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There are some drawbacks to using microwattage tube amps. You may want an amp with more power for use at rehearsals or gigs. And don't forget that you are limited to the sounds your amp is capable of. Microwattage amps have enough headroom to take pedals in front of them. But other than that, if you don't like the amp's natural sound, there's not much you can do. Microwatt-tube-amp prices start at about $400.
SPEAKER OPTIONS
Does your guitarist's 100W Marshall half-stack sound more powerful than your 100W Marshall 2x12 combo? That's because our perception of volume is influenced by how many speakers are being used - so a 100W amplifier pushing a 4x12 cabinet will seem louder to us than that same amp pushing a 2x12 cabinet. That means another way to reduce the perceived volume of an amp is to use a 2x12 or even 1x12 cabinet instead of a 4x12. You'll loose some of the fullness of a 4x12, but the reduction in perceived volume will be significant.
Some companies, such as Randall and Demeter, make isolation boxes consisting of a single 12-inch guitar speaker in a soundproof and sealed box with a microphone arm on the inside and a cable jack on the outside to connect the microphone to your recording equipment.
The Randall Isolation 12C mounts a Celestion V30 horizontally, whereas the Demeter SSC-1 mounts an Eminence 80W speaker. (An unloaded version of the SSC-1 is available as well.) These types of boxes muffle the sound enough that you can hold a conversation over the top of a raging guitar amp. Isolation boxes are more efficient than simply shoving a speaker cabinet in the closet and covering it with pillows, but they still don't capture the sound of speakers breathing in a room. While this is a recording solution, it won't help you if you want to hear your natural amp tone for rehearsing or jamming. And be careful not to turn your amp up too high and blow out the speaker. Guitar-speaker isolation cabinets start at about $500.
LET THE TUBES TELL
Each of the solutions I've outlined has advantages and drawbacks. The trick is to find the approach that works and sounds best for you. Although these methods are not as quiet as recording direct - you'll probably still have to refrain from recording those nu-metal chug riffs at 3 a.m. - you clearly have quite a few options for producing authentic tube-amp sounds at apartment-friendly volumes.
Orren Merton is a consultant, musician, and pro-audio writer who has bothered the neighbors far less since discovering how to manage his amp volume. Thanks to Ed DeGenaro, Gary Gerhart, Andy Marshall, Ted Weber, and Zachary Vex for help with this article.
MANUFACTURER CONTACTS
Demeter Amplification tel. (818) 994-7658 e-mail info@demeteramps.com Web www.demeteramps.com
Gerhart Amplification tel. (818) 429-9250 e-mail info@GerhartAmps.com Web www.gerhartamps.com
Randall Amplifiers tel. (800) 877-6863 e-mail info@randallamplifiers.com Web www.randallamplifiers.com
Smicz Amplification tel. (860) 329-0111 e-mail info@smicz-amplification.com Web www.smicz-amplification.com
THD Electronics, Ltd. tel. (206) 781-5500 e-mail info@thdelectronics.com Web http://thdelectronics.com
WeberVST tel. (765) 452-1249 e-mail tweber@webervst.com Web www.webervst.com
Z.Vex Effects tel. (952) 285-9545 e-mail zvex@zvex.com Web www.zvex.com
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