My amp path to date:
Peavy Vypyr II w/ Sanpera pedal : 50w SS, 12in speaker good gain, crap clean, a bit difficult to configure with all the modes/leds. Never really dialed it in but a good amp, just WAY more than what I need at my level.
Orange micro Terror: 20w SS head all it knows is high gain. Looked cool, sucked at everything BUT high gain.
Blackstar HT1-RH: first tube amp. 1w tube. Ok clean, ok overdriven, meh high gain. Not horrible, not great, not loud.
Marshall MS15 Lead micro stack: 15w SS head with 2 1x8 cabinets. More of a novelty than anything. Looked fucking KILLER. Sucked at everything.
Epiphone Valve Jr STOCK head and 1x12 Cabinet w/STOCK speaker: 5w tube. Meh clean, ok overdriven, ok high gain. Looked cool, OK sound but needed an EQ to un-muddy it.
Epiphone Valve Jr STOCK head and UPGRADED 1x12 Cabinet w/CELESTION Seventy80 speaker: Good clean, warm and brighter. Good low end. Clean OK, overdriven OK, high gain meh.
Epiphone Valve Jr UPGRADED head (gain mods, new caps) and UPGRADED 1x12 Cabinet w/CELESTION Seventy80 speaker: Lost the cleans. Everything else sounds good. Kinda like the Mirco Terror but a lot warmer due to the tubes.
Bugera G5 w/2 1 1x12 (Celestion Seventy 80) and 1 1x10 (Blackstar) cabinet: cleans: fucking wow. gain: double fucking wow.
A lot of people shit on Bugera becuase 1000 years ago there were build quality issues (and one connector that could melt/bad design) but any Bugera in the last 5-7 years is simply rock solid. People also complain that the G5 is a Blackstar HT5 rip off. BULLSHIT. Other than having tubes and a circuits the Bugera outclasses the HT-5 up and down the street
| Feature | Bugera G5 | Blackstar HT-5 |
| Effects Loop | YES | YES |
| Attenuator | .1/1/5w | NONE |
| Foot Swtch | Gain/Reverb | Gain |
| Auto Tube Bias | YES | NONE |
And unless you buy the more expensive HT-5-RH version you don't even get separate clean/overdrive volume/gain/tone controls.. something the Bugera G5 comes with standard.
Its also worth noting that the Blackstar HT-5 head is not available anymore. Sweetwater and Guitar Center don't even sell them anymore. The Bugera G5? Still available.
All of that aside.. the Bugera just sounds better. Most of the 'Bugera hate' is not based on tone, but issues like the past QC (again, not even an issue for almost 10 years) and some think that Bugera 'stole' the Blackstar circuits. Sure. whatever.
When it comes down to the sound.. the Blackstar didn't have it. You can get used Bugera G5 heads for less than $200 (mine was $180 from Reverb.com) but ebay lists them for under $200 and new they are $250 and Sweetwater will have them discounted (open box/returns) for $220. For $250 you get a killer 5w head. Avoid the combo... the speaker is not that great.
Unless I start playing country music, or classical I don't think I'll buy another amp.. the Bugera G5 is that good.
