Author Topic: Laney gh50l is it a Class A Amp? (Read 3459 times)

markofled · « **on:** December 23, 2006, 05:31:02 PM »

Laney gh50l is it a Class A Amp?

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2006, 05:38:03 PM »

I don't know what 'class a' is, but they $%&#ing rock! great for any genre of music, i use myn for thrash/heavy metal and it rules.

Though if you add loads of distortion you will have to up the volume to make it sound clear because it gets fuzzy at low volumes, but you wouldn't buy it for low volumes anyway so that doesn't really matter.

Tricalibur · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2006, 05:38:35 PM »

I think its AB. Im not sure though as it may may have a half power switch in which case it would prob switch down to class A.

markofled · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2006, 05:47:21 PM »

I know it Rockks!! i got one :lol: im just interested to know if it is class A as i cant find out anywhere just wondering if ppl here knew.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2006, 06:56:54 PM »

Quote from: markofled

I know it Rockks!! i got one :lol: im just interested to know if it is class A as i cant find out anywhere just wondering if ppl here knew.

No, it's not class A at all (why is that important to you?)

The Laney is Class AB push/pull. Half power switches don't make the amp Class A either - they either change the amp's operation to triode mode (most 50w amps) or switch out two of the output valves (most 100w amps)

:twisted:

Word Bearer · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2006, 09:12:21 PM »

Ive never really understood the difference between Class A and Class AB etc amps.

Anyone care to explain for me please?

Davey · « **Reply #6 on:** December 23, 2006, 09:16:57 PM »

Quote from: Word Bearer

Ive never really understood the difference between Class A and Class AB etc amps.

Anyone care to explain for me please?

same..

dave_mc · « **Reply #7 on:** December 23, 2006, 10:34:09 PM »

Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL

The Laney is Class AB push/pull. Half power switches don't make the amp Class A either - they either change the amp's operation to triode mode (most 50w amps) or switch out two of the output valves (most 100w amps)

:twisted:

they can also lower the plate voltage (e.g. orange tiny terror or thd flexi 50)

EDIT: i think, if I've got things right (and I might not!), at its simplest, class A has all the valves working on all the sine wave at all times. Class A/B has half the power tubes working on one half of the sine wave, and the other half of the power tubes working on the other half. Something like that.

Which means an amp that only has one power tube has to be class A, far as I know, because there aren't any other power tubes to shared the sine wave with.

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2006, 12:50:51 AM »

I think class A, just means that the amp uses a single circuit and is simpler than class A/B, it's something to do with the way the amp and the valves are actually wired inside. You can still have class A amps with more than one valve in it, aka the Vox AC30, so it's to do with amplifier electronics, which I know very little about because I am a musician, not an amp builder.

From a musical point of view class A amps sound more natrually sweeter and compressed, perfect for recording, and perfect for blues and jazz. The A/B sound is more open and powerfull in tone, and it sounds bigger, perfect for live gigs, metal and rock music.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #9 on:** December 24, 2006, 01:29:47 AM »

dave_mc has it right (in essence), no more to add to that.

AC30s are not class A either, they're cathode biased on the hotter side of class AB. they're only operating in class A when running clean - once you wind 'em up they're in class AB operation with plenty of crossover distortion.

Single Ended amps such as Tweed Champs, Minimats etc... are TRUE class A amps.

The whole 'Class A amps sound sweeter/purer' line is total rubbish imo - I'd say that at least 95% of all the classic recorded guitar tones were Class AB amps.

:twisted:

JJretroTONEGOD · « **Reply #10 on:** December 24, 2006, 01:50:09 PM »

Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL

dave_mc has it right (in essence), no more to add to that.

AC30s are not class A either, they're cathode biased on the hotter side of class AB. they're only operating in class A when running clean - once you wind 'em up they're in class AB operation with plenty of crossover distortion.

Single Ended amps such as Tweed Champs, Minimats etc... are TRUE class A amps.

The whole 'Class A amps sound sweeter/purer' line is total rubbish imo - I'd say that at least 95% of all the classic recorded guitar tones were Class AB amps.

:twisted:

I'm not getting into an argument about this, the guy can decide for himself.

dave_mc · « **Reply #11 on:** December 24, 2006, 04:02:14 PM »

Quote from: JJretroTONEGOD

I think class A, just means that the amp uses a single circuit and is simpler than class A/B, it's something to do with the way the amp and the valves are actually wired inside. You can still have class A amps with more than one valve in it, aka the Vox AC30, so it's to do with amplifier electronics, which I know very little about because I am a musician, not an amp builder.

From a musical point of view class A amps sound more natrually sweeter and compressed, perfect for recording, and perfect for blues and jazz. The A/B sound is more open and powerfull in tone, and it sounds bigger, perfect for live gigs, metal and rock music.

yeah, I meant that having only one power valve had to be class a. you can (far as I know) have more than one power valve and still be class a.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #12 on:** December 24, 2006, 09:47:06 PM »

yep, you can have class A push/pull, but to operate in class A with multiple valves you're gonna need to keep the plate voltage down to an appreciably lower level (say 300v) than a typical class AB push/pull amp (450v).

if you just keep cranking up the bias till the valves all conduct for 360degrees of their operating cycle then you're gonna overdissipate them and they'll burn out.

:twisted: