using a head as a power amp

[DankStar]

I'll probably get railed for this, but I'm a little dumb in the head about some things. No pun intended.

For versatility, I was thinking about trying out an external preamp with my tube head, where I would just use the head as a power amp. The head is a Carvin x100b, which sounds pretty good by itself, but I have a feeling I may like a Peavey rockmaster preamp better than the onboard preamp. Also, I'd be able to more easily switch channels given the rockmasters often are sold with their footswitches, and the x100b footswitches were all apparently destroyed during WWIII or abducted by aliens.

So.....Is it possible, how do I do hook it up, and does anyone else use a set-up like this (perhaps with different brands)?!?

 

[Davey]

Re: using a head as a power amp

an effects loop FAIK bypasses the amps preamp, so technicaly, you could plug into the preamp and then the outboard preamp into the FX return of the head.

i dont think there would be any problems, but you should wait for the experts

 

[ErikH]

Re: using a head as a power amp

Sure you can. Just out of the external preamp to the power amp in or FX return jack (whatever yours is labelled) and you're set. Any of the existing preamp controls on the head will be nonfunctional because you're not going through that preamp. Just turn the internal preamp volume down all the way to avoid any unnecessary noise from getting through. The only knob or knobs that will do anything is the Master Volume and Presence control, if the amp has one.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: using a head as a power amp

I run a Boss Gt-6 and a few Boss and Ibanez pedals into the front end of an X-100B (circa 1994). I use the clean channel....tones on 5....5 band out of the loop...volume on 2 to 2.3 depending on the room (sometimes about 1.8 if the place is really small). The only knob that generally gets moved is the amp reverb and maybe the high tone if I need a bit more cut. I use the GT-6 and stomp boxes to create the basic sounds from there.

My sound is amazingly consistant from place to place. Half of the night I'm using two banks of 4 patches each. Just good clean and distorted tones that vary in chorus, reverb and level and a pair of TS-9's.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: using a head as a power amp

No problems...the ADA-1 pre-amps were very popular in the 80's...run into Marshall heads and all sorts of other amps.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: using a head as a power amp

I would say you lose a lot of the feel you might get from a great head and it's preamp - Marshalls and Mesa Mark Series come to mind.

But if you aren't amazed by your preamp sound, using an external pre into the power amp section can sound amazing. My friend runs a preamp into the FX loop of an 80s twin and it sounds GORGEOUS - I was impressed. Not my thing personally, but he made a twin sound thick and nasty!