Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

[DankStar]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

A 4 ohm load on the 8 ohm mono output will make it try to put out more than it can, so that's definitely not recommended. If your cab is stereo, it is probably 8 ohms per side, you could run one of the stereo outs into each side of the cab.

I stopped at GC on the way home and picked up a PB for $99.99, figured it was worth the few extra $ of tax just to get it now

thanks....and welcome to the club!

it seems as indespensible as a pick at this point. funny how there's still one's on ebay going for $150...

 

[devastone]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Thanks, and I forgot to mention, those ohm ratings on amps are minimums, don't hook up a 4 ohm cabinet to a jack that says "8 ohms min.", you could use a 16 ohm cabinet though.

Okay, this won't make me sell my Trace Speedtwin anytime soon, but, I got totally useable gigging tone out of my $99 Powerblock and a $9 Dano Fab Overdrive pedal through one of my Avatar 212s. A little delay in the loop and it would be very cool. These are the coolest things since distortion pedals, at least as a backup/jamming amp.

*Forgot to add, I also hooked it up to a SWR Goliath JR 2-10 bass cab and ran my bass through it. It could shake the walls, it wasn't crystal clean, but it added a touch of dirt in a good way. I would have no problem using if for bass either. My bass head is just a Peavey Deltabass, which will stay pretty clean, but I'm not sure I didn't like the little PB better. It will require more testing...

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Anyone try it for acoustic...either straight in or with a preamp???

 

[DankStar]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Okay, this won't make me sell my Trace Speedtwin anytime soon, but, I got totally useable gigging tone out of my $99 Powerblock and a $9 Dano Fab Overdrive pedal through one of my Avatar 212s. A little delay in the loop and it would be very cool. These are the coolest things since distortion pedals, at least as a backup/jamming amp....

I was just going to post that! I tested mine with an Ibanez Tube King, tube screamer clone, FAB metal, FAB overdrive, and runoffgroove's tube reamer, and the FAB OD sounded the best! Very fat and chunky.

I'm a little perplexed about the input/effects loop. It does not appear that you can bypass the preamp and still have control of the level (that is, using it as a power amp only), since the inputs are post level control. Maybe I'm missing something there.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

No, you read it right - the only thing working on the signal after the loop inputs is the cab emulation.

At low volume, IMO, they're really muddy unless you have them set totally clean. I use one at home, driven with a DG Stomp into the loop, and it's a great 'living room' rig.

At high volumes, though, they sound great IMO. I know a couple guys that bought them as backups and wound up using them as their main rig - these are bar circuit guys that are into maximizing dollar-per-gig and what could be better than a 4-pound amp that sounds great and will never need a retube?

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

So if I wanted to use one as a stereo power amp for a rack setup (or think of the guys with pods, too) are you saying that we won't get any volume control if we use the left/right returns on the back of the amp? I can probably deal with that anyway, but I'm curious.

That's what I'd want it for: Two channels of power for two cabinets, coming out of my rack. I'd be able to dump a rack power amp that I have.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

So if I wanted to use one as a stereo power amp for a rack setup (or think of the guys with pods, too) are you saying that we won't get any volume control if we use the left/right returns on the back of the amp?

Right, you'd need to handle the volume with the output level control on whatever you drive it with.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

It would be interesting to try plugging one channel into the front, and then interrupt left or right with your other channel. So you'd have tone and volume balance over the one side (wouldn't use the overdrive) and the other side would be straight. I'm going to be near a GC later today so I'll try one if I have time.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Totally false, sorry. They have a preamp onboard with a 3-band EQ and gain. The gain is not bad. Not high gain by any means but pretty crunchy.

The preamp can be bypassed though by connecting to the "Line In" on the back.

HOW DARE YOU!!!! :chairfall Just kidding!! Seriously, thanks! I was going only by memory (which fails me miserably) about a review I read. They rated it pretty good but recommended a pedal or pod be used for dist.
So, I was thinking they had no boost..
SORRY FOR Misinfo everyone! :smack:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

HOW DARE YOU!!!! :chairfall Just kidding!! Seriously, thanks! I was going only by memory (which fails me miserably) about a review I read. They rated it pretty good but recommended a pedal or pod be used for dist.
So, I was thinking they had no boost..
SORRY FOR Misinfo everyone! :smack:

:chairfall Time to head to CompUSA for a memory upgrade? :laugh2:

The built in distortion isn't bad. Pushed with an OD I bet it would be better but IMO, it's the perfect power amp for POD users.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

It would be interesting to try plugging one channel into the front, and then interrupt left or right with your other channel. So you'd have tone and volume balance over the one side (wouldn't use the overdrive) and the other side would be straight.

Dunno if that'll work. I know the loop works on switching jacks (one of them is a TRS, tip is send, ring is return, and the other is a simple return), but I don't know if you can interrupt the preamp to one channel only.

What you CAN do is use the RCA jacks on the back to do that. Use the loop to interrupt the preamp signal, return it to only one channel, then use the RCA input for the other channel.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Yeah I could also probably interrupt the signal with the TRS jack, but use a stereo cable. Then jump the send to the other return jack, then wire the return to whatever. I thought about those RCA's too. Aren't those blendable? I wonder if they bypass some of the "guitar tone" circuitry. I don't mean the front knobs, I just mean some of the internal "guitar power amp" tonal simulation. Maybe those RCA CD inputs are cleaner and flatter than going in the fx returns. Maybe I could do something cool where I mix in both or something.

 

[devastone]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

The built in distortion isn't bad. Pushed with an OD I bet it would be better but IMO, it's the perfect power amp for POD users.

It's not bad, it's along the lines of old Marshall gain, those needed a boost to get that fluid-y lead tone. It's also fairly dynamic, it cleans up pretty well with the volume knob.

Not saying the PB sounds as good as an old Marshall, but you can definitely tell that was the type of voicing they were going for. It is one of the better sounding SS amps I have played.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

The RCAs totally bypass the voicing, they go straight to power. I initially was using them to avoid the cab sim, but I discovered that once you get the volume up, there's not a lot of difference.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Some of what you guys are talking seems a bit over my head.... so let me just ask my ??


I get mine in today and I will be running my POD into a 4x12 through the Power Block.
Should I go through the front of the amp or the FX loop return?

If I go through the return then all my volume will be dictated by the POD correct?

How's the XLR out on the unit?

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

Go from the POD outs into the loop returns. Your POD will control the volume.

Never tried the XLR, myself.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

man, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that input (on the back) thing.

my big question is...OK, I plug straight into the back (the mono input) using only an OD pedal (I did this last night). You get sound that is controlled by the pedal's level, but it just seems strange for my little pedal's volume pot to control 75 watts of volume for the power amp. So the whole 75 watts is available there, but the pedal is "holding it back" until you turn it's volume up? Doesn't that mean if I plugged my guitar straight into it (or bypassed the pedal) and my guitar was turned up to the max, it would be at 75 watts at that point? (note: I'm running one 4 ohm cab, thus only getting 75 watts max) If not, what is that wattage coming out with just my guitar and the power amp? I think they established some type of baseline wattage for this scenario, but didn't put it in print. Otherwise, people would be blowing their eardrums and speakers out.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

If you're using just an Overdrive/Distortion pedal with it, don't plug in to the back, plug in to the front and utilize the amp's preamp and gain control.

Plugging in to the back is for when you bring your own preamp and tone shaping, such as a POD.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

If you're using just an Overdrive/Distortion pedal with it, don't plug in to the back, plug in to the front and utilize the amp's preamp and gain control.

Plugging in to the back is for when you bring your own preamp and tone shaping, such as a POD.

I did that too, and it rules hard! But mine is more of a how's-that-work question, using an OD in my example to represent a generic "preamp" (assuming the POD doesn't have that much power coming out of it either). I know, I shouldn't worry about it, but the gears started turning, and...:drive:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Crate Powerblock for $99 @ MF!

I did that too, and it rules hard! But mine is more of a how's-that-work question, using an OD in my example to represent a generic "preamp" (assuming the POD doesn't have that much power coming out of it either). I know, I shouldn't worry about it, but the gears started turning, and...:drive:

A preamp has no power. It needs a power amp to be heard. Your pedal is some what of a preamp, but not totally, because as you said, when bypassed, adjusting the level on the pedal does nothing. The guitar is essentially going straight to the power amp.

With a POD, or other preamp like the JMP-1, your just changing patches but you can adjust the output volume to the power amp, or whatever else is next in the chain, on each patch. In this case, the preamp is always between the guitar and power amp.

In short, to use an overdrive or distortion pedal in the back like you did as an experiment, it would be wise to put a volume pedal after it to control the overall volume when it's bypassed. Of course, all the tone shaping (EQ and such) is gone.