If you’re looking for greater versatility from an amp, without skimping on quality, chances are you may need to take a look at digital amps. So in guide we’ve taken a look at some of the best digital guitar amps on the market, and select the best ones for you to choose from.
Quick answer:
Marshall Code 50 – if we were to choose one from the entire list we’ve reviewed, we’d go with the Marshall Code 50, due its very reasonably price, 24 digital FXs, and convincing amp emulations. It even comes with remote control, which is very convenient. Also, it’s the most popular item on this list with plenty of satisfied user reviews. Check it out for yourself.
There are more amps to choose from of course, so never worry if you think the Marshall is not your cup of tea. Take a look at the others we’ve reviewed below and quite likely, you’ll know which one is right for you.
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Top 7 Best Digital Guitar Amps
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Marshall Code 50
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Boss Katana Air
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Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb
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Vox Cambridge 50
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Vox VX15 GT
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Blackstar Silverline Standard
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Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head
Best Digital Guitar Amps Reviews
Marshall Code 50
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- 24 digital FX
- A lot of convincing amp emulations
- Remote control
Cons
- Foot pedal not included
- No line output
- May take some time to learn to use
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Marshall Code 50 is an extremely capable digital combo amp that delivers 50 watts of power output and has a headphone jack for silent practicing. It has 14 very convincing emulations of preamps, 4 amps, and 8 speaker cabinets. All of which delivers various flavors of classic Marshal sound. It also has USB and Bluetooth connectivity, which allows this amp to be remotely controlled.
User impressions
Users are quite impressed with Marshall Code 50 as it gives exactly what is needed for successful and satisfying gigging. It’s liked for its versatility, outstanding sound quality, a huge number of presets, and it comes with a really intuitive app. What is not to love?
What we think
At some point, almost every guitar player in the world dreamt about having a Marshall amp. Depending on what guitar heroes inspired us, that would be one or the other particular model. But why not have all of them? Marshall Code 50 is more than capable of fulfilling our dreams, but at the same time, it can give us a staggering amount of flexibility and versatility.
Bottomline
Marshall Code 50 is a great choice for someone who is looking for a digital amplifier that successfully and convincingly emulates various types of Marshal sound. With this one, you can have everything from vintage British and American tones to very modern heavy metal. And all of that comes in a very reasonably priced package with a very sleek and contained design.
Boss Katana Air
Pros
- Over 50 Boss effects
- Could be peered by batteries
- Wireless connection
Cons
- Not good for other instruments
- No footswitch support
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Best features and specs
Boss Katana Air is an extremely powerful and versatile digital amplifier that delivers 40 watts of power if connected to the output, or 20 watts is powered by AA batteries. It has over 50 virtual signatures on board and the ability to connect your guitar wirelessly. And in case you don’t feel like playing, you can always stream the music from your library directly to the amplifier using onboard Bluetooth.
User impressions
Users like Boss Katana Air for being easy to get around with as it’s unbelievably lightweight and compact. It’s really easy to practice with it at home, studio, live gigs and basically any place in the world as it works on batteries too. It’s pretty versatile, has great sound quality and super-intuitive app.
What we think
Boss is a household name in the world of guitar effects pedals and this particular digital amplifier has more than 50 of those for what essentially is a price of a couple of pedals. And the ability to power it with batteries makes it almost essential for spontaneous gigs and street performances, which is awesome since you never know what life will throw at you.
Bottomline
Boss Katana Air is a great choice for someone who is looking for an extremely versatile and capable digital amplifier with loads of onboard FX and wireless connectivity. The effects and the sound of the amp, in general, have the same crispiness and quality signature to all of the Boss devices. And considering that the price is extremely reasonable, it truly is a no-brainer.
Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb
Pros
- Fateful Fender Deluxe sound
- Lightweight
- Onboard power attenuation
Cons
- None that we know of
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb is a very faithful digital recreation of a beloved classic Deluxe model. This amp very carefully recreates all of the nuances of the all-tube circuitry of the original amplifier with an addition of very believable spring reverb and emulation of tube-powered tremolo. And all of that comes in a very lightweight but yet robust body.
User impressions
Users say that Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb is exactly what they need to satisfy all of their criteria and demands. This amp is unbelievably light, powerful, and sounds amazing. Users like that built-in reverb and vibrato sound incredible.
What we think
You may think that having this amp wouldn’t make much sense considering that there’s a fully analog all-tube version. Well, you may be right in your own way, but this amp is basically half the price of the analog one and is way easier to carry around. And also, you don’t have to worry about the state of your tubes ever gain since digital circuitry doesn’t require maintenance.
Bottomline
Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very faithful digital recreation of all-tube Fender Deluxe for half the price. If you worry about the sound quality, you shouldn’t. The sound of this amp is indistinguishable from the original one, so much that without knowing for sure, it’s impossible to tell which one you’re listening to.
Vox Cambridge 50
Pros
- Cab emulated headphone output
- Onboard tuner
- USB connectivity
Cons
- High-gain tones can be a bit bright
- Footswitch sold separately
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Vox Cambridge 50 is a digital amplifier that delivers 50 watts of power and lets you choose from 11 amp models and effects. It has a signature Corg Nutube preamp, which means that you always have a very convincing and believable tube sound, no matter which of the included presets you would choose.
User impressions
Users like Vox Cambridge 50 as it provides more bass response and fuller sound when compared with other similar models from other manufacturers. Also, users note that a built-in attenuator is a really cool thing. This amp is really easy to operate, and it’s lightweight and portable. Whether you choose a lower volume or crank this amp up, you still get great sound quality.
What we think
The most impressive thing about Vox Cambridge 50 is that comes with a dedicated software suite which gives you a lot more flexibility when it comes to the surgical micro-adjustments of the sound and saving your own presets. All you need to have is a USB cable and a trustworthy device on which you can install the software.
Bottomline
Vox Cambridge 50 is a great choice for someone who is looking for a digital amplifier with a very believable tube sound and staggering versatility. The quality of modeling isn’t something that we should be concerned about since dedicated VET technology emulates amplifiers down to the component level.
Vox VX15 GT
Pros
- Very reasonably priced
- 11 amp models
Cons
- Phaser and flanger are a bit fizzy
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Vox VX15 GT is a 15-watt digital combo amplifier that offers the sound of 11 different amps, including the legendary AC30 and 8 digital effects. If you get an additional footswitch, you can expand the number of usable channels from 2 to 8, which means that you can have 8 completely different guitar sounds simultaneously with just one amp.
User impressions
Users agree that Vox VX15 GT is very lightweight and portable, has a huge number of built-in effects and sounds good. Users also add that this amp is versatile, has a great tone and is really easy to use.
What we think
Let’s face it, most of us would really like to own an AC30 but found it almost unobtainable due to its price range. So the ability to have said legendary amp, on top of 10 more, for a price of just one guitar pedal is a breath of fresh air.
Bottomline
Vox VX15 GT is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very reasonably priced emulation of 11 different amplifiers and great customization options. Considering how reasonably this amp is priced, there really isn’t a downside to having one. On, of course, the quality of sound with this one isn’t something that we should worry about. Although it should be mentioned that footswitch isn’t included, but this really isn’t a reason for concern.
Blackstar Silverline Standard
Pros
- Stylish
- USB connectivity
- 4 channels
Cons
- Footswitch not included
- App is needed to get into deep editing
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Instead of very straightforward emulations of specific amp models, Blackstar Silverline Standard chose another path. This amp emulates the sound of various tube models and circuits, which opens a whole another level of possibilities. It also has a very streamlined design, very reminiscent of an actual tube amplifier. On top of that, it comes with dedicated INSIDER software, which lets you control and tweak onboard effects with great precision.
User impressions
Users are quite impressed with Blackstar Silverline Standard as it sounds absolutely fantastic, having warm and creamy tones that a lot of users are longing for. Users add that they liked, in particular the ability to dial in a wide range of sounds as you can make a tone that you need. Also, many sound options are packed in this little beast making this amp sound like a tube amp when it’s cranked up and clean when it’s on lower volumes.
What we think
Blackstar Silverline Standard is all about style. If your main concern about digital amp modeling is that it doesn’t give you the feel that a real tube amp does, this one will most certainly surprise you. The sound also doesn’t disappoint, but if you’re concerned about how loud you can be as this amp, without a doubt, packs a punch, although it has only 20-watt power output.
Bottomline
Blackstar Silverline Standard is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very stylish and reliable amplifier that emulates the sound of various tube models rather than modeling amplifiers. It has dedicated software to control onboard effects and moreover to record without any additional software. And considering that this amplifier is very reasonably priced, it truly is a bargain.
Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head
Pros
- Amp head
- 6 different tube models
- USB connectivity
- 4 channels
Cons
- Limited effects options compared to others in this market
- Foot controller not included
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Best features and specs
Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head is very reminiscent of the previous entry on this list, in the sense that it basically is the same amp. The only difference is that the previous one is a combo amplifier and this one is an amp head, which means that you get all of the same features and quality, but with a significantly higher amount of power output.
User impressions
Users like Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head for being versatile and having the best tube emulation sounds possible. It has plenty of volume, nice simple effects, and the response of a real tube amp.
What we think
It all basically comes down to your own preferences and the reason why you need an amp in the first place. If you’re going to use it for home recording or gigs on the smaller venues, the previous one makes more sense. But obviously larger venues will require you to have Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head.
Bottomline
Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Head is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very powerful digital amp head that thoroughly and convincingly recreates the feel and sound of various tube models and has a very stylish design. If you can’t decide which of the 2 Blackstars to choose, the price range on them strongly suggests that you can easily have both.
Digital Guitar Amps Buying Guide
There is an ongoing and very passionate debate about the difference between analog and digital amplifiers inside the guitar community. Some people embrace the new technology and others question its legitimacy and even go as far as considering it a heresy. Of course, everything has its pros and cons and where to stand on this topic is completely up to you. In our personal experience, amplifiers that use digital modeling are extremely viable considering that this technology is constantly evolving and it reached a point where the difference between the sound of the analog amp and the digital one is beyond unnoticeable.
Concerns about digital emulations
The only concern that we had about digital emulations is that although it sounds completely the same, it just doesn’t give you the same feel that the analog amp does. But since, in this particular case, we are using actual amplifiers that, instead of analog circuitry, have a digital one, this shouldn’t really be a concern. Moreover, in our day and age, flexibility surpasses tradition, so if today digital amps are still a relatively new wonder, tomorrow they might as well become a necessity.
Important features
Since we’ve established that digital amplifiers are at least a thought-provoking subject, it’s time to establish by what criteria we were driven while compiling our list.
Sound
Firstly, we’ve decided that it’s very important to choose those amplifiers that have the most realistic and convincing sound since this is one of the hottest discussions in the aforementioned debate.
Versatility
The most obvious benefit that digital amplifiers have over analog ones is their unprecedented versatility. So, we’ve chosen amps with the biggest amount of usable features and different sounds you can squeeze out of them.
Flexibility
The whole point of having a digital amplifier is to have a lot of flexible options when it comes to dialing in the sound. So amplifiers on our list of the best digital guitar amps offer you a lot of viable options starting from a crispy clean to a deafening heavy metal distortion and it’s needless to say that all of those sounds can be recalled at any time without any effort.
Price range
And finally, where digital amps supersede analog amplifiers by a large margin is its price range. Amps on our list will surprise you by its price in a very good and pleasant way and some you may even consider being absurdly low.
