Bugera V5 Infinium

This amp is either incredibly frustrating or incredibly rewarding, depending on your desires and your setup. This really isn't for everyone, and some guitars just don't seem to agree with it (I should note that this isn't a problem unique to this amp, as I had similar experiences with an Epiphone Valve Jr.)

If you have a humbucker equipped, dark sounding guitar, this is probably not the amp for you. I usually play a modded LP with a JB in the bridge and a humbucker sized SD P90 in the neck. The amp took to the neck pickup *relatively* well, but the bridge was all mud unless I dialed up the gain, turned down the volume, and cranked the tone full bright. After a few disappointing months, I swapped the bridge pickup for a P90, and it's like night and day. With single coils it SPARKLES, especially with the gain up to about 4 and the reverb around 7. A tele would be divine.

The build is solid and the features are actually pretty nice for a simple little tube amp. It would probably sound even better through a more substantial cab, but for my needs it's fine (now).

The Bugera V5 Infinium is a small tube amp that looks appealing on paper thanks to its low price and compact design. In practice, however, it feels more like an entry-level experiment than a truly solid option.

One of the main drawbacks is the lack of a proper 3-band EQ. Having only a single tone control makes it difficult to dial in more refined sounds, and limits the amp’s versatility compared to other small tube combos in the same range.

The hum is also quite noticeable for a 5-watt amp. According to Thomann’s experts, this is “normal in all tube amps” — and who am I to disagree with the experts? Still, it’s distracting, especially for quiet practice or recording.

In terms of value for money, I find it questionable. If you’re already considering upgrading the stock tubes to improve tone and reduce noise, there are other amps on the market that offer better cost-benefit straight out of the box, without needing that kind of extra investment.

Overall, the V5 Infinium is okay for the price, but it’s far from the best deal. It might suit someone who just wants an inexpensive first step into tube amps, but if you’re after quality and flexibility, there are better alternatives.