JOYO 50W Bass Amp Head Hybrid Tube Preamp with 12AX7, Compressor, 3-Band EQ, FX Loop, Bluetooth & Headphone Output for Bass Practice, Home Studio & Small Gig (Require External Speaker Cabinet) Badass

This little fellow is not going to work for any gig anywhere, but it is awesome for practicing. The Bluetooth feature allows easy play along, and the tube preamp is killer.

I use this as preamp and it's awesome. It gives me the tube gain sound that I'm going for. It's only 50 watts which isn't much for bass, however if you run it as a preamp into the effects loop of a solid state amp it works great.

I have owned this amp for (2) months. I love the sound ... BUT ... today the ON/OFF switch has stopped working. The unit cannot be turned OFF. An ON/OFF switch should last longer than 2 months! PS ... this is not an isolated issue. There are other Bassists experiencing this same problem. JOYO, if you're listening? Send me a new unit, a faulty on/off switch is dangerous !! PLEASE RSVP !!

Being new to gear like this, I thought I was getting a little practice amp. Why? Because I typed in "practice amp" and this came up. 50w seemed crazy for something so portable, so I asked AI chat assist if I could use it as a practice amp, it said "Absolutely!" and went on to sing its praises. I even watched a few glowing video reviews about it which never showed or mentioned it was an amp-head, a kind of PRE-amp, not a practice amp. D'OH! After purchasing it I suspected I made a mistake, so I asked AI if it could be used as "a stand-alone practice amp." The answer was then, "No!" followed by an explanation that this requires an amp to use. D'OH! I tried to cancel the purchase but it was en route. When it arrived I was seriously tempted to open it, play with it (using my amp!) but I knew I'd probably want to keep it because of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Judging by the box alone, the thing must be tiny but mighty because it has real weight to it. That's a good sign when it comes to things that amplify things. Quite substantial for a pre-amp gizmo. But this isn't a review of the product! I wrote this intending to alert those, like me, who are noobs to the bass and typed in "practice amp" and this was the first thing to come up to consider. [btw: I then bought the Joyo DC-15B and it was exactly what I was hoping this was. I submitted a good review of it if you wanna look for it.]

Joyo does some things really well and other things not so great. However, these little hybrid amps they put out are pretty good. I own this and the Zombie head. Both sound great.

Distortion even in low gain disappointment

It’s a great amp for creating content with quality audio.

Perfect for feeding into a combo amp, or even as a desktop practice amp! Sounds so good!

This is a brilliant bit of kit for my bass. I already have a main amp but this compliments it perfectly, particularly when I am rehearsing in the house. The audio quality is great and it's much more powerful than it's size would suggest. I have only been using it a few days but I have found nothing wrong with it so far. It looks good, is a good weight and easy to carry around. Really well designed in my opinion.

This thing sounds awesome. Playing through my 8ohm cab can it's perfect volume for bedroom practice amp. Gain on full gives it that nice tube quality, doesn't break up or distort.

This JOYO mini amp packs a punch for its size. The tube preamp gives a nice warm tone, and the Bluetooth is handy for playing along to tracks. The EQ helps shape the sound well, and 50 watts is plenty loud for practice or small gigs. Just remember you’ll need a separate speaker cabinet. Solid build and great value. Works as expected.

I got this preamp for my Grandson who is a budding guitarist so my review is a little limited to what I can see and hear as far as this is possible. It looks to be a robust yet lightweight unit being made mainly of metal with a plastic carry handle and plastic control knobs. It is powered using a 24V/3A pack which connects to a separate mains lead and plugs into the back of the preamp. It is fitted with a single 12AX7 tube which is just visible through the casing grills. There is a small foot switch fitted with a chrome button which is supplied with the unit along with two cables each fitted with 6.35 mm jack plugs at both ends, one of which is intended for use with the foot switch. It is intended to be connected to a bass guitar which plugs into the 6.35 mm jack input socket at the front. Also at the front are three equaliser knobs for low, mid and high as well as knobs to control the compressor (when selected), the gain, and master volume. At the rear there are output sockets again to take 6.35 mm jack plugs for 4 ohm or greater impedance speakers, headphones, the supplied foot switch and a special Fx loop return in/out for connection of an effects pedal. I noted that the power switch is reversed to the usual position so that to switch the unit on the switch is pushed upwards rather than down. When is on a red LED illuminates although if the Bluetooth switch is pressed upwards this changes to blue indicating that it is in Bluetooth mode. To see how the sound output was I connected my headphones to the appropriate jack socket and selected Bluetooth and connected it to my phone by searching “Badass”. It immediately connected and I could play music through the headphones but surprisingly the master volume control had no effect in changing the volume output. The sound was fine though showing that it was working as it should. So overall this looks to be a compact preamp unit with the benefit of having a tube to which is thought to give better sound in some people’s view than that from solid state preamps. I can only hope that my Grandson is of the same opinion and that he enjoys using it.

Build quality: The unit feels solid and well put together. The metal casing gives it a sturdy feel, and the controls all have a decent resistance to them, not loose or cheap. It looks and feels like a proper bit of kit. Sound quality: The 12AX7 preamp adds a bit of warmth and character to the tone, which is great for a compact amp. The EQ gives a decent amount of tone shaping, and the onboard compressor adds a nice bit of control to the sound. With a proper cab, it sounds clear and punchy. Practice value: Bluetooth and the headphone out make it perfect for home practice. You can easily jam along with tracks or use the headphones for late-night sessions. The FX loop also gives flexibility if you use pedals during practice. Value for money: Considering the features – tube preamp, Bluetooth, EQ, FX loop, and headphone out – it offers a lot for the price. Just be aware you’ll need to add your own cab, so budget for that if you don’t already have one. Amp quality: It’s surprisingly powerful for a mini head, and definitely loud enough for home use or small sessions with the right speaker. The tone holds up well at different levels and doesn’t get muddy or harsh when pushed. Size: Compact and portable – easy to carry around or tuck away when not in use. Ideal if you’re short on space or want something small for travel or rehearsal.