Peavey Envoy 110

This second hand electric guitar amp is in very good condition

The Peavey Envoy 110 is one of those amplifiers that has earned a reputation for being considerably better than its modest price and compact size might suggest. Part of Peavey's TransTube range, the Envoy 110 uses solid-state circuitry designed to recreate some of the feel and response of a valve amplifier, delivering 40 watts through a single 10-inch Blue Marvel speaker.

It is a straightforward, practical amplifier, but there is plenty going on under the hood.

Compact but Powerful

The Envoy 110 may be relatively small, but its 40-watt output gives it plenty of volume. Peavey's specifications rate the amplifier at 40 watts RMS into 6 ohms, with the 10-inch Blue Marvel speaker providing the voice.

That makes it suitable for much more than bedroom practice. It has enough headroom for rehearsals and smaller gigs, while remaining compact enough to transport without too much effort.

TransTube Technology

The real attraction is Peavey's TransTube circuitry. Developed by Peavey during the 1990s, TransTube was designed to reproduce characteristics associated with valve amplification, including the way an amplifier responds as it is pushed. Peavey continued to develop the technology across its amplifier range.

The Envoy doesn't attempt to provide dozens of digital models. Instead, it concentrates on producing a handful of useful sounds and giving the player plenty of control over them.

That analogue-style approach has aged rather well.

Clean Channel

The clean channel is arguably one of the Envoy 110's strongest features.

It has a clear, punchy character with plenty of headroom, making it a good platform for pedals. The three-band EQ gives you plenty of control over the basic character, while the voicing switch allows the sound to be altered without having to completely reconfigure the amplifier.

The clean channel can also work surprisingly well with single-coil guitars, providing enough clarity for blues, country, indie and classic rock.

Lead Channel

Switch over to the lead channel and the Envoy becomes considerably more aggressive.

The pre-gain control allows you to push the TransTube circuitry into progressively heavier sounds, while the three-position voicing switch provides different approaches to the gain and EQ character. The post-gain control then allows you to set the overall level.

It can produce anything from a gritty blues crunch to much heavier distortion. It doesn't quite have the refinement or complexity of a modern high-gain valve amplifier, but that isn't really the point. The Envoy's lead sound is direct, immediate and very usable.

For extreme metal players, an additional distortion pedal may be desirable, but for classic rock, blues and punk it has plenty of drive available.

Reverb and Boost

The built-in reverb is a useful addition, allowing you to add some space to both clean and driven sounds.

The Envoy also features a volume boost function that can be operated from the optional footswitch. The footswitch can also be used to change between the clean and lead channels, making the amplifier considerably more practical for live use. 

Useful Connections

The Envoy 110 is equipped with a headphone output, making it useful for quieter practice, as well as a speaker-simulated direct output for connecting to recording or PA equipment. 

That speaker-simulated output is particularly useful for a solid-state amplifier of this type. It means you can take the Envoy's sound directly into a mixing desk or recording setup without necessarily putting a microphone in front of the speaker.

A Great Pedal Platform

One of the reasons these older Peavey amplifiers continue to attract attention is their ability to work well with pedals.

The clean channel provides a solid foundation for overdrive, distortion, modulation and delay pedals. This allows the Envoy to become the centre of a surprisingly sophisticated rig without requiring a large or expensive amplifier.

Its straightforward controls also mean that you can spend more time playing and less time navigating menus.

Vintage Peavey Character

There is also something appealing about the Envoy's no-nonsense construction. Older Peavey solid-state amplifiers have developed a reputation for being rugged working musicians' equipment, and the Envoy certainly fits that description.

It doesn't have the glamour of a vintage Fender or Marshall, but that is part of its appeal. These were amplifiers designed to be used, transported and played rather than carefully preserved as collector's pieces.

That reputation has also helped the older Envoy 110 develop something of a cult following among players looking for inexpensive vintage solid-state amplification. 

The Peavey Envoy 110 is an excellent example of a practical, affordable solid-state amplifier that delivers considerably more than you might expect.

The 40-watt output provides plenty of volume, the 10-inch Blue Marvel speaker gives it a punchy voice, and the TransTube circuitry produces convincing clean, crunch and overdriven sounds. Add the separate clean and lead EQ sections, voicing switches, reverb, boost, headphone output and speaker-simulated direct out, and you have a remarkably versatile amplifier.

A compact, tough and surprisingly powerful Peavey with great clean tones, useful overdrive and plenty of vintage solid-state character, the Envoy 110 is a seriously underrated little amplifier.