50W vs 100W Tube Amp Volume Difference

[SKU]

More like +3db proactive load

 

[PLX]

More like +3db proactive load

 

[SKU]

Some may have a full basement?
(in mom's house)

"The basement!" said the sound man
We are programmed to receive
You can crank it any time you like
But you may never hear!"



--- solo ---

 

[FuzzyAce]

"The basement!" said the sound man
We are programmed to receive
You can crank it any time you like
But you may never hear!"



--- solo ---

 

[6CA7-A]

 

[6CA7-A]

 

[fuyume]

About 3dB

Yes, by definition, that is mathematically the difference of doubling the power output. You didn't need to measure it on a scope or anything. +3 dB is double the power, +6 dB is double the SPL.

 

[Achilles]

+6 dB is double the SPL.

+10dB is double the SPL.

 

[headcrash]

+3dB is double the power, +6dB is double the voltage (power less). This is because of the 10 * log(P/Pref) for power, and 20 * log(U/Uref) for voltage.

So at an ideal loudspeaker, an ideal amp would "cause" 3dB more SPL.

The "mathematical" or scientific doubling of SPL is 6dB more.
However, this does not correspond to a "humanly" perceived doubling in loudness. Therefore most often 10dB more SPL is described as a perceived loudness doubling.

Wanna dive deeper? --> https://sengpielaudio.com/calculator-levelchange.htm

Sorry for being a smart-ass

 

[Whizzinby]

 

[fuyume]

+10dB is double the SPL.

Incorrect. Read you some Physics. The term "Sound Pressure Level" has a specific scientific meaning.

 

[fuyume]

However, this does not correspond to a "humanly" perceived doubling in loudness. Therefore most often 10dB more SPL is described as a perceived loudness doubling.

Which is an often repeated trope that is unfortunately complete nonsense, from a scientific standpoint.

 

[Achilles]

Someone needs an attitude adjustment.

 

[Iron1]

I remember years ago being told it's not about watts, it's about square inches of speaker. So, a 50 watt amp cranked through two 412s is dramatically louder than a 100-watt through one 212. Not to mention the speaker/cab seems to affect the final tone way more than the amp.

 

[Achilles]

Incorrect. Read you some Physics. The term "Sound Pressure Level" has a specific scientific meaning.

10dB is double the "perceived volume".
I apologize profusely for scrambling my terminologies.

 

[headcrash]

Which is an often repeated trope that is unfortunately complete nonsense, from a scientific standpoint.

Hey fuyume, would you care to elaborate? It was literally decades ago, when I left the scientific field I was in, so there might be some more modern approaches to that subject.

 

[woody]

The 100W imagine looks less compressed than the 50W in your image, and on the frequency graph, the 100W peaks between 100W and 200W have a bigger difference than the ones between 600hz and 800hz.

But yeah, often the differences in tone arent just down to having 50W more, or bigger transformers.

Having 3db of extra headroom will make me attack the strings a bit softer.
This will probably sound less strident, too...

 

[Elric]

Someone needs an attitude adjustment.

By at least 3, er 6, no! 10dB!

 

[Jaji]

A few years ago, I purchased a BC Audio Grand Prix. Bruce stated this was the first time he designed an amp with a 50/100 switch and went further to say that going from 50 to 100 watts was a 3 db increase - which is perfect for solos. Can't argue with him one bit and the amp is a total beast.