lyle’s advice on caps etc.
Agree with Lyle on the Princeton, or a 15 watt amp in general. It can be fine for low volume practice and can be loud enough to jam with a drummer.
I’ve been in the market for a second hand Casino for years. But I found them to be really rare or highly priced. Which is actually a good sign since the Casinos are Epiphone’s best selling arch top. Rare and appreciated guitars.
I am doing great with 3 of the recommended amps: Princeton Reverb (hand wired kit), Katana 50 (replaces a Boss Micro Cube that I gave to a friend) and of course a couple of nice acoustic guitars. The other home amp that I really like is a tweed Champ/tweed Princeton (Might not be as universal as the others).
I have a blackface DR and the Vox AC15. The Vox has this hard to describe organic tone I love Fender clean and I love my DR but there is just something awesome about single coil in the AC15 when the tubes are all warm and glowey.
I plug my Kemper into the effects return of two Roland Blues Cube Artists. I put the usual pedals before and after the Kemper. Variable wattage. Presence control. It's perfect for me.
In my bedroom I run a Rockman X100. Tough to turn on an amp after that
Thank you for this interview with Neil Peart....
Back in the late eighties I bought a 1964 Deluxe from the late, great Ken Fischer (builder of the coveted Trainwreck amps) who was selling it on consignment. It was fitted with a Rola Celestion G12M green back. However, Ken did an interesting mod on the first channel. Once the volume knob went a hair past 2½, the amp’s volume tripled. It was unbearable to be in the same room with it. I bought it, though I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with the extreme volume. I tried a few different distortion pedals, with no luck. One day I happened to be in a local music store, and found a Scholz Power Soak for sale. I bought it-problem solved. I could play comfortably in our small condo, but had plenty of fire power for live gigs. Since I doubled on keyboards, I essentially had a small stereo PA with me. I installed a few rack mounted multi-effects units in my keyboard rack, and ran an SM57 from my keyboard mixer and miked the Deluxe. I used the Power Soak to keep it at a tolerable volume. All of my effects were added to the amp through the effects loop in the mixer. I controlled my effects with a MIDI controller.
I still have that Deluxe. One of the finest amps I’ve ever owned.
Sorry I missed this, but enjoyed the convo
lyle needs to do voice overs.
im sure hes been contacted by some agent!
sooo
i bought an open box fender custom hand wired “64 princeton” a few years ago after trying several p-style boutique builds.
i played it every night-in exactly the way this show is discussing-for 2 years at low volume while watching youtube vids and movies until it finally crapped out.
took it to a funky little storefront amp repair shop thats fender authorized and it lanquished there for a couple months as they were swamped. When I finally got it back, it turns out they basically did a lot of the stuff Lyle talks about here-tightening things etc-and there was one bad tube probably a preempt tube-once again as Lyle mentioned.
if I had watched enough of his videos, particularly about Princeton‘s, I could’ve probably taken care of it myself, I know Lyle hates the fender custom shop amps but I love my little hand wired Princeton. It sounds amazing and I’ll take two years of playing it every night for a couple hours without a hitch as a sign that it’s not a piece of junk.
Great episode gentlemen!
My favourite is still the Friedman JJ JR with 2x12 cab. I hardly touch my pedalboards now... plus, the neighbours love it!!!!
If we had done favorite ten amps for home use the Friedman 20W series would be on my list.
Used to run 2 amps
A Super and a Deluxe
Back when you could snap them up cheap
Then I found the Crate Vintage Clubs and switched
A channel switching 30 watt single 12
A 1x10 20 watt
An A/B/Y box
And certain boosts , distortion going to each
I miss that rig
I got 9 guitars, but only 4 amps: a Fender, a Vox, a Nux and an Ibanez. The Vox is my main for both home and gigs.
Next $ range up from you 2, $2200 for a Mesa 5:25, flexible, 10watt setting for home, but definitely gig loud, thru a Theil cab and an EVM 12L, I like it so much,I bought a 2023 to go with my 2016 & a 2nd EVM, matching cabs bought long ago.
And yes, old school amps too Musicman 75, real old AMPEG V-4,
Has he ever seen a Wangs amp?
Flat wound on a bass COOL I’ve got that !
Pardon me if I've missed this in other discussions, but I would love to hear your (and Lyle's!) thoughts on the Carvin stuff! It would certainly be an interesting FWW video too, given the history and separation from Kiesel. Learning about classics like the X100 and Steve Vai's association would be so cool.
For "play at home," I'd suggest a used 3rd Power amp, in whatever flavor you like: Vox, Fender or Marshall. I have a used Citizen Gain CSR, which has Fender cleans and Marshall dirt in one box. Handwired. Dead quiet at idle. And the best thing is 3rd Power's Hybrid Master volume control, which is likely the best in the biz. You could gig any venue with this amp AND be super happy playing it at home in the evening. Although used 3rd Power' amps aren't super cheap, you won't have to do a bunch of mods to it to get it "right," and you can use one amp for everything.
Up his hat game? I thought Ralph Macchio learned to play better.
I found a little trick that has served me well for some time. Get the amp you like and make sure it has a good effects loop. Stick a Mooer Preamp pedal in the effects loop, I also use an IR pedal by Mooer to load IR cabinets. But the preamp pedal will allow you to up your amps volume to push to breakup and nice gain, and use the preamp as the attenuator. You will get an awesome sound at home and live. I run a Marshall DSL100HR at its 100watt level even though I can drop it down to 50 watts with its switch. ,...and I could run the amp full but by the preamp pedal make it to where you could barely hear it in the next room if you like. Don't forget an EQ for your amp. Get rid of that boxy sound of your cabinets they all have.
Keith, speaking of the least amount of gear, and of the Fender Tonemaster, you should do an episode on the Fender Tonemaster Pro (“system”, i.e. with the 12” powered speaker and expression pedal) to reveal if it is viable for a total solution and worth the cost. 😊