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Author
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Topic: small and light power amp for instruments
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Kevin Ruddell
Member From: Toledo Ohio USA
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posted 24 April 2006 04:47 AM
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Can anyone suggest a small and light power amp for musical instrument amplification ? I do have a single space amp , a wonderful Carver PM 300; but it sounds kind of sterile as it's meant for PA amplification. I can patch into the solid state power amp section of my Ampeg SVT and it sounds great but it's about 30 pounds in a rack case. I was using a Samson single space 120 power amp but one side died and it would cost as much to repair it as replace it. The discontinued Tubeworks amps are nice but reportedly unreliable |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 24 April 2006 04:54 AM
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CRATE POWERBLOCK CPB150------------------
quote:
Steel players do it without fretting
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John Daugherty
Member From: Rolla, Missouri, USA
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posted 24 April 2006 05:33 AM
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Kevin, a power amp will be "sterile". The power amp itself has a flat frequency response. A preamp with EQ controls is used to change the "tone". The speaker also has a lot to do with the sound you get.
The "Stewart" amps are very light in weight (around 10 pounds). I think Carter still has some info on Stewart Amps. You might find more info if you do a search for "Stewart Audio".------------------
www.home.earthlink.net/~johnd37
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Jack Stoner
Sysop From: Inverness, Florida
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posted 24 April 2006 05:51 AM
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The Tubeworks amps are very reliable. I'm not sure where you got that information. I have a MosValve 500 power amp that I bought used about 8 years ago - it's still going strong. Herby Wallace has used a MosVable 500 and later a 1500 for many years, too. I know others that are using them and they are considered the most "tube sounding" solid state amps. And unlike most power amps, they are designed for musical instrument amplification, not general P.A. use. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 24 April 2006 06:48 AM
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I have used a Tube Works model 982 amp for years. It is the same amp as the 962 but only takes up one space in your rack. This is a GREAT amp.  |
Kevin Ruddell
Member From: Toledo Ohio USA
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posted 24 April 2006 07:33 AM
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Thanks for your comments everyone. The 4 and a half pound 150 watt Crate Power Block looks like the ticket for my aching back situation. The Tubeworks Ivac 65 I bought from a forum member years ago still works fine , although my son has had it for a few years now . The Mossvalve I tried to buy was perfect for me , but had intermittent dropouts on one side of the amp . I read reviews on the internet from quite a few sources that this was not uncommon for the discontinued Mossvalve amps, maybe only certain models.[This message was edited by Kevin Ruddell on 24 April 2006 at 04:37 PM.] |
D Schubert
Member From: Columbia, MO, USA
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posted 24 April 2006 09:42 AM
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After searching for several years, I just found a Stewart PA-200 stereo amp -- one they don't make any more. Haven't had a chance to play with it much, other than to confirm that both channels work. This is a 1/2 space unit that weighs about 5 pounds, 2 channel x 100 watts, also can be bridged for 200 watts into 4 ohms. These are supposed to be good amps for guitar rigs...time will tell. |
Robert Evens
Member From: Loganville,GA 30052 USA
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posted 24 April 2006 02:25 PM
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I have (2) Small amps that I use for practice and performing. A Cube 60W and a TubeWorks 50W. They both have 12" Speakers. The TubeWorks has a JBL. They work real good, but I have too many amps and if you are interested, I could be talked into selling one of them. E-mail me if your interested. ------------------
Play with your heart... your hands and feet will follow
Zum D-10
DPC-750/Profex ll,
[This message was edited by Robert Evens on 24 April 2006 at 02:27 PM.] |
Ron Sodos
Member From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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posted 24 April 2006 02:38 PM
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I have a Stewart PA 100b power amp. Its a half rack and is light as a feather. It has 90 watts per side at 8 ohms. Works great with my POD XT. |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 24 April 2006 05:41 PM
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The Crate HAS eq and FX send and return etc + rca cinch X2 for CD input of domestic line level AND weighs 4.6Lbs
@ 150Watts mono or 2X75Watts in stereo, and a universal switched mode power supply 110- 240 volts..
Basil (From an "Enemy Nation") |
David Wren
Member From: Placerville, California, USA
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posted 25 April 2006 04:20 PM
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well, this isn't a rack mount power amp, but a couple of years ago I looked for a "practice" amp to give my session 500 (and my back) a rest... and decided on a Fender "Dyna Touch" DSP 90 Deluxe (names bigger than the amp :-)
I discovered this was a great little amp! Around $300.00, 90 watts, Celestion 12" speaker, digital effects, and 33 lbs.After using this amp for many of my mic'ed off gigs (or small venues) I decided to purchase a 2nd one for stereo... that's when I saw fender has replaced this with a similar amp (only added a tuner) and raised the price by more than $150! duh, for that price you'd get a PV 112. So today I searched and found one "blemished" one at a on-line store... and ordered it... now I'm happy. Haven't seen this amp used by any other steelers... but it a real beefy little amp. ------------------
Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box www.ameechapman.com [This message was edited by David Wren on 25 April 2006 at 04:22 PM.]
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Dave Grafe
Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA
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posted 26 April 2006 10:19 AM
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I just bought a brand new (can you believe it?!!) Fender Bassman 100 for my bass and discovered that with the addition of a good reverb unit patched into the effects loop it is a killer small steel amp - I didn't even have to fiddle with the EQ knobs, set the "contour at about 3 o'clock and presto - golden sound. And under 25 pounds, too!Gotta love it. |
David Spangler
Member From: Kerrville, TX USA
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posted 29 April 2006 10:42 AM
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I used and loved a Stewart PA-1000 with a Boss VF-1. It was 1 rack space and weighed about 10 lb. and produced 1000W RMS at 4-ohms bridged. In a moment of insanity I sold it. Now, I have bought a Stewart World 1.2 (similar specs but 1200W bridged at 4-ohms). I will use it with a POD XT Pro. It's hard to find a 1U lightweight amp that can produce this power at 4-ohms. The high-frequency power supply is the secret. I don't need all the watts, but if you look around, you can't find anything else that compares favorably. I concede that it is a flat, high-fidelity amp like the Carver, but I choose to eq in the preamp and use the power amp strictly for power.------------------
David Spangler |
Chris LeDrew
Member From: Newfoundland, Canada
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posted 29 April 2006 01:31 PM
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BOSE has a new power amp that is the size of a hardcover book, and it's rated at 250 watts RMS, 4 ohms. I just saw it advertised in this month's AFM mag. |
Jay Ganz
Member From: Out Behind The Barn
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posted 29 April 2006 04:34 PM
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Yeah, but those are mainly used with a Bose system. It's called a Packlite power amp and gets connected to their PS1 power stands to add extra low end to the system. The output is
a speakon connector only. |
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