Peavey Amps Review (2021 Updated)

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Peavey have been making amplifiers for quite some years now, and have built an enviable reputation in that time. Their amps are valued for their ruggedness, and the range of tones they can produce.

Today, we are going to take a look at Peavey amps for three different purposes – keyboards, modeling, and a more powerful solid state amp for gigging. Each of the Peavey amps we review below are great examples of their respective categories.

Note, also, that if you are looking for an amp for heavy metal, the two peavey guitar amps we review are a great choice, because Peavey amps are able to deliver powerful, aggressive sound.

Whilst the type of amp you require depends on whether you play keyboard or guitar, and how much power you need, we highly recommend the Peavey Vypyr VIP Modeling Amp. With an essentially infinite range of tones, and more than enough power for most players and situations, this amp is a great choice for any guitar player.
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Model	Type	Size	Weight	Power
Peavey Vypyr VIP Modeling Amp	Modeling Amp	17 x 9 x 1 inches	9.1 pounds	20 W
Peavey Bandit 112 Transtube	Solid State Amp	15.75 x 28.37 x 23.87 in	48 pounds	80 W
Peavey KB 2 Keyboard Amp	Keyboard Amp	21.1 x 16.6 x 22.1 inches	18.1 pounds	50 W

Peavey Amps

Peavey have a long and illustrious history of producing great amps. These amps are particularly valued for their reliability, and can be found backstage at many theaters and concert halls across the country.

In this review, we’ll take you through the best amps Peavey has to offer in three categories. First, a modeling amp which offers a huge range of tones and effects. Second, we’ll take a look at a more powerful amp, perfect for gigging. Last, an amp for all the keyboard players out there.

One of the most important things to look for when choosing an amp is the speakers it uses. Peavey typically use very high quality components, so you will not have an issue with the amps below, but a little bit of knowledge in this area goes a long way.

The amps we are reviewing today are varied in terms of technology. When choosing any amp, but especially when looking to buy a complicated Peavey Modeling amp, it is worth reading up on how guitar amplifiers work. The differences between a tube amp and a solid state amp, for instance, can be large, and Understanding how tubes work can really help you in making your decision.

Also think about How much power you actually need. It can be tempting to go for the most powerful amp you can afford, but carrying a 100 watt monster of an amp to and from practice twice a week quickly gets tiresome. In our opinion, 10 watts is more than enough power for a practice amp, and 40 watts will allow you to play intimate gigs. Larger rooms will typically come with a dedicated PA system, in any case, making more power than this unnecessary.

Lastly, if you are a keyboard player, it is worth doing some reading about choosing a keyboard amp. Keyboard players tend to get short shrift when it comes to amp reviews, so we’ve included a great example below to help you out.

Reviews

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Best Modeling Peavey Amp: Peavey Vypyr VIP Modeling Amp

Getting a modeling amp can open up a world of possibilities, whether you are just starting out or are already a seasoned player. This amp offers an essentially infinite range of sounds and tones, and sounds great no matter what tone or style you are playing in.

Another excellent feature of this amp is that it is available in a wide variety of different power ranges, from 20 watts right up to 100 watts, so whether you are looking for a practice amp or one to gig with, it’s got you covered.

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In addition, this modeling Peavey amp comes with a wide variety of additional features:

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• The built-in looper in this amp is a really innovative feature, and we wish that it was more common on modeling amps. It adds another dimension of flexibility to the tones you are able to achieve on the amp, ensuring you can always find the perfect sound.
• Incredibly, the same amp can be used for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass guitar. This gives the amp huge flexibility, and is perfect if you are a multi-instrumentalist.
• The 5-year warranty that comes with the amp is a sign that Peavey are confident it will last and last. This is one of the great advantages of Peavey amps in general, and we are sure that this amp will provide many years of reliable service.

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• In truth, very few. This is not the cheapest amp available, but a great modeling amp nonetheless – the wide range of tones, all of which sound great, set it apart from the competition.

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Best Peavey Amp for Gigs: Peavey Bandit 112 TransTube

A great combo amp which delivers a huge amount of power. If you are looking for an amp that is powerful and flexible enough for playing gigs, this is the one to go for.

The design of this amp focuses on a simple idea – to make a solid state amp that sounds like a tube amp. Peavey have done extensive testing to ensure that this amp delivers all the bright, clear sound of a tube amp at a fraction of the price, and we have to say that in our opinion they have succeeded.

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Other advantages of this Peavey amp include:

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• A huge amount of power. In our opinion, the 80 watts that this amp produces is more than enough for almost any purpose.
• The reverb that is built into this amp sounds great, giving Fender amps a run for their money. Whilst Peavey are not known for their effects, the tone options on this amp provide a nice range of sounds for most purposes.
• Like all Peavey amps, this amp is really reliable. The people we spoke to for this review said that for gigging musicians Peavey amps are a popular choice, because they will put up with years on the road without complaining.

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• For an all-round giggin amp, very few. If you are looking for tube sound without the price, and enough power to go gigging with, this amp is a great choice.

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Best Peavey Amp for Keyboard: Peavey KB 2 Keyboard Amp

Lastly, an amp for the keyboard players. This is a great, versatile amp for playing keyboard, and is definitely worth a look if you are gigging with your keyboard.

If you play keyboard, but are currently doing so through a guitar amp, read our review about why you should get a dedicated keyboard amp – in short, the greater tonal range of keyboards means that many guitar amps are not able to adequately amplify everything you want to play.

This is a great example of a keyboard amp, suitable for both practice and gigging.

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In addition, of course, this amp comes with a number of advantages:

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• The slightly angled front of the amp makes it perfect for use either as your main output or as a monitor on stage.
• The circuitry in this amp incorporates a bi-amped design, which provides more powerful lows and cleaner highs. If you play keyboard, this is especially important.
• The amp also offers a great range of inputs and outputs, giving it a great deal of flexibility, and perfect if you are the kind of player who loves to mess around with pedals and effects.

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• For the price, very few. This Peavey amp offers a wide range of effects and a powerful sound for such a small device.

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Conclusion

So which to choose?

Well, it depends on whether you are looking for a Peavey amp for modeling that perfect guitar sound, one for gigging, or one for your keyboard.

In our opinion, though, for most guitar players purposes nothing beats the the Peavey Vypyr VIP Modeling Amp. With an essentially infinite range of tones, and more than enough power for most players and situations, this amp is a great choice for any guitar player.