The Peavey MiniMAX 600-watt amp head is one of the most powerful portable bass amps we've tested. It's also one of the nicest-sounding, featuring punchy, clean, mid-heavy tones, and it's exceptionally easy to set up. The MiniMAX's 600-watt power rating is more than enough to push most in-home speakers, and its 4-ohm impedance makes it compatible with a wide variety of active and passive bass guitars. The MiniMAX has excellent tonal balance, with well-defined lows and mids, and it's an excellent tool for practicing and jamming because of its clean, punchy tones and ease of use. The MiniMAX's flexible EQ also makes it a great tool for performing, and Peavey's DDT speaker protection system prevents damage to the amp's speaker in the event of a short circuit or overload. The MiniMAX's controls and inputs are easy to use, and it comes with a tuner, a battery protector, a padded carry case, and a cable. The MiniMAX's controls are knobs, rather than buttons, so they're not as simple to use or learn as buttons, and the manual is vague and confusing, so you may have to do some experimenting before you figure out how to get the most out of the MiniMAX. The MiniMAX's bass tone is mid-heavy, and it offers less low end than a higher-powered bass amp, so it's better suited to upright basses and many electric bass guitars than for electric basses with deep, punchy low tones. The MiniMAX's 600-watt rating also limits its versatility, as it's much louder than most of its competitors, and it doesn't get loud enough for drums or louder guitar amps. The MiniMAX's class-D amplifier is smaller and lighter than comparable class-A models, but it's less sturdy, and it produces more noise, so it's better suited to home use than for gigs or performances. The MiniMAX's limited versatility and high price are also factors in its limited appeal.
A compact and affordable acoustic amplifier, the Peavey Ecoustic E208 is ideal for practicing at home or in a practice space. It packs a decent amount of output into a relatively small package, and much improved over the underpowered version of the E208 we tested last year. The preamp offers 6 different levels of overdrive, and the built-in chorus adds a little bit of subtle shimmer to your tone. It also sports a dedicated headphone output, so you can keep your practice sessions quiet without disturbing others. The E208 is easy to set up. You can connect the included cable to the wall adapter, or the battery, which has a USB port so you can charge it using any USB charger. On the surface, the E208 looks a little plain, but it's surprisingly versatile. You can connect it to a variety of instruments, including guitar, bass, and acoustic guitars, and you can change the tone of each channel using the built-in EQ.
The Peavey MAX 300 300-Watt Bass Amp Combo is the best combination of power, features, and value we've seen at this price point. This combo packs a lot of power into a small package, and the controls are laid out well, so you don't need to spend a lot of time learning how to use it. The amp has an impressive array of features, including pre-gain control, overdrive, contour, mid-shift, bright, and Kosmos-C switches. The mid-shift switch allows you to switch between a tight, tube-like sound, and a warm, open sound, while the bright switch adds cutting highs. The overdrive and contour controls are located on the right-hand side of the amp, and the bright switch is on the left. All of the controls are clearly marked, so there's never any confusion about what function you're actually performing. The MAX 300 also has a rear panel input jack for a guitar, a headphone jack, and Speakon outputs, and there's a headphone jack on the front of the amp as well. The MAX 300 has a 15-watt bass speaker and a 15-watt 8-inch speaker, so it's loud enough for a small room. The amp also has DDT speaker protection, so it's protected against space heaters and car alarms. The MAX 300 is loud, but it's also reasonably clean, and the sound quality is surprisingly good for its low price. If you're looking for a cheap, powerful bass amp, the Peavey MAX 300 is your best option.
The Peavey Bandit 112 Guitar Combo Amp is a portable amplifier that can play either acoustic or electric guitars. It has a 12-inch speaker, 100 watts of power, and 4 ohms of output impedance. The amp has 4 different channels: guitar, line, bass, and effects. The guitar channel features 3 different amp models (normal, clean, and crunch), along with high and gain controls, and a 3-band EQ. The effects channel has two effects loops (one for each channel), along with switchable reverb and delay effects. The bass channel has gain, low, and high controls, and a 3-band EQ. The amp comes with a 4-foot cable, a 3.5mm cable, and a carry bag. The amp is lightweight, compact, and easy to use. It has 18 different presets, and is powerful enough for most acoustic and electric guitars. The amp is loud enough for live concerts and practice. The bass and effects channels are loud enough to play in a noisy room, and the amp's small footprint makes it convenient to use at home or on the go. The amp has a USB port, so users who prefer to play digitally can connect their laptop or mobile device to the amp and play it through the amp's speakers. The amp has a headphone jack for private listening. The amp's controls are easy to use, and there aren't too many buttons, so beginners won't be confused. The amp's effects loops are versatile, and users can experiment with different effects. The amp's 4-band EQ has useful controls, so users can adjust it to their liking. The amp's 3.5mm output jack makes it easy to connect an external speaker to the amp. The amp's 1/8-inch input jack makes it easy for users to connect a microphone or other instrument to the amp. The amp has 18 different presets, so users can customize their sound to suit their musical tastes. The Peavey Bandit 112 Guitar Combo Amp is versatile, powerful, and easy to use.
The Peavey MAX 150 is an affordable bass head combo with enough power to handle a variety of recording situations, from rehearsal rooms to small studios. The MAX 150 comes with three-band EQ, overdrive, contour, mid-shift, and brightness controls, as well as a TransTube gain boost. The EQ controls are straightforward, and the MAX 150 sports a mid-range boost that's good for boosting the lows or adding depth to vocals. The overdrive control is aggressive, so it's easy to overdrive your amp if you turn it up all the way, but if you need extra boost, the TransTube can give it to you. The contour control has a mellow, musical sound, and the mid-shift control makes it easy to adjust the bass and treble. The brightness control is great for adding subtle brightness to guitars, or for giving vocals a bit of air. The MAX 150 comes with a 10-inch speaker, but the combo has more than enough volume and clarity for small to medium-sized venues. The MAX 150 has a solid, jacketed metal chassis, so it's built to last, and its controls are nicely laid out and easy to operate. The corners of the speaker cabinet are lined with felt pads to prevent scratching, and the MAX 150 comes with two 10-inch speaker cabinets, so you can easily switch out speakers for different sound options. The Peavey MAX 150 is a great bass amp combo for studio and recording applications, and it's also nice for gigging.
The Peavey Rage 258 combo amp is a solid, no-frills workhorse for gigging guitarists. It's loud enough to fill a medium-sized room, and it has a lot of power for bass and drums and enough clean headroom for electric guitars. It plays loud and has a tight, punchy tone, and its clean channel is bright enough that it can be used as a clean boost. The EQ is average, but it cleans up nicely when it's dialed back. The amp's 1/4-inch aux input lets you connect a small mixer or digital recorder, which comes in handy for recording. One minor complaint: the amp's built-in reverb is pretty weak, and there's no onboard tuner. The Peavey Rage 258 is compact and fairly lightweight, making it a good choice for weekend gigs.
The Peavey MAX 250 is among the more powerful bass combos we tested. It features 250 watts of power, three-band EQ with overdrive, contour, mid-shift, and brightness switches, plus a 3-way speaker switch that lets you select low, mid, or high tones. The controls are all conveniently located on the front panel, with reverb and compressor controls on back. The EQ is very basic, but it's easy to use, and it features tone controls that do a good job of setting the bass amp's sound. The 3-way speaker switch makes it easy to switch between low, mid, and high tones, and Peavey's DDT speaker protection feature helps keep your speakers from blowing. A 15-inch speaker offers enough volume to fill an average-sized room, and Peavey's built-in speaker output lets you connect the amp to an external PA system or mixing board. The MAX 250 has a simple, clean design, and it's easy to set up. The included footswitch lets you turn the speaker on and off, and it even comes with a carry bag. The amplifier ships with a power cord, stereo RCA cables, and a remote bass level control, and it's backed by a 2-year warranty.
The Peavey MAX 208 bass combo amp is the king of the hill when it comes to affordable bass amps. With 200 watts of power, plenty of speaker outs, and a built-in digital tuner, the MAX 208 is perfect for any gig. It has a nice clean tone, although it's a little muddy. The Overdrive switch adds some distortion, but we didn't find it particularly inspiring. We recommend using the Mid-Shift switch to reshape your sound, as well as the Bright switch, which boosts the highs slightly. The Contour switch allows you to dial in some nice mid-bass boost, and a Kosmos-C switch lets you choose a more acoustic sound. The MAX 208's EQ is nicely laid out, allowing you to dial in just the right tone for whatever band you're playing. Its controls feel responsive, and the EQ knobs are labeled clearly. The MAX 208 has a solid construction and is easy to set up, and thanks to its built-in digital tuner, you won't have to worry about tuning up before every gig. The MAX 208 is right at home on the stage or in the studio, and it's our top pick for a budget bass amp.
Peavey Vypyr VIP 2 Modeling Instrument 40 Guitar/Bass Watt 12" Amplifier Amp
6 acoustic amp models
The Peavey Vypyr VIP 2 Modeling Instrument Guitar/Bass 40 Watt 12" Amplifier Amp is an affordable, decent-sounding amp that can serve as a basic practice amp for your guitar or bass. Its 40-watt output might not be as powerful as some competitors, but the Vypyr offers plenty of volume, and the tone is clear, with plenty of highs. The amp is small enough to fit easily into a gig bag, and it's easy to set up, too. The Vypyr's controls are simple and intuitive, and we liked the inclusion of an onboard looper, which makes it easy to record practice sessions, and we liked its size and portability. The Vypyr's only real weakness is its lack of a headphone output, and that's not unusual for an entry-level amp. The Vypyr is also fairly loud for its class, so if you're planning to use it in a practice or rehearsal space, you'll need to invest in some ear plugs.
The Peavey MAX 100 packs a lot of power into a small package, and it sounds impressive even at low volumes. The amp has 100 watts of power (100 watts into 8 ohms, 100 watts into 4 ohms, 100 watts into 2 ohms, or 100 watts into 1 ohm), so it's powerful enough to rock a party, but you won't blow anyone's eardrums out. The amp has lots of features: a gain control, a contour control, a mid-shift control, two overdrive modes, and two Kosmos-C effects, which let you control the tone of your bass. The amp also has three-band EQ with overdrive, contour, mid-shift, and a bright switch. The EQ is handy; it lets you adjust how low or high an amp's output goes. The amp's speaker protection is nice, too. The MAX 100 has DDT speaker protection, which protects the amp's speaker from power surges. The amp's pre-gain control lets you adjust the amp's output to compensate for low or high input signals. And, the MAX 100's built-in speaker and mic lets you hook up a speaker and a microphone, so you can sing or play your guitar along with your music. The MAX 100 also has a headphone jack. The amp comes with a CD player and speakers, a power cable, and a carrying bag.
