SS head to go with 8ohm Celestion V30

[longtallronnie]

I'm assuming I'm limited to 30W for this speaker so are there any 30W SS amps that could handle an unmicd pub gig?
I know people have been impressed with the micro terror but I'm not convinced it would cut it into a single 8ohm speaker with a 2nd guitarist to compete with.
Maybe I'd be better off spending another 100quid on a used 15W valve head for example.

Any thoughts?

[Mattbushido]

What's your budget?

[ICBM]

No, the V30 is a 60W speaker despite the name. (There is a disputed reason for the name which I won't go into again! )

Any solid-state amp of 50W or under will be OK with it if you aren't pushing the power stage into distortion, which you shouldn't be - it sounds dreadful usually.

Be aware that power ratings for solid-state amps are *usually* (but not always - check) at 4 ohms too, and they lose between 30% and 50% of that power into 8 ohms depending on the amp design, so you could use a 80W/4-ohm amp safely with it too - maybe even 100W in some cases, but I'd be careful.

NB, this doesn't apply to all speakers - other manufacturers are much less conservative than Celestion with power ratings, and even some Celestions aren't as tough as others. The V30 is one of the tough ones though.

So that really opens up the field, and a 50-80W solid state amp should be plenty for a pub gig through an efficient speaker like a V30.

Just make sure that your loudest dirty sound is no louder than the loudest totally clean sound you can achieve, and you won't be overdriving the power amp.

[longtallronnie]

Ah I assumed it was a 30watter, that does make things easier! As you say, SS amps are normally rated for 4 ohms which is why I thought the micro terror wouldn't suffice.

@Mattbushido
Haven't really got a budget as I can't afford anything atm! I'd be looking to spend as little as possible when the time comes. In the past I've used a dual terror and a blackstar artisan 15 as a backup which seemed a waste of fairly decent amps imo.

I've seen some 15w valve heads for around the £200 mark so I wouldn't want to spend that much on SS unless it was really special.

[ICBM]

I've seen some 15w valve heads for around the £200 mark so I wouldn't want to spend that much on SS unless it was really special.

Unless you don't need a clean sound, I don't think a 15W valve amp through a single speaker, even a V30, is enough for an unmic'ed pub gig. A 50W solid state amp is much more likely to be so.

You don't need to spend £200 on a 50-80W solid state amp though - not used, anyway. The difficulty is more finding one, most solid state amps are combos and most that are heads are at least 100W.

[Cirrusband]

No, the V30 is a 60W speaker despite the name. (There is a disputed reason for the name which I won't go into again! )

It's cuz it's a celestion blue clone innit?

[ICBM]

It's cuz it's a celestion blue clone innit?

Lol

That's one version, anyway .

[longtallronnie]

15W is pushing it but I've done alright with the the Orange DT set at half and the BS A15. I even gigged the A15 set at 5 watts by mistake once! I only noticed after the first set and was amazed how well it coped.

I suppose my point is either a SS or lower powered valve amp presents a compromise of sorts and that at that price (£200) I'd take the dirtier but altogether more pleasing sound of a valve amp.

My next question was going to be what SS 50W heads are out there?! I once had a Marshall AVT50h but it was quite big from what I remember. For a backup I'd be looking for something as compact as possible. I guess my options are pretty limited.

[ICBM]

My next question was going to be what SS 50W heads are out there?! I once had a Marshall AVT50h but it was quite big from what I remember. For a backup I'd be looking for something as compact as possible. I guess my options are pretty limited.

I would certainly not pick an AVT of any kind as a backup either, after all the ones I've replaced the power modules on - two in the last couple of weeks alone. Unreliable junk. Nor a MG100DFX, they're even worse - although the new MG series must be OK, I haven't seen a single one yet.

The early Valvestates - 8100 and VS100 - are great, and well within budget, but they're also 100W and I think de-rate to about 65W into 8 ohms, which is getting a bit high power for a V30. They didn't do the lower-power versions in head form unfortunately - although I think they might have done the VS265 stereo model, and you could use only one channel...

You could always get a Blackstar ID60TVP and complete my review for me by running it through a V30 - although they're £399 (not inc footswitch) and so new that even if there are one or two on the market second hand soon, they won't be as cheap as £200.

[guitarfishbay]

You could always get a Blackstar ID60TVP and complete my review for me by running it through a V30 - although they're £399 (not inc footswitch) and so new that even if there are one or two on the market second hand soon, they won't be as cheap as £200.

Actually the 60 watt head is £329, it is the 1x12 combo that is £399. Still way off £200, and larger than the OP wants though.