Chris I'm with you I hate graphic EQs, to many knobs and switch are a pain in the ass. How loud is it ? you run out of headroom just past 12 o'clock. For rehersal it is perfect, it keeps up with a 50w marshall and our drummer who hits pretty dam hard. I would use it at a small gig miked, I think it would get lost on a larger stage. The great thing about this amp is you get that nice full fat, warm, gritty, punchy, tube sound a a volume that won't kill you, perfect of our rehersal studio.