What is the smallest "power" amp?

[Aceman]

If it had stage volume vs a Drummer, and drove a 4x12 - that would be perfect.

[CaptainWhizz]

There are a few videos on YouTube if you search “Mooer baby bomb 4x12”, but I’ve been to a punk gig before and realised after a band’s set that one if the guitarists had been using an Orange Micro Terror into a 4x12.

[Aceman]

There are a few videos on YouTube if you search “Mooer baby bomb 4x12”, but I’ve been to a punk gig before and realised after a band’s set that one if the guitarists had been using an Orange Micro Terror into a 4x12.

THAT is punk!

[Ewizard]

i made two others uaing different chips, one is 220W@4ohms & other 100W@4ohms, those i got a LRS power supply to power properly. These power ratings drop by half as the load is doubled so for 16ohm it would be 65W & 25W each. I have run them through a 4x12 cab, even the tiny one from the pic. They were plently load and a clean sound of the 65W kept up with my 50W tube amp. Since the distortion was being generated by a preamp pedal im not sure if there were issues keeping up since i didnt hear any nasty clipping at loud volumes.

I got myself a 30-watt amp module from eBay that isn't much bigger than a quarter for about $6 several years ago. The funny thing is that the old laptop charger that is used as its power supply costs more than the amp module to replace. The module I got has no provisions for volume or tone and is literally just an amplifier. My intention was to employ a Mooer preamp pedal and see where I could go with it, but I got tied up in other projects and work and still haven't dropped the hammer on that project yet. What I can say is that the little 30-watt module gets plenty loud when you plug a guitar straight into it and plug it into a 16ohm 4x12 which should only have that module pushing about 7 watts.

[CaptainWhizz]

THAT is punk!

The best bit was that some of the bands were sharing gear, but this guy was like, “no no, I brought my Tiny Terror with me, and I’m damn well going to use it!”

[Hank-]

I got myself a 30-watt amp module from eBay that isn't much bigger than a quarter for about $6 several years ago. The funny thing is that the old laptop charger that is used as its power supply costs more than the amp module to replace. The module I got has no provisions for volume or tone and is literally just an amplifier. My intention was to employ a Mooer preamp pedal and see where I could go with it, but I got tied up in other projects and work and still haven't dropped the hammer on that project yet. What I can say is that the little 30-watt module gets plenty loud when you plug a guitar straight into it and plug it into a 16ohm 4x12 which should only have that module pushing about 7 watts.

I raised the value of the filter caps on the module from 360uF to 1kuF, along with a zobel network I think, those two mods helped the mid range e top end to sound better but the bass got a little murkier at full power supply rating. Having no eq controls is actually a good thing on this one at the moment.

I had a laptop psu spare in the house that I did try with the tiny module of mine but surprisingly it sounded nicer through a 412 with a step up converter boosting the 12v supply to 20v@2a.

I wouldn't gig with these modules though, the boards are cheap & I doubt the smd components or the board traces will survive 5A going through these things for too long. It's ok as a hobby project to test with speakers that can be used as sacrificial subjects lol

The Duncan power stage is the one to get for safety concerns for both the speakers & the gig if something small is required with a lot of power output.

[Chistopher]

I wouldn't be surprised if there are some crazy high wattage in a small footprint. My car has a 500w amp that's 2"× 4" × 8" and its the same technology.

[Animal]

Found this vid:

[Aceman]

I have to say...this thread is turning out to be very surprising and informative.

I expected a nod to the Powerblock, the obligatory Duncan pimping, and a few obscure little pedals like the EHX.

But this thread delivers, both content and power!