The 6 Best valve Amp heads (2023 reviews)

If you are looking to buy an all-around great head for your daily purpose, joyo valve amp head is the right option. It makes a guitar head twice as versatile as alternatives and makes a great companion for musicians at practice or on the road. Even at 20 watts, this amp head can easily shake some windows and doors. The 12ax7 pre amp tube produces the warm smooth overdrive tones that do not clip tone as a typical fixed state amp head would. It comes with 2 channels to flick the amp to the clean channel and use with your array of guitar pedals.

The Bluetooth feature is super cool. It's a great sound, and great for cutting leads, but it is nothing like the more classic rock tone of a Marshall, even a high gain one. The amp head does not make sound and requires an extra cabinet speaker. The clean channel is nice and clear without being too bright.

Why We Like This:

Loud enough to compete with drums
Comes in a small package but packs a monster sized punch
Amazing tone and rugged quality construction

Best practice Amp: Orange Guitar Cabinet

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Not everyone likes to purchase head for their daily usage, but the orange guitar cabinet would be an anomoly. It has enough power to practice with a band and even gig with at small or mic'd shows. It gets distortion tones that beat any pedal. Because it is so lightweight, you could easily yank it off of its perch if you walk too far away with your guitar plugged in, and the guitar cord stretches too far. It's got a heavier, darker tone. It has a buffered effects loop built in.

It has enough power to practice with a band and even gig with at small or mic shows. There are plenty of better, more powerful, and more flexible amps out there.

Why We Like This:

Will be a fit for those looking for higher distortion levels
Great sound, running various guitars/effects out of a 2x12 cab
Play with attitude and it will growl with you

Best For hard Rock: Marshall valve Amp Head

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Next on the list, we've got yet another head that manages to win our hearts. It's the marshall valve amp head and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient head you can buy. This amp is made by British masters of rock amplification. The 2-channel jvm205h gives you six modes covering two independent channels with three gain stages, each with its own foot switchable memory. This showcases the dynamics of your playing but still has a long sustain that is unbelievable. It has more gain than anyone would ever need.

This is a pro gig amp made specially for playing semi loud to loud as hell with a band. It is perfect for hard rock. The clean has 3 and the overdrive has. It is also a great amp for live performances due to the channel switching capabilities.

Why We Like This:

Good brand reputation
Delivers what they promise

Best For practice: Marshall Watt combo

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention marshall watt combo for daily purpose. This amp is a beast of a pedal platform. It covers it all with ease. The origin is intended to be a Marshall flavored pedal platform. This produces a distinctive, old school crunch that comes from power tube distortion more than preamp tube gain. The clean tones are amazing, crank the gain and it breaks up in a lovely 70's way.

There is not a ton of onboard gain in this amp. This is a great amp head, has the classic plexi tone. It’s a great if slightly finicky and very heavy amp.

Why We Like This:

Very vintage sounding, the plexi tone at your disposal
Has 5 power stages with separate tube sets for each power stage
High setting is plenty loud for a band
Ton of warm harmonics, and easy on ear when cranked

Best Head: Orange valve Amp Head

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate head. The orange valve amp head is exactly that - it's a simple head that hits all the right notes. While it's not as powerful as the Rockerverb series, it's 30 watts packs a lot of punch. It takes pedals very well and also the th30 is the best low end amp orange makes imo. It cleans, right up to the point of breakup, whilst the dirty channel remains unerringly focussed, steeped in complex harmonic overtones even at maximum gain settings. It comes with volume, shape (basically a tone control), and gain controls.

The clean channel on this is amazing, rich, creamy tone with huge headroom with a deathly quiet amp noise and takes pedals well, so its masterful just like that. It comes with its simple layout and feature set and its flexible voicing, it packs the potential to deliver that classic fat and bright orange tone, but it also stays punchy and refined without having to be blisteringly loud.

Why We Like This:

You can get everything from a clean crunch to outright filthy distortion
One of the new comers and featured product

Best quality product: Bugera valve Amp Head

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention bugera valve amp head for regular usage. The vintage tube sound you get is amazing. It has that clean, crisp, clear tone that is 100% srv's style. Its 2-channel preamp takes you everywhere from warm blues to garage-shattering crunch. It takes pedals very well. The clean channel is very versatile and gets a nice compression at high volume. They come with a nice channel and reverb footswitch. This will work for rock and anything softer.

Why We Like This:

Perfect for someone who just wants a to-the-point tube head
Good bite and even harmonics, definitely "usable" distortion
Lot of satisfied buyers