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[Fordman65]

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[Lampshade1973]

I currently run an RD45 Randall through an orange 1x12 and its awesome, good cleans to high gain ad in between on a budget, but I would look out for the new mesa mark V twenty five for a bit, clips sound great and it weighs 16lbs...

 

[C1-ocaster]

I'm considering downsizing my rig as I don't have much need for a stack. So I guess a combo, or something lower wattage with a 1x12 is what I'm looking for. Most of the time I just noodle on the couch, without an amp, while watching tv.

I'd like something versatile, that sounds good at low volume. I'd like to keep the price at a max of $1,500 for everything. Mesa, Peavey, Marshall, new, used etc. nothing is off the table. General desires include:
1. at least 2 channels
2. suited for metal
3. decent clean
4. decent crunch would be a bonus, but is not necessary
5. needs to sound good at low volume, but doesn't fart out when turned up on those very rare occasions.
6. Foot switchable

Currently play an early recto through mesa and diezel 4x12's that I love, when I play it, but I don't play it often.

I too was on a quest for small combo that could do good clean and metal.
It's a tough find as there will be compromises. Depending on which level of gain and tone you want to compromise that will direct you to some amps.

Peavey XXX 1x12 in the 60 watt version, hard to find, is a very decent amp that will do decent clean tones and some really good metal/high gain tones. I had one and it responded nicely to pre tube changes that made the clean channel nicer. I've not played the 40 watt version but I read it's good too.
I also had the JSX 2x12 but it's a heavy beast, if you can find one with casters that's a bonus, if not then put some casters on it and it'll move around nicely.
These Peavey's sound really good at low volumes as they are master volume amps where most of the high gain tone comes from the pre tubes. Switchable multi channel.

Randall has the RD45 head and RD40C 1x12 combo. I had the head and it was pretty decent.
It wasn't may flavor in the end. I have heard demo's of the combo and I think it sounded better than the head.

Laney Iron Heart 60. I had the head and I really liked that amp. To my ears it is nicer than the Randall.
High gain is like a combo of American and British.
It's a standard sized head, and the head has really cool internal red led lighting.
Their combo is a 2x12 but only weighs in at under 67lbs, not too bad.

Never played but heard really good things about the Jet City amps.
I tried a few of the smaller Mesa combo's but didn't meld with them except for the bad boy Roadster dual recto.
It's a 2x12 and that amp rips with excellent punchy high gain. I was very impressed and I think it sounds better than the dual recto head. It's pricey new but I've seen used in the $1500 range.

I went through a number of combo's and heads.
I ended up with an Egnater Vengeance head running into a 2x12 cab with V30's.
GREAT clean tones and excellent high gain, and sounds great at low volumes even though it's a 120 watt head.
It will also do half power at 60, which is a tad quieter.

The direction I've come to really love is a great clean Fender amp and I run my gain/distortion pedals into it.
It's may favorite of all the amps I've tried.
The reason is because of how great Fender's base clean tones are. It makes for an excellent platform on which to build your tone.
Currently I have a 68 custom dlx reverb and the new 68 custom vibrolux reverb.
I'm deciding which one I like better. I'm leaning towards the custom vibrolux. It's a 2x10 in a very nicely sized cab that's very easy to move around at around 42lbs. The custom dlxr reverb is a 1x12 a bit small cab and also weighs around 42lbs.
I LOVE the clean tones from these amps, very classic tone.
After all, most modern high gain amps started with the basic design and tone of Fender amps.
To get a variety of distortion tones I've got a Bogner Ecstasy Red pedal, a Wampler Triple Wreck, and Fulltone Fulldrive II.
With these pedals I can get any distortion level and tone I want.
The Red pedal alone gives a great variety of gain and tones. I could live with just that pedal into the Fender.
I have the Triple Wreck as it's ballsier when it comes to Metal tones. It's deeper and darker than the Red.
The Fulldrive I use as a boost and for light crunch.

So, my recommendation is to go try one of the lower powered tube amps with 1x12 or 2x12 and plug in a Bogner Red pedal. Try it out you may just love it.

 

[napalmdeath]

Marshall DSL40C with a speaker upgrade.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Mesa mini Recto and a mini Recto 1x12 cab, or a Mesa mini Mark V with a used 1x12.

 

[paulyc]

Engl Ironball. Outstanding. Got mine for $1050 instead of $1199 and paired it with a used Egnater 1x12 cab that I picked up for 100 bucks.

 

[billboogie]

5153 50w head/Bogner Shiva 1x12 cab.....

 

[Deleted member 21375]

5153 50w head/Bogner Shiva 1x12 cab.....

This is my tv rig but I have a 1x12 Avatar cab loaded with an Eminence Texas Heat. It kicks ass

 

[C1-ocaster]

Engl Ironball. Outstanding. Got mine for $1050 instead of $1199 and paired it with a used Egnater 1x12 cab that I picked up for 100 bucks.

I really like Engl's.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

Mesa mini Recto and a mini Recto 1x12 cab, or a Mesa mini Mark V with a used 1x12.

I heard a mini rec into a mesa 2x12 that sounded HUGE
this will work

 

[billboogie]

5153 50w head/Bogner Shiva 1x12 cab.....

This is my tv rig but I have a 1x12 Avatar cab loaded with an Eminence Texas Heat. It kicks ass

Haven't tried that speaker yet........
Running a Cel. 70th ann..... 8ohm......very happy as well.....

 

[Jorock]

If you want more mid-gain and rock tones, I recently grabbed an engl gigmaster 15 and added an open back 1x12" pine cab with a celestion gold:



Sounds incredibly full and rich! I told my buddy that this was my 'B' rig, and he said "dude, just call that your other rig" ...