With so many guitar amplifier options out there for metal, making the decision of which amp is right for your needs can be quite daunting. When it comes to the metal genre, you’re definitely going to want something that sounds great with a heavy amount of distortion.
And the amp should sound amazing at any volume level, allowing you the comfort of only buying one amp for both home use and a small venue. Simply put, you want a great sounding metal amp with a healthy amount of options that won’t break the bank.
In this buyer’s guide, we go over the features, pros, and cons of 7 high quality guitar amps that would be perfect for playing any type of metal music. And you don’t even have to go broke to create some amazing metal sounds.
With that being said, any type of distortion or high gain pedal would definitely enhance the sounds that you can get with these amps.
Table of Contents
Line 6 Spider Guitar Amp
- NEW Classic Speaker mode for organic sound and feel
- NEW Artist, Iconic Song, and classic amp presets
- 200+ amps, cabs, and effects
- Tuner, metronome, and jam-along drum loops
- USB interface and free Spider V Remote app (Mac, PC, iOS, AndroidTM*)
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Over 200 different effects
- The amp itself is very easy to use
- Headphone jack
- Built-in Metronome
- Built-in Drum Looping
Cons
- Might have too many options if you’re only looking for the basics.
- A few users have reported issues with the screen freezing
Orange Amps Crush 20
- Power: 20 watt (solid state)
- 2 foot switchable channels
- Speaker: 1x8 inches Orange Voice of the World
- Controls: 3 band EQ, volume, gain, reverb
- Built in reverb
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Sounds amazing on Clean or Dirty settings
- Built-in tuner
- Gives you that crunchy sound that’s synonymous with Orange Amps
- Headphone jack
- Lightweight for easy traveling
- Reverb effect sounds very smooth
Cons
- The headphone jack can be a bit touchy and sometimes cuts to mono sound.
Peavey Vypyr VIP Modeling Amplifier
- 20 watts
- Acoustic guitar simulation
- Bass guitar Simulation
- Acoustically ported semi-closed back
- Patented TransTube technology
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Not very easy to get a clean tone, but aren’t you looking for the perfect metal amp anyway?
- Sounds amazing with distortion or high gain settings
- Hundreds of different effects
- On-board looper
- 16 digital presets
- Great for hooking up to any DAW software for easy home recording.
Cons
- You have to install the software once you get the amp as it does not come installed.
- The software can be a bit confusing to navigate.
Boss Katana KTN-50 Combo Amp
- 50/25/0.5W 1x12" Guitar Combo Amplifier with 5 Amp Voicings
- Cab-emulated Headphone/Recd Output
- 4 Tone Slots
- 60 Effects
- USB
Last update on 2025-01-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Loud enough for a small venue
- Connects directly to your computer using a usb so you can use the Boss Tone Studio (not required)
- Comes with 15 ready to play effects
- Sound amazing
- Custom 12″ speaker
- Sounds great at low volumes
- Has built-in memory so you can go right back to your own customized tones
Cons
- Can be a bit hard to set up with a Mac computer
- Controls are on top of the amp which takes some getting used to
Bugera V22 Infinium Combo Amp
- Hand-built 22-Watt guitar combo driven by 2 x EL84 Tubes
- Revolutionary INFINIUM Tube Life Multiplier technology:
- Way cool vintage look and feel
- World-famous, British engineered 12'' TURBOSOUND speaker
- Authentic 2-channel preamp design from the '60s featuring 3 x 12AX7 tubes—everything from purring blues to mind-blowing crunch
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Built-in effects loop
- It’s a cool sounding tube amp
- Perfect tube amp for beginners
- Pentode/Diode switch
- Great for small bars or clubs
Cons
- The factory installed tubes are a little cheap but you can upgrade them.
Fender Mustang LT-25 Modeling Amp
- The Fender Mustang LT25 Guitar Amplifier features 25 watts, 12.75Hx14.5Wx8.25D inches
- This amp comes with an 8 inch Fender special design guitar speaker for the tried-and-true Fender quality sound
- The simple user interface with 1.8 inch color display makes this amp an excellent choice for beginners
- Bring out the eclectic in you with 30 preloaded presets covering a wide range of music
- 2 Year Limited Warranty: Fender amplifiers are designed for players and built with unmatched quality, down to the last screw—Fender warrants this amplifier to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two (2) years from original purchase
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Headphone jack
- Aux input
- 30 presets
- Powerful 8″ speaker
- Easy to read color display
- Easily connects to any DAW
- 20 amplifier models
Cons
- No Bluetooth feature
Marshall Origin 5 Combo Amp
- Single ended 5 Watt all valve combo
- Switchable high & low power output section
- Effects loop
- 8 inch Celestion eight-15 speaker
- 2 x ECC83 preamp, 1 x EL84 output section
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros
- Built-in Effects loop
- Vintage tube amp sound
- Great amp for home or apartment use
- Sounds amazing!
- Crunchy tone sounds awesome at lowest volume.
Cons
- No reverb effect
