Our Favorite Amps for at Home: with Lyle from Psionic Audio
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Friends of five watt on Patreon: / fivewattworld
Reverb link for the new fww/Barber BUSS Overdrive in white:
reverb.com/ite...
T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and tumblers
the-five-watt-...
For five watt world short history bundle and Favorite Preset pack:
flatfiv.co/col...
To make a donation to support the channel click here:
www.paypal.me/...
Link to Psionic Audio and Lyle goodness: / @psionicaudio
Jeff McErlain's Melodic Soloing course: jmguitarlesson...
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
A thing that needs to be said about Lyle and his TH-cam 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.
And bradsguitargarage should do children's audio books 😂😂😂
I love that two of my favourite TH-camrs collaborate like this!
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.
L5T 112 here, glorious sounds for LP and Strat, Tele , Es and others...
@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.
THIS! I feel like he could make a fortune doing the upgrade kit with instructions thing.
I built the Mojotone Princeton kit and absolutely love it!!
I spent a lot of time agonizing over spending the dough on a Princeton Reverb (retired from my day job). I have had Blues Juniors since they first came out. They have seen a LOT of gigs, rehearsals & practice, and they have all held up well, aside from a power tube socket solder joint breaking. I DON'T abuse them, and only play at reasonable levels (the audience really DOES NOT appreciate their ears being tormented)
I just got the Princeton, and was in heaven at our first show!!!
Point is: it's not easy to find the right used Princeton Reverb here in the Pacific Northwest, so a solid kit or alternative would very likely be welcome!
Is the Supro Amulet similar to the Princeton?
@@Martin23673 I hope so only because I own an Amulet but Lyle has me wanting a Princeton. LOL
Great show...always fun to see Lyle. I love both your channels and learn a lot from each!
Agree 100%
Lyle is one helluva technician and more importantly to me, a fantastic consumer advocate!
I just bought a Swart STR tweed .....5w 12in.....its sounds fantastic !! And is the best looking amp i have ever seen. Beautifully built and the tolex is next level.
51:02 I got the Swart Space Tone Junior amp after watching this video and it did not disappoint! What a gem of an amp!
Thanks for the recommendation.
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.
He ain't. Guy is a massive scammer. Just google it, at this point he's just pretty much robbing people.
Straight-forward and also nuanced: e.g. the Boss Katana Mk II is simultaneously not a great amp (in absolute terms) and yet a terrific option (in some contexts).
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.
My favorite at home amp is a 12” Princeton Reverb (the one with the larger cabinet). But when I notice my neighbors aren’t at home, I turn on the Soldano and my 212 cabinet. :)
Great video..Thanks
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.
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. ...
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.
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
Lyle is great.
Watch his channel all the time!
That intro, I need to loop that for maybe 3 years!!!
Yes, Jeff’s Les Paul tone is unparalleled.
Swart user since 2007. Best service! The Jr and Pro are amazing.
Favorite video I’ve watched in years. So good and very helpful
Love playing through my Fender Princeton Reverb.
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.
Hey Lyle ! This episode was fantastic.! You two guys have taught me a lot and I thank you
Lyle is just to the total BOMB! Love his experience and advice. He is the gold standard.
Thank you both for doing this. This could’ve been a 10min video, but very happy it was an hour. Especially love the “tangents and side-notes.”
I Love and subscribe to (both) of your channels. I use a Yamaha THR 30II for low-volume NYC apartment. I wish I lived closer to Lyle. He'd be "The Only Guy" to service/upgrade my 65 Fender Princeton Reverb Amp. Lyle is knowledgeable & meticulous.
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.
We are lucky to have people like Lyle on TH-cam.
Only play at home running a 64 Princeton Reverb H/W RI, it gets better all the time, rarely gets turned up past 6. Also have a little 57 champ H/W RI and it needs a good doctor, has good days and more not so good days. Both are aging well though, the tones seem much sweeter than when they were new and I was all excited.. now I am more satisfied.
I have a Mesa TA-15 that really sounds killer for rock & blues & an old 70's Music Man 65 watt with 2 10 inch speakers that is great clean. Great job as usual guys!
Just found your channel and am super thankful. Great guest. This was really helpful to me. Liked and subbed.
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
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.
Aloha Braddahs! Keith enjoyed all your shows that I’ve seen….25 plus? And Lyle….enjoy yours as well! Watched many but do not mess with the guts of amps….I’d like to but I guess that’s why I watched many of your videos. I’m a little surprised Lyle because you have the voice of a DJ and this is the first time I put the face with the voice after so long of hearing it and not what I imagined. You sound older but look much younger….no insult intended in any way. I seen an amp for sale here in Oahu, Hawaii from Psionic! It looked really great but price was up there at the time when I was low on funds and then it was gone! Didn’t know you sold amps!? Keep up the great content Keith! Mahalo nui loa to the two of you for sharing your time with the world! Aloha….
Thank you, Five watt.
Two of my favorite channel’s , so much knowledge ‼️🚨🔥👍
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! ❤
Love my Monoprice (Harley Benton Tube 15 in eh EU) and it sounds great for the very affordable price. It even has an effects loop. This is my first tube amp and I should of got one from day one. It is so much more inspiring than the Katana 50 mk2 I had before.
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
I work on many of those models in SoCal and they are workhorses that do a great job with blues and rock. Lots of people like to dismiss them on sight, but they sound great when healthy. It doesn’t take much to keep them going.
Cool! I just picked up a USA Blues Deluxe and am already loving it. Just not sure it's gonna be on any of our shows due to it's size & weight. I'll likely stick with my PR & BJ, bet that BD tone is really great!
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 👍 😎 . . .
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.
A very interesting exchange... ( of information ) between you guys , continued best wishes for both your channels !!
I installed a 10" cream back in my TM Princeton ; very usable! at home it's perfect.
So crazy! I just discovered Lyle’s channel for myself last week, and here he is on FWW! 🤟
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.
Great duo with you two together! His problem solving savvy is legendary.. and an English major to boot! 😊
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
One of my practice amps at home is my spark mini. Great sound for what it is , it's cordless I can take it anywhere .
You two are both gold standards for what you do. Thank you for the excellent content through the years.
What a fantastic collaboration, Thank You both.
Great video , I use a Boss Katana MKII 50 combo, a Mesa Boogie Mark V90, and A Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Solo head revision C+. For bedroom volume the Boss gets the late night playing. For daytime I prefer the Mark V or The Dual Rec with a Captor 8 attenuator.
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....
I owned a Tonemaster Twin Reverb about for a year. It was a solid amp but once I played the Fender (tube version) Deluxe Reverb, I could tell a difference, especially on the reverb channel and with a little overdrive. The tube amp has a lot more three dimensional sound and sparkle that the digital version does not have.
The Tonemaster is a good option for those who are looking to save some money and want some of the additional features like the reduced weight, power attenuator, and digital output. But I would recommend saving your money and getting a used tube amplifier for about the same price.
Thank you both so much, enjoyed this interview tremendously
I really enjoy the confluence of two of my favorite tube hosts!
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?
@@sharkair2839 We were called Tupelo Blue. Bob Lesher of Fullerton was the vocalist/blues harpist. We did a lot of gigs in Fullerton and all over SoCal. TB was a 4-pc. outfit that, like many bands, went through personnel changes, mainly bassists. If you know the blues scene around OC then you might recognize the name Scott Lambert. Scotty was our regular bassist for the last several years before we went our separate ways. He passed several years ago. What a great guy and friend. ...
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.
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.
Have two telecasters and they are both old. I love them. One MIM early Deluxe Nashville , and a very early MIJ tele. Both with the old style ashtray bridge. I would buy a 40th anniversary a CV Jag or Jazz before a new Fender because you don't get enough upgrade to justify the price.
I really enjoyed the video, thanks!!!
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. 👏🏻
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 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.
Best channel around for guitar tech. Thank you for all the insights!
Wow, it’s Lyle! I’ve watched many of his videos, first time I’ve seen him! Awesome stream guys!
For playing at home the Yamaha THR is hard to beat… it has a studio recorded quality to its sounds and the stock old THR5 is so sweet and has a beautiful wide reverb.
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.
I love Carr Amps and have a super bee combo that is awesome for home use.
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.
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!
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!
Thank You. This is the kind of info that is Truly Useful. 👍
The best amp I‘ve ever played and still play at home is the 28W Bartel Starwood. Mark‘s a genious and his amps have by far the best Master volume out there. The built quality is otherworldly and should even convince Psionic.
Great show I want to learn this trade so bad. Just amazing
Nice to put a face to the name Lyle. Many of us are driven MOSTLY by budget. For me that means I run a Li'l Dawg Mutt (5F1 Champ) and a red knob Twin. One is too small and the other is too large. I compensate by running the Champ into a 12" V30, to get a little more headroom, and run the Twin with two tubes, and on half power.
Thx ❤
I love Swart amps, it is great to hear a pro like Lyle recommend them. They fly under the radar a bit, but they are GLORIOUS!
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 sold a Princeton because it had a noise I could not get rid of and I think it was honestly too loud for home. To add, I tried 3 Princetons and sent them back just as you mentioned, and also had a shop look at it, but no one wanted to check tubes, so unless I wanted to buy tubes even the warranty would help.
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.
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”…
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.
Loved this conversation
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 just play around the house and love my Benson Vinny Reverb with the Aunt Gertie finish. For me, it’s perfect
This was great...
You two bounce off each other well
This is such a great channel.
So much to learn, so easy to listen to.
I am going to check out Ze Frank though.
I really like this guy. I appreciate him caveating his statements based on genre
I have a five watt Fender Vibro Champ Reverb Amp, it was recommended by another TH-cam 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.
Good show ! Thank you
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.
Excellent level-headed discussion!
One of the best crossovers possible.
Lyle is THE guy - thx!
Sorry I missed it live... but the first 'bounce is sweet enough! Another great show, Keith... Thank-You! 🐺
Very cool riffs
Great episode!
So sorry I missed this live! Lyle is fantastic.