Let's play...Would you rather..

[laxu]

Give me the high wattage one. I've had better experiences with a high power amp turned down than a low power amp cranked to its limits.

For me the 30-50W area is the sweet spot though - always enough clean headroom, not quite as extreme dynamic range as 100W.

 

[laxu]

Username checks out.

I'm sure over time he has to change it to "megadeaf7" tho...

 

[Byrdman]

Most amps sound better with a 4x12 . It's the lugging around part that gets old!

How about 2x 2x12's

 

[la szum]

Both. Depends on the context.... i.e., style of music being played and who I am playing with/for.

 

[Baba]

Most amps sound better with a 4x12 . It's the lugging around part that gets old!

Truer words have never been spoken

P.S. - 100 watt amp turned down for me. As others have stated, that headroom and thump.

 

[FuzzyAce]

P.S. - 100 watt amp turned down for me. As others have stated, that headroom and thump.

Yep, my twin reverb sounds killer played at lower volumes and still has that thump.

 

[spawnofthesith]

high watt for sure

 

[MirrorProfiles]

100W amps sound good/better at those volumes. All about headroom rather than volume. In fact, some 100W amps sound better at volumes QUIETER than band/gig levels

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Depends. Hardcore show in a small room with shitty PA? More power, open back cabs. Bigger room, shitty PA? more power, closed cabs. Good PA, smaller power mic'ed up would work. Blooze gig with shit PA? either works for me because we won't be playing at hardcore levels.

 

[Jarick]

Of those choices, a good 100 watt amp with master volume, but I've never had a situation where a 50 watt amp wasn't plenty loud.

 

[Achilles]

Hi wattage vs low wattage can't mean 100w vs 50w, since the difference in SPL is so minimal.

Same 4 x 12 cabinet: 100 watt Friedman BE turned down vs 20 watt Pink Taco turned up? Easy.

 

[metropolis_4]

Interesting reading responses, I guess my approach is very different. I usually don’t want headroom, I want to overdrive the amp.

100 watt amps always have too much headroom and feel too hard and immediate to me. There’s nothing I hate more than playing a 100 watt amp at low volumes.

Sub-50 watt amps feel more responsive to me. They give more and I can control how much I’m overdriving the amp with my attack.

 

[la szum]

Yup. Context matters. Less headroom. More headroom. Compression. Feel. It all depends on the
set and setting for me. I have played too powerful amps in a context where it was not needed and
it was a nightmare. Like trying to paint with a sledgehammer. Also played underpowered amps for
the context and that was a nightmare. too. Like trying to demo a building with a paintbrush.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Laughs (cries?) in Orange AD140

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Tough one. Lower watt = 50 watt head; then yes. Lower watt = el84 thingamajig; then no.

"lower watt"

 

[JiveTurkey]

All this thread is doing is igniting GAS for a Stealth 50 watter

 

[HotRats]

Less than 20W? Give me a 100W any day.

20-40W? I'm not sure. There are too many variables. Music played, overall band volume, headroom needed if any, tone/feel preferences, weight/logistics.


I'm currently playing the 20W jubilee and a 2x12 and so far seems to be perfect for the band I'm in but haven't gigged with them (and this amp) yet, therefore I don't really know if will be good enough. The 20W seems to have a wider sweet spot, doesn't need to run with master very high to sound the best.

I used to play a jubilee with a 4x12 and needed an attenuator to be manageable in the sweet spot (master volume > 6) in a very loud band.

 

[megametal7]

I'm sure over time he has to change it to "megadeaf7" tho...

i blame my bassist, his deaf... he never can hear himself and keeps turning up his 1500 w rig... so we are just trying to keep up lol

 

[Achilles]

Wanna guess which 20 watter is going to kick more booty?

 

[laxu]

Wanna guess which 20 watter is going to kick more booty?

Clearly the lower one since it's plugged in!

But seriously, those Bogner transformers are huge.