Best 15 Watt Tube Amp

The more you invest in your passions, the more serious you get about it. Let’s say you’ve bought a guitar and put in the hours to build a good future. Now – can you guess what would be your next best investment? The answer?

That’s right – a guitar amp – it lets you hear your tones more clearly and reach a greater audience.

But, it’s best to start slow, thus, invest in the best 15 watt tube amp rather than a more expensive one if you won’t be rocking a hall or café.

There are a ton of tube amps and it’s really hard to choose between the good ones. So, we’re giving you our review of what we believe is the best. Let’s go

Best 15 Watt Tube Amps

1. Monoprice 611815 15 Watt

Do you know the best fact about tube amps? They offer the most traditional, top-quality sound. Even though the tone will vary on different types of music, the tube amp does its scientific job and almost always provides great performance. And, the living embodiment of that tone is this Monoprice 15 watt tube amp.

The Monoprice 611815 15 watt tube amp tops our list for good reasons. First, most people love the tone produced by this amp. It’s also stylish and easy to control. Topping things off, it’s much more affordable than other amps with the same quality and functionality. So, it wins our race.

You just don’t expect a stellar sound from an amp so small. It’s built with the best quality materials, giving the most effective results. The amp uses 15 watts to be powered on. While it’s not great for bigger rooms, it does a good job for practice room sessions. Add some warm lights to the room and the listeners will find it heavenly.

You will love the look of the amp. It’s got a very retro vibe and looks absolutely amazing when you stand next to it to play or sit next to it (The latter being a better position for a photo).

You’ll even find a dedicated tone control for the wet reverb signal. The speakers are amazing quality. They might take some time to break in but once you go through that – they provide a very warm sound. Even at the highest volume, the tone won’t crack.

The three-band equalizer and the effects control do their best to help adjust your tone – in fact, they do an amazing job because you’ll be amazed at the tone. Further, the amp has three tubes serving different purposes.

That said, the problem remains – since these are tubes, they may be defective or malfunctioning. With time, they may cause problems too. So you must check the product when received. Even if just one tube depletes, the whole sound of the amp goes off.

The unit operates between the frequencies of 80 and 20 Hz. Plus, it contains a leather exterior, which may not be the most durable in the long run. Also, it comes with a leather handle, making its movement super easy when done.

The unit is very easy to use. Despite the price increase, the quality makes it worth the buck.

2. Fender Pro Junior IV

Most tube amps can provide a sound listeners and guitarists fall in love with. What makes them stand out is the ease of use and several other features. Luckily, the Fender Pro Junior IV electric guitar amplifier is a 15-watt amp that goes easy on you in its best form.

It’s more expensive than the Monoprice amp we reviewed. And the number of people loving its tone is also smaller. This Fender tube amp contains a ‘clean’ tone suited for a number of music genres. It features two channels and you might find one of them better than the other – it’s totally subjective.

Plus, this amp has a modified volume circuit. You can use dials to control the volume and tone of your amp. Also, the highest volume is not really the most satisfactory but it’s good enough for a large practice room. The amp loses vigor in large band performances so it’s best used in smaller groups.

You will absolutely love this amp’s looks. It has a lacquered tweed covering – making it durable and good-looking. However, it will remain great-looking only if kept in a good place. Care is essential if you want it to last.

It also features a leather handle that makes it very portable. The 10-inches sound system of this amp offers a pretty loud sound being a 15-watt amp.

3. VOX AC15C1 Guitar Combo Amplifier

This is another amplifier producing a sound worth remembering. It also has a clean tone. Further, the unit looks awesome and durable with its high-quality build.

However, you might notice some vibration in the sound, or some chiming sound when you play a few types of music, and the distortion pedals might cause some issues. While hiding the tubes is a great way to protect and make them look better – it also makes it difficult to repair or replace.

Overall, the amplifier is an amazing pick because it provides a pretty loud sound and easy controls. The price is reasonable too.

4. Fender Hot Rod Guitar Combo Amplifier

If you like to play a bit with your tones, this Fender 15-watt Hot Rod will be your go-to. While it normally produces a warm tone, you can also use the FAT and spring reverb option to create different tones. However, not all tones will sounds as great as you would like them to be.

Also, similar to a tube amp, you have to be slightly careful with the tubes and check it time to time. The amp can get pretty loud but at higher volumes, it might get noisy. You can expect great quality from Fender amps and this amp is no exception. It will last but it’s expensive too.

5. Orange 15 Watt Tube Amp TT15H

Want to carry your tube amp anywhere you go? If so, you need a smaller, thus, more portable amp. But, that would reduce the volume produced by your amp, right? The answer? No, it won’t. Never has a tube amp been named so properly like the Tiny Terror – the TT15H amp.

This amp looks like a radio but performs like a beast. You’ll be amazed by the degree of sound this tiny amp can produce. Further, it comes with an extremely simple, easy-to-understand design and controls.

You just need to turn dials of volume, tone, etc. to adjust the amp. Similar to other tube amps, it produces a clean and warm tone, but with lower volumes. The only downside is – the highest volume will distort the sound a bit.

This well-built amp comprises great materials. It comes in a metal box, thus the insides are well protected. What’s more, as a tube amp, you might face some tube relating issues. Over time, even the best tubes get damaged and if the delivery is flawed, you might get damaged in the beginning too.

Another small downside is, it doesn’t have a headphone jack. The price is also a tad higher considering the small size – certainly costs more than the other ones we reviewed. It comes with a gig bag for itself.

Short Buyers Guide

Consider the factors below when looking for the best tube amp –

1. The Number of Channels: You might want multiple channels for more flexibility and functionality. So you can target at least two channels to balance things out.
2. The size of the speaker: Larger speakers mean louder speakers. However, you should seek higher quality sound too.
3. The Build Quality: Amps are no good if they break easily. You want them strong and sturdy over anything. The environment shouldn’t dampen its quality and it should look and match your style.
4. The Portability: As a musician, you will go places and you need to take your amp with you. So smaller, lightweight, easy-to-carry amps should be your priority.

In Conclusion

Some factors are important to you, some are not. Some cons are cons to you and some might even be benefits. It’s on you to decide which is important for you and what you can live without. Hope that you can pick the best 15 watt tube amp more wisely.