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Author Topic: Amp Myths  (Read 8831 times)

willo

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Amp Myths
« on: January 17, 2006, 11:16:48 PM »
Here's a cool website I found debunking some of the common myths regarding amplification. I'm sure quite a few of you here already know all this, but I'm sure plenty of people may find some of it surprising.

http://www.guitarnuts.com/amps/myths.php

 :D
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indysmith

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« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2006, 11:18:50 PM »
hey thanks for that man! i'll be having a read
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froglord

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« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2006, 11:25:15 PM »
Good site, Willo.

ALL guitarists should know about the wattage thing. So many people write off "low" wattage amps for gigging based on a misconception that watts are a linear indication of loudness.
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willo

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« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2006, 11:28:30 PM »
Quote from: froglord
ALL guitarists should know about the wattage thing. So many people write off "low" wattage amps for gigging based on a misconception that watts are a linear indication of loudness.


Indeed, I learnt that off my electrician brother-in-law. He explained to me that doubling the wattage DID NOT mean doubling the volume. It's hard to get your head around - you'd think the increase was directly proportional - but, well, it's not. Still don't exactly understand why, although I'm sure HJM explained it a while back, something about 100W being 3db louder than a 50W, and a db is an audible (to the human ear) difference in volume. I think :?
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froglord

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« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2006, 11:37:17 PM »
Quote from: willo
something about 100W being 3db louder than a 50W...


No - 3dB more is a doubling of volume.

The problem is that - as far as volume is concerned - watts aren't linear, decibels aren't linear, bloomin' nothing's linear! It's no wonder people get confused.
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willo

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« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2006, 11:50:20 PM »
Quote from: froglord
Quote from: willo
something about 100W being 3db louder than a 50W...


No - 3dB more is a doubling of volume.

The problem is that - as far as volume is concerned - watts aren't linear, decibels aren't linear, bloomin' nothing's linear! It's no wonder people get confused.


ha...i thought I had it sussed! Meh...I'm only a guitarist, I just stomp on boxes and hit strings. All this electronic stuff baffles me :P
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lulusg

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« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2006, 01:41:03 AM »
It has been a long time since I read it, but I think that the brain measures or translates the changes in acoustics in a Logaritmic way. I think.
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HJM

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« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2006, 12:43:52 PM »
10db is a doubling of percieved volume, 3db doubling of wattage.
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froglord

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« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2006, 01:23:44 PM »
Quote from: HJM
10db is a doubling of percieved volume, 3db doubling of wattage.


Oh, bum. So I still don't understand it.  :D
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The amazing Phil

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« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2006, 04:14:18 PM »
That's pretty awesome, and it's deffinitely worth getting the word out there. I already knew a lot of that thankfully, but it's suprising how people get set in their ways. The stuff about "all tube" circuits was something I wasn't aware of though.
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Ratrod

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« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2006, 04:23:51 PM »
Many so called 'all tube' amps have a solid state rectifier. Oh well, as long as it sounds good.

If there's anyone who thinks his small combo isn't good enough, hook it up to a speaker cabinet before you buy a new amp.
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The amazing Phil

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« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2006, 04:28:01 PM »
Hell yeah, I've been tempted to take my C7 combo down to Coda and see if they'll let me run it through an Orange 4X12 to see how it sounds.
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_tom_

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« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2006, 05:11:31 PM »
haha, this site looks like Another Job for the Mythbusters Team!! Mythbusters is awesome!
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38thBeatle

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« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2006, 07:39:32 PM »
That was a great site Willo. It made me smile a bit remembering a guy I used to play in a band with years ago who had a rich father and whatever gear he decided he wanted and when he went to buy a 100w amp cost it would be "twice as loud" as the other guitarists 50w amp.
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FELINEGUITARS

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« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2006, 07:42:43 PM »
I always thought that a 10W amp was half as loud as a 100W amp due to the non linear thing.
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