How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

[Nick Welfare]

I wonder... the crate powerblock(2x75/150w) SMALL amp head. I know its not a tubeamp. But will it deliver enough sound through a 4x12"? Thinkin bout using boss gt through it in case i got no p.a to plug the boss pg8 into. Great amp models on that thing. So I wonder, will the crate block through a 4x12" and a boss gt8 deliver sufficiant sound?

 

[jeremy]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

i have one and i think its great. for $200 its a portable, loud amp with decent tone for a solid state amp

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I don't own one but I played the set up they had at the store with just the PB and a 4x12, I thought it the sound was really good for a solid state no frills amp.

 

[flank]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

i am very impressed by it, solid tones and great versatility and portability.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I don't recall hearing a bad thing about it :bigthumb:

 

[ErikH]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I played a POD XT through it once in to a 2x12. I would not hesitate to either gig with it or have it as a backup. It sounded good standalone as well. I still want one for backup purposes. At 150 Watts SS, that's about the equivilant of 50 Watts tube (assuming the 3:1 ratio, SS to Tube).

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I tried one at a shop because I thought it would be cool as a power amp for a Pod XT (which they are marketing it as). To my amazement, it sounded really, really good on its own. Even with the gain up it was pretty nice - a fat crunchy sound that reminded me of a Bluesbreaker. I had it in an open back 2x12.

A really cool feature for Pod users is the XLR direct outs on the back. Run those into the PA and get your stage volume from your cab.

Such a cool little thing, and reasonably priced too. I'm normally pretty suspicious of Crate stuff, but they seem to have hit a home run with the Powerblock.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I love it, everyone I play it for loves it.

It's cheap and it REALLY REALLY WORKS!

It's my fave tool for back up. If my whole rig failed (knock on wood), I always know I have my PB in my backpack. Crazy!

 

[Screaming In Digital]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I actually was a little unsatisfied with the amp. I tried it out at Guitar Center a while back. I'm a metal guy mainly and the overdrive just dissapointed me. It seemed thin and crappy, but not in a cool dirty blues way. On the other hand, great clean head room. And the small/portable concept is really cool.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

It sounds like a great idea, but I haven't tried it out yet.

 

[DankStar]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

I actually was a little unsatisfied with the amp. I tried it out at Guitar Center a while back. I'm a metal guy mainly and the overdrive just dissapointed me. It seemed thin and crappy, but not in a cool dirty blues way. On the other hand, great clean head room. And the small/portable concept is really cool.

really? I dug it's own overdrive when I went to GC. I thought it behaved very tubey with the preamp volume. but you could always bypass it preamp and just use the power.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

At 150 Watts SS, that's about the equivilant of 50 Watts tube (assuming the 3:1 ratio, SS to Tube).

Watts are watts. Bridged into an 8-ohm load, it's WAY louder than a 50W Marshall (yes, I have compared). Bridged into 16, it's not quite as loud as the Marshall, which makes sense as the Marshall is in the neighborhood of 90W flat-out.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

Watts are watts.

Sorry, that's not quite true. Volume (sound pressure level) depends on more than just RMS output.

 

[ErikH]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

Watts are watts. Bridged into an 8-ohm load, it's WAY louder than a 50W Marshall (yes, I have compared). Bridged into 16, it's not quite as loud as the Marshall, which makes sense as the Marshall is in the neighborhood of 90W flat-out.

That is true. Marshalls are known for putting out more than what they're spec'd at. It's cool knowing that someone did a comparison like that. I've just always gone by the 3:1 SS:Tube ratio even though watts is watts.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

Sorry, that's not quite true. Volume (sound pressure level) depends on more than just RMS output.

SPL is a function of power into the speakers, and the speakers don't care if the power is generated by tubes, semiconductors, or AC generators.

Perceived 'loudness' does vary with an awful lot of parameters, but SPL is SPL and it's totally measurable.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

SPL is a function of power into the speakers, and the speakers don't care if the power is generated by tubes, semiconductors, or AC generators.

Perceived 'loudness' does vary with an awful lot of parameters, but SPL is SPL and it's totally measurable.

Are we talking about the same thing? SPL = sound pressure level, measured in decibels. It has little to do with the amount of power going into the speakers - it is a measure of the pressure of the sound waves created by the speakers.

Plug a 100W amp into an inefficient speaker, and it will give you a lower SPL reading than an efficient one.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: How is the new CRATE powerblock... Really!!

What does speaker efficiency have to do with tube power v. SS power? He said it takes 3W SS to equal 1W tube; I say that's not true, a watt is a watt. I ran a 50W Marshall and a PB side by side into various V30-loaded cabs; when the PB is bridged into 8 ohms (150W, allegedly) it is a LOT louder than the Marshall. Into 16 ohms (75W, approx) it's not quite as loud.