Love your playing and style as it is reflected in your videos. I know all too well how difficult it is in today's unbiquous marketplace to carve out a niche for yourself. Fortunately for us mere mortals you have done so admirably. THANK YOU!!!
Hi Mr. Karjalainen. Sometidos, cheap products, specially with simple electronics, are just amazing, based on it's simplicity. I have a *Wangs* 5w combo.....and it sounds absolutely amazing mic'ed for any recordings. 😂🎉 Love your videos. You're doing a FANTASTIC job here. Thank you so much!!!
The Wangs amps are hidden gems. I don't know anyone who actually owns one that has a bad thing to say about them. I have 3 Wangs amps. The 5 watt Mini 5, the 30 watt Fender Bandmaster based head (OD-30), and the 50 watt hardwired Marhsall JMP 2204 clone (2204HW). Unless they stop making the tubes needed to keep these amps running, I will not own another amp. My hope is that if I live to see tubes go away completely, that digital modeling gets to the point where it doesn't matter. Any modeling amps and direct recording amp Sims I have heard are getting better but always still lack something.
I have a 15w & two 5w amps from monoprice (which seem to be the generic HB). The 15w is packed away - too loud for my house, but the 5w also drops to 1w and I think they sound great. So, now I have a house full of small amps...no spark yet. Great demonstration - as always. Rock on Elmo! 🎸🎸🎸 Rob
The Monoprice/Harley Benton 15w tube combos are the same design as the old Laney Cub (not the newer SuperCub), if what I've read is true. The Harley Benton Tube30 is supposed to be the same as the old Laney VC30. I'm guessing that it's the same manufacturer who made the old Laney Cub and VC30 who have now licensed their products to HB and are also selling them under the Monoprice name. These SubZero amps are probably also the same. The even have a new one called SubZero Voyager 15 which is a "tube/modelling" hybrid head, and I know that I recognize all those controls and amp "models" from an old Laney modelling amp that my friend had when we were young. Can't remember the name of the Laney model though.
The Harley Benton, SubZero, Hartwood and Monoprice heads are one and the same. They wear different frocks. All basically the old Laney Cub 12r/Cub head circuit but with a spring rather than solid state reverb. In Europe, pick whichever aesthetic you prefer. The Harley Benton 30 Watt head is the Laney LC30II and the Sub Zero 50 Watt is the Laney LC50II. The Monoprice 100 Watt, which we have yet to get a rebrand of, is another old Laney model. I'd go Sub Zero or Hartwood purely for the aesthetic over the Harley Benton. The G4M Hartwood is in a rather fetching shade of green. They seem to be out of stock of the head at the moment, but the head + 2x12" package, when available, is freaking gorgeous. ps. The 5 Watt identikit combo is the Laney Cub 8. The head is just the guts of it in a headshell.
Absolutely great to see so many wonderful options for great sounding gear that are not going to break the bank. Thanks for the fun demo Elmo, you rock!
Damn! that's a phenomenal sound - at ANY price - but at 250 euros, that deserves to be flying off the shelves. The clean and edge of breakup, in particular, are absolutely stunning. That classic valve compression and touch dynamics is all there, and no, you do NOT get that sound and characteristics in modelers/plugins (as ultra 'convenient' as they are). I've had many amps throughout the years, including Peavey, Fender, Mesa Boogie (Mk4 combo, Triaxis+2:90), and currently have a Fuchs TDS 50W combo, and routinely gigged with almost all of them for many years. So I like to think I have a good ear for what sounds good. Kids today can't use the "valve amps are too expensive" excuse here. Add a few pedals (and a reasonable speaker, of course) and your all set.
Thanks for the video. It could be that the Saturn-15VR is just a Harley Benton/Monoprice StageRightTube15 in a different housing. More and more brands do mean nothing. As long as both amps, Tube15 and Saturn-15VR, sound good and have nice features (effects loop, 1 Watt mode) all is good. 20 years ago it was a dream to get that good tube amps for such a small price, nowadays it is almost normal.
Inspiring. This Winter I've got to fix up my old Sears Silvertone tube amp. However, the cost of new tubes (valves) these days may be almost the cost of a new tube amp.
regardless of the name plate, these things are often made in the same factory...same applies to guitars. I notice there was a lot of hum on that sub zero-as with a number of tube amps
@@vincentl.9469 Most tube amps are noisy, at least under gain they will. They will make different levels of hum at idle depending upon the condition of the electrical supply it’s getting. I think that’s part of why people used say that Marshalls sound different from night to night. I don’t mind the hum but my wife has walked in and said how do you stand that hiss and hum, it’s another or a part of that old technologies charm. I love and accept the noise it’s just part of it but there’s things you can do to quiet them down, make sure your outlets are grounded and use a power conditioner to ease the spikes and dips in current and of course noise gates. If you play mostly clean the noise probably won’t be an issue but all tube amps are going to be a little noisy when cranked.
@@brandonjackson5865 also I believe it's the the tubes themselves that are microphonic, if that's the right word. Single coils & P90s are quite noisy , more so with tube amps
Reminds me a bit of a mark era Mesa that does not have a working five band EQ for scooping out the mids. That would explain why cleaner it sounds quite Fender, because early Mesa amps were kind of hot rodded Fender amps with extra gain stages etc. Try it with an EQ in the loop perhaps.
Been waiting ages for someone to review this amp head, Thank you. I used to have the older, blue colored, 5 watt version which I bought new. I used it at rehearsals with a Metal band for over 2 years until one day I switched it on and smoke poured from the back of it. BUT I always had it cranked and got Hundreds of hours of use out of it before that happened.
@@SantahecklerI second that! I’ll pay twice what you paid to have an amp start smoking on stage! That would be an epic way to complete the curtain call - just don’t do it at the start of the set cause you’ll get booed and have 💩 flung in your direction for stopping the music prematurely, lol. 😂😂😂
Yup. There are a few branded versions of that amp coming from the same source. Not that there is anything particlarly wrong with that so long as the QC level is maintained.
Yeah just like the monoprice and the Harley Benton they basically got the same insides and tubes they're good little amps I've had my monoprice for 6 years and it's still plays great
I’ve also heard great things about Stage Right (Monoprice) tube amps. I believe they are the exact same amp as the Harley Bentons. They have a small 5-watt 1x8 for $159.00 and a 15-watt 1x12 for $259.00. Also, FREE shipping.
Yes and both of them are an almost exact clone of a Laney Super Cub 15. The old ones even said Laney on the PCB. They probably bought the rights to make and sell it, since Laney discontinued it.
Sounds pretty great but its Elmos playing that is helping it. Sounds pretty good. The printed circuit boards are thin and cheap but you van mod them easily.
Correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't HB Tube 15 just in-house branded version of the Monoprice amps they sell on U.S. Amazon? Much like some of the Joyo stuff got rebranded in to HB. This might be a similar deal.
Thanks Elmo. Sounded good but the hum and hiss was prominent and exacerbated by single coils [of course, as expected]. A noise-gate may help for higher gain. One watt [which seems closer to 7] by your db meter would suffice for at home self-practice, however maybe not "bedroom/late night" level for some. Bottom line: The noise floor could be an issue but if not, the versatility of sounds and price make it a great choice for beginners and/or those who desire an entry level real tube amp. I was not very impressed by the reverb that seemed to engage more after the fact but not a deal breaker imho.
If it doesn't hold up after a couple of years, and amp guys won't touch them. Then its ultimately a environment problem like other cheap stuff. But I like the 🔊
I have a Subzero solid state amp. Best home low volume amp ever IMHO. And I have quite a few. I don't use it anymore, since discovering discovering Two Notes Captor X attenuation. Now I'm experimenting with different tube heads going through that. Thanks Elmo! I may well have to treat myself to one of these now for Christmas. Great channel! Won't be long until my bank balance is no longer in the BLACK!
Thanks Elmo! It’s always good to see what you can get for a little less money. I wonder if the combo is just as good. I looked at the head it’s on sale!
I bought the combo version 1 1/2 years ago cause I didn't like the color of the Harley Benton/ Monoprice. One day later I purchased the head, too, cause HB had no head version at that time. Both are great!
Some things are rebadged versions of the same product. Take the Harley Benton low-cost tube amp with the Monoprice version. HOWEVAH! I think it bears comparison if for no other reason than to show those who may not be aware that my initial statement is true. Great video, professor!
Hey elmo i have request / idea, could you demo or comparrison some pedals i cant wrap my head around pricing of some pedals. There are some 400€ pedals that are rivaled by 50€ pedals, is there something to these more expensive pedals or are they just for the cork sniffers. Thank you
Just get the spark 2 it has that rich Distortion gain tone you can hear this when you play one but you can't on the videos the others just don't have that spark
Which is, in turn, a Laney Cub with the addition of a true spring reverb. I have checked the numbering a few components of the HB Tube15 head and they are the same in the Cub schematic.
The only thing I worry about with cheap tube amps is how long will it last? I bought a tube amp from a reputable brand (Marshall) that at least had a warranty covered by a Marshall service center when it stopped working after 2 months.
@@OKuusava not saying that. Who will fix these cheap amps if they break and is there a warranty? Or is it garbage at that point because it’s so cheap? Probably the latter
@@Smart-Alex That i another way to think, orher could be: "and I have to get this repaired expensively, as this is so expensive!" or"I jus get this repaired, even after that this is dirty cheap!" -as I just watched a englishman reipaired a 5 euros battery charger, and used a hm half an hour only for the video! th-cam.com/video/fNOhWBxtAyU/w-d-xo.html
Buzzzzzzzzz, noisegate would be a must or guitar with noiseless pick ups. The mere noise is 80 dB at one point while the sound itself is over 100 dB which is not a healthy amount if wanting to hear playing in the future as well, be it Spinal Tap length of bent sustain or not.
Yeeep. We want comparison with HB 15. I need to choose my first tube amp!!. Thanks in advance!!. I started with the guitar three months ago. I already had things but I have been buying several of your highly recommended ones. Success after success. Gear gurú!!
You should just play with what you have for a year or two, save up for some decent stuff, and upgrade with better gear when you start to develope your own sound because you'll have a better idea where you want your tone to be. You'll save a lot of GAS money and frustration that way. Just my stupid opinion 😅
@@AmericanNationalist852 I already have everything for the practice period. I only need a valve amplifier. And both this one and the HB15 are cheap, so I'll treat myself to trying one. From there, of course, purchases will be more focused. Thanks for the advice!
No comparison needed, it's the same amp. The Subzero combo version has a slightly more closed back and a device plug instead of a fixed one, which I like more (and the color).
Just get a used Jet City amp, they are designed by Soldano himself and were made in China. They r nicely made with thick quality pc boards and you can mod the hell out of them if you want to improve their sound. You change the chinese tubes they usually come with and u r ready to go gigging. Tops 250-300 euros for a second hand one. I got a 50w and a 20w they are modded and they are awesome.
So it looks (and sounds) like the same circuit as the HB tube 15, also sold by Monoprice and also sold under a second Gear4Music brand as the Hartwood Interceptor 30 combi. Any real differences, apart from it being head only?
@@JohnWiku there are some other small differences. For example the Hartwood has a plug in power lead, not a hard wired one like the HB. And better speakers in the Combi
Isn't this simply the same as the HB Tube15 Head and Combo / the Monoprice Stage Right 15W, which are all the Laney LC15 circuit? I'm in IT by profession for several decades. In the world of desktop PCs there have been many PC components brands offering identical products, usually PCI and PCIx add on cards of various functionality, etc, which came out of the same Chinese component factory, and get branded under multiple names. That seems to be the same business strategy being used here. Ok, they actually have a version of the combo amp I just found on their web site. Even comes with same seventy-80 speaker and the same Celestion badge Anyways, I have the Monoprice and love it.
I recently got myself a Laney Cub 12 which I think had similar specs to this and the tube 15. Maybe a shoot out between the three would be good? I previously owned the Tube 15 combo and liked it but found the cabinet a bit flimsy and rattly, which I guess is resolved by justc buying the head if you have a decent cab already. The laney combo seems a bit better put together so far
Yes. Exact clone with one difference I forget. Which is cool because that was a 600€ amp. Nicer speaker of course and Made in UK but I want the head anyway. Pretty sure they bought the design from Laney, early models still said Laney on the PCB.
@@221b-l3t I got the Cub Head around the same time the original Blackstar HT5-H was launched. I'd tried the HT5-H through a 4x12, so I knew the small amps sound good through bigger cabs, so auditioned it through a 2x12, and it was night and day vs the combo. The other amp ATT was the Blackheart BH15-H, which I hadn't heard but it got good reviews. I couldn't decide which to go for, and it was in December so got all 3! Used the Cub most and the HT5-H for more Marshally sounds. The BH15-H was better on the cleaner Fender/Vox/Orange sounds. Later I got a VHT Special 6 Ultra, which is based on Fender Champ + mods inc. power scaling. Verges into 'brown sound' territory. All worth getting if you see them! Recently played through an HB Tube 15, not knowing it's background, but liked the sound.
I was buying multieffect pedals😅buy ,sell,buy,sell😅always tweak something .More tweak then play😅 now i own Laney lionheart😊2 chanells amp and i play more then before.Better to have 2 good chanels then 50 shit options😅
Thanks again for a great review. 🙂 How would you rate this in comparison to the Marshall DSL 20, assuming you'd get them both around the same price, ofc the SubZero being new and the DSL being a bit used but in a good condition...? Which one would you choose?
It’s noisy and I would be apprehensive of its reliability. Might be a fun at home, jam in the garage kind of amp, but I’d recommend a katana, or something similar to someone starting out. It would be discouraging to be a new guitarist and suddenly find yourself owing $200 for an amp repair
Careful with this company y'all. No shade at Elmo (I love his vids) but this company is sketchy AF. I tried buying one of their guitars and my bank called me immediately. They tried charging me 5x for one guitar for a grand total of like $2500 or something like.
Nice sounding amp. How would you compare it to the Harley Benton Tube15? It's always out of stock. BTW nice bluesy shredding. Also nice to hear a little Gary Moore.
@@MrPolevaulter I have the original MONOPRICE version. I ended up getting it for free because it arrived broken, & as I'm NOT in the US, was made for US power grid only! (Their website showed pics of the INTERNATIONAL version so it had switchable voltage!)
Check out my review of the Harley Benton Tube15: th-cam.com/video/Ua3opHgAJfI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=wA2oQOd2BlZD8Vj_
👋
So, the HB or this Subzero? Love your content, appreciate that you call something out when it's not good. So refreshing!!
Sweet demo for this SubZero! So jealous I can't use amps anymore (seniors residence) but at least I can come enjoy Elmo's demos.
Cheers!
Love your playing and style as it is reflected in your videos.
I know all too well how difficult it is in today's unbiquous marketplace to carve out a niche for yourself. Fortunately for us mere mortals you have done so admirably.
THANK YOU!!!
Many thanks! 😊
Hi Mr. Karjalainen.
Sometidos, cheap products, specially with simple electronics, are just amazing, based on it's simplicity.
I have a *Wangs* 5w combo.....and it sounds absolutely amazing mic'ed for any recordings. 😂🎉
Love your videos. You're doing a FANTASTIC job here. Thank you so much!!!
The Wangs amps are hidden gems. I don't know anyone who actually owns one that has a bad thing to say about them.
I have 3 Wangs amps. The 5 watt Mini 5, the 30 watt Fender Bandmaster based head (OD-30), and the 50 watt hardwired Marhsall JMP 2204 clone (2204HW).
Unless they stop making the tubes needed to keep these amps running, I will not own another amp. My hope is that if I live to see tubes go away completely, that digital modeling gets to the point where it doesn't matter. Any modeling amps and direct recording amp Sims I have heard are getting better but always still lack something.
I checked the web site they have a 5 watt head for 162 dollars! Not bad . That’s a very nice sounding Amp! Awesome Demo bro
I have a 15w & two 5w amps from monoprice (which seem to be the generic HB). The 15w is packed away - too loud for my house, but the 5w also drops to 1w and I think they sound great. So, now I have a house full of small amps...no spark yet.
Great demonstration - as always. Rock on Elmo! 🎸🎸🎸
Rob
Generic HB! 😂
The Monoprice/Harley Benton 15w tube combos are the same design as the old Laney Cub (not the newer SuperCub), if what I've read is true. The Harley Benton Tube30 is supposed to be the same as the old Laney VC30. I'm guessing that it's the same manufacturer who made the old Laney Cub and VC30 who have now licensed their products to HB and are also selling them under the Monoprice name. These SubZero amps are probably also the same. The even have a new one called SubZero Voyager 15 which is a "tube/modelling" hybrid head, and I know that I recognize all those controls and amp "models" from an old Laney modelling amp that my friend had when we were young. Can't remember the name of the Laney model though.
Thanks Rob!
The Harley Benton, SubZero, Hartwood and Monoprice heads are one and the same. They wear different frocks. All basically the old Laney Cub 12r/Cub head circuit but with a spring rather than solid state reverb.
In Europe, pick whichever aesthetic you prefer.
The Harley Benton 30 Watt head is the Laney LC30II and the Sub Zero 50 Watt is the Laney LC50II. The Monoprice 100 Watt, which we have yet to get a rebrand of, is another old Laney model.
I'd go Sub Zero or Hartwood purely for the aesthetic over the Harley Benton. The G4M Hartwood is in a rather fetching shade of green. They seem to be out of stock of the head at the moment, but the head + 2x12" package, when available, is freaking gorgeous.
ps. The 5 Watt identikit combo is the Laney Cub 8. The head is just the guts of it in a headshell.
Great review, SubZero Saturn-50VR Tube Amp 4 x 12" Seventy 80 Stack is 615 euros, great value
Absolutely great to see so many wonderful options for great sounding gear that are not going to break the bank. Thanks for the fun demo Elmo, you rock!
That Jet guitar is sooo good.
It sure is.
Damn! that's a phenomenal sound - at ANY price - but at 250 euros, that deserves to be flying off the shelves. The clean and edge of breakup, in particular, are absolutely stunning. That classic valve compression and touch dynamics is all there, and no, you do NOT get that sound and characteristics in modelers/plugins (as ultra 'convenient' as they are). I've had many amps throughout the years, including Peavey, Fender, Mesa Boogie (Mk4 combo, Triaxis+2:90), and currently have a Fuchs TDS 50W combo, and routinely gigged with almost all of them for many years. So I like to think I have a good ear for what sounds good.
Kids today can't use the "valve amps are too expensive" excuse here. Add a few pedals (and a reasonable speaker, of course) and your all set.
Thanks for the video. It could be that the Saturn-15VR is just a Harley Benton/Monoprice StageRightTube15 in a different housing. More and more brands do mean nothing. As long as both amps, Tube15 and Saturn-15VR, sound good and have nice features (effects loop, 1 Watt mode) all is good. 20 years ago it was a dream to get that good tube amps for such a small price, nowadays it is almost normal.
I was going to mention this myself. The specs and features are identical. It's just a better looking HB 15.
Inspiring. This Winter I've got to fix up my old Sears Silvertone tube amp. However, the cost of new tubes (valves) these days may be almost the cost of a new tube amp.
Cheers!
I’ve got the HB15 combo. It’s great.
And Sub Zero sales will go up in no time!
Good call on demoing the SubZero stuff as there's barely anyone on TH-cam checking them out :)
- Gabe
regardless of the name plate, these things are often made in the same factory...same applies to guitars. I notice there was a lot of hum on that sub zero-as with a number of tube amps
@@vincentl.9469 Oh definitely, loads of brands come out of the same factories!
@@vincentl.9469 Most tube amps are noisy, at least under gain they will. They will make different levels of hum at idle depending upon the condition of the electrical supply it’s getting. I think that’s part of why people used say that Marshalls sound different from night to night. I don’t mind the hum but my wife has walked in and said how do you stand that hiss and hum, it’s another or a part of that old technologies charm. I love and accept the noise it’s just part of it but there’s things you can do to quiet them down, make sure your outlets are grounded and use a power conditioner to ease the spikes and dips in current and of course noise gates. If you play mostly clean the noise probably won’t be an issue but all tube amps are going to be a little noisy when cranked.
@@brandonjackson5865 also I believe it's the the tubes themselves that are microphonic, if that's the right word. Single coils & P90s are quite noisy , more so with tube amps
This one ist sold out at the moment.
Great amp, and the 50w is only £299 uk...Yes please elmo, a comparison with the HB would be great! 🍻💥
Definitely thinking about it.
Reminds me a bit of a mark era Mesa that does not have a working five band EQ for scooping out the mids. That would explain why cleaner it sounds quite Fender, because early Mesa amps were kind of hot rodded Fender amps with extra gain stages etc. Try it with an EQ in the loop perhaps.
Been waiting ages for someone to review this amp head, Thank you. I used to have the older, blue colored, 5 watt version which I bought new. I used it at rehearsals with a Metal band for over 2 years until one day I switched it on and smoke poured from the back of it. BUT I always had it cranked and got Hundreds of hours of use out of it before that happened.
I’d pay extra to have my amp start to smoke while I was playing (on stage)!
@@Santaheckler
Chinese knock off capacitors will do it for ya!
@@Santaheckler 🤣
@@SantahecklerI second that! I’ll pay twice what you paid to have an amp start smoking on stage! That would be an epic way to complete the curtain call - just don’t do it at the start of the set cause you’ll get booed and have 💩 flung in your direction for stopping the music prematurely, lol. 😂😂😂
@@MashaT22 might work anywhere in the set if you just start smacking the amp with your guitar Pete Townsend style!
Yup.
There are a few branded versions of that amp coming from the same source.
Not that there is anything particlarly wrong with that so long as the QC level is maintained.
Yeah just like the monoprice and the Harley Benton they basically got the same insides and tubes they're good little amps I've had my monoprice for 6 years and it's still plays great
Yeah, that's what I've understood.
I’ve also heard great things about Stage Right (Monoprice) tube amps. I believe they are the exact same amp as the Harley Bentons. They have a small 5-watt 1x8 for $159.00 and a 15-watt 1x12 for $259.00. Also, FREE shipping.
As far as I know they are the same as the Harley Benton valve amps, only a different label.
Yes and both of them are an almost exact clone of a Laney Super Cub 15. The old ones even said Laney on the PCB. They probably bought the rights to make and sell it, since Laney discontinued it.
Sounds pretty great but its Elmos playing that is helping it. Sounds pretty good. The printed circuit boards are thin and cheap but you van mod them easily.
Cheers!
Correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't HB Tube 15 just in-house branded version of the Monoprice amps they sell on U.S. Amazon? Much like some of the Joyo stuff got rebranded in to HB.
This might be a similar deal.
Yes, I think that's it.
I which case, I beleive it is also very, very closely related to the Laney Cub 15 / 15R
@@SD_UK "closely related" is an understatement.
They are the same 😂😂😂
@@SD_UK
Apart from the digital reverb and the two inputs, the Laney Cub 12 R is the same amp.
Thanks Elmo. Sounded good but the hum and hiss was prominent and exacerbated by single coils [of course, as expected]. A noise-gate may help for higher gain. One watt [which seems closer to 7] by your db meter would suffice for at home self-practice, however maybe not "bedroom/late night" level for some. Bottom line: The noise floor could be an issue but if not, the versatility of sounds and price make it a great choice for beginners and/or those who desire an entry level real tube amp. I was not very impressed by the reverb that seemed to engage more after the fact but not a deal breaker imho.
The reverb was made a bit weird by the compressor on my speech mic.
Great Monty Python tee Elmo. Nice tube head too.
Monty Python is the best :)
Live the t-shirt. "King eh, very nice."
😊👍
”Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony!”
If it doesn't hold up after a couple of years, and amp guys won't touch them. Then its ultimately a environment problem like other cheap stuff. But I like the 🔊
I have a Subzero solid state amp. Best home low volume amp ever IMHO. And I have quite a few. I don't use it anymore, since discovering discovering Two Notes Captor X attenuation. Now I'm experimenting with different tube heads going through that. Thanks Elmo! I may well have to treat myself to one of these now for Christmas. Great channel! Won't be long until my bank balance is no longer in the BLACK!
Wow! From the first strum this was amazing!!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks Elmo! It’s always good to see what you can get for a little less money. I wonder if the combo is just as good. I looked at the head it’s on sale!
Not sure. You can always try.
@@MrPolevaulter Thanks Elmo!
Compression, compression, compression. That is the secret of this amp.
I bought the combo version 1 1/2 years ago cause I didn't like the color of the Harley Benton/ Monoprice.
One day later I purchased the head, too, cause HB had no head version at that time.
Both are great!
Cool bananas :)
Some things are rebadged versions of the same product. Take the Harley Benton low-cost tube amp with the Monoprice version. HOWEVAH! I think it bears comparison if for no other reason than to show those who may not be aware that my initial statement is true. Great video, professor!
I would love to see a comparisn between this one and the HB. Anyways, which cabinet would you recommend for this?
I just looked up the HB Mighty - 15TH (tube head) and it is probably a very similar amp! It's also Black! Black like the black ducks of despair!
I think the black one is a different amp than the Tube15
Oh yeah, there was that one as well.
@@jckelley10
No, the Mighty - 15TH is a different amp and doesn't sound as good according to written reviews.
It has a marvelous and strange reverb, like a ducked reverb!
That's the compressor on the speech mic.
Sounds like it has Reverb - does it?
another laney cub 12r clone. ❤ love the cub.
It’s a BLackstar, it’s a Behinger/ Bugera it’s a Mk2 Pulse, Harleybenton? I can Go On and On? I Love it. HT 1R Metal was My go too .
And where is the infinium version. That will explode!
I would like to have a review of the harley benton tube 15 head with the cab g112 celestion v30. Nice and pleasant video.
love that shirt
Great demo!
Give the cheap a chance Elmo makes good points Tube amps $2500 + used $1700 and up Good luck
I love these simple cheap tube amps. I just do not have room for more gear.
They sure are nice :)
Hey elmo i have request / idea, could you demo or comparrison some pedals i cant wrap my head around pricing of some pedals. There are some 400€ pedals that are rivaled by 50€ pedals, is there something to these more expensive pedals or are they just for the cork sniffers. Thank you
I'm still waiting for you to review new Malmsteen MXR pedal, surprised you haven't already.
Blame UPS. I bought it and they mucked up the delivery.
@@MrPolevaulter lol gotta be FedEx, UPS is usually on point at least in the States.
Fuck, that amp absolutely nails that early Beethoven tone off the first album.😅
Diezel vh4. Best amp ever, and ever will be.
How does this SubZero compare to the Monoprice 15 watt tube amp?
Just get the spark 2 it has that rich Distortion gain tone you can hear this when you play one but you can't on the videos the others just don't have that spark
A comparison with the harley benton tube 15 would be nice!
I believe, it's the same as Harley Benton Tube 15....😊
I think so too.
Which is, in turn, a Laney Cub with the addition of a true spring reverb. I have checked the numbering a few components of the HB Tube15 head and they are the same in the Cub schematic.
But the Harley Benton One dosen't have the real spring Reverb..wrong?
@@gae7081 yes, it does, both the head and the combo. If I am not wrong, that is the same amp with the second generation of Monoprice Stage Right 15.
@@mike42356 thank you!
The only thing I worry about with cheap tube amps is how long will it last? I bought a tube amp from a reputable brand (Marshall) that at least had a warranty covered by a Marshall service center when it stopped working after 2 months.
So these will not last the 2 months expensive one lasted? ;-)
@@OKuusava not saying that. Who will fix these cheap amps if they break and is there a warranty? Or is it garbage at that point because it’s so cheap? Probably the latter
@@Smart-Alex That i another way to think, orher could be: "and I have to get this repaired expensively, as this is so expensive!" or"I jus get this repaired, even after that this is dirty cheap!" -as I just watched a englishman reipaired a 5 euros battery charger, and used a hm half an hour only for the video! th-cam.com/video/fNOhWBxtAyU/w-d-xo.html
elmo j. karjalainen, the other j. karjalainen eyyyyyy
Hello, do you think the 50w version will also have the same quality?
Buzzzzzzzzz, noisegate would be a must or guitar with noiseless pick ups. The mere noise is 80 dB at one point while the sound itself is over 100 dB which is not a healthy amount if wanting to hear playing in the future as well, be it Spinal Tap length of bent sustain or not.
Very Cool Elmo! Thanks for sharing 🙏✌️❤️😎🎸🎼🎵🎶😊
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Yeeep. We want comparison with HB 15. I need to choose my first tube amp!!. Thanks in advance!!. I started with the guitar three months ago. I already had things but I have been buying several of your highly recommended ones. Success after success. Gear gurú!!
You should just play with what you have for a year or two, save up for some decent stuff, and upgrade with better gear when you start to develope your own sound because you'll have a better idea where you want your tone to be. You'll save a lot of GAS money and frustration that way. Just my stupid opinion 😅
@@AmericanNationalist852 I already have everything for the practice period.
I only need a valve amplifier. And both this one and the HB15 are cheap, so I'll treat myself to trying one. From there, of course, purchases will be more focused.
Thanks for the advice!
No comparison needed, it's the same amp.
The Subzero combo version has a slightly more closed back and a device plug instead of a fixed one, which I like more (and the color).
Just get a used Jet City amp, they are designed by Soldano himself and were made in China. They r nicely made with thick quality pc boards and you can mod the hell out of them if you want to improve their sound. You change the chinese tubes they usually come with and u r ready to go gigging. Tops 250-300 euros for a second hand one. I got a 50w and a 20w they are modded and they are awesome.
@@andreaspapandreou871 Thanks for the idea but the HB tube15 is coming to my home this week, i have curiosity to test a tube amp.
Damn this looks way better than the HB tube 15
So it looks (and sounds) like the same circuit as the HB tube 15, also sold by Monoprice and also sold under a second Gear4Music brand as the Hartwood Interceptor 30 combi. Any real differences, apart from it being head only?
All the same, just different headshells/tolex/front panels.
@@JohnWiku there are some other small differences. For example the Hartwood has a plug in power lead, not a hard wired one like the HB. And better speakers in the Combi
Isn't this simply the same as the HB Tube15 Head and Combo / the Monoprice Stage Right 15W, which are all the Laney LC15 circuit? I'm in IT by profession for several decades. In the world of desktop PCs there have been many PC components brands offering identical products, usually PCI and PCIx add on cards of various functionality, etc, which came out of the same Chinese component factory, and get branded under multiple names. That seems to be the same business strategy being used here. Ok, they actually have a version of the combo amp I just found on their web site. Even comes with same seventy-80 speaker and the same Celestion badge Anyways, I have the Monoprice and love it.
I think that's what's going on here.
What cab was used for the demo?
Marshall 1960 AHW
What cabinet are you running it through?
Marshall 1960 AHW
Elmo, what is that last Guitar? the Strat with a tele headstock
Custom built.
I recently got myself a Laney Cub 12 which I think had similar specs to this and the tube 15. Maybe a shoot out between the three would be good? I previously owned the Tube 15 combo and liked it but found the cabinet a bit flimsy and rattly, which I guess is resolved by justc buying the head if you have a decent cab already. The laney combo seems a bit better put together so far
Elmo it sounds kind of like a Marshall Plexi,do you think it sounds close to a Plexi?
95% of the videos he uses a 50W Plexi so compare to that. I don't think so. It sounds great but not like Plexi.
@@221b-l3t Do you think is still sounds like other Marshall's or like some other amp?
I don't think it does. It's pretty different actually. I like it, but it's not like a Plexi.
I heard some tones you played that sounded like AC/DC to me that is why i said it kind of sounds like a Plexi.
what's the weight, is it light? thanks
Isn't the HB Tube 15 based on the Laney Cub?
Yes. Exact clone with one difference I forget. Which is cool because that was a 600€ amp. Nicer speaker of course and Made in UK but I want the head anyway. Pretty sure they bought the design from Laney, early models still said Laney on the PCB.
I've heard that too.
@@221b-l3t I got the Cub Head around the same time the original Blackstar HT5-H was launched. I'd tried the HT5-H through a 4x12, so I knew the small amps sound good through bigger cabs, so auditioned it through a 2x12, and it was night and day vs the combo. The other amp ATT was the Blackheart BH15-H, which I hadn't heard but it got good reviews. I couldn't decide which to go for, and it was in December so got all 3!
Used the Cub most and the HT5-H for more Marshally sounds. The BH15-H was better on the cleaner Fender/Vox/Orange sounds.
Later I got a VHT Special 6 Ultra, which is based on Fender Champ + mods inc. power scaling. Verges into 'brown sound' territory. All worth getting if you see them!
Recently played through an HB Tube 15, not knowing it's background, but liked the sound.
Is the compression I hear from the amp or production or youtube?
My speech mic compressor and TH-cam.
@@MrPolevaulter Ah, thanks. Would have been a bit much otherwise...
Can't find it in any shop.....
Gotta love the single coil hsssssss
The best lower cost amp would be a used Amp1 Mercury by Bluguitar. Stands up to 2k amps!!!!!
Why does the reverb sound like a reverse verb lol
You can get that woman-tone so easy with this guitar and amp combination, the amp makes a lot off sizzle sounds, is because the mic. ? 😊
no it's because of the amp
I was buying multieffect pedals😅buy ,sell,buy,sell😅always tweak something .More tweak then play😅 now i own Laney lionheart😊2 chanells amp and i play more then before.Better to have 2 good chanels then 50 shit options😅
YES!
I use guitar-cabble-tube amp,somtimes delay/reverb.
Sounds awesome
Any competent repair shop can fix your amp I have many obsolete obscure amps I get serviced.
Definitely compare to the HB Elmo!
I think I will.
Thanks again for a great review. 🙂 How would you rate this in comparison to the Marshall DSL 20, assuming you'd get them both around the same price, ofc the SubZero being new and the DSL being a bit used but in a good condition...? Which one would you choose?
It’s noisy and I would be apprehensive of its reliability. Might be a fun at home, jam in the garage kind of amp, but I’d recommend a katana, or something similar to someone starting out. It would be discouraging to be a new guitarist and suddenly find yourself owing $200 for an amp repair
The only thing better than having good tone is paying a fraction of what most pay for good tone.
:)
van halen kiff!good sound!
Cheers!
UMMMM so what's the elephant in the room? It's similar to HB? Is that all?
was that i see the light tonight by Yngwie thrown in there...
Yeah, I think I played that at some point.
I can just feel the lag there sounds wiked man !!!
Have you been paid to present this product?
Careful with this company y'all. No shade at Elmo (I love his vids) but this company is sketchy AF. I tried buying one of their guitars and my bank called me immediately. They tried charging me 5x for one guitar for a grand total of like $2500 or something like.
Damn!
I wonder what's next? Scorpion amp? Or maybe Kung Lao one?😆
Nice sounding amp. How would you compare it to the Harley Benton Tube15? It's always out of stock. BTW nice bluesy shredding. Also nice to hear a little Gary Moore.
Thanks! Thinking of comparing them.
Like 👍 first and then watch 😎
:)
until it burns your house down...Check the safety certificates on that thing.
An amp with no digital trickery that forces you to learn how to play ? It will never catch on lol.
😂
Cool 😊
Cheers!
Why does this comments section think that valve amp technology is something a kin to building the space shuttle?
It sounds Hendrixy
A bit yeah.
I know its good because the "boss" just told me to turn the volume on the video down. And she must be obeyed as we know.
😂
They are all COPIES of the Cub series of amps from Laney!
I've heard that being said, yeah.
@@MrPolevaulter I have the original MONOPRICE version. I ended up getting it for free because it arrived broken, & as I'm NOT in the US, was made for US power grid only!
(Their website showed pics of the INTERNATIONAL version so it had switchable voltage!)
Which come from the LC lineage of Laney amps.
@@jamesunderhill1603 Yeah.
Boss katana
Not sure where all that compression is coming from in your recording chain but we need less please
I just dont see the appeal. im sorry. Just get a boss katana head and celestion cab
...until it breaks in few months or in few years.... but time will tell
Second hand and local repair ... affordable. this is the solution to promote. Too much products in the world otherwise