The world needs low wattage tube power amps
- Thread starter DankStar
- Start date
DankStar
Her Little Mojo Minion
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
So the overpriced zvex and what else?
Let me be a bit more clear - 1 rack space, <1 to 5 watts, designed for guitar, maybe a presence control, able to drive 4-16 ohms. Basically like boogie's and marshall's 20/20s but a lot lower wattage/attenuated.
So the overpriced zvex and what else?
Let me be a bit more clear - 1 rack space, <1 to 5 watts, designed for guitar, maybe a presence control, able to drive 4-16 ohms. Basically like boogie's and marshall's 20/20s but a lot lower wattage/attenuated.
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jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
every lunchbox amp is usually under 20. or at least switchable to less.
Vox has a ton, Fender has a bunch of little ones, I'm assuming Marshall has a bunch. Mesa's got a few. Heck, Matamp made a 5 watt combo in the UK. Orange Tiny Terrors are less than 20 mostly. Peavey's new Valveking 50watt will crank down to 2.
It's been the thing to build for like 5 years at least and every major company has a variety of flavors.
EDIT: ah, you want a rack unit or something that can just be condensed into the space? You have to worry about the transformers unless you pay out the butt for toroidals. How about an amp in a box into a power amp of your choice?
every lunchbox amp is usually under 20. or at least switchable to less.
Vox has a ton, Fender has a bunch of little ones, I'm assuming Marshall has a bunch. Mesa's got a few. Heck, Matamp made a 5 watt combo in the UK. Orange Tiny Terrors are less than 20 mostly. Peavey's new Valveking 50watt will crank down to 2.
It's been the thing to build for like 5 years at least and every major company has a variety of flavors.
EDIT: ah, you want a rack unit or something that can just be condensed into the space? You have to worry about the transformers unless you pay out the butt for toroidals. How about an amp in a box into a power amp of your choice?
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TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
hmmm ... with all things being equal, the wattage of the power amp makes little real-world difference in terms of SPLs ... a rack mount low wattage power amp will be just as loud as a bigger amp, just have no headroom.
I don't see the appeal.
hmmm ... with all things being equal, the wattage of the power amp makes little real-world difference in terms of SPLs ... a rack mount low wattage power amp will be just as loud as a bigger amp, just have no headroom.
I don't see the appeal.
jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
Seriously, guys. It's all about stompboxes. Sansamp character pedals, Lovepedal, Wampler, AMT...some companies are doing the Runoffgroove projects as amp in a box for sale too. Run one of those into a Peavey Bandit or Roland Cube.
Seriously, guys. It's all about stompboxes. Sansamp character pedals, Lovepedal, Wampler, AMT...some companies are doing the Runoffgroove projects as amp in a box for sale too. Run one of those into a Peavey Bandit or Roland Cube.
Lewguitar
New member
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
There's more good 20 watt guitar amps today than there ever were in the past.
Even though all of my amps are from the past: Mission modified Deluxe Reverbs, Princeton Reverbs, etc.
I've been trying to get my brother to finish up my own model of amp at Mission Amps for years!
But he's got to much to do building 20 watt harmonica amps these days and sending them all over the world.
Still, I think his version of a blackface, 20 watt Princeton Reverb would sell like hot cakes.
Like a single channel Deluxe Reverb.
But I can't get him to do it.
There's more good 20 watt guitar amps today than there ever were in the past.
Even though all of my amps are from the past: Mission modified Deluxe Reverbs, Princeton Reverbs, etc.
I've been trying to get my brother to finish up my own model of amp at Mission Amps for years!
But he's got to much to do building 20 watt harmonica amps these days and sending them all over the world.
Still, I think his version of a blackface, 20 watt Princeton Reverb would sell like hot cakes.
Like a single channel Deluxe Reverb.
But I can't get him to do it.
jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
If he needs an unbiased 3rd party to review one, I could be forced into doing it, provided he send me one.
If he needs an unbiased 3rd party to review one, I could be forced into doing it, provided he send me one.
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
Any of it.
We will pretend you didn't say that.
Any of it.
jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
Sounds good. I'll get off your lawn now.
We will pretend you didn't say that.
Any of it.
Sounds good. I'll get off your lawn now.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
Since the OP has a Marshall JMP-1, the obvious purchase would be one of these. I know it's 20W, but together you'd have 3 volume controls to work with.
I think the reason companies don't bother with 5W power amps is because they have so little headroom that the whole idea would probably flop, and also because there's very little market demand for rack gear these days.
Search Ebay and CL until you find one at a good price. At least both pieces were designed to work together.
Since the OP has a Marshall JMP-1, the obvious purchase would be one of these. I know it's 20W, but together you'd have 3 volume controls to work with.
I think the reason companies don't bother with 5W power amps is because they have so little headroom that the whole idea would probably flop, and also because there's very little market demand for rack gear these days.
Search Ebay and CL until you find one at a good price. At least both pieces were designed to work together.
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Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
Cool idea in theory, but other than a very small niche, it would have practically no market appeal.
I've always wondered why power amps seem to be stereo 99 percent of the time.
Maybe it made sense at one time, but surely I can't be the only one out there that just wants a 50 watt tube power amp that isn't stereo/non dual sided?
A Mesa 20/20 or Marshall 20/20 wouldn't have enough power for me.
The 50+50watt power amps would have enough headroom and power for me, yet I don't need the second pair of 50 watts at all and would rather have less weight and less to retube/less stuff that needs servicing/potential repairs.
Just two power tubes to make for 50 watts.
That's the gap in the power tube amp market that needs to be filled. If someone can make a 1RU 50 watt mono power amp weighing around 7-8kgs (15.4-17.6lbs), they'd be onto a winner.
This is something I can actually see people buying in good quantities and doing well.
Now that racks for guitarists no longer need to be back and shoulder destroying heavy beasts and there are more 1RU preamps and poweramps, it's actually becoming a more popular and for some gigging guitarists, a far more practical solution.
You can put together an Axe FXII, a 1RU power amp, a wireless unit, a Furman type power condition and a rack tuner, 5 items, and the whole rig will be a totally featherweight solution compared to those tube preamp and 100/100watt stereo tube power amp rigs (before you even add a tuner, wireless and power conditioner)
Cool idea in theory, but other than a very small niche, it would have practically no market appeal.
I've always wondered why power amps seem to be stereo 99 percent of the time.
Maybe it made sense at one time, but surely I can't be the only one out there that just wants a 50 watt tube power amp that isn't stereo/non dual sided?
A Mesa 20/20 or Marshall 20/20 wouldn't have enough power for me.
The 50+50watt power amps would have enough headroom and power for me, yet I don't need the second pair of 50 watts at all and would rather have less weight and less to retube/less stuff that needs servicing/potential repairs.
Just two power tubes to make for 50 watts.
That's the gap in the power tube amp market that needs to be filled. If someone can make a 1RU 50 watt mono power amp weighing around 7-8kgs (15.4-17.6lbs), they'd be onto a winner.
This is something I can actually see people buying in good quantities and doing well.
Now that racks for guitarists no longer need to be back and shoulder destroying heavy beasts and there are more 1RU preamps and poweramps, it's actually becoming a more popular and for some gigging guitarists, a far more practical solution.
You can put together an Axe FXII, a 1RU power amp, a wireless unit, a Furman type power condition and a rack tuner, 5 items, and the whole rig will be a totally featherweight solution compared to those tube preamp and 100/100watt stereo tube power amp rigs (before you even add a tuner, wireless and power conditioner)
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
They already exist. They are just not super popular which is why there are not too many around.
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Stereo_Power/20_20_Stereo/20_20_stereo.html
Eganter used to have one, but they stopped production. So did randall.
They already exist. They are just not super popular which is why there are not too many around.
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Stereo_Power/20_20_Stereo/20_20_stereo.html
Eganter used to have one, but they stopped production. So did randall.
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DankStar
Her Little Mojo Minion
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
I'd love the Marshall or the boogie for sure. Just figured since there's low wattage heads and combos, why not power too.
I'm with petrov on the stereo thing - the whole second channel is superfluous to me on all those power amps.
I'd love the Marshall or the boogie for sure. Just figured since there's low wattage heads and combos, why not power too.
I'm with petrov on the stereo thing - the whole second channel is superfluous to me on all those power amps.
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: The world needs low wattage tube power amps
you could always go to one of the many amp builders around the place and ask them to build you something. You are talking about a pretty simple setup. Or sniff around ebay for a used egnater or randall.
you could always go to one of the many amp builders around the place and ask them to build you something. You are talking about a pretty simple setup. Or sniff around ebay for a used egnater or randall.
