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I'm pretty new to tube amps and I was thinking about buying a Marshall JCM 900(or possibly 800) head(with one 4x12 cab) sometime in the future, and I was wondering whether I should look into a 50W or 100W version. I was curious as to how loud would they each get. I would want to crank it up of course to get that tube tone, but I don't want it to be painfully loud. I wouldn't want something that would barely cut through at a gig though. If I was just playing at home and I cranked the 100W would it be unbearably loud?, and how about the 50W? Would either destroy my ears? Also, would a 50W and 100W version of the same amp have any differences(in sound) other than volume? Thanks.
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Re: Amp volume?
50 watts is going to be fine, and you aren't going to crank either of them at home without really pissing off your neighbors. I practice with a fairly loud drummer - never had the master over 1/4 volume on my 50 watt mesa.
Pete -
Re: Amp volume?
Put it this way.. you'll be deaf sooner than you'd like to be with a 100 watt in your house.
I say get the 50 watter if you're going to play at home. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
As far as cranking any 100 or 50 watt amp in your home.... probably not. 50 or 100 watts of cranked tube amp is freakin' loud. In a full band environment, I go about 40-45% (depending on how friskie the drummer wants to be [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) volume on my 100 watt head w/ 1 4x12 cab. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had a 50 watt head, as I could drive the tubes a bit more at the same volume. Either will get you through a gig at just about any small venue fine. I believe the JCM 900 has a power switch to go from 100 to 50, but I'm not positive on that. As far as volume difference, I think I've heard here in the forum that a 50 watt head is only about 3db quieter. Hopefully someone else will chime in with better facts, but this will hopefully get it started. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
See..... two replies while I was typing mine. This place rocks........Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
Get the 50. Either will be too loud at home, unless you live on a farm away from everyone else.
In a band setting, with a 4x12, you'll have more than enough volume.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
I say get the 100 watt either way. I don't feel volume wise there is that much between a 50 watt Marshall head and 100 watt head. The 100 watt JCM 800's have more bottom end to my ears. I have a 50 JCM 800 and have compared it directly with the 100.
If your playing in your bedroom I doubt you'll drive the power section hard either way if you buy and 800.If you buy the 900 you might driver the 50 hard cause they're not that loud. But, the 100 has a half power switch anyway.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
[img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]
My thoughts exactly... I had a friend that liked my sound when i ran 100 watt 900s, that he went out and got a 50 watt Dual Reverb. It did not sound the same, he traded it back in for a 100 watter and there it was, my sound...
The 100 will give you more headroom even at low volumes... And the difference in volume isn't that big.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
I turn my VHT Pittbull CL-100 2x12 [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] combo up to 5 sometimes and use a 30 ft. cord and go into the other room so as to not loose my hearing [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] Jack.
[ December 15, 2002, 08:11 AM: Message edited by: slayer ]Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
couldn't you crank it if you had something like a Marshall Powerbrake or a THD (?) hotplate wired in there to lessen some of the volume? That was you could get the cranked tone without going deaf.
Gareth [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
I was thinking of the THD Hotplate myself, are they really worth the money, they are quite pricey? Jack.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
50 watts will be loud. But 100 watts isnt twice as loud. The way i understand it (correct me if im wrong), it takes 5 times the wattage to double the volume. So 250 watts will sound twice as loud as 50, and 500 twice as loud as 100.
Point is, the 100 wont be way louder than the 50. The 50 will break up quicker, 100 will have more headroom. From what i know of jcm 800's, most prefer the 100 watt tone. Not sure about the 900's. I say go with the 100.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
I have a 50 watt Marshall,and I had a power cut switch put in it. It runs about 25-30 watts and it still can be too loud.
I can crank it up to about 4or 5 and drive the tubes nicely, but any higher is just too loud.Madness Reigns......... In the Hall of the Mountain King!Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
Yeah man, tube power can really take your head off. The mesa 50/50 power amp i have, with 50 watts per side, kicks my butt.
50 watts is plenty for shear volume... 100 watts gives more clean headroom though.Comment
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Re: Amp volume?
I'd wager most of the folk on this board never crank up a good 50 watt amp loud enough to saturate the power tubes in any event, so 'clean headroom' of a 100 watt amp is likely not going to come into play.
I have heard that 100 watt versions of amps have a little more bottom end, but you can fix that with an eq pedal or a BBE in the effects loop. You'll pay for that pedal the first time you change tubes, and that BBE the second time (If you're paying $30 a pair for tubes... a 50 watt amp uses one pair, a 100 watt amp uses TWO pair... something else to consider.)
PeteComment
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