MusicRadar

• Review

A relatively recent trend for low-powered, all-valve amplifiers is one – along with the ever-increasing use of the home studio – that's certainly catching on. In short, small amps are in!

More and more big-name makers are getting in on the game, offering low-cost valve amps that won't have your neighbours or, perhaps more importantly, your bank manager banging down your door to stop the fun.

Entering into the fray is the Peavey Royal 8, an all-valve, single-ended true Class A amplifier with a spec sheet that, along with the rest of the amp, is straightforward. One 12AX7 in the preamp keeps the front end pure and simple, while a single EL84 valve in the power stage provides extra British chime, and is designed with a no-negative feedback circuit, which, says Peavey, should offer a 'looser' feel and enable a more dynamic playing approach.

Equally sparse is the Royal 8 feature set: three mini chicken head knobs control gain, tone and master volume. The only other front panel features are high- and low-gain inputs, a headphone jack and a red jewel power indicator. The back panel has just a mains inlet – the only obvious omission is an external speaker output.

The EQ couldn't be simpler, offering one tone control that acts as a bias between low- and high-end frequencies – similar in operation to a presence control. Meanwhile, the combination of input gain and master volume controls is one that will please players with tight volume restrictions – five watts still packs a big punch – and this will undoubtedly make things a little easier when trying to obtain 'flat-out' sounds at a volume level suitable for home recording or general practice.

"For its size, the Royal 8 will certainly surprise some with its sound distribution."

The Royal 8 is somewhat limited in aesthetic flamboyance, too, especially when compared to Blackheart's Little Giant or Blackstar's HT-5. Yet its rugged black covering is in keeping with the familiar Valve King look – a product line that has been hugely successful for Peavey.

The elegant, slightly angelic, sweeping silver wings straddling an oval Peavey logo are the only real visual treats to be had. As ever with Peavey, the build quality appears extremely good, especially considering its entry-level pricing. The sturdily built cabinet is compact and houses an eight-inch Peavey speaker designed in the USA specifically for the Royal 8.

Sounds

Hear it in action. Here's the gain set to four, and the tone and volume on five:

Now the gain upped to six:

Finally here's the gain on nine, with the tone rolled back to three: