After seeing much discussions and debate on Guitar & Amplifier Forums across the interwebs about this topic, I thought it might be interesting to draw up a comparison article with audio samples so we can hear, with our own ears, the similarities Bugera has with other — legendary — guitar amplifiers including Mesa Boogie, Peavey, and Marshall… among others.
Generally speaking, the guitar market is similar to every other market, in that it functions and relies on the basic principle of “You get what you pay for.” But at Bugera’s price point, and based on the quality of soud you get out of their amplifiers, that might not be true anymore… or is it?
In this section, we’re talking about the Bugera TRIREC, their take on the Mesa Triple Recto. At least that’s what many are saying.
Bugera TRIREC Infinium vs Mesa Dual Rectifier
Now, I know what you’re thinking; “Oh God, not another mindless article about Tube vs. Solid State.”
No, my thoughts on this issue won’t be more drivel on wattage, and valves, but will focus more on tapping into what’s important: The Players. What they think of this, their thoughts, their ideas, likes and dislikes, etc..
“DEAR GOD.”
“Words cannot explain how excited I am right now… seriously.”
“I’ve been in love with Bugera’s for a while, and I have a single rec. I might have to get this bad boy…”
These are the words of an excited player, and I can see why. Bugera, while having copied other amps before, still bears the reputation of a company that exists to serve its players. In short, they are not your run of the mill, crank-it-out-and-make-a-profit organization. Going even further than that though, here is one pro I can see already—If this amp lives up to their earlier creations, it could break serious ground for the average gearhead. Quite often, I see gear go as high as $5,000 when really, its chief aim is to make money; nothing more.
One thing some don’t take into account is that not everyone has a lot of money to throw around on gear. I never did, and few people in my musical circles didn’t either. That’s not to say everything should be dirt cheap and the manufacturers should be doling out charity gear, but still, should one amp equate the cost of a used car or more? I’ll leave this one up to you guys, I’m sure it’s a question that will ring for years to come.
There is a flip-side to this coin though; not everyone is a fan of Bugera, and certainly not a fan of the uncanny resemblance to the Mesa Series.
“You pay for quality parts and quality workmanship. If you don’t want to pay the premium for a new product, then buy it used. Save up your pennies and pay up for the quality stuff or continue to enjoy the world being overrun with Made in China pieces of shit.”
Well, as far as tone, this amp should be no different than anything else. Bugera is a solid company, which has a good reputation, both on quality, and price. So what this boils down to is this: Is it right to make a not-so-subtle version of the Mesa Triple Recto? Or is it fair game? And secondly, is this going to be a quality piece of gear – a force to be reckoned with? Or will it falter?
Bugera TRIREC Infinium vs. Mesa Dual Rectifier Audio Comparison
Peavey 6505+ vs Bugera 6262 Infinium – Copied or Cloned?
First up in this Peavey 6505+ vs Bugera 6262 Infinium shootout is the Peavey 6505+ (aka Peavey 5150) – Peavey 6505+ 120W Guitar Amp Head is great for hardcore or metal players. SIX – 12AX7s in the preamp add up to even more terrifying punch and mind-rattling gain. Includes foot-switchable lead/rhythm channel select, effects loop, 3-band EQ, plus resonance and presence controls on each channel. The rhythm channel includes pre/post gain controls and bright/crunch switches. The lead channel includes pre/post gain controls only. Preamp output. Footswitch included. 4, 8, or 16 ohms.
The 6505 Series guitar amplifiers are named in celebration of Peavey’s first 40 years, (1965-2005.) While known as the 5150 Series, these amps became the undisputed go-to guitar amps for scores of rock, hardcore, and metal bands because of their raw tone, relentless power, and road-proven reliability. And best of all, Made in the USA.
This Peavey 6505+ demo is played using a 2×12 Marshall 1936V guitar speaker cabinet and a Jackson guitar.
NOTE: The first video is a demo of the Peavey 6505+, then scroll down to hear the audio demo of the Bugera 6262 Infinium. Go ahead and A/B the videos for audio samples.
Peavey 6505+ Video / Audio Comparison
Next up is the Bugera 6262 tube amplifier – The BUGERA 6262 Infinium amp head is the guru of tone, designed for ultimate versatility for those who want every type of amp sound at their fingertips. From rock to country, metal to alternative, this one performs them all with raw massive power and roadworthy reliability, and virtually unlimited dynamics in a two-channel configuration. The 6262’s brutal power comes from 4 hand-selected and matched BUGERA 6L6 power valves. Six BUGERA 12AX7 valves in the preamp add up for terrifying punch and mind-rattling gain. Plus you’ll love the detail in the fine reverb tails individually controllable on each channel.
Each channel features a vintage designed EQ section with Bass, Mid and Treble. Both channels offer Classic Presence control, plus additional controls to expand upon the 6260 platform for further adjustments to your monstrous tone. BUGERA added Impedance switching to match virtually any speaker cabinet, from 4, 8 to 16 Ohms. The amp comes with a four-way, heavy-duty metal footswitch for channel and effects loop selection to tap your favorite effects.
This boutique-style valve head is constructed using precision manufacturing, blended with artisan hand assembly, so you can be confident it will stand the test of time. The next time you wield your axe, feel the Soul of Valves with the BUGERA 6262. Bugera 6262 Infinium is MADE IN CHINA. Check for price
The Bugera 6262 Infinium demo is played using an ENGL 2×12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 and a fully stock Epiphone Les Paul Classic equipped with the original Epi pickups.
Bugera 6262 Infinium Video / Audio Comparison
performed by Thomas Sladek
Originally Published on Aug 4, 2010
Bugera 1990 Infinium vs. Marshall JCM900
Anyone looking for that classic stage sound, but doesn’t have the classic stage budget, would do well to check out the Bugera 1990 Infinium amplifier. The 1990, built in the Behringer factory for the Italian manufacturer Bugera, comes so close to the sound of the Marshall JCM900 as to make critics split hairs when debating the two.
When presented with TheToneKings side-by-side audio/video comparison (see below), the online reactions ran the gamut of Marshall homer-isms. The 900 is cleaner, they say. A little tighter. Has thicker bass. Better distortion. Transcendent reverb. All of this can apparently be determined by listening to a set of tiny little computer speakers, played from a YouTube video, its properties broken apart and reproduced out of binary code as if sent through the USS Enterprise’s transporter room (or like poor Jeff Goldblum in The Fly).
Some opined that the Bugera is more apt to have problems if it gets moved from place to place (one can only surmise that much depends on how one throws one’s amp around). One deep thinker suggested that the Marshall has superior tubes – akin to asserting that a Mercedes is preferable to a BMW because it has better tires.
Such complaints may well be valid if one is playing CDs through the head and speakers, but that’s not the case. That which goes into an amplifier is a musical instrument. It’s called a guitar. It’s made out of wood, metal, and magnets (with some little bits of plastic, bone, and Mother of Pearl here and there). When Marshall-loving elitists sniff at the Bugera 1990 Infinium, they’re missing a huge point, which the makers of the Bugera most assuredly did not.
In comparing the two amps, what stands out is that the Bugera is conveying the sound of the guitar itself. You can “hear” the wood, that natural plaything that only exists because someone, somewhere, some time ago, planted a seed. The 900 may have higher-end electronics. It has more tweet. Its distortion and reverb are cleaner. Those “advantages” exist. They do.
The Bugera 1990 Infinium, however, lets the player (and the audience) hear the instrument. It doesn’t cover up any shortcomings with the kind of squealing rage that only Marshall amps and pigs that have been doused with gasoline and set afire can attain. When you listen to the Marshall JCM900, you are hearing the Marshall JCM900. When you listen to the Bugera, you’re hearing your guitar. Having played through a Marshall for several years, I can tell you that some of the cheapest, crappiest axes ever built still sounded perfectly fantastic through that blaster – not sure if that’s a good thing or not – and “good guitars” all but played themselves through it.
The debate boils down to the same argument that can be frequently heard going on among football fans. Who was better, Walter Payton or Barry Sanders? People will always say Payton because he was there first. Because he had a Super Bowl ring. Because he was Sweetness. Anything that stood in cleats after Number Thirty-Four couldn’t possibly have been better or even as good (no matter how many yards-per-carry he averaged). But the generation before will bark over their shoulders that Payton was no Jim Brown, you hear? And Brown was no Bronko Nagurski…
Any demonstration would have more impact if the demonstrator had installed the same tubes in each amp – which he may well have done but it wasn’t mentioned – or if he had played a few different guitars through the dueling heads. Lord knows there’s a world of difference between a Les Paul with 490-series alnico pickups, an SG with P90s, a Strat with Tex-Mex singles, or a classic-build Telecaster – never mind every Gretsch, Jackson, Rickenbacker, Ibanez, PRS et cetera that roams the Earth in the clutches of talented hands.
The Marshall is better because it’s a Marshall – that’s the essence of the argument – and what else would a Marshall owner say, having shelled out twice as much for an amp head that does much the same thing as the Bugera? That it’s brighter? Come on. Most people who dabble in such high-end, high-volume equipment are half-deaf by the time they get into heads and cabs anyway.
Here’s what is likely: A non-gearhead could walk into any music store and run any guitar through both amps and tell you that he or she heard very little difference between the two. Is it loud? Is it really loud? Does it come with a footswitch? Do the little lights come on? Does it have all the knobs? All right, then.
Snobs may shell out the prerequisite $900 for a JCM 900 and can tell us about the niggling differences all the way home from the bank. Buyers who appreciate value will be happy to pay half of that for the nearly-identical Bugera. The Marshall owner will always be able to hold his brand name over the other guy’s head – and they’ll both rock.
That’s the thing that matters the most; the end of the story. Unless you want to stack ’em both up next to a Mesa Boogie… See what I mean? Amps are like schoolyard bullies and Old West gunfighters. No matter how tough they are, they’re always bound to run into someone more dangerous. There’s no shame in cranking out your sound through the Bugera 1990 Infinium. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, just look that person dead in the eye and say, “What? I can’t bloody hear you!”
Marshall JCM 900 vs. Bugera 1990 Audio Comparison
I have only played a handful of Bugera amps, and this isn’t one of them. Which is where you all come in, my Gear-Vault brother and sisters! I, as well as the others here at Gear-Vault, want to hear your voices! What do you think? Have you played one? What are they like?
List of Amplifiers Bugera Cloned
- Bugera 1960 Infinium – is pretty dead-on for a Marshall 1959 Plexi, change the power tubes out for Mullard el34s to make it pretty much perfect. More on that here.
- Bugera 1990 Infinium – As you heard in this article, another perfect clone of a Marshall JCM 900 dual-channel with reverb, again uses authentic valves to make it a pretty much perfect clone.
- Bugera 6260/6262 Infinium – I posted the audio samples of the 6260 in this article, but it is a clone of a peavy 5150/6505. And as you heard above, the Bugera 6262 Infinium is a perfect clone of the 6505+ — my ears the 6260 is more authentic of a recreation of the 5150 when it was still produced by the Peavey company.
- Bugera 333XL Infinium – Probably my favorite one, it’s pretty close to the JSX with some Mesa Dual Rectifier vibes especially upgraded with some Sovtek 6L6s.
- Bugera V22 – The V22 is cross between Fender and Vox tones. They do like to be run hot on the bias which also made the gain channel quite useable. Set clean and gain master volumes at 7-8 and adjust channel gain to taste. After much experimentation, we had to accept that the original OEM Bugera speaker is what sounded best with this amp. Yes, amazing, but true. Now Bugera uses a speaker made or at least designed by Turbosound and uses the Infinium circuit.
- Bugera BVV-3000 – Wouldn’t you know it, a nearly perfect recreation of the classic Ampeg SVT-CL 300 watt bass head.
As of the writing of this article, one thing that seems to jump out at me is people are saying Bugera customer service is POOR. If they get that figured out, these could be an astounding bang-for-the-buck badass sounding guitar amplifiers.
I read that Peavey are currently suing Bugera and Mesa definitely have possible grounds to as well so it will be interesting to see how that pans out
It sure will be interesting to say the least. I wonder how it will work out though, seeing as no one has ever successfully tried bugera before…..
Well they are apparently suing them over technology patents that they copied rather than the name or design apparently so who knows?
Well either way, this will turn out to be an interesting ordeal. I also think they are more likely to get a judgement in their favor if they go after hard patents rather than name similarities or design looks..
absolutely it’s one thing to rip off the design and name but to breach patents is asking for trouble!
Taking another companies patented designs and reverse engineering or copying them to be used and sold in a similar product should not be tolerated, and the patent holder has ever right to pursue legally.
That’s the whole reason for patents and patent protection.
I’m not sure how long patents are good for. I’m sure we’ll see if Peavey succeeds.
I wonder though if Peavey will also go after Fender and EVH, because basically the 5150 III is the former Peavey 5150, which is not named 6505+.
Fender may have tweaked a couple of things, but from others say and hear the 5150 III is pretty much a modded Peavey 5150.
As for the Bugera Trirec, I have one. I got it about 2 weeks ago.
I never played it before ordering one. I had played the Bugera V55 and 6262. The V55 is a great amp for any price, and is amazing at it’s price point. If you want an old school tube amp the V22 and V55 deliver nicely.
The 6262 is also a great amp better suited for high gain, and it sounds and play VERY much like a 6505+.
The one technology that Bugera has invented is their “Infinium” system, which is pretty darn awesome. It allows the use of any power tube that will fit the socket to be used in the amp, and you can mix and match tubes at will and the circuit will AUTO bias each tube independently and continue to monitor the bias adjusting it for it’s life.
I’ve been swapping a few power tubes in my Trirec and Infinium works awesomely. You don’t have to buy “matched” pairs of power tubes anymore.
And, you can mix 6L6 with an EL34 and throw in a KT66 and KT88, one of each if you want. That gives the player tone options can possible in other amps.
The Trirec has 3 channels. But, all is not perfect. I don’t know how a Mesa triple rectifier works or sounds, so I can’t compare the Trirec to the Mesa. What I do know is that the Trirec still needs some work to smooth out some issues.
Tone. There is plenty of good tones to be found in the Trirec. The clean channel is nice and has “clean” and “drive” voicing and gain options.
The eq, however, is not sensitive in the broad sense. There is the standard treble, mid, and bass, and presense, but the sweep and adjustment of the eq is limited. You can go full cut or full boost on any eq and there is change but not like the big tonal changes you get in say a Fender tube amp.
The “Presence” control is much more active almost to a fault. There is more tonal change using the presence control than any of the other eq settings. I don’t like that. I want my eq to change and let me set it and presence should then be used for…well…presence, or a boost in the upper frequencies to help cut on stage or in the mix.
The way the presence works on the Trirec has the same effect on each of it’s 3 channels, and each channel has it’s own presence setting.
That’s a big offering actually in it’s price point.
Channel 2 and 3 are the higher gain channels. Each of those channels offers 3 voicings each, “classic”, “vintage”, and “modern”.
Pretty cool. However, ch 2 and 3 are nearly identical in tonal flavor.
So you’re not really getting 3 unique sounding channels.
You’re getting 2 unique channels and then a 3rd channel that can be voiced differently. Yes, some will say that’s at least 3 channels if not more.
My point being, since the high gain channel already has 3 voicings then one can dial one tone on say “vintage” and then another tone on “modern” all within that one channel.
What the 3rd channel gives is great for a gigging musician in that the player who wants 2 different high gain tones can set ch 2 for a “vintage” tone along with it’s own eq settings, gain, and presence and then set up ch 3 for a different voicing like “modern” and then dial it eq, gain, and presence. Then simply switch between the all 3 channels at will with the quite excellent foot switch.
What’s the problem with that? Nothing really, except channel switching is LOUD. There is a very audible “click” when switching between channels.
This is a known issue and I’ve experienced on both Trirec amps that I had in my possession.
The other problem is the volume of the voicings within each channel.
If you’re on ch 2 in say “vintage” mode and you switch up to “modern” the volume increase is huge. It sounds at least twice as loud, which is typically a 10db increase. Not a big deal as you have 2 same/similar high gain channels to set each to. But it’s still something that bothers me as it’s very odd. Bugera says that the different voicing also have different gain so that “vintage” has more gain than “classic” and “modern” has the highest gain of the 3. From what I can hear and feel there isn’t “more” gain on “modern” vs “vintage”. It’s just that “modern” is a very loud pushed high mid tonal gain, but the actual signal/tube gain is the same.
All in all both high gain channels will give you lots of tonal options and gain options. You do get a lot for the money in that regard.
One of the very cool features of this amp is the “varipower”. It’s like a power soak of old. This control allows you to set the power output from about 1 watt to full on at 100 watts. This allows you to set the power to a lower level so that as you increase the “master” volume, overall volume goes up slightly but power tube break up/distortion is achieved at much lower volume levels.
You can experiment with this control to get some really cool options.
If you set the varipower low, then you can get the clean channel to give you power tube break up at lower volume levels, but you lose the really clean clean tone. To get the very clean tone back just increase the varipower back up to maximum and play that funky music.
One method I like with this amp is to set varipower to nearly minimum.
Set the high gain channel gain to maximum. Set channel volume to minimum.
Then set the “master” to it’s max. Now use the channel volume to adjust you’re overall volume level.
GREAT power tube distortion along with the high distortion given by the pre amp tubes.
There is also a “boost” feature that you can activate with the foot switch.
It’s not bad and it works. But, it’s not like an actual boost pedal.
If you set the amps boost feature too high there is an odd nasally quality and it seems as if gain drops or gets very compressed.
It works best at moderate settings below the 12 o’clock position. So for an added boost for solo’s it works nicely.
The final awesome feature of this amp is the triple rectifier options giving the amp it’s name “TRI REC -tifier”.
There are 2 huge rectifier tubes and one silicon solid state rectifier in this amp. You can select 3 options for rectification, solid state only, tube only, and a mix of both.
Solid state gives the tightest feel and is great if you want chug chug clarity and damping. Tube gives that great “sag” that sounds great for bluesy solo note blooming while giving it a looser feel and tone great for crunchy hard rock.
I find I really like the mixed setting as it gives benefits of both types.
My least favorite feature, and one Bugera needs to work on, the reverb.
It’s not so great. It’s digital but that’s not a problem. I’ve also got an Egnater Vengeance head that also has digital reverb and it’s one of the best verb’s I’ve heard on an amp. The Trirec’s reverb is lackluster, literally. It sounds dry. Decay is too short and there is no sparkle or lushness to be had. Plus to really hear it you have to really crank it up past the 1-2 o’clock position.
Bugera needs to rework the reverb.
I contacted Bugera about this. In the manual it states the reverb decay can be accessed via the midi port and it offers like 7 levels of decay.
GREAT, maybe I can get a better reverb. Well, Bugera responded that they weren’t aware of how the reverb can be altered, only that it can be reset.
Hmmm….reset from what? If it can’t be altered, then what is there to “reset”? I think that not everyone at Bugera have all the info on the all the ins and outs of this amp.
For the price, and even a higher price, this is one really cool amp.
It “feels” fantastic and that is my favorite feature about this amp.
When playing the notes come easily and freely due to the camps awesome level of sensitivity and articulation. It makes my fret boards feel like they are lubricated ice rinks and my fingers just glide on solo work.
I wish more amps felt like this one.
Why am I thinking of returning this amp?
The gain mostly. There is a lot of gain on this amp, but honestly it needs more tight gain for those who want to play Metal or like me very high gain blues and hard rock, think Santana. High gain gives a liquid feel and tone for solo work. It’s not just for Drop B tuning. 🙂
You don’t have Peavey 6505+ or EVH 5150 III type of gain on this amp.
It does a great job at pre 90’s gain along with it’s pushed mids.
I like my mids pushed but not so much as the “modern” setting.
There needs to be more “growl” along with a bit more gain for me.
“Modern” is an odd name imo. It doesn’t sound like current modern high gain. It sounds more like “modern” in say 1987.
Great amp to give a test run. If you don’t like it get something else.
But it’s an amp that deserves attention and consideration, and it will appeal to a lot of folks who want high technology and great versatility for a quite low cost outlay.
TT
Hi TT,
Great insight on Bugera. Mesa Boogie Rectifiers can be a bit tricky to dial in. You can easily get a bad sound out of them, but once you find that ‘sweet spot’, it’s the best! Do you think that might be the case with Bugera?
Peavey has the 5150, but I think Eddie owns EVH, so I imagine he had the right to transfer it over to Fender. That’s my guess anyhow.
Oh by the way, do you have any videos of your Bugera? I’ve heard some that sounded really good, others that sounded bad. What are you thinking about getting if you return the Bugera?
I think the Peavey 3120 head is a very useful High Gain amplifier if you’re looking for the modern rock tone.Probably the closest economical alternative to the Mark Cameron CCV Head money can buy.Pinch Harmonics,Chunk,Dynamics,Punch and distinctive lead tones come very easily on the Crunch & lead channels.The clean channel is warm clear and very organically musical.Not Fender clean,But
very touch sensitive also in the clean realm.
Mesa Boogie,Fender & Marshall will all have to step up to the plate on this one
This amplifier sounds and cosmetically looks exactly like the new Bugera 333 amplifier that people (trainspotters) first cliamed was a rip off of a JSX (by peavey) but the Bugera and the 3120 sound much more like a dual rect on high gain settings. The Bugera 333XL (with noise gate and reverb) sells for 599.99 and the 333 sells for 549.99. Not to be confused with the Bugera 6262 which is more of a Marshall clone. The new 3120 costs 999.99 at guitar center, the same place you can get the Bugera for less. Neither will have a high resale value, go with the 333XL, sounds a bit better anyways. Handwired amp for 599.99, all tube, modern gain and 120 watts. I wanted the 3120 until the rep showed me the Bugera 333XL. The 3120 does NOT have reverb nor a noise gate as the Bugera does for 400 less. Both are very loud and sound excellent. BSS
I have not heard the 3120 but I know it will smoke all the the Buggera series amps as they are all crap i even chose the peavey valveking over the Buggera 333XL on sound alone not going for a brand name at all but i know of people stuck with the buggera’s cause they can not even get more then 300 bucks for them if that. I also owned the JSX which was better then any Buggera i have heard and i have heard them all. The JSX is a great amp and it had the best sparkling and glassy clean tone that i have ever heard and i have played mesa’s, soldano’s, vox’s and rivera’s and this thing smoked them all. Now if the reviews are true that the 3120 has a similar clean tone to that with a distortion that is cross between a 6505 and a XXX this will be one of the best amps of all time and believe me im fussy when it comes to amps. I have been through at least 30 tube amps and Peavey always hold up to the big boys!
Tried the 3120 at guitar center last week using my Charvel San Dimas. The amp smokes! Great tone clean or dirty. Sounds like a hot rodded Marshall. Plenty of sustain. Sounded alot better than a 6505 or any Marshall.
I got the special at Guitar Center which was this 3120 head with a Windsor 412 Cab..not the best cab but hey it was free..Anyway this amp sounds incredible. It doesn’t have a noise gate which set me back another 100 bucks but the 3120 lets me get any tone from classic rock to full on insane metal. All you need to do is mess with the gain. The best feature in my opinion on this amp is the mid-range. It seems like the volume actually goes down or up when I tweak the middle on the lead or rhythm channel. You can really get some mean scooped mid-range sounds and some great warm tones as well. I never cranked it to maximum yet but I got it up to about half way and it was blowing me away..I am not surprised if you can’t hear this amp from 5 blocks away if it was cranked all the way.
I say if you want an amp that will stand the test of time then get this one! you won’t regret it. I know I will have this baby forever!
Got one of the first ones shipped.
The amp is amazing.
Pros:
– Channel 1 in “top boost” mode delivers VOX chime as promised. Sounds great with a 2×12 cabinet. It even sounds great with 1×12 or 1×10, but the 2×12 allows it to really “breathe” in the 15 and 25-watt modes.
– Channel 2 also delivers three amazing tones as promised. “Tweed” models a Blackface Deluxe nicely. H1 sounds amazing as a Marshall stand-in; I find myself using this mode the most. H2 sounds like a Boogie as advertised, but more like the Lone Star than other products. Again, with a 2×12 cab, this channel sings but 1×12 or 1×10 does nicely for more intimate settings. A 4×12 with the 25-watt mode rips in H1 mode; it is impressive.
– You can great tones in 5-watt mode, but you must use it in the correct context.
Cons:
– I know that product simplicity is the objective here, but it would be incredible to be able to access the 3 modes in Channel 2 via a footswitch. Folks in cover bands would appreciate this feature.
– The price may be prohibitive for many people (between $800-$900). I am fortunate that in that I had budgeted and saved for several months to buy a “new toy” straight up prior to shopping.
Overall, before buying this product you must understand why you want it in the first place. I needed more versatility in a low wattage amp (switchable between edgy clean and nicely overdriven) that I use in small settings and for quick set up situations (e.g., open mike nights) that I could transport easily.
If these are among your objectives, the amp will fit your needs perfectly.
However, if you need a Marshall stack, save your coin and get a Marshall stack. If you need an AC 30 all of the time, get an AC 30. If you need a Tweed Bassman, by all means, get one! (Are you detecting a pattern here?)
So, if you can afford it, and have clearly defined needs that match the features offered by this amp, it beats the others in its domain (e.g, Night train, Tiny terror, etc.) hands down.
Hope this helps.
More data to report….
Last Saturday, I used the TA-15 in a club setting with a Mesa 2×12 cab (Black Shadow Celestions). It sounded great all night. Go many “wows” and compliments on my tone from other musicians there.
Today, I used it with the 2×12 for an outdoor gig. I was going to use my Lone Star head, and the TA-15 as my backup, but decided to “stress test” the TA-15 in another setting. Placed the speaker cab on top of its road case to let the sound project better, and set the amp in 25-watt mode.
It sounded awesome on both channels.
The TA-15 was definitely a worthwhile investment!