Classic or special for a "bedroom" playin

[Hugh Person]

Which is better on low volumes - classic or special?

 

[screamingdaisy]

Both are good.

The biggest difference is that the LSS is a little more "rock and roll" sounding due to the voicing of the EL84s while the Classic retains that "Big *** Fender" sound.

 

[MrMarkIII]

The Classic can go down to 10 watts, the Special to 5 watts.
Either is still going to be nice and loud in an apartment bedroom.

Even five watts will not allow the volume knob to go above 2 unless you have very thick walls.

The Classic has 6L6 tubes for a Fender-type sound, bright with a solid bottom end.
The Special uses EL-84s. This is Vox territory, chimey, jangly, lots of mids, less bass.

 

[Hugh Person]

But special is mmm less loud? Is it less loud than vox ac15 (i own ac15cc1 now) Also where is lonestar classic on the mesa's website i've only noticed lonestar (plain) and lonestar special, does just lonestar supposed to be classic?

 

[screamingdaisy]

I don't think "classic" has ever been technically part of the Lonestar's name. I think the internet added it to help differentiate between the two of them.

As for volume, they both have good master volumes and both can be dialled down if necessary. The main difference will be the difference in voicing.

 

[Talus]

But special is mmm less loud? Is it less loud than vox ac15 (i own ac15cc1 now) Also where is lonestar classic on the mesa's website i've only noticed lonestar (plain) and lonestar special, does just lonestar supposed to be classic?

The Special if anything is louder at lower volumes than the Classic. I've always found that with EL84 amps (Or perhaps Class A amps) that they had a minimum level before they got a proper tone and that minimum volume is generally somewhere between very loud bedroom and quiet gig.

When I owned the Special I'd often get knocks on the door politely asking me to turn down, even though I was playing on 5 watts at as low a volume as the amp would let me. With the Classic even on 100 watts nobody has ever complained. So while it's a louder amp it can be turned down much quieter and still sound pretty **** good.

 

[jmontgomery]

Hook either of them up to a Badcat Unleash and you can run the amp in its sweet spot at any volume.

 

[Hugh Person]

Thanks, gonna buy classic. Also it sounds better for me, warmer...

 

[ellem52]

I have been struggling to get my LSC v.2 to stop melting walls. I have Yellow Jackets in 10 & 50 watt positions. I use the amp in 10 watt mode for both channels. These are very very loud amps. I'm controlling the volume at this point with distortion pedals!