Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • EVH trance state
  • Antonoff on Please Please Please
  • “Mick looked peeved. The Beatles had upstaged him”
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head: the British amp company has made its portable 25W head even more portable/
Guitars Victory Amps has reimagined Pete Honore’s Deputy tube amp as a super-portable lunchbox head
A Boss IR-2 amp modeller pedal
Guitar Amps Best amp modellers 2025: High-tech tone solutions for all guitarists
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Guitars Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Guitarists Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
Revv D25 Joey Landreth Edition: the new signature take on the feature-packed tube combo is offered in gold and black finishes and is fitted with a Celestion G12H-75 Creamback driver.
Guitars Revv Amplification and Joey Landreth join forces for a signature take on the D25 tube combo
PRS Archon Classic and Mark Tremonti MT 15 v2: the newly redesigned tube amps offer a host of new features and tones, with the Alter Bridge guitarist's new lunchbox head [right] featuring the Overdrive channel from his MT 100 head, and there's a half-power switch, too.
Guitars PRS refreshes tube amp range with the reworked Mark Tremonti MT 15 head and Archon Classic
A Two Notes Reload II reactive load box on top of a guitar speaker cabinet
Guitar Amps “It’s honestly got me thinking hard about adding one to my own studio set up”: Two Notes Reload II review
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Amps

11 of the best mid-wattage combo amps

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 2 October 2014

Valve amps that combine punch with portability

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Yerasov GTA15

Yerasov GTA15

The GTA15 is a serious tone machine. Its JJ EL84-fuelled output is paired with a Jensen C10Q speaker for harmonically charged cleans and bluesy grit. The GTA15 is one of the best bargains in the combo world.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Yerasov GTA15 review

Visit the official Yerasov site

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Peavey ValveKing 20

Peavey ValveKing 20

Aside from impressive clean and drive tones from a pair of EL84s, this revamped combo has switchable wattages, a microphone- simulated XLR output, USB recording out and digital reverb.

4 out of 5

Read our full Peavey ValveKing 50 review

Visit the official Peavey site

BUY: Peavey ValveKing 50 currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Marshall DSL15C

Marshall DSL15C

This diddy combo produces iconic Dual Super Lead roar, thanks to two channels and 6V6 power valves.

Tone-shift and deep switches help to dial in huge sounds, while you can switch the 15-watt output to 7.5.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Marshall DSL15C review

Visit the official Marshall site

BUY: Marshall DSL15C currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Orange TH30

Orange TH30

Combining elements of the Thunderverb, Dual Terror, Rockerverb and Rocker 30, this EL84-loaded Orange is versatile, with two channels, full- and half-power switches and the dirty channel’s shape control.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Orange TH30 review

Visit the official Orange site

BUY: Orange TH30 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Blackstar HT Club 40

Blackstar HT Club 40

With two EL34s and a Celestion speaker, you know how the HT Club will sound.

As well as crunchy overdrive, the clean channel’s voice switch enables Class A performance for crystalline shimmer, too.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Blackstar HT Club 40 review

Visit the official Blackstar site

BUY: Blackstar HT Club 40 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Mesa Engineering Recto-Verb Twenty-Five

Mesa Engineering Recto-Verb Twenty-Five

This 1x12 has unbeatable construction and portability, with the option of vintage- or modern-voiced cleans, both delivering EL84 sparkle.

Switching over to the dirty channel yields compressed drive sounds.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Mesa Engineering Recto-Verb Twenty-Five review

Visit the official Mesa Engineering site

BUY: Mesa Engineering Recto-Verb Twenty-Five currently available from:
UK: Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Victory V10 The Baron

Victory V10 The Baron

Ex-Cornford designer Martin Kidd is behind this 10-watter.

There's a midrange-y drive and top-end chime from 6L6 and EL84 power valves. It’s louder than you’d think, thanks to a Celestion Vintage 30.

4 out of 5

Read our full Victory V10 The Baron review

Visit the official Victory site

BUY: Victory V10 The Baron currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Egnater Rebel 30

Egnater Rebel 30

This portable combo boasts features and tones that amps double the price would struggle to match, thanks to mixable EL84 and 6V6 power valves, variable wattage and silent recording output.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Egnater Rebel 30 review

Visit the official Egnater site

BUY: Egnater Rebel 30 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Hayden Dual MoFo 15

Hayden Dual MoFo 15

Based on the Guitarist Choice award-winning Mini MoFo head, the Dual MoFo features the same EL84/12AX7 valve line- up, but adds two footswitchable channels and digital reverb.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Hayden Mini MoFo review

Visit the official Hayden site

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Fender Blues Junior III

Fender Blues Junior III

Since its introduction in 1995, Fender's Blues Junior has become one of the world's most popular amps, but along the way it's also become one of the most modded, with reams of forums discussing ways to 'improve' the compact combo.

Accordingly, The Big F has updated the format over the years, and the Blues Junior III, launched in 2010, features a number of additions that have gone down well.

4 out of 5

Read our full Fender Blues Junior III review

Visit the official Fender site

BUY: Fender Blues Junior III currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Vox AC15 Red Limited Edition

Vox AC15 Red Limited Edition

If you're looking for an amp that typifies the early Brit Invasion sound, then the AC15 is the one.

This special limited-edition version of the modern AC15, which comes in a super-cool retro Garnet Red vinyl, with Tygon grille cloth and a Celestion V-Type 12-inch speaker.

Read our full Vox AC15 Red Limited Edition review

Visit the official Vox website

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head: the British amp company has made its portable 25W head even more portable/
Victory Amps has reimagined Pete Honore’s Deputy tube amp as a super-portable lunchbox head
A Boss IR-2 amp modeller pedal
Best amp modellers 2025: High-tech tone solutions for all guitarists
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
Revv D25 Joey Landreth Edition: the new signature take on the feature-packed tube combo is offered in gold and black finishes and is fitted with a Celestion G12H-75 Creamback driver.
Revv Amplification and Joey Landreth join forces for a signature take on the D25 tube combo
PRS Archon Classic and Mark Tremonti MT 15 v2: the newly redesigned tube amps offer a host of new features and tones, with the Alter Bridge guitarist's new lunchbox head [right] featuring the Overdrive channel from his MT 100 head, and there's a half-power switch, too.
PRS refreshes tube amp range with the reworked Mark Tremonti MT 15 head and Archon Classic
Latest in Guitar Amps
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL: The new flagship amp modeller and multi-effects unit is a dramatic expansion of the Helix framework with a suite of state-of-the-art features
Line 6 debuts all-new AI tech as it supercharges its amp modelling platform with the Helix Stadium
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
Kemper MK2 Series
Kemper promises more power, flexibility and effects from refreshed and souped-up Profiler Mk2 series
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head: the British amp company has made its portable 25W head even more portable/
Victory Amps has reimagined Pete Honore’s Deputy tube amp as a super-portable lunchbox head
A Two Notes Reload II reactive load box on top of a guitar speaker cabinet
“It’s honestly got me thinking hard about adding one to my own studio set up”: Two Notes Reload II review
Latest in News
Home studio
You don't need to be a music theory expert to make electronic music, but it helps - here's our guide to the basics
Ed Sheeran, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix
How Ed Sheeran generated royalties for Bob Dylan by borrowing from Jimi Hendrix
Richie Hawtin
“All my equipment kind of glowed and then shut down”: The weather event that shaped a Richie Hawtin classic
Apple's new Automix
Sack The DJ: Apple launches its new feature that can mix tracks using AI
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: My pick of Father's Day deals for musicians include $400 off the Polyend Play+, $200 off a Martin acoustic and so much more
pmt
"It’s been a tough few years": UK gear retailer PMT closes its doors, makes 96 staff redundant and sells £2.4m of stock to Gear4Music

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...