help me settle a dispute

[BigDaddyD]

Re: help me settle a dispute

No one NEEDS a 100 watt amp. Especially when you can mike your cab. ****, Tom Morello of RATM gigs with one 50watt Marshall head and one 4x12. He plays bigger gigs than most here i would think.

[data187]

Re: help me settle a dispute

to double the decibles you would need to square the wattage. so to be twice as loud as a 10 watt amp, you would need a 100 watt amp, a 50 watt amp would be 250 watts, etc.

a 100 watt amp might give you more head room than a 50 watt amp which means you can go louder before the amp distorts.

just my 2 ¢.

[80sRock]

Re: help me settle a dispute

I think what data187 is right. If I remember from my sound company days, to get a 3db increase in volume you have to double the wattage. Of course that 3 db can make a huge difference.

[Wayniac]

Re: help me settle a dispute

80sRock is right - Decibels are logrithmic (sp?). So, 93dB is actually TWICE as loud as 90 dB. However, most human ears take 5 dB or so to notice.. that is why even though technically sound doubles very 3 dB, the OSHA and NIOSH noise tables are set up in 5 dB increments.
Also - everyone above makes a great point - it is how he is EQ'd that will make a huge difference in how well he cuts through in the mix.
And a lower wattage amp will distort and saturate at a lower volume - so his theory of bigger is better is wrong. I know soundmen love when my band plays - our stage volumes are pretty low, so they can feed the guitar through the PA and CRANK us! I'd rather have that than a HUGE stage volume and no feed through the house PA.
He may need to EQ himself a bit differently.

[DeathIsMyJustice]

Re: help me settle a dispute

altho a 100w amp aint going to be all that much louder than a 50/60w amp, youll get a fuller tone with the 100w amp

more tubes, fatter tone, tighter bass [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] (in my holy opinion)

your never going to need a to play a tube amp at its fullest, if your playing a big gig just mic a cab and put it though the PA [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

RaR!

[ July 18, 2003, 07:55 PM: Message edited by: DeathIsMyJustice ]