Review - Vintage Retro 25 Amplifier
David Gallant
Thursday, February 20, 2025
It’s an amp that’s ideal for home use, the studio and small venues
The Retro 25 and its sister amp, the Retro 15, remind us of the little ZT Lunchbox that we reviewed many moons ago; the only seemingly major difference being that the Retro pair come with a selection of ‘bells & whistles’, while the ZT offered just basic amplification.
Relatively lightweight, the Retro 25 comes with a textured shell skin and a faux canvas nylon tan grill, together with a plastic detachable carrying strap (we would like to have seen leather). The controls are set to the rear of the top plate and are clear to see, if a tad cramped. Included with the quarter-inch jack socket and the on/off switch are the master volume, treble/bass, gain, the two effects controls and the amp simulation control knob, headed up by one labelled ‘jazz’! There are also buttons to control the built-in drum machine, which can adjust rhythm, tempo and volume. Beside these is a headphone socket and a connection for downloads.
Plugged in, the bright blue diode of the on/off switch told us that this little soundbox was ready for action. Navigating our way through the optional settings and levels took a while before we found a combination that we felt happy with, which was the jazz setting with minimal effects… although we’re not at all sure where the ‘jazz’ amp simulation came from!
The Retro 25 raised more eyebrows than any other amp that has landed on the Jazzwise bench in recent years. But if your bag is wild experimental sounds and a jazz/rock/fusion vibe, then this little powerhouse may be for you.
Coming in black, vintage white and mint green, this will be a welcome addition to those more adventurous sound souls looking to explore every possible tonal and timbral variation out there. It’s an amp that’s ideal for home use, the studio and small venues. And at an RRP of £149, it’s not exactly one that’s going to break the bank.