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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | In my quest for just the right tone, and after countless hours of experimentation with a current inventory that numbers over 20 amps and sound systems, I’ve finally come to a few conclusions about this important piece of gear. How about you? And, of course, YMMV.
1. There is no one single amp that will do everything perfectly and exactly meet all of your needs. However, some will do way more than others.
2. Most amps have a sweet spot that generally starts around half volume and goes up from there. Accordingly, using any amp that is so powerful for your specific application that you have to operate the volume at less than the midpoint likely represents a waste of wattage and underutilization of the amp’s potential and purpose for which it was designed.
3. We tend to underestimate the size and weight of our gear, or overestimate our tolerance for conveniently and comfortably handling that gear over time, which inevitably leads to dissatisfaction and repeated efforts to downsize.
4. We all interpret sounds differently, and we all have different perceptions of “good” sound. What pleases some offends others, and we all tend to overestimate the need for and value of volume.
5. There are so many variables and settings present throughout the signal chain that comparisons between amps is valid only when all these other variables can be isolated, controlled, and their undesirable impact minimized. Space configuration, equipment placement, and the overall acoustic characteristics of the venue also have an impact on the quality of the sound. Unfortunately, I am not qualified to really understand how any of this works, let alone try to control it with any degree of confidence.
6. What we hear as musicians is different from what the audience hears from the house. We obviously have significant influence over what the audience hears, but ultimately, the importance of the skill and capability of the sound engineer and his or her equipment in affecting the overall sound outcome must not be underestimated.
7. Our capability as musicians generally pales in comparison to the general capability of the equipment typically at our disposal.
8. Two models, exactly the same, don’t always sound exactly the same, even when all other variables are carefully controlled.
9. The tonal differentiation between today’s sophisticated and technologically advanced gear is often beyond my hearing capabilities. All other things being equal, and at the volumes I typically play, I’m not certain that I could always make the distinction between a $100 speaker and a $300 speaker, tubes versus solid state, different types of output tubes, analog versus digital, a 12" speaker versus a 10" speaker versus multiple 5" speakers, an A-B-C chain versus a C-B-A chain, hand-wiring versus a circuit board, boutique versus mass production, vintage versus reissue, etc. Paying extra for upgraded amp components may not be something that necessarily adds value to your desired sound.
10. And finally, being an accomplished musician is really not at all about the equipment. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | 11. Brad has a lot of freakin' amps... |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | 12. Brad has too much time on his hands to think of all this stuff! |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | 13. I want to be in Brad's music room. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | So what's your favorite amp for the basement jam. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | bottom line
the bigger and heavier the equipment the better it sounds.
I have a bunch of old crown power amps etc and they blow the doors off the fidelity of any new stuff around today including crown.
unfortunately my back does not let me carry the refrigerators any more |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | 14. Except for #9, in which I find myself, Brad has an innate ability to state the obvious! 
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Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | 13. I agree with everything except #9. It was so long I didn't read it.
15. You can't have too many #13's. |
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Posts: 815
Location: Colorado | #7 really hits home for/with me. A crappy wall-hanger is well beyond my ability.
#16. Todd will be mentioned in Brad's will. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by alpep:
bottom line
the bigger and heavier the equipment the better it sounds.
...unfortunately my back does not let me carry the refrigerators any more J.J. Cale once said in an interview a few years ago, "My amp ain't no bigger than my back". |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by an4340:
So what's your favorite amp for the basement jam. The '65 Bandmaster through a '63 Reverb unit for clean, the Vox AC30 for electric (still experimenting with the top boost settings), and the Genz Acoustic Pro for acoustic. Only the latter occasionally gets carted upstairs and out to gigs, the others stay put, and they rarely see anything higher than 2 on the Volume dial. They're all total overkill. Various amps have been strategically placed throughout the house and garage, and a few more out at venues and my office, to avoid amp transport as much as possible these days (I'm totally with you on this point, Al). I'll post a pic of the newest rig in a few days as it is still sitting here in my office since arriving last week. Lord only knows what the heck I intend to do with it. |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | 17. A power attenuator is an important piece of equipment in your bandroom. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | +1 on the weight issues. If it's more than 30LBS it's a no go for me. I know, I'm old. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | All of the above is very true...
The very reason I will need to hack down my junk and rubbish , tho` it`s a challenge to make miniscule boxes sporting 18" and 15" Goodmans , Altec , JBL speakers.. but I REFUSE to compromise even further , it must be possible ... somehow.. a Modular system , convenient to transport and adaptable for every occasion ... a small combo that drives a mic. , which in turn drives the P A ,..but all in all , still will not fit in the boot..
Vic |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by FlicKreno aka Solid Top:
fit in the boot.. ... aka the trunk for the Colonialists. |
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July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by alpep:
bottom line
the bigger and heavier the equipment the better it sounds.
I have a bunch of old crown power amps etc and they blow the doors off the fidelity of any new stuff around today including crown.
unfortunately my back does not let me carry the refrigerators any more Most sounf enginneers I know have the same opinion |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | 18. Just because your name starts with "Professor" doesn't necessarily mean you can spell "observations". |
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Posts: 5328
Location: Cicero, NY | Nise. Pleeze leeve the Perfessur alone, Wask. He'z trying to mak a point. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Spell I can. Type I cannot. |
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October 2005
Posts: 5328
Location: Cicero, NY | There's no shame in admitting your limitations, Prof. I never thought I'd have an issue with a bottle of Patron and a hotel lobby filled with guitar players but I know better now. |
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Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Maybe I'm just compensating but, Lighter gear now sounds better to my ear...... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Jest kiddn, Brad. Bill is not, however. |
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Some obervations about amps . . .