Amp selection help

[acexxxoasis]

So I went to a few local stores and tried out a few new amps that have been biting me in the ass to try. And I will only give my thoughts on the amps I'm considering and such. I want to spend a thousand USD or less preferred but budgets can be flexed for good gear. So without further ado.
What I'm looking for is a moderate tube combo preferred to be el34/84 power section, with a damn good crunch/metal tone but also flexibility to be able to have chimey class a style tones and a very clear clean for jazz and effects. Be able to play relatively quietly or loud enough to be micd and pa'd. The minimum of 2 channels.


The amps
Blackstar ht studio20/club40. These amps were great sounding and dynamic, did not have the gain I was looking for but price point was good and could push the front end harder with an od to get to the level I'm looking for. Under my price range by a long shot for either leaves money for more gas!
Peavey valve king 2 this was the first amp I tried out it sounded good was not my favorite amp I tried but I also didn't mess with it too much (some hipster douche was CRANKING a jazz chorus 120 and I couldn't hear it well BTW nice fedora and matching white suit jerk) but I know peavey these amps tend to last for a long time and hold value and sound good doing it for almost 1/2 what I'm willing to spend.
The next amp I played (that is on my list) was the mesa boogie express 5/50+ this amp sounded amazing at 5w/25w/ did not push to 50 (not a jerk) clean was amazing crunchy clean amazing lead face melting 5 band sliders were awesome touch all the little switches I didn't see on pics all felt solid and switched clean with no pops a great amp but 1.5* more than I was looking to spend at $1500
Went to guitar center and grabbed a 7421 (I have a 7321 and went to town) I played through a few different amps none really spoke to me, then I saw a line 6 dt25 (on my way out almost left) so I patch in and check it out see class a a/b pentode and triode options on the front panel and start falling in love before I hear it lol. the 4 models really only 3 worked right in my tinkering. The lead channel was amazing and tight focused with a ton of gain, clean sparkly cleans (and the ability to run class a power section with high gain front end is what I really want in an amp) also amazing! Great sounding amp.
Plug into the dt50 2*12 and this is exactly what I'm looking for and its practically a half stack but combo. Same thoughts as the DT 25 but even more focused and loud maybe too loud for me though also same problem as the mesa too much money lol.

So thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated, looking to upgrade out of my vox vt30 a great amp, but looking for actual tube tone and a mid to pro level amp that isn't a stack that way I can actually move it on my own. Was looking at the Randall diavlo 20 but cannot find one locally.
Thanks guys!
Links for the lazy
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Blackstar ht studio 20 -
Blackstar Venue Series HT Studio 20 20W Tube Guitar Combo Amp Black | Musician's Friend

Blackstar ht club 40 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampl...e-series-ht-club-40-40w-tube-guitar-combo-amp

Peavey valve king 2 -
Peavey ValveKing II 20 20W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp Black | Musician's Friend

Line 6 DT 25-
Line 6 DT25 112 1x12 25W Tube Guitar Combo Amp | Musician's Friend

Line 6 DT 50 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampl...x12-guitar-combo-amp?rNtt=line 6 dt50&index=1

Mesa boogie express 5/50+ -
Mesa/Boogie Express 5:50 Plus 50-Watt 1x12" Combo - Black w/Black Grille | Sweetwater.com

 

[odibrom]

Being a Mesa user, I'd say the Express...

also, I'd skip the Line 6 one...

... but in the end, trust your ears...

 

[acexxxoasis]

Why skip the line 6 ones? I'd put them back to back with the mesa if they were at the same store but they weren't :-( in my ears they were right at the same level in performance. Also they are full tube lol.

 

[bloc]

I think the Line 6 DT series is underrated. I've tried one several times at a music store and the 4 built in amp sounds actually sound like what they're modelling, which is so great. Plus, they're the bread and butter tones that are totally usable and really all you'll ever see/need/hear

Along with that, you have sooooo many knobs to eq your sound

 

[odibrom]

The Trust your ears says everything dude. This is a subjective question, for it is about taste, more than it is about factual objective things. It addresses how you'll feel, so I replied with my subjective knowledge on the subject. I have already played a Line6 valvulated amp and it didn't bring anything new to me, no bigger emotion than I already had with my trusty old GP100 (Roland digital vintage thing). That did not happen when I played a Triaxis nor any other Mesa Boogie amp. Therefore I reinforce my opinion on choosing the Express. I my situation, it's a matter of trust in quality associated with taste in what to expect from their sound.

this is my two cents here, i am by no means anyone you should follow blindly.

 

[acexxxoasis]

Oh I understand that fully! but was also making sure it wasn't line 6 is garbage nonsense because so far the dt50 is what I'd have dropped the coin on it then if I had it! Or the express really as well.

I know the sound is subjective I'm looking for feedback as in yeah I had this amp it sounds good but it sucks in a live scenario or I wouldn't trust it because mine has broke a week into it.

All the amps I tried made me feel better as a guitarist in their own ways the valve king I am so upset about not getting a better sit down with it or the blackstars.
The 2 best amps I tried sonically were A. The most expensive B in a quieter environment If I wasn't at 4 different stores I would bring my guitar and take the lot of em in back and decide that way.
But they are all ultimately all very similar variable wattage 'Brit' power tube amp combos that do wonderful sounds at in all fairness a hell of a bargain no matter which, from pretty well established names. I could play Eenie meenie and pick one. Maybe I just need to go play em again...

 

[Schectersilence]

I would point out that Valvekings (at least the old ones) have a lifetime of about 2-3 years and then blow up (as mine did). They aren't built to be repaired like the US Peavey stuff. So I'd look at a secondhand US Peavey if you can (my JSX is killer) if you want Peavey at all. That being said, the Valveking actually sounds really very good which is why it was quite upsetting when it did blow up.

Mesa are good but when I tried the Express I couldn't get enough gain without a boost. The same with a mini Recto (which sounded really good but they're a little awkward to dial in).

Just my 2 pennies.

 

[acexxxoasis]

I also tried the mini rectoverb it really didn't have what I was after? Lol which is weird cause I wanted a dual rec for years. I guess in my ears 2 days later it goes something like this
Dt50/express 5/50 sound the best but cost the most
Dt25 sounded good but didn't have the push of the 50
The blackstar ht40 had slightly more gain and a closer tone to what I wanted than the 20 but I will be going back to try them next weekend along with the valve king but this has been moved to the bottom (for now) due to a possibility of having issues will do more research for this one.

 

[odibrom]

When it comes to sound pleasure and comfort, money is just an obstacle. I say, go for the sound you LIKE, no matter the cost (we're talking money only, ok). Search for 2nd hand amps, you might find something eventually better at reasonable prices. I got my Mesa stuff that way, but it took me 3 to 4 years since I started looking. For example, I was looking for a 20:20 power amp (which are a pain to find in 2nd hand) and got myself an as new 2:fifty by less than 1/3 of its price new. Go figure...

I had also read something about Valvekings' reliability that wasn't very good... 'bout those blackstar amps, nothing to say.

 

[FifthCircleSquared]

If you are used to a crazy amount of gain from solid state hardware, it might take awhile to get used to what "a lot" of gain from a tube amp sounds like.

As both a Blackstar owner, and a Mesa owner, I would say (out of what you have listed here) go with the Blackstar HT-40. It can get tight as hell with a tube screamer out front, with the voice switch on channel 2 pushed in. The clean channel is really nice as well, but can get a tad bassy. Also, since it is an open backed combo, make sure you back it up against a wall if you are playing metal.

The Mini-Recto/Rectoverb has plenty of gain on tap, but can come with the typical recto flubby low end, so that's another great amp that really benefits from having TS/OD in front of it. Still, a great investment if you can save up the squib for it Those amps can definitely grow with you, and they are both very versatile.

I'll also mention the mini-Mark V, because I love mine, and it is well worth what you pay for one (you could probably find a used one sub $1000).

 

[Schectersilence]

I also really like the Blackstar selection, though I've heard that the tone is a touch limited. Apparently it's easy to get a pretty decent tone, but there's not much scope for getting a perfect tone like there would be with a Mesa (especially a Mark V).

I was looking for the amp for low tunings, so unless that's the case for you, my advice is probably quite unhelpful. Low note clarity is something hard to come by.

And I 100% second the secondhand advice (great pun!), even if only for now. You can always trade around for a bit, then commit to a brand new something when you've found the perfect one..?

 

[lemeker]

Out of your listed:

I don't see anything wrong with Line 6. I haven't spent much time with their amps other than putz'n around at GC testing guitars.

The Blackstar stuff is nice. I have almost walked out of stores a few times with one of their amps. That being said, the reason I haven't is they left me feeling like I tonally, wanted something more (different).

I would go for the Mesa. The Express series amps kick, and are beastly little amps. I've had to convince myself many times to not buy one of these. I gets harder and harder each time.

Something else to consider however, is the smaller Marshall DSL line that was recently re released. The dsl 40 is a combo, all tube. The cleans would be good, maybe not mesa/fender great, but very good nonetheless. It would also cover any crunch/metal tones you would need. Not too pricey, and its a Marshall.

 

[acexxxoasis]

Not my first tube amp lol
3 fenders, a 5150, Laney cub, classic 30, and a couple others. The problems I had with all of them came down to either too powerful(5150) loudness before break up(fenders, also too clean) they crapped out (Laney)
Im not scared of volume but if I have to crank the sombit to 11 to get it to do dirty well it doesn't do right by me. But I feel as a player I have grown out of my current amp its loud but doesn't cut through, its got good tone but its missing the punch that comes from a 12" speaker, its got multi fx but they don't get used, I use one amp model, I cannot stand 15+ of the 22 models.
On a side note its nothing special but I should be getting an old 2*12 crate amp (for some work for a friend no idea the model though so maybe that will help out as some trade in or might be good enough for the time being so I can save some more and get the mesa or line 6...

 

[mr coffee]

I haven't tried the DT but I've used a bunch of other Line 6 stuff, I feel it's great for kicking around the house, quick and dirty demo recording, practice amp type applications but not so satisfying when I want good tone. My $.02, take with however many grains of salt you wish. I find that my 6505+ is not so overkill if I cut the gain on anything in the loop, get all the pre gain I want without blowing the walls down and getting evicted.

-m

 

[vick1000]

See if you can find a 6505+112 for around $300, or a DSL40C for around $400, they are both great and much cheaper than $1K. If you get them through GC you get the 30 day warranty or refund policy if you don't like them.

Be aware though the 6505+112 is not voiced like the head, it's brighter and not as scooped.

If you must have new, they are priced well against your listed options.