Marshall DSL5CR 5-watt 1x10" Tube Combo Guitar Amp

93
GEARANK

93 out of 100. Incorporating 550+ ratings and reviews.

Street Price: 

$700
Marshall DSL5CR

Gearank High Notes

Gearank Recommendation

The DSL5CR appeared on our recommended list for Tube Amps Under $500 from November 2019 until September 2020 when it was removed due to being out-ranked by other tube amps.

It was also on our recommended list for Tube Amps Under $500 from July 2020 until April 2021 when we had to removed it due to no longer being available for less than $500.

Overview

The Marshall DSL5CR is rated at 5W and can go as low as 1W via power attenuation.

To faithfully reproduce Marshall's familiar overdriven tones, the amp is equipped with two ECC83 tubes in the preamp section, and a ECC99/12BH7 poweramp tube.

Like its smaller sibling, the highly regarded DSL1CR, this amp lets you switch between 2-channels, Classic Gain and Ultra Gain, and it comes with a slightly bigger 10" speaker from Celestion.

Other features include a lineout with Softube's emulation of a Marshall 1960 cabinet, rear-panel effects loop, and built-in reverb.

This is tube amp is a no-brainer for fans of the good old Marshall crunch tone. It is also a great way to test the waters for those who want to get into genuine tube tone without going over the budget or over the neighborhoods sound volume limit.

Specifications

  • Power Rating: 5W / 1W (Via Low Power Button)
  • Preamp Tube: 2 x ECC83
  • Poweramp Tube: 1 x ECC99/12BH7
  • Speaker: 1 x 10" Celestion Ten-30
  • Input: 1 x 1/4" (Instrument), 1 x 1/8" (Aux in)
  • Output: 1 x 1/8" (Softube emulated out), 1 x 1/4" (Internal speaker),
  • Cabinet: Rear Ported
  • Control Knobs: Gain & Volume (Per Channel), 3-Band EQ, Reverb
  • Weight: 27.9 lbs
This was on our recommended list for Combo Guitar Amps Under $500 but was removed due to the price going up above $500. You can find top rated alternatives in our guides to The Best Tube Amps for Guitar and The Best Small / Low Watt Tube Amps.

Demos

About the Author

Alexander BrionesAlexander Briones

I have been writing about and researching music gear for many years, all while serving as a music director at my local church. I engage in guitar playing and singer-songwriter stints, in addition to mentoring young musicians and teaching guitar and bass.