The guitar amp market has been undergoing a transformation over the past few years. Brands are offering more and more products to cover every possible price range. So it was time to take a look at the best amps for playing at home without disturbing others.
Volume is an issue that electric guitarists must deal with constantly. While it’s very enjoyable to play loudly and feel the sound vibrations fill the room, you’re often forced to play and practice at much more reasonable volumes, especially at home. In this context, the reasons for playing at lower levels are many and varied, which has led more and more manufacturers to offer small amplifiers designed specifically for home use. Here, we’ll focus on compact amplifiers with power outputs ranging from 5 to 30 watts. These units are designed very differently from standard amps, as they must be optimized for a home environment.
Guitar gear has changed significantly over the past fifteen years. Guitars, pedals, and amps have been released in a wide variety of versions to accommodate as many musicians as possible, regardless of their budget. New types of amps have emerged, allowing guitarists to play and practice anywhere with excellent sound quality—sometimes with a sound similar to what they use on stage.
These increasingly common amps feature built-in effects and numerous modeling options for a wide selection of sounds. They often come with a smartphone app that lets users customize their presets extensively. This roundup will highlight Audiofanzine’s favorite amplifiers for playing without disturbing your neighbors or roommates, so you can make the best choice when buying your own.
An alternative solution for playing quietly at home
To play without disturbing those around you, a small headphone amp is a practical solution. The British brand Vox kicked things off in 2008 with its amPlug series, and has recently been joined by Boss, Harley Benton, nUX, Blackstar, and IK Multimedia. These small devices offer many advantages: they’re compact, easy to use, and portable. They run on either batteries or a rechargeable battery. However, they only have 3.5mm mini-jack headphone outputs
There is a workaround if you want to play them through a speaker. With an amp like the Boss Katana:GO or IK Multimedia ToneX Plug, for example, you can connect its output to the input of a small speaker. If you already own a small portable or home speaker, this is the most affordable option, as headphone amps typically range in price from €39 to €165 (approximately $45 to $191). This lets you use headphones when you need to work silently or through a speaker at home.
