Many are happy with its portability, while others are impressed at how good it sounds for a small amp. In my opinion, Line 6 is not only one of the top amp builders when it comes to modeling technology; they also have some of the best distortion in the business, at least when it comes to non-tube amps. Finally, this amp comes equipped with convenient wireless app control and music streaming via Bluetooth. And the Monoprice 611815 gives you just that, a straightforward all-tube guitar combo amp that continues to rate really well in the sub $300 price range. Incorporating 90+ ratings and reviews. There are also many who appreciate the quality of its spring reverb. If you're looking for an affordable, good quality portable amp, then the Roland Cube Street is well worth checking out. Getting a Celestion equipped all-tube Marshall amp in this price range is already a good reason to buy this amp, but it's more than just having good brand backing. They note that while switching out the tubes increases cost, the improvement in tone is well worth the extra investment. Overall: 15, 2020. But it makes up for with guts and sweet tube-like distortion. Ease of use and the amp's aesthetics are also mentioned prominently by satisfied users. Overall: And again, it's unreasonable to compare the quality of these effects to expensive stompboxes, but they can provide basic sonic variety that many musical styles require. The ability to pick and choose various effects are also commended often in user reports. • • • • • Incorporating 90+ ratings and reviews. Pros: Cons: You can drag it out for practice with friends and even use it for small gigs. Many modern amps come with USB connectivity for direct computer recording and software control, while some even come with wireless streaming via Bluetooth. Like the Line 6 and Boss above, it is a modeling amp, allowing the user to recreate many different guitar tones based on well-known amplifiers. It must have enough power. Something more like the best amplifier for beginners and intermediate players under $300. Thankfully, it does come with some nifty extras, which include an onboard tuner, cabinet emulated headphone output and built-in reverb. The amp modeling feature expands your tone option to emulations of amps from other makers, covering everything from British to American voicings. The general idea is that power rating is proportionate to how loud the amp is, and since high power ratings also mean higher cost - there aren't that many big and loud amps in the sub $300 price range. And since we are dealing with affordable amps here, the quality of amp models are not as good as more expensive modelers, but are still good enough for practical use. There are a few who complain about noise from cabinet components rattling, but it maybe due to some small parts coming loose on the inside, which can be fixed. This is probably the reason why it's high gain settings are not as appreciated. VIP stands for Variable Instrument Performance. Incorporating 200+ ratings and reviews. In our chart below, we have highlighted a handful of the best guitar amps under $300. If you are looking for a straight-up plug-and-play amp for under $300, look hard at the Randall RG80. Owners of this amp are pleased because they don't need to have smaller practice amps, they can just use this one amp for both practice and gigging. If the modeling amps above make you a little nervous with all of that new-fangled technology and whatnot, you’ll probably like the Randall RG80. Incorporating 550+ ratings and reviews. And as expected, there are a few who find that some of the amp voicings and effects do not meet their expectations. As such, better handling care is recommended, thankfully it is not much of a deal breaker given that this amp comes with a 12AX7 tube. The Vox VT40X is a tube/digital hybrid, sporting a genuine 12AX7 preamp tube with built-in DSP for amp modeling and effects. Tube amps are generally regarded as better sounding, but they are more fragile and more expensive. The one downside to this little beast is that it is slightly underpowered. Orange has a legacy that dates back to the early days on rock, and in the 1960s you were almost as likely to see an Orange amp onstage as you were a Marshall. Line 6 Spider V 30 Mk II. So the lower the price range is, the harder it is to find good tube amps. This means that you are getting a tube amp and a versatile guitar rig all in a compact and more importantly, affordable package. The 5 Watt amplifier section features a familiar combination of two ECC83 preamp tubes and a single EL84 power tube. Finally, this amp can go from practice to stage and recording use with its support for two external footswitch / expression pedals, 1/4" output and USB recording output. I’m not sure modeling amps like the BOSS Katana are for everyone, but I am more convinced of their merits with each passing year. This power rating is right around what I consider the lower limit for solid-state amps when it comes to jamming with other musicians, but it really depends on what kind of music you are playing. 91 out of 100. The Boss Katana-50 MkII is described by many as the most versatile amp in this price range, and with its feature set it's easy to see why. I have an older model and it sounds very good, so I can recommend checking them out. These amps sound amazing and they are packed with the amazing effects that made BOSS a big name in the guitar world. The amplifier section drives an 8" Celestion Eight-15 speaker that's tweaked for British crunch tones. But, this is an upgrade, and these amps are even more amazing. The downside is they are possibly a little complex for some guitar players. The Katana has everything you. The VIP 2 has 40 watts of power and a single 12-inch speaker. Pros: Especially if you are a rock or metal player, this amp is a good choice. For bedroom guitarists or players looking for an amp for small gigs, the Katana-50 is tough to beat. With its power rating and rich feature set, the Vox VT40X is easily the best value tube amp on this recommendation list. There is a shared three-band EQ with the addition of a presence control to shape your sound, and onboard spring reverb as well. The same can be said about tube amps, where lower power makes it easier to crank the amp at lower volumes. There are no amp modeling features to complicate things, rather it depends on its 4-stage analog preamp circuit, which gives it a streamlined yet familiar tone.