Whats this new Friedman amp??

[romanianreaper]

I don't really get people wanting a 50 when a 100 is released. Especially when it's got a great Master volume. Maybe just putting Voltage drop switches in the 100's will satisfy the 50 crowd? Definitely circuit dependent I guess.
On the other hand I do remember a few years back quite enjoying a used Bogner Helios 50 in a GC, but maybe anything I thought I liked over 100's I tried later were psychological and down to different cabs and a different room etc.

I think it is weight, price, less tubes to change, etc. Back in the day, I almost always had a 100 watt tube amp even though it wasn't practical for me at certain points. I had the 50 watt EVH Stealth and sounded amazing and didn't make me crave a bigger amp.

 

[Speeddemon]

think it is weight, price, less tubes to change, etc.

This, and usually also size. I'm a big fan of 20-24" wide heads with a weight of ~35lbs or less for that reason, because I'm a gigging musician as well (without roadies) and there aren't many 100W amps doing that width.
And if they do, like the Diezel D-Moll for instance, the weight is still large-amp-like.
And after playing one, it wasn't for me. I'll make an exception for the Mesa Mark IIC+ HRG RI, but otherwise I have my eyes open for a Bogner 3550 used...

 

[romanianreaper]

This, and usually also size. I'm a big fan of 20-24" wide heads with a weight of ~35lbs or less for that reason, because I'm a gigging musician as well (without roadies) and there aren't many 100W amps doing that width.
And if they do, like the Diezel D-Moll for instance, the weight is still large-amp-like.
And after playing one, it wasn't for me. I'll make an exception for the Mesa Mark IIC+ HRG RI, but otherwise I have my eyes open for a Bogner 3550 used...

I played a Marshall 100 watt a few weeks ag9 in a guitar store and was shocked how big it seemed to me, lol. I think I got so used to owning smaller amps. It felt like three of my amps width-wise, lol.

 

[bubbastain]

I think it is weight, price, less tubes to change, etc. Back in the day, I almost always had a 100 watt tube amp even though it wasn't practical for me at certain points. I had the 50 watt EVH Stealth and sounded amazing and didn't make me crave a bigger amp.

Yeah, for me it can be weight and size although a lot of the 50 watters are the exact same size as their big brothers. Main thing for me is cost of retube, two more tube sockets and related things to go wrong and troubleshoot and ultimately most every 50(60) watt head had plenty of oomph and headroom for my tone and needs. My 50 watt Competition, Yeti, Molecular, Mark III, Marshall’s and of course my VTM 60’s.
Unfortunately two amps that I would love to play/ own if even briefly don’t come in 50 watt configurations. The Hellion V2 and the Carstens Grace. I guess it’s good I can’t even afford them at the moment anyways. lol

 

[harddriver]

Old Guys Rule................... Some old guy in Matts music center...

 

[Zado]

I'm not going to lie, I'm excited about this circuit being available in a cheap, light weight option. However, I need to actually play it and listen to see if it's going to be the first EL84 amp that I love. EL34s have always been my preferred power tone.

Agreed, but imho we should all be grateful lunchbox amps are a thing, cause it's long story short the reason why we still have their big brothers.
I've always been a hater, but then realized the "cheap, light weight option" is what keeps tube amps being a choice when players without conspicuous income look for gear. Let's be honest, tube amps will always kick arses, but with modelers you can get more than decent tones and a ready to use setup for 300$ or so if you're ready for some programming hassle (and kids today are, even enjoy it).
More importantly: many modeler users today boast about the badassery of their IR based cranked Plexi tones, but never even played the real thing at shop volumes, so many players in general might not even know what "good tones" are, if it's tight and articulate enought than that's it.
So yeah, having decently priced good sounding option that won't break your back should be more than welcome, because forums of higain 100 watters aficionados and tube lovers in general won't keep amp brands alive alone. No, not even TGP.

 

[Anje]

Agree, having all those options is a good thing.

 

[Speeddemon]

Agreed, but imho we should all be grateful lunchbox amps are a thing, cause it's long story short the reason why we still have their big brothers.
I've always been a hater, but then realized the "cheap, light weight option" is what keeps tube amps being a choice when players without conspicuous income look for gear. Let's be honest, tube amps will always kick arses, but with modelers you can get more than decent tones and a ready to use setup for 300$ or so if you're ready for some programming hassle (and kids today are, even enjoy it).
More importantly: many modeler users today boast about the badassery of their IR based cranked Plexi tones, but never even played the real thing at shop volumes, so many players in general might not even know what "good tones" are, if it's tight and articulate enought than that's it.
So yeah, having decently priced good sounding option that won't break your back should be more than welcome, because forums of higain 100 watters aficionados and tube lovers in general won't keep amp brands alive alone. No, not even TGP.

While you bring up good points, the reality for gigging musicians is, aside from the ones that play really big venues and *don't* want to rely on monitors or in-ears, most gigging guitarists these days are more often than not told to 'turn it down'. And if you were to bring a 100W Plexi to a 300-500 seater show, no way in hell you can crank it, without some sort of attenuation. But...that's where the 40/50/60W magic sits. Channel/master volumes on my 50W EVH (6L6, v1) is usually around 11 'o clock on stage. Whenever I bring my 100W (4x EL34) Invader with a 4x12, which I only do on bigger stages, the Master volumes hardly pass 8 'o clock (or 2 out of 10).
And sure, not comparable to a Plexi, where you *want* the power tubes cooking more than in a modern high gain head, but still, even modern high gain amps with a so-so designed master volume will leave you with a lacklustre, nay, limp tone if you have to run it low.
Case in point: when I owned a Fryette Sig:X. Great amp, but it was not really giving up the goods for bedroom volumes with 2x KT88. I managed to crank it almost half way once and boy, was that thunderous glory suddenly coming alive. Same thing when I played a pre-BAD SLO100 many years ago. Low master=weak ass tone. 50W amps suffer way less from this phenomenom usually.

 

[romanianreaper]

Sounds pretty killer here:

 

[BABMusic]

Sounds pretty killer here:

Oh those beautiful spicy mids come through with that great player. God I wish Dave put that circuit in his other amps.