What's it all about?

Something from the fridge · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 5:48 pm Post subject: What's it all about?

Okay. I've been playing for 13 years, and for the bulk of that time, I have owned a trusty old Roland amp. It's not a speaker box with a head, just an amp that you plug straight into.
It was fine, and I found that I could easily join in with any band. Now, though, everyone is talking combos, with quad boxes and amp heads and pre amps... I have to be honest when I say I HAVE NO IDEA ON WHAT MOST OF IT IS ABOUT!!!
Why is an amp that is seperate to the speaker so important (apart from expanded EQ options)? What does a pre amp do? Why is it all necessary?
If these things are 'the only way to go', then why is the market still carrying amps that are 'one piece'?
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vwall · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 6:36 pm Post subject:

Combo amps are convenient...

Its great to have a small Mesa Boogie 1x12 if you are doing small venues that can be miced and still get that tone.

I prefer the seperate head and cab for a full pounding sound...

Pre amps are what gives you your distortion.

I generally spare no expense at getting the best amp avail to my tastes...

Go to a local music store and try out a dozen different amps or so..
Be sure to CRANK them cuz yuo will not truley test drive its sound quality unless you do...
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SRXThunder · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:14 pm Post subject:

WARNING! I am about to give my opinion. First and foremost, it's all a matter of taste. What sounds good to you? To me, that's number 1. "My" sound is what takes priority.

As far as combos vs. heads&cabs, it boils down to air. Here's an example:

Let's say have a 100 watt combo with a 14" speaker. It's going to crank out 100 watts, right?

Now let's say you have a 100 watt head with 2 cabs. The first has 4 10" speakers, and the other has an 18" speaker. The 100 watts that the stack puts out, even though it's still 100 watts, will be much louder because you are moving more air. The movement in the air is what we here, not the amount of electricity moving through the circuits. Does that make sense?

As far as a pre amp goes, it's like V said, it's effects. It's modifications to your sound on a more passive level prior to the sound being amplified. They do pretty much the same thing as a pedal do, but they do it in greater detail and they give you more control over your sound. They are also very versitle for recording or "direct-in" live situations. Being a bass player I don't have much need for effects, but I do use preamps for compression and to give me a fuller, thicker tone. I can also plug straight into a mixing board for recording or live gigs with pre-existing sound systems, so I don't have to mic my amp.

And like V said, spare no expence. I've gone through as many as 6 guitars in a year, but the amps are always around until they can't be repaired any longer!
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vwall · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:52 pm Post subject:

Something from the fridge · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 9:21 pm Post subject:

Gotcha!
Seeing as how I don't think I'll be filling Yankee Stadium within the next five years, I may stick with a combo for now. I would rather get a decent sized and higher priced combo than a cheaper head and cab, as I have found the combo to be fine for what I do. My old Roland combo was enough; I couldn't have it on more than 3 in the house, and on five, I could drown out the drummer, so to me I think that's powerful enough.
I can't see myself setting up an entire rig of cabinet speakers, head, and pre-amp for a quick session before I jump in the shower at night, but the combo allows things like that.
The information given here has been really appreciated.
Be warned...
I will ask more questions. Smile

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Most people are as happy as they make their minds up to be. - Lincoln.

JayJay · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 2:57 am Post subject:

Sorry for being a smartass, but I did get the impression that you described
the pre-amp being only some kind of an effects-box which it isn't.
Pre-amp is the section of the amp where you plug your instrument into.
All the tone controls of the amp are in the pre-amp section. The power-amp section only includes the volume control (if even that). The power section only amplifies the sound coming from the pre-amp section, right?
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Thanks

Jani