Chasing '60s Fullerton zing and muscular drive, this re-vamped compact combo excels in both realms.
Returning to the lineup after a brief reprieve, the PRS Sonzera is a moderately powered 20 watt 1x12 combo amplifier. The Sonzera offers mid-1960’s American-style tone with two independently controlled, footswitchable channels designed for maximum versatility. The Sonzera’s gain channel can be set as a boosted clean channel or with heavy distortion, and the spring reverb and built-in effects loop allow players to easily expand their tonal palette. This is a distinct amp in the PRS line up, which also boasts the Archon, HDRX, DG Custom, and MT-15 amplifiers.
“I am very happy to re-release the new Sonzera 20 combo with improved construction techniques, refined voicing, and fresh cosmetics. Their design inspiration draws from the purity and tonal beauty of vintage American reverb amps of the 60s. The two-channel design is currently unique to the PRS lineup in that the Gain channel is simply the Clean channel with additional gain stages and its own tone stack inserted for discreet lead voicing control,” said PRS Amp Designer, Doug Sewell. “The 12 to 35-watt classic American reverb amps were very inspirational to me as a beginning amp designer in Texas. I consider the Sonzera amps an homage to those early days, and it was especially satisfying and nostalgic to be a part of their development and production.” (Specs courtesy of PRS.)
One watt sounds monstrous in this '50s-meets-modern mighty mite.
Solid class A tone at an affordable price. Responsive and fun to crank. Simple design. Line level signal from the line-out jack adds useful functionality.
Probably too quiet for a gig-able clean tone.
$449
Supro Delta King 8
suprousa.com
Since its 2014 revival, Supro has given fans of small, low-wattage combos plenty to talk about. This should come as no surprise. Tiny but ferocious amplifiers with the Supro logo have been on the scene since the early days of the electric guitar and landed on some of the most classic guitar records of all time. And the company's recent offerings have captured the sonic essence of those vintage models with a line of well-built, modern amps that look just as cool as they sound.
Thus far, the current Supro team have drawn inspiration primarily from their 1960s models. But the new Delta King series digs in a little deeper, delivering the sound and aesthetics of their 1950s combos—stripes and all. The Delta King 8 is the tiniest of the bunch, offering just 1 watt of all-tube class A power via a single 12AX7 preamp tube and a single 12AU7 power tube. While it may be small, this amp lives up to the sonic legacy of its vintage predecessors and projects a surprisingly fearsome roar.
- Clip 1: Controls at noon, miked.
- Clip 2: Controls at noon, direct line out signal.
- Clip 3: Full volume, tone control at noon, full master volume, miked.
- Clip 4: Full volume, tone control at noon, full master volume, direct line out signal.
- Clip 5: Full volume, tone control at noon, master volume muted, line out plugged into a 1971 Fender Deluxe Reverb, miked.
Robust, Balanced, and Nasty
Playing the Delta King 8 is immediately satisfying. Using Telecaster- and Jazzmaster–style guitars, I set all three knobs—volume, tone, and master—to noon and got a clean, smooth, midrange-focused tone. This is, however, just about all of the clean volume that this amp has to offer. Turning the volume knob above noon gently eases the combo into an overdriven sound that, at full volume, is gnarly and cutting but retains warmth and clarity. The boost switch bumps the volume and adds a little more gain. Naturally, I had the most fun with everything cranked and the boost on. But while it's impressively loud for 1 watt, the Delta King 8 will be most useful for recording, practicing, or for extremely quiet gigs.
Turning the volume knob above noon gently eases the amp into an overdriven tone that, at full volume, is gnarly and cutting but retains warmth and clarity.
The 8" Supro DK8 speaker sounds robust and balanced, and easily handled the overdriven tones without sounding trashy. I've probably spent too much of my life wondering about speaker swaps for other small combos, but I'd be quite satisfied with this stock speaker.
A Cure for the Backline Blues
The line-out jack on the back of the Delta King 8 provides a line-level signal that is perfect for direct recording. This feature was thoughtfully positioned before the master volume control (an unusual feature on an amp this small), which means you can get warm tube preamp tone straight into your audio interface and opt to have the speaker muted when you turn the master volume down to zero.
That isn't the only trick up the Delta King 8's sleeve. To unlock its hidden superpower, go ahead and plug the same line-out straight into another amp. In this setup, the Delta King 8 essentially becomes a tube-driven overdrive unit. Chronic sufferers of the backline blues will celebrate the fact that this little Supro can lend its low-watt, class A tone to bigger, flatter-sounding stage amps. I was blown away by the snarling sounds it generated with my Deluxe Reverb at very reasonable volumes. And by keeping the master volume up on the Supro, you can also create cool A/B blends if you mic up both amps. If you're used to playing house gear but can figure out a way to schlep an extra 15 pounds, this tiny amp could be a game-changing addition to your gigging rig.
The Verdict
The Delta King 8 delivers much of the vintage Supro experience in a hip, well-built package. It's fun, sounds good in clean settings, and great in more overdriven ones. At $449, it's a great deal for those reasons alone. But the convenience and versatility that comes with the addition of the pre-master line out opens up possibilities in the studio and offers solutions to backline woes that make the price even more appealing.
To celebrate PG's upcoming annual Amp Issue, our editorial director lays waste to Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias' 1984 hit.
To all the amps I've loved before
Who travelled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this ridiculous "content"
To all the boom boxes I've blasted before
To all the amps whose tubes I once abused
And may I say I've blasted the best
For helping me to blow
My pant legs down below
As I strive to block grille stains I'm loathe to show
The winds of change are always blowing
And every time I try to stay
The winds of stupid gear lust continue to gust
And carry my funds away
To all the Tolex-covered tarts who've shared my life
Who now are someone else's prize
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this admittedly full-on dad-joke column
To all the boom boxes I've loved before
To all the amps who blared for me
Who filled my jams with ecstasy … or at least an excuse to play shittily
They live within my heart
I'll always be a part
Of all the amps I've loved before
The winds of change are always blowing
And every time I try to stay
The winds of foolish gear lust continue blowing
And carry my money away
To all the boom boxes we've loved before
Who banged the fuck out of drywall near our doors
We're glad they came along
We dedicate this song
To all the amps we've stupidly sold before
To all the amps we've loved before
Who nearly toppled us down steps and splattered us on the floor
We're glad they came along
We dedicate this silly screed
To all the amps we've loved before