Let’s face facts. Metal costs money. If you are a metal guitarist, chances are that you fantasize about rocking stadiums with the same kind of ultra-expensive hardware your influences play. You want the best guitar amp under 500 dollars for that perfect metal sound.
Comparison Table of Best Metal Amps Under $500
Big expensive amps are flat out sexy and it is very easy to start thinking that you need to spend three grand or more on a Bogner or other such dream machine to make your rock and roll dreams come alive. Then, reality rears its ugly head and you remember all those bills you have to pay. Suddenly, it seems like a great idea to investigate more sensibly-priced models of the best metal amps out there, ones that probably won’t make your significant other throw you out!
Thankfully, we have done this bit of legwork for you and today bring you our picks for the best metal amps under $500.
All of these metal amps will let you bring home the rock without selling your house to do it. We all like different stuff, so be sure to try before you buy, if possible. Are you ready to get loud? Here we go!
Best Metal Amps under $500
Table of Contents
Orange Micro Dark
The super cool Orange Micro Dark Mini is a hot pick for anyone wanting to get some grind on while staying really small. It is built around a new high gain circuit meant to provide excellent clean, overdrive, and distortion sounds.
The circuit blends tube and solid-state elements in the preamp and power amp sections, respectively. This makes for more versatility than a small all-tube amp can muster.
Orange amps are never overrun with knobs and controls and the Micro Dark Mini fits that profile well. The only knobs are for Volume, Shape, and Gain, which makes this one practically idiot-proof. It does, however, have a fully-buffered Low impedance Effects Loop and a CabSim Headphone Out for silent practice and direct recording.
There is a lot of fun to be found here, especially for an amp this size. If space is a premium, this is your rock machine. For the price, definitely one of the best metal amps out there.
PROS
- Super small and light!
- Buffered Effects Loop!
- CabSim Direct Out!
CONS
- Might look silly on a big stage.
- Not very intimidating.
- Power: 20Watt (hybrid)
- Tube: one 12AX7 (preamp)
- Controls: Gain, shape, volume
See how it sounds:
Peavey 6505 MH
The newer Peavey 6505 MH Mini Head delivers the same signature high gain tone as its big siblings in a smaller, less expensive package. This one is a no-brainer for anyone looking for one of the best metal amps on the cheap.
It is a lunchbox-sized head that runs at 20 watts, 5 watts, or one watt, features a Mic Simulated Direct Interface for direct PA injection, and even sports a USB out for tracking guitars into your favorite DAW.
We love all the mini amps around the office complex because size does matter. Great tones in a portable head are hard to resist. The 6505 MH, however, is particularly tasty because it brings high-dollar rock sounds to the party in a guitar amp under 500 dollars.
Great affordable guitar tones have been Peavey’s mission since the very beginning and this is just one more step towards that goal. This one is tough to beat.
PROS
- Big amp sound!
- Mic-simulated direct out for PA use!
- USB out for recording!
CONS
- Some folks just don’t like Peavey.
- Attenuator switch for 20 watts, 5 watts or 1 watt output power
- Two EL84 power tubes and three 12AX7/ECC83 preamp tubes
- Two footswitchable channels with 3-band EQ
See how it sounds:
Marshall DSL Series
The Marshall DSL1H is a hard-rocking little metal amp for those that just have to have the M Word on the front of whatever they play through. It is a 1-watt all-tube small box head that gets its power from a pair of ECC82 and its preamp tone from a pair of ECC83s. The DSL has two channels, Classic Gain and Ultra Gain, a Deep Switch designed to ratchet up the low-end impact, and a Pentode/Triode Switch to cut available power in half when needed.
It’s a little guy but it carries Marshall big metal amp DNA and that makes all the difference.
The DSL1H will cover all the Marshall bases from Plexi to JCM800 to modern metal rage. The four-band EQ section and Tone Shift button makes it all a piece of cake.
DSL heads are very popular with many rock players and this one is no exception. It is a straightforward head that is easy to dial in and will surely make a lot of people quite happy.
Marshalls are Marshalls, after all.
PROS
- All tube!
- Lots of gain on tap!
- Footswitch included!
CONS
- Too traditional-looking to some people.
- Adjustable power Output
- Reverb
- Softube Emulated output
See how it sounds:
Randall RG1503
If you are into the Pantera sound, the Randall RG1503H is something you need to audition. It is an FET-based three-channel head with four bands of EQ, Mid Scoop, Bass Boost, Reverb, and an Effects Loop. A four-mode footswitch that controls channel and reverb functionality is thoughtfully included.
The RG puts out 150 watts of power and this makes it one of the best metal amps for those who need to cover larger stages at a smaller price. It matches up well with the Randall RX412 4×12 cabinet for a budget-priced half stack that will get the gig done.
This is a whole bunch of metal amp for the money and deserves your serious consideration.
PROS
- 150 watts! No lunchbox here!
- Three channels!
- Four-band EQ section!
CONS
- Solid state isn’t for everybody.
- Full-sized amp that isn’t as easy to move as the smaller ones.
- 2 Preamp Channels
- Bass, Bass Boost, Middle, Midi Scoop, Treble and Presence EQ Controls
- 150 Watts at 4 ohms
See how it sounds:
Kustom KG100HFX
It is a classically-styled 100-watt head with two channels. The Rhythm Channel is clean, dynamic, and clear and is well-suited for many types of playing. The Lead Channel goes from crunchy old-school rock to modern-day gain saturation and is what puts this one on our list today. There are three bands of EQ that let users shape their sound and tone.
The KG100 is made to go along with the Kustom KG412 4×12 cabinet and, as we well know, any half stack is full of metal potential. Don’t let the classic rock reputation of Kustom’s early days fool you: the KG100 is a fire-breathing dragon just waiting for you to plug into it.
A metal outsider, but still a contender for the best guitar amp under 500 dollars.
PROS
- Great price on a full-sized head!
- 100 loud watts!
- More gain than you might expect!
CONS
- Most people think CCR when they think Kustom.
- No third channel.
- 100W Continuous Output Power
- Two Channel (Rhythm and Lead)
- 3-Band Tone Control
See how it sounds:
Last update on 2024-05-01 / Source: Amazon
I really like the Peavey 6505 MH Mini Head. I think the price point is perfect for the amp and that it will suit me well. I also like the fact that it includes a USB port on the side. Hopefully, it will be easy to record some songs with this product.