# Bugera V5 Infinium 5W 1x8 All Tube Guitar Combo Amp



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I have not paid much attention to amps lately but this was just brought to my attention and looks like a great practice amp or something for small venues. I like the idea that it comes with a built in attenuator so you can get the sweet sound at any volume. Your thoughts?















OVERVIEW
A no-frills tone monster for the studio or practice.

The timeless design and sound of the all-tube amp has made its indelible mark on countless beloved tracks spanning the history of the electric guitar. With the ultimate pursuit of those wonderfully saturated and buttery vintage tones in mind, Bugera proudly presents the Vintage V5 Infinium.

Sporting a gorgeous vintage look and feel, the V5 serves up 5 beautiful, tube-soaked, Class-A Watts in all your favorite flavors through an amazing, class-leading 8" Turbosound speaker. Additionally, the Vintage V5 Infinium features an integrated high-definition Reverb; a built-in 2-way Power Attenuator, so you can achieve the ultimate sound at any volume “ and an extremely versatile Vintage Equalizer with Tone control for sculpting the sound of your dreams. Enhancing the flexibility of this do-it-all combo, our revolutionary Infinium Tube Life Multiplier Technology makes tube replacement incredibly simple “ so you can spend more time playing your music.

*Classic All-Tube Design*
The Vintage V5 Infinium features true Class-A technology with a 12AX7 front-end and an EL84 power stage. A masterfully crafted all-tube combo amplifier, the V5 provides sweetly-balanced harmonics and natural tube compression, resulting in the warm distortion and break-up you™ve come to appreciate from those vintage megaliths of yesteryear “ only in a much more portable and attractive package. The hand-selected 12AX7 preamp tube in V5' classic '60s-era preamp provides everything from sweetly-purring blues to mind - blowing crunch. Often employed in British-style amplifiers, the EL84 output tube is known for its crisp and chiming tonal quality when pushed to the max, and the V5 harnesses that power via the built-in power attenuator “ for the ultimate guitar tone at any volume level.

*High-Definition Reverb*
Adding to its impressive list of tone-shaping options, the Vintage V5' high-definition Reverb puts the perfect finishing touch to your signature sound. Adjustable via the dedicated control on the front panel, you can finally achieve any sound you desire “ from a subtle touch to the cavernous, natural-sounding reverberation of a large arena.

*Infinium Tube Life Multiplier Technology*
Years in the making, Bugera's Infinium Tube Life Multiplier Technology can extend the usable lifespan of your amplifier's expensive power valves by up to 20 times, saving you huge money and ensuring the integrity of your tone. How? This revolutionary circuit automatically and continuously monitors the performance of each output tube, and dynamically drives it towards the target operating point, for an evenly distributed load.

Infinium also compensates for the effects of aging, automatically adjusting current levels to keep your tubes sounding as good as new “ even when AC line voltages drop below nominal levels. Similar technology has been used for decades in all-wheel drive cars, where systems modulate the power going to each wheel to improve traction. Just consider Infinium Series amps "4-wheel drive" for your guitar.

Infinium Series amps take all the guesswork out of tube replacement by illuminating an LED next to a tube that is reaching the end of its usable lifespan. And thanks to Infinium's Auto-Bias design, you simply replace the indicated tube “ without a trip to the repair shop, saving you even more money.

Available exclusively from Bugera, Infinium Tube Life Multiplier Technology is a major breakthrough in amplifier design and manufacture, providing incredible reliability for your stage performance and more consistent sound over the lifespan of your tubes. Since they are always operating at optimal levels, your output tubes perform more predictably and last much longer, thanks to Bugera's marvelous Infinium Technology, saving you some serious money.

FEATURES

Power: 5W (tube)
Built-in 2-way attenuator
Tubes: one 12AX7 (preamp); one EL84 (power amp)
Single channel
Speaker: 1x8" Turbosound
Controls: tone, gain, volume, reverb
Built-in reverb
Infinium tube-life multiplier, which extends the life of power-amp tubes up to 20 times


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

I owned one for several months. I bought it used on Kijijji within the first couple of minutes. There is a huge cult following of these amps on the Telecaster Forum.

The YouTube videos have a couple of very good players doing a really convincing review. If you are an awesome player, this will sound like an awesome amp.

It really does several things well, but not everything well. I liked it best running the full wattage, but that is how I like to play. The attenuation is good, but my Vibro Champ or Bronco attenuated is a little better to my ears and my style or abilities. So why have the duplication. By no means does it sound like a Champ. It does a great thing with single coils, clean, and really nice edgey, bluesy dirt, and the reverb on 4 or so.

It is heavy, and had eye candy appeal, for what it is.

I really wanted to keep it, but had way too many amps at that time (20 or more). So I put it up for sale a little higher than what I bought it for used. I paid for delivery at that time as well.

I got the usual $50 offers, one guy came and tried it out, then offered me $100. He told me that they are all over the American pawn shops in the US for cheap. I told him go over there and buy it. The next guy did one strum on the settings I had it set to, and quickly paid me my asking price. He sounded better on it than me. If you play that style, it is an outstanding amp, and if bought right, easy to sell. It took a day to sell.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I want to try one of these but can't find one in a store anywhere. There's one on Kijiji in Amherst for $185.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I didn't care much for it, but really liked the review. I rarely find anyone details the 'cons', and this guy went through a bunch. Total respect.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Guncho said:


> I want to try one of these but can't find one in a store anywhere. There's one on Kijiji in Amherst for $185.


I think I mentioned this to you before. You live an hour from the border. Have it shipped to the UPS depot on Packard Ave. in N. Falls, NY and go pick it up. Make sure you tank is empty when you get their and fill up. That will pay for you trip.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I want to try before I buy not buy and then try. Lol

If I wanted to just buy one I could order it on Amazon and have it shipped to my house for free.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2018)

adcandour said:


> I didn't care much for it, but really liked the review. I rarely find anyone details the 'cons', and this guy went through a bunch. Total respect.


He was left handed so I still don't trust him.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Guncho said:


> I want to try before I buy not buy and then try. Lol
> 
> If I wanted to just buy one I could order it on Amazon and have it shipped to my house for free.


Yes, each to his own choice, for sure.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Sounds like a great little amp in that vid, especially the Strat.
Much better than the Epi valve jr I had. Reverb is a must for me which seems rarish on small tube amps


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2018)

Scotty said:


> Sounds like a great little amp in that vid, especially the Strat.
> Much better than the Epi valve jr I had. Reverb is a must for me which seems rarish on small tube amps


I got a Boss RV6 reverb pedal and it works great for amp reverb even though all my amps have reverb. I got mine for $105 used, I saw one for $75 some time ago I posted it here.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Scotty said:


> Sounds like a great little amp in that vid, especially the Strat.
> Much better than the Epi valve jr I had.* Reverb is a must for me which seems rarish on small tube amps*


I agree on the reverb. I had a Kustom 5W head and cab with no controls. I was running it through an Effects unit but a bit of control on the amp would have been better. That was the first thing I looked for on the Bugera.


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

It is a digital reverb that sounds good around 4.
Shane, in the video sound awesome, but he pretty much always does.


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

I had one and it was just OK. mediocre reverb and not very good cleans.
Unfortunately, this is where we have been brainwashed.
Oh...its a tube amp! It must be good!
Do yourself a favor, if you want a good small amp, check out the orange line-up. They are simply awesome. 
I have a Crush 20RT. Best small amp ever. Even better than my '64 Champ with pedals.
I played mine tonight and added a bunch of pedals and it sounded awesome.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Sounds pretty thin to me. Not warm at all.


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

When I got the amp, I posted a NAD and someone posted that demo. Its horrible The amp sounds way better.
Youtube demos should be banned. You can not tell even close what anything sounds like. There are just way too many variables.
Anyways, I searched and tried a lot of small amp and the Orange was not just a bit better, it was way better. And that includes my '64 champ with reverb and overdrive pedals.

Then again...Guncho is 100% against solid state no matter what. 
Guncho has tried every solid state amp in the world, and gosh darn it...tube amps sound better all the time!!!!!!!!!!!


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I'd rather see a simple tube circuit design and keep all the effects out of it. A pedal can often do more than an amps built in features anyways.


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