Oftentimes when we practice the guitar, we just don’t want the whole neighborhood to hear what we’re playing. And using headphones is not always convenient either. I can relate.
And lowering the volume on certain amplifiers only leads to crappy sound, so how can we practice without compromising the quality of the sound we’re outputting?
The answer is simple. We just need to get our hands on an amp that was made for us to rock out in our apartments. In this article, I’ve reviewed the top 5 amps that would be perfect for jamming in an apartment setting.
Table of Contents
Apartment Amp Overview
Fender Champion 20
This Fender amp is perfect for those that want a little higher amp output than a normal mini guitar amp would give you. Not only can you use this amp in the comfort of your bedroom, but you can also use it for playing outdoors on the street corner to impress strangers. You’re welcome! 🙂
Pros:
- Higher wattage for those that need it.
- Has decent overdrive options for the size.
- Excellent Sound Quality
- No mid-range control
- Some of the amp modeling sounds are a bit muddy
- Might be a bit too loud for some dwellings.
Vox Mini5 Rhythm Amp
The Vox Mini5 has a sleek design and can be powered by batteries or the included adapter. It also has a ton of options for a small mini-amp. It also has an output of only 5 amps which makes this amp the perfect candidate for low-key practicing without bothering the people you live with.
Pros:
- Built-in drum machine
- Can play anywhere with the battery-powered option
- 99 adjustable rhythm patterns
- Microphone and vocals don’t sound as good when played through the amp
- May have a flatter tone compared to other options
Orange Crush12
This Orange Amps powerful practice amp makes a great addition for home use or playing at a small venue. And just like the other amps this company makes, the quality is superb – like you expect with any Orange Amp version.
Pros:
- Works awesome with any style of guitar pedal
- Clean mids and highs
- No built-in effects
- Not the best distortion at low volume
Blackstar Mini Amp
The Blackstar Mini Amp is the most affordable amp on this list, which makes it the perfect option for those of us who are looking for a cheaper, but high quality practice amp.
Pros:
- Can be powered by batteries or an adapter
- Line-in jack for plugging in your phone
- The small hand-held size is perfect for traveling
- Can hum a little when using a power adapter, but works great with batteries
- Does not come with a power adapter (must be purchased separately)
- Made of plastic
Donner M-10 Amp
And last but not least, we have the Donner M-10 amp. This versatile amp has smartphone connectivity via an app, and also works perfectly with the Garageband software.
Pros:
- Small and lightweight
- Great sound when the volume is at max setting
- Standard aux port so you can hook it up to your phone and use as a speaker
- Affordable so you won’t break the bank to sound like a rock star
- Has no built-in effects (must use the app feature to get effects)
- Phone app setup can be confusing for those who aren’t tech savvy
Final Thoughts
No matter what your budget is, there’s an amp out there that’s perfect for your apartment jam sessions. Some amps are more basic and others have more features.
It really boils down to what works best for your situation. If you’re fine with plugging headphones into your amp and using it like that, it’s perfectly fine.
However, if you find yourself wanting to jam with other people without waking up your neighbors in the upstairs apartment, then the 5 amps above make awesome choices!
