50 watt or more?

dmandude123455

dmandude123455

New member
So, I really want a Vox Night Train, but I feel like that might not be enough power and volume for shows and stuff, it might be loud enough for practicing but I'm just afraid that if I were to play a show I'll be SOL.

Anyone using a 50 watt all tube head that is loud enough for gigs and stuff? I mean, I could always mic it but either way it would be nice to know either I have anything to worry about as far as volume goes.
 
Last edited:
Re: 50 watt or more?

50 Watt through one 4x12 cabinet soaks up a lot of power and in my estimation wouldnt be too much with an alreay loud Drummer and Bass.
Same with 100 watt amp and two 4x12's. The two cabinets reallty soak up the juice and and dont get that much louder, unless you are running really effiecient speakers.
Another reason to stick to Celestions or Jensens.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

what type of music do you play?

i gig all the time with a 20 1x12 combo on 4 with a loud speaker. bars, clubs and festival stages.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

I'm quite familiar with both those bands, so I'll play.
50 watts would certainly work, but honestly I'd look into something like a used Peavey 5150/6505 (120 watts). You live in the land of America where these are dirt cheap.
A lot of bands around here use them in pretty much all 'heavy' genres (metallic hardcore, post hardcore, thrash, whatever) and they sound great in small venues.
A lot of wattage, but it's about the headroom, not sheer volume. They sound great without needing as much volume as some other 'high gain' heads seem to need, so wont be a problem with sound engineers in small venues.
Also seen some bands using some Orange heads around here, they sound great.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

Petrovsk Mizinski said:
I'm quite familiar with both those bands, so I'll play.
50 watts would certainly work, but honestly I'd look into something like a used Peavey 5150/6505 (120 watts). You live in the land of America where these are dirt cheap.
A lot of bands around here use them in pretty much all 'heavy' genres (metallic hardcore, post hardcore, thrash, whatever) and they sound great in small venues.
A lot of wattage, but it's about the headroom, not sheer volume. They sound great without needing as much volume as some other 'high gain' heads seem to need, so wont be a problem with sound engineers in small venues.
Also seen some bands using some Orange heads around here, they sound great.
Click to expand...

I was also looking over at the Jet City amps. They're pretty cheap and from what I've heard they sound great.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

I get some ridiculously heavy tones from my 68 Bassman with a nice dirt pedal. I'd look into a nice clean platform with something like a Wampler SLOstortion.

If you want to plug straight in, +1 for Peavey/Orange. There are great deals to be had on used Peaveys.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

A would have thought a Night Train with a suitable cabinet would be more than loud enough. Hell, I use a Blackstar HT-5 with a semi-open 1x12" cab sporting a Vintage 30, and it's always been loud enough for me to use with my band. I don't use the clean channel, just dirty. The singer/rhythm guitar player uses a 20 watt Traynor with a distortion in front, and there's never any issues for either of us.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

Agileguy_101 said:
I get some ridiculously heavy tones from my 68 Bassman with a nice dirt pedal. I'd look into a nice clean platform with something like a Wampler SLOstortion.

If you want to plug straight in, +1 for Peavey/Orange. There are great deals to be had on used Peaveys.
Click to expand...

Half of me wants to have a plug in and play, but I want to start using pedals, not really for distortion but for a bit of overdrive and stuff :I.

I would look into Orange if I had a bunch ton more cash on hand.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

dmandude123455 said:
So, I really want a Vox Night Train, but I feel like that might not be enough power and volume for shows and stuff, it might be loud enough for practicing but I'm just afraid that if I were to play a show I'll be SOL.

Anyone using a 50 watt all tube head that is loud enough for gigs and stuff? I mean, I could always mic it but either way it would be nice to know either I have anything to worry about as far as volume goes.
Click to expand...

hell yes. especially if those are RMS watts. i ran a 50W jcm 800 through a 2x12" closed back cabinet for a few years and that thing moved a lot of air. 100W will have the police at your place.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

esandes said:
hell yes. especially if those are RMS watts. i ran a 50W jcm 800 through a 2x12" closed back cabinet for a few years and that thing moved a lot of air. 100W will have the police at your place.
Click to expand...

Not really the volume difference between 100 watts and 50 watts through the same cab and speakers is actually pretty small. I MIGHT and its a big might be able to run one of my 50 watt marshalls 1-1.5 notches higher on the volume than what i can with a 100. If 50 isnt too big 100 wont be too big.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

It really depends on the kind of music you will be playing and, most importantly, whether you will be mic'd or not.

I play a lot of unmic'd pub rock gigs. I use a 50 watt Marshall and that is about right. I wouldn't want to go any lower. If I knew I would always be mic'd I would probably be happy with 20 watts.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

The difference between a 50 watt and a 100 watt head is only 3db. I have a 35 watt tube head that keeps up with 100 watt marshalls easily because for one they are both almost as loud as each other and secondly, when have you ever played a show when you needed a 100 watt marshall dimed to hear yourself on stage?

If a 50 watt tube head isnt loud enough, its the PA that is lacking.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

there is some magic in an amp with four big bottles but its a lot of amp.

i have an 85w dual showman reverb that i have yet to really be able to use.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

Marshall JCM 2000 DSL or Peavey 6505+.

That'sll get you where you need to be.

1x12 or 2x12 is more than fine.

Most places you play at, you'll be mic'd. The rare occassion you aren't 4-5 with a tube amp will be over powering.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

I'm gonna go ahead and say 20 watts if you only play with overdriven sounds, if you want to play loud and clean then 50 may be a better choice. When you're talking watts you're talking clean headroom more so than volume. 20 watts will do it if you don't need crispy cleans
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

So if I were to get the Vox and I used a 4x12, I would be good?

And if I got a 5150 i'd still be good? If anything I'll probably grab a 5150 in the next few weeks. Just found out my amp's transformer is all funky and I don't know how much it is going to cost to replace.

so pretty much

Vox NT50 + 4x12 = good

5150 + 4x12 = good

Either way I'm winning?




:banghead:
Sorry, I've been having a messy past few days with my amp and band stuff.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

dmandude123455 said:
I'm playing like a Post Hard-core/Metal combo thing. Think The Fall of Troy meets Mastodon?
Click to expand...

I am not sure if people realize this is what you are playing...

Mastodon is ULTRA DOWNTUNED HEAVY METAL

you are gonna need AT LEAST 50 watts and a CLOSED BACK 212 CAB

more wattage and speakers will usually make it sound heavier and the bass chugging will be more defined

a 20 watt 112 will sound farty on the bass chuggingz for instance ;)

I bought my rig cause I love mastodon and down. I use an orange thunderverb and orange 212PPC. orange thunderverb used on ebay I saw go for about $1000 so save up cause it is not insanely expensive if that is the tone you want!
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

Depends on the amp. I had a Laney VC50 2 x 12 combo that was ridiculously loud. Could never get it more than half way. I used a 50w Marshall Jubilee that wasn't loud enough - had it cranked full in a big room and it didn't cut it. I use a 30w Cornford combo these days that I can rarely get more than half way up. I'd really like to try the 50w Night Train.
 
Re: 50 watt or more?

here is mastodon, people on the forum may not know?

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

GuitarStv
Are two greenbacks OK to handle a 50 watt amp?
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
marcello252
marcello252
M
15" Speaker Needed
Replies
15
Views
332
Sam SG
S
O
Partial Coil Split 50's Wiring...?
Replies
2
Views
134
Overhead
O
M
Olde Crusty Jensen P15N, recone or not??
Replies
2
Views
167
Sam SG
S
S
Amp kick back legs
Replies
17
Views
476
Sam SG
S
Back
Top