Hi everyone-

Sorry in advance for the long post, but I need some help or advice in deciding between these 2 ultra-low powered amplifiers. My home situation (small house, wife, baby) demand a low powered amp, but I want to make sure I'm getting the very best tone I can. I've settled on these two amps and there's good and bad things about both amps...maybe you can help me out.

The Mercuy I have played and really liked the sound. The low-wattage settings are great with no real sacrifice of tone, distorted tone. It has a solid-state rectifier though which the Emery does not as well as 3 preamp tubes. Does the solid-state rectifier make a big difference in sound compared to a tube rectifier? Does anyone think that most of the distorted tone coming from the Mercury's low settings is just preamp distortion instead of power amp? Plus, the Mercury is so freakin' expensive! Aesthetically, it's great and sounds good too...but cost, rectifier, and preamps are a concern.

The Emery Microbaby (1-2 watts) is built on the philosophy that low wattage demands small tubes and this thing uses tubes that I've never heard of...tubes that were originally meant for car radios. Do you think that this could be a problem in the future having to find tubes if one goes bad? The tubes that are included in the "experimenter's set" are:

- 3 Rectifiers -

60's NOS US 6X5GT
NOS US 6AX5GT
50's NOS US 6X5GT

- 6 Output Tubes -

NOS US 6K6GT
NOS US 6G6G
Tung Sol 6V6
NOS US 6Y6GT
THD YellowJacket EL84 socket adaptor (YJUNI)
JJ EL84
Electro Harmonix EL84

- 3 Preamp Tubes -

selected modern 12AX7
NOS US 12AU7/5814A
selected modern 12AT7

It looks pretty versatile, at least more than the Mercury.

So, the Mercury comes with ultra low settings, great looks, high!!! cost, and a solid state rectifier which I'm not sure is better or worse than a tube rectifier. I'm also wondering if most of it's distortion is a preamp distotion.

The Microbaby is versatile, low-powered, all-tube, way cheaper, but uses potentially problematic tubes.

What do you guys think?

I haven't heard the Microbaby, but I'm very familiar with Steve Carr's amps including the Mercury. IMHO if your needs are for a dedicated bedroom amp and the Microbaby sounds great to your ears AND is cheaper, you've got a winner.

On the other hand, if you will play out with the amp and need something loud enough for a coffeehouse gig and quiet enough for home use (and can shell out the cash), maybe the Mercury is a better choice. The Mercury IS an 8 watt amp that can dial down through a built-in attenuator as low as 1/2 watt. I know a number of Steve's amps have triode/diode switching and the like, but really they always sound better in the louder mode, and not surprisingly, the Mercury sounds a lot better without the attenuator engaged (no big shock).

I'm curious as to how versatile the Microbaby really is. I've never heard a great "Swiss Army Amp". "Versatile" usually means bland to my ears, but your milage may vary, and in fairness, I've not heard that exact amp.

Please give us a report of the one you pick. I have a Carr Rambler and it's great but the Micro and Super baby amps look interesting to me too!

Thanks guys...I appreciate the input. I'll be sure to report back which one I purchase.

Laschfan

I've never played a Microbaby, but I did do some reading up on it awhile back, and found some soundclips somewhere (they were NOT easy to find), Emery should have some on his website. I have also played a Mercury and wasn't a fan of it's tone, but alot of people love that amp. If I was looking for a quiet "bedroom" amp, I personally would go with the Emery.

There's also a Blackheart amp coming out soon, the "Killer Ant", like a 1/2 watt. But it's only 1 knob.

There's a Microbaby combo on ebay right now for $999.

The Emery Superbaby is very alluring to me!

I've owned and played a 1x12 Mercury - every day - for almost three years. I love this amp! Not a fan of the gain stages but they can be useful, however since the amp takes pedals so well I usually throw a fulldrive, hotcake or cot at it with awesome results.

It's a very vibrant and loud amp. 2 watts gets me through with a string ensemble and 8 watts will do some rock work if you don't need the cleans. It's a perfect amp to mic or record. And built for travel. Very solid.

However, if you don't require verb then the Swart 6V6se is a great piece of gear.

Keep in mind All these are, at their core, Fender 'champs' of some kind. To me there are two uses for this kind of amp--to crank up all the way without bleeding ears at home or live in a mic'd situation, or for clean apartment level volumes. Mind you, while it's a cool in-imicable tone. I don't find the tone of most amps dimed as usable or desirable for how I play.

I played the mercury and loved it--clean, which is fairly blackface champ-like. It's a champ with reverb, a very useful switch for shaping the brightness (but not a bright switch), a different power tube, bigger speaker, and attenuator.

The gain switches seem to aim to make it a bit more tweedy--if you want it for cranking up, it's got a few the bells and whistles to play with the way it gains up.

The attenuator is silly for my uses. to me. I'm a big believer that power amp distortion is not just tonal, but there are essential feel and frequency elements to more distorted DB's that aren't very knob-controlable. In front of a mic it may be very convincing, I have no idea.

I can't speak for the rectifier making a difference--I've heard both sides of it, and while I like knowing I like have a rectifier and think I can 'feel' the difference, I don't trust myself due to my biases... I'd dare say the lack of rectifier is intentional, so that the cranked up tones don't sag, if single-ended designs even can sag, as I've heard some debate that...

I've not played an emory-type amps, but I understand them as a very customizable (with tubes) but based on champs as well--yet far cheaper, and designed as heads (which to me makes more sense).

In the end--since money was an issue, since I don't need the reverb (I use effects), or crazy tweaks, and cranking up any amp is more for a minute or two of fun than it is my kind of 'tone' I bought a cheap, silverface champ as a clean low-wattage canvas for my effects (or a sweet clean tone). I just wanted bedroom level stuff. The major thing bad about a champ, tonally, is the speaker/cab size. So I hook it up to other speakers.

I could get a lot of different tones out of my silver champ with mods, and even have someone build me another champ-like amp with other tubes/tweaks/mods, and still come out cheaper than the mercury. If you know what you want and only need a head, I'd dare say any good tube tech could build you something much like the Mercury and beyond for far less than a Mercury.

I think the merc is a great amp, but not worth the cash. Spend some time figuring it out what you want this amp for.

Also, if would help if someone here could vouch for the sound of a true 1/2 watt amp cranked up--is it convincing with such low volume? Between the two, though, I'd choose the emory despite never playing one...

I really appreciate the help guys...this is, hands-down, the best forum for getting good, reliable feedback concerning instrument choices.

After having read all the posts, and working with the budget that I have, I just believe that the Microbaby will be my choice.

I like the wattage levels, the versatility of tubes, and I like the simplicity of wiring. It's so stripped down to the essentials! I've pondered a Champ, but to be honest, I've fallen for the mahogany looks of the Emerys. Superficial, I know, but they look so cool!

Plus, I like Curt Emery's passion for the philosophy of low-wattage tube amps. It's so great to hear an amp-builder explain in detail every nook and cranny of their amps. He's not hte only one, I know, it's just good to hear anybody like this talk about their craft.

Thanks again.

Laschfan

I played a Carr Mercury a couple of years ago and like it very much until i think about the price tag.

i've owned a Superbaby for 4-5 years. i never believed that a rectifier, solid-state or tube, would make much of a difference until i found an amperex GZ34 and could clearly hear the difference.

I've had several high end amps but seem to always gravitate to the Emery. I had a Univalve for 5 months and sold it after 2 months with the Emery. The ability to use various combinations of pre and power tubes gives it a versatile sound choice. It is my favorite tube tester. The construction is flawless point-to-point with no questionable solder joints. It takes pedals very well and is low-noise.

Neck humbuckers sound dark but bridge HB are full and thick. Single-coils sound positively rich and detailed. Put a cranked Tim or DDSS in front of a 12at7/EL34-armed Superbaby and you get to Led Zeppelin territory. Put a 6v6 in and it sounds creamy and smooth. It does great clean and great loud but not both at the same time.

One needs to factor in the cost of a good speaker and enclosure unless you already have one.

The Superbaby is quite loud so when i need to restrain my enthusiasm at home I use a Weber M.A.S.S attenuator. The newer ones work great with single-coils.

i haven't heard a microbaby but have no doubt it sounds great also. i wouldn't worry about availability of those small tubes used by it. There were millions produced and are still cheap as they have little use today. And they don't wear out nearly as quickly as the big beam tetrodes and pentodes do.

Curt is like Paul C; he is a player and stands behind his product. He is enjoyable to deal with and promptly responds to inquiries.

quote:

After having read all the posts, and working with the budget that I have, I just believe that the Microbaby will be my choice.

Cool I was hoping you would pick that one. I can't wait to hear what you think!!!

2 watts can still get loud - The Zvex Nano is a 1 watt Class A and mine can easily get too loud for the house. I often use a dummy load and DI when I'm playing at home, just to have some control over the volume.

Those Emerys sure look cool, btw!

quote:

Originally posted by laschfan:
I really appreciate the help guys...this is, hands-down, the best forum for getting good, reliable feedback concerning instrument choices.

After having read all the posts, and working with the budget that I have, I just believe that the Microbaby will be my choice.

I like the wattage levels, the versatility of tubes, and I like the simplicity of wiring. It's so stripped down to the essentials! I've pondered a Champ, but to be honest, I've fallen for the mahogany looks of the Emerys. Superficial, I know, but they look so cool!

Plus, I like Curt Emery's passion for the philosophy of low-wattage tube amps. It's so great to hear an amp-builder explain in detail every nook and cranny of their amps. He's not hte only one, I know, it's just good to hear anybody like this talk about their craft.

Thanks again.

Laschfan

Any amp in sight yet? I can't wait to hear about his one.

First, I love Steve Carr's amps. The hammerhead and Slant 6V are both amps I have demo'd over and over again. Some day I'll pick up a Hammerhead. The catch, his stuff is not cheap.

That said I have an Emery Superbaby and a 1x12 mahogany cab (with weber alnico blue).
It is my favorite amp period.
It is very light on the overdrive regardless of the tubes (cranked it gives a light blues overdrive with singlecoils, hotter pick-ups...like humbuckers...will give you more dirt). But a couple of decent pedals will get you a pethora of dirty tones. It is pedal friendly.
The great thing about Emery's amps is the ability to use various tubes and since you only need one power tube "classic" NOS tubes are more affordable (compared to matched pairs/quads). The amps are minimal so you hear the differences in various tubes.
On the discussion of SS vs. tube rectifiers:
I personally have amps with both and while I am not partial to one or the other in larger amps I prefer tube rectifiers in a low wattage amp.
Basically, in the superbaby if I use a large rectifier (e.g. GZ34) it behaves much like a solid state rectifier (i.e. no sag). If I use a smaller rectifier (e.g. 5Y3) it produces sag (and a little more overdrive). So I get the best of both worlds. My quick take on ss vs. tube rectifiers: SS produces quick immediate note response where tube w/sag gives you a softer overdrive with a bit more note bloom...and a slightly better finger to note dynamic. My perspective is obviously subjective and a bit generalized.
However, I like the versatility the Superbaby permits by switching in/out different rectifiers.

Last, for the money you won't find a better looking and sounding amplifier. I have no experience with the microbaby but I do love the superbaby.
Quality of build is exceptional...hand made with tremendous love and quite frankly I have never even considered it ever needing repair. It just isn't going to break.
Bb

FWIW, I tend to play with very dynamic drummers (i.e. not heavy hitters) and the superbaby cannot keep volume with a trap kit player so it isn't the amp for the gig. It excells in the studio, at home, and is still pretty loud (it will bother a close neighbor and is a bit much for an apartment). However, I have gigged it with hand percussion & trap kit w/cool rods and the amp did very well (it covered the room...i.e. it wasn't run through a PA).

Thanks Bb for a very informative post. That Superbaby sure sounds like a lot of fun. The more I hear about Emery amps and their quality...I just don't think I can wait much longer.

Yes Tonewolf, it will definitely be the Microbaby...but being in graduate school, I need about 3 or 4 more weeks of saving my money before I make the purchase. As soon as it gets here and I spend a couple of hours with it, I'll be sure to post a very detailed description of it. Thanks guys.

Cheers.