The Truth

[deepblue]

Im going to post this so maybe some younger guys, and perhaps some older ones

too, will understand that there is really very little need for 100w+ amplifiers.

Sure, the do have a purpose but I dont recall anyone here getting pumped for

their Madison Square Garden gig. lol

 

I guess my point is to the new players just starting out. They want a good amp but cant afford

a 100w stack like *insert name here* uses.

A 100w amp ISNT twice as loud as a 50w....only slightly louder.

Some 7w amps sound amazing, at a much cheaper price than that 100-200w monster.

 

Check out the chart....

 

Relative to the standard amp power of 50 watts.

 

% louder = 2^log10(P2/P1) * 100%

40 watts is 94% as loud as 50 watts.

30 watts is 86% as loud as 50 watts.

25 watts is 81% as loud as 50 watts.

22 watts is 78% as loud as 50 watts.

20 watts is 76% as loud as 50 watts.

18 watts is 74% as loud as 50 watts.

15 watts is 70% as loud as 50 watts.

12 watts is 65% as loud as 50 watts.

10 watts is 62% as loud as 50 watts.

9 watts is 60% as loud as 50 watts.

8 watts is 56% as loud as 50 watts.

7 watts is 55% as loud as 50 watts.

6 watts is 53% as loud as 50 watts.

5 watts is 50% as loud as 50 watts.

4 watts is 47% as loud as 50 watts.

3 watts is 43% as loud as 50 watts.

2 watts is 38% as loud as 50 watts.

1 watt is 31% as loud as 50 watts.

3/4 watt is 28% as loud as 50 watts.

1/2 watt is 25% as loud as 50 watts.

1/4 watt is 20% as loud as 50 watts.

1/10 watt is 15% as loud as 50 watts.

50mW is 13% as loud as 50 watts

20mW is 10% as loud as 50 watts.

10mW is 8% as loud as 50 watts.

5mW is 6% as loud as 50 watts.

1mW is 4% as loud as 50 watts.

0.5mW is 3% as loud as 50 watts.

0.1mW is 2% as loud as 50 watts.

50uW is 1.6% as loud as 50 watts.

10uW is 1% as loud as 50 watts.

[DAS44]

first I thought we were talking bout Paul

[deepblue]

first I thought we were talking bout Paul

 

Sports?....no-no-no.

Id rather watch a fly crawl up a curtain.

[rocketman]

Very nice! It's also great to see an equation here. Does that mean I can start putting differential equations here too???

[Blackie]

But I want 100 % of 100 watts..........although I only use about 6.8 watts

[NeoConMan]

Does that mean I can start putting differential equations here too???

 

 

NO!

 

 

 

 

I get enough of that crap at work....

 

 

 

 

[NeoConMan]

I bought my Marshall JCM 800 because it's a 1981 (first year) with vertical inputs - kinda collectible.

I also knew the history on it, and the price wasn't bad.

 

No way could I justify owning it, I rarely play gigs and can't imagine playing a venue large enough to need it.

That being said, my wife has an appreciation for the stupid grin on my face every time I plug into it.

 

(Even if she can feel it in her chest and it moves all the pictures around in the house....)

 

She even suggested I buy a Marshall A cab to top off my half stack because my Peavey A cab doesn't match.

 

 

 

All you young guys need to plug a Les Paul into a good tube half stack at least once, just so you "get" it.

Then stack both cabinets and crank 100 watts just once - you haven't lived until you do.

It's absolutely fxcking insane being in the same room with the preamp dimed and the master on about 6!

 

With the stupid-*** grin on your face, and possible ear damage after the ringing finally quits 3 days later,

you will no longer crave 100 watts because you think you actually need it - because you don't.

 

 

 

 

I play gigs with my 60 watt Fender Hot Rod DeVille 2x12 - with the volume on about 2.5 and the drive on 4.

Run the volume up to 4 and it will take your hair off, with plenty of bottom end for Drop D Les Paul riffage.

 

Deep Blue is a wise man, I don't know if he has the hearing loss I do from playing too damned loud....

 

The focus should be on amp quality, not power output.

And for most rhythm, riffs, chords and such, more speakers sound fuller and richer.

I find leads come out of a single speaker just fine, the clarity allows you to dial in exactly what tone you want.

 

I've decided to take a new approach myself when buying amps - no more combos.

I want to find the head I want, then mix and match cabs as I see fit.

Fender, Mesa, whatever, it's likely separates from here on out.

[Gilliangirl]

I thought you were talking about Jason Aldean

[KL]

Some 7w amps sound amazing' date=' at a much cheaper price than that 100-200w monster.

 

[/quote']

 

Can't argue with that. I have a couple of old Fender Champs/Vibro Champs that are 5 watts. I use them (not all at once!!) on stage miked up through the PA, and at home (un-miked). I also have a few 4 watt amps that sound great and are PLENTY loud enough for home use and sound great in the studio (as do the champs). I rarely use my larger amps now. In fact the only time I use them at present is in the studio where I have them miked up in a live room, and then I play in the control room as they are just way to loud to be in the same room, but they do sound great when cranked up and I get a great recorded sound with them. (All my amps are tube amps, with the exception of my trusty old Pignose, and an AER acoustic amplifier).

[cwness]

I've decided to take a new appraoch myself when buying amps - no more combos.

I want to find the head I want' date=' then mix and match cabs as I see fit.

Fender, Mesa, whatever, it's likely separates from here on out.[/quote']

 

You'll love the variety of tones you can get with multiple cabs.

 

I'm with Neo I love going in and cranking my Marshalls (I only have 50 watts).

 

Blue is right right now I play my Orange TT all the time and on 7.5 watts

Not to loud but just enough to sound good with out a lot of volume. I'm

looking for the Blackstar HT-5 head (5 watts) on CL at present.

 

CW

[NeoConMan]

on stage miked up through the PA

First time I saw Foghat' date=' I was blown away by the tone - from little tiny Fender amps with a mic in front.

 

Their sound was [b']HUGE![/b]

 

I'm a believer.

[The Mick]

My 50 watt JMP has pissed off a lot of sound guys over the years thats for sure.

[Gibson4life]

I've actually played in front of an audience of 3000 with just a 15 watt Line 6. It was fine and I actually didn't even turn the volume all the way upp. Personally anything above 50 watts is just too loud, and unless you're gonna play at the Grammys, you don't really need that much. Having a Amp of higher wattage doesn't necessarily mean better tone (unless you have a tube amp)

[Silenced Fred]

I've actually played in front of an audience of 3000 with just a 15 watt Line 6. It was fine and I actually didn't even turn the volume all the way upp. Personally anything above 50 watts is just too loud' date=' and unless you're gonna play at the Grammys, you don't really need that much. Having a Amp of higher wattage doesn't necessarily mean better tone (unless you have a tube amp)[/quote']

 

:-

[Rocky4]

5 watts is surprisingly loud, I understand the level is equal to a trumpet.

[guitargreg1993]

wow, thats interesting....

 

thanks for sharing!

 

I also really like Neo's advice... i shall have to do that someday....

[Lowdown]

My 50 watt JMP has pissed off a lot of sound guys over the years thats for sure.

 

EXACTLY.

Hit the nail on the head there Mick.

 

For anyone that's played live there is NOTHING that will piss a FOH bloke off more than an inexperienced guitarist who thinks that he has to redline his 50-100 watt stack so he can be "heard".

 

Like neo,I too have an '81 800 and have NEVER had it flatlined. No need.No way.

In my tweaker days,I used to double stack it for looks but still couldn't bring myself to go past midnight.

 

And since I've gotten my C5,I haven't used my 800.No need.No way...so far:-k

[Silenced Fred]

That is actually really useful information. I always knew that, for example, 25 watts wasn't half of 50 watts, but I didn't know it was that close.

 

This will actually help a lot of people out, because I have been looking at a lot of the "lunchbox" amps, and those will be more than enough (Dual Terror or Transatlantic)

 

Thanks for posting that

[FennRx]

I've actually played in front of an audience of 3000 with just a 15 watt Line 6. It was fine and I actually didn't even turn the volume all the way upp. Personally anything above 50 watts is just too loud' date=' and unless you're gonna play at the Grammys, you don't really need that much. Having a Amp of higher wattage doesn't necessarily mean better tone (unless you have a tube amp)[/quote']

 

i am assuming this was mic'd? no way in hell you could play with my drummer with 15 watts of solid state.

[NeoConMan]

Mrs. Neo...

She even suggested I buy a Marshall A cab ... because my Peavey A cab doesn't match.

Then stack both cabinets and crank 100 watts....

Okay' date=' okay, I know....

 

This is gonna kinda defeat the logic line in this thread, but I just scored a new A cabinet for my Marshall.

I've had the B cab half stack for several years, and today I stumbled across a smoking deal - can't pass it up.

Almost brand new, 1960 like my B cab, and the price was too good to ignore.

About half what they sell for new.

 

Do I need it?

HELL NO!

 

Is it money well-spent?

Well, I got it pretty cheap so I guess I could always sell it and make a buck.

 

 

[i']Nah![/i]

I re-arranged my whole guitar room to accomodate my new arrival.

Probably be a week or two before I drive over to pick it up, along with a few other minor goodies.

 

 

I'll let everybody know how long it takes for the ringing to subside this time!

 

[omg]/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/

[Californiaman]

So what are you plugging it into, a JCM800?

Rock on brother Neo.

[NeoConMan]

Yeah, a 1981 with vertical inputs.

100 watt 2203.

 

That's the deal, I rarely even turn the thing on. Not like I can justify owning it.

 

But I ain't never selling it.

 

[Bender 4 Life]

Since I only play @ home, & @ friends homes, and record now..........i'd much rather "Heat Up" the tubes in this little 5w monster:

 

than do this: trying to get "my tone" thru cold tubes in my 105w stage amp.

[DanvillRob]

So I guess my Dual Showman, (300 watts), is just about worthless?

 

Actually, when I started playing, even at HUGE venues, (30,000+), the amps weren't mic'd and run through the house PA, (as a matter of fact, many of the places didn't have PA's). That's why many times the amps were provided by the concert promoter, so you'd get a stage full of VOX Super Beatles or Fender Dual Showmans.

 

Now my Showman sits in my office, rarely used because it's just too danged big to "pull out" for a few hours of practice.

 

However, I wouldn't be without it!!

[milod]

Back in the olden days I was playing rock with a Deluxe Reverb, we had a Bandmaster and Bassman, both with 4-10 cabs. The tube PA ran through 12" speakers.

 

I never had problems being heard.

 

We didn't have the total wall-damaging power of some bands later on, but there were nights I'd come home for a shower and couldn't hear the water running and barely could hear the old straight pipes on a Healey 6-banger engine.

 

My little 30-watt solid state plays with enough sound easily to play a jazz solo gig on stage for 5-600 folks or in a saloon with a 100-person capacity - in both places less than half way up on the volume.

 

OTOH, I do love the sound from the big old tube amp with its two 12s and power to break windows and the occasional door. I just never use it any more.

 

m