HEADS AND POWER AMPS

[Fret-Shredder]

I think , and I may not be right on this but. The 50 watt and the 100watt head on a single 4X12 cab will achieve to the human ear the same eardrum numbing volume. Add any more 4X12 cabs and the 50watt head will lose some volume and the 100 watt head with stay louder and clearer. So the WATTS of the amp allow you to drive more cabs. :shock:

I see,so are you telling that If I'll use only one 4X4 cab,buying a 100 watts head will be a waste of money?

Meaning if they'll sound the same with one 4X4 cab,I (we) don't need a 100 watts head.
Only If I (we) will use more cabs ?
Interesting thought :shock:

Thats what I have always thought. Although you can look at it that the 100watt head will run more efficiently and not have to work as hard as the 50 watt head :wink: :wink:

 

[guitarmaster]

:!:

 

[18&Life]

:shock:

 

[ToneAddictJon]

I have another question to go along with this,
If my 100watt amp goes to 11 and yours only goes to 10 is mine louder?? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Speakers will make more of a difference than heads, unless you are running 12 cabs, then I'd steal your heads and your cabs and leave you a 12 watt crate practice amp 8)

A 15 watt head will drive a 4x12 cab just as well as a 50 watt cab, you will only notice tonal differences, not really volume differences, unless you are on 10 to be heard over the drummer, at which point you should walk over to your drummer take his sticks and beat him silly, then take his kick drum and smash your guitar through both heads :twisted:

 

[guitarmaster]

:!:

 

[18&Life]

Did you realize how many (millions) people bought their 100 watts heads with one cab , spended a lot more money thinking they'll sound louder than 50 watts ?

And how many millions still will be doing that ?
I think it's interesting.

Maybe people who knows it don't think this thread is usefull BUT for the ones who are going to buy their amps,it's very helpfull !

 

[visualrocker69]

SO profound!

So did you learn anything from this thread visualrocker69? :wink: Because I'm still thinking about it myself

On the contrary. I want those two minutes of my life back. Along with however many brain cells I just lost.

 

[phaboo]

Double the power will get you about 3db louder through the same speakers.

The other factor you need to consider is speaker efficiency and its response. A higher efficiency speaker will produce more sound given the same power, so the power amp isn't all there is to think about.

The response of the speaker matters as well. A thin speaker will sound louder because it will be PIERCING (loud isn't always good) where a bassier one won't sound as loud because it'll get buried in mud.

 

[venaleschatology]

Double the power will get you about 3db louder through the same speakers.

The other factor you need to consider is speaker efficiency and its response. A higher efficiency speaker will produce more sound given the same power, so the power amp isn't all there is to think about.

The response of the speaker matters as well. A thin speaker will sound louder because it will be PIERCING (loud isn't always good) where a bassier one won't sound as loud because it'll get buried in mud.

EXACTLY. God thank you. Its simple. 100w is 3db louder than 50watts which is a fairly small difference. Anyway as guitarist you should all know that pure volume in terms of db is pretty meanlingless once you have a relatively good amp with a fair rating (40 watts plus). After you have some volume, head room is the most impotant thing. While a 50 and 100 watt amp will sound relatively similar in terms of pure volume, the tone when at higher volumes will be dramatically different as the 50watt 's PA tubes will be being driven heaps harder=power tube distortion at lower levels. 100 watt amps will stay cleaner at higher volumes. If you want clean and modern metal tones you want more watts because you do not want even a hint of power tube distortion, the opposite is true of classic rock, and most solo tones.

Besides what alows you to cut through the mix is by no means pure volume. While my 4 watt Uni valve clone isnt ganna cut it at a gig un miked, its subtle things like harmonics, presence and eq-ing that make the difference. This is why class A amps cut through better than a/b and solid state amps need to be around 300-400 watts to compete with standard tubes amps. If you cant hear yourself over your drummer with a 50watt amp then its not you amps fault.

Finally, while visualrocker 69 is clearly a dick, one would have thought that a sound englineer with so much experience would know these things, esp about the eq ing and harmonics.

 

[JPIndustrie]

When you're buying guitar amplifiers in this range, as in, professional levels, it's generally agreed that loudness or 'volume' level DOES NOT make one amp better than the other.

You buy the amp based on your needs and wants when it comes to tone. As other posters have mentioned, its more the tone and dynamics of how a 100W amp responds vs. a 50W amp responds, as a 100W amp is just miniscule louder than the 50W.

 

[Lopp]

Sorry about reviving this old thread, but I thought it was amusing.

Especially when considering how some guitarists want to get 100W or even 350W to be heard over their drummer at practice... But then they stand right next to their 4x12 cab that ends up blasting their tone into their kneecaps instead of their ears.

 

[masque]

Yeah you really missed my point as always.
You can't go to a store and crank all amps volumes and do audio measurements.
Are you dumb,I'm talking about real life on the streets,not about doing calculations on a deskboard.
Tell me how many teenagers think the louder amp is the one with more watts.
Everybody say(unexperienced people) get a 100 watts head,a 50 watts will not give you volume enough to rehearsalls.Your drummer will kill your 50 watts amp.
Got it now.
99% think watts as a volume parameter.
I think who knows the right answer will help a lot of people about it.

i use a mesa 20/20 power amp and I have never had any drummer ever overpower my rig during rehersal.

 

[EdgeOfDarkness]

Tube or SS watts ? :lol: