Has anyone ever separated the power section from their Amp?

Sumtingwong · #1 01-15-2012, 12:21 PM

I love old-school SWR's, and was curious to see if anyone has ---successfully--- separated the front tone and pre-amp sections of their amp from the power section.

I love my Silverado Special's tone. It's a 2x12 combo, but it lacks power. Solution- Separate it from the power/transformer section, case it, and use it as a preamp, running a Crown or Crest power amp to power my Aguilar 4x12 cab.

It seems simple- Too simple, really. There's got to be some reason more people haven't done this type of thing. I just don't know what that reason is.

levis76 · #2 01-15-2012, 12:24 PM

Depends on how integrated everything is. Does the amp not have an FX out? That is typically after the pre and most definitely before the power section.

Sumtingwong · #3 01-15-2012, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levis76

Depends on how integrated everything is. Does the amp not have an FX out? That is typically after the pre and most definitely before the power section.

It does, but rolling in a 70lb combo amp (which I didn't specify in my OP) just to use the FX out would be tough.. I'll go back and fix that post shortly.

mellohawk · #4 01-15-2012, 12:40 PM

SWR's website states that your amp has effects loop. You should be able to "send" your onboard preamp signal to any power amp of your choosing. No need to separate the pre from the power section.

billfitzmaurice · #5 01-15-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sumtingwong

There's got to be some reason more people haven't done this type of thing. I just don't know what that reason is.

If you have to ask...
Even if the pre circuitry is completely separate from the power amp, which is not likely, the power supply won't be.
In any event at 350w/450w that amp is anything but underpowered. The speakers are likely the source of your problems. You need more of them.

puremusic · #6 01-15-2012, 12:59 PM

I use to own one of these amps and it is 2 ohm stable, It just didn't have the bottom for 5 strings that I liked.

matti777 · #7 01-15-2012, 01:02 PM

I'd just sell it and buy an SWR preamp and a Crown or Crest power amp or perhaps just a complete SWR head.

Sumtingwong · #8 01-15-2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

If you have to ask...
Even if the pre circuitry is completely separate from the power amp, which is not likely, the power supply won't be.
In any event at 350w/450w that amp is anything but underpowered. The speakers are likely the source of your problems. You need more of them.

Yes, I had to ask, because I'm curious about weird stuff like this.
Well, no- Now that I think about it, I didn't have to ask, but that's between my therapist and me, not TB.

Anyhoo, I had an acoustic 2x15 cab that I ran along with this amp, but it was.. ah.. insufficient, to say the least. The amp will run 2.67 ohms. I now have an Aggie 4x12.

I've had the amp for 12 years, and up 'til now, never had a need for more power. It's covered every situation admirably. I did replace the 12ax7 with a newer version of the original, but other than that, this amp is getting it's ass kicked in larger, boomier situations, and telling everyone to turn down doesn't work, largely because I don't have a pistol or some other means of making sure they get the point.

Sumtingwong · #9 01-15-2012, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matti777

I'd just sell it and buy an SWR preamp and a Crown or Crest power amp or perhaps just a complete SWR head.

Yes, but I like this head. It has everything I need, except power. I could also keep the combo for smaller situations, and pull it out, tie it to a big power amp with a lighter D-class power section for big rooms. I can pick those up used for 300 bucks all day long.

Sell the combo, haggle, ship it to outer B.F.E., search for a suitable replacement at the right price, yadda, yadda, sounds like a complicated solution to what could be (notice I said "could", not "is") very simple.

levis76 · #10 01-15-2012, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sumtingwong

It does, but rolling in a 70lb combo amp (which I didn't specify in my OP) just to use the FX out would be tough.. I'll go back and fix that post shortly.

The combo is 70lbs, the amp section is not. Remove the amp from the combo, build a lightweight box and now it's just a heavy preamp instead of a 70lbs combo. Looks like it has a slanted face, so a standard rack is out unless you make some mounting adapters.

levis76 · #11 01-15-2012, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sumtingwong

Yes, but I like this head. It has everything I need, except power. I could also keep the combo for smaller situations, and pull it out, tie it to a big power amp with a lighter D-class power section for big rooms. I can pick those up used for 300 bucks all day long.

Sell the combo, haggle, ship it to outer B.F.E., search for a suitable replacement at the right price, yadda, yadda, sounds like a complicated solution to what could be (notice I said "could", not "is") very simple.

Really it sounds like you just need a power amp and your choice of cabinet to plug it into. For those shows that need mo' powah, you hook the xlr out of the combo to the power amp and use the combo as your monitor.

Bmorefoozler · #12 01-15-2012, 01:32 PM

maybe try a BBII head as a preamp, into a poweramp. From memory there are more similarities then differences with the silverado series.

Sumtingwong · #13 01-15-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levis76

The combo is 70lbs, the amp section is not. Remove the amp from the combo, build a lightweight box and now it's just a heavy preamp instead of a 70lbs combo. Looks like it has a slanted face, so a standard rack is out unless you make some mounting adapters.

Hmm. This has possibilities. One thing I can do besides play bass is shape metal, and it's and excuse to use my tools.

Now that I think about it, I wonder why amp mfr's don't do something like a laptop docking station for scalable power supplies to be used with the front end of their amps. A shuttle max or TCE's RH series come to mind- Buy one front end, two different power supplies for diff size gigs. Hmm.
Remember, you heard it here first, folks. (I know, Markbass already has a modular system..)

Gougedeye · #14 01-15-2012, 04:32 PM

I don't know if this will help or not, but I had/have a Silverado 4X8. I took the power section out. It left a 2 space opening. I had to wire in a speaker jack, but thats it and it was easy! Now I fill the space with my RH750 and my wireless. I've added another Henry, Jr. 4X8 for a total of 8 8s and this rig kills! You can do it. Good luck.

Sumtingwong · #15 01-15-2012, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gougedeye

I don't know if this will help or not, but I had/have a Silverado 4X8. I took the power section out. It left a 2 space opening. I had to wire in a speaker jack, but thats it and it was easy! Now I fill the space with my RH750 and my wireless. I've added another Henry, Jr. 4X8 for a total of 8 8s and this rig kills! You can do it. Good luck.

Just curious- Did you go from the SWR head to the RH750, or were there other amps in between? I sooo want to pull the trigger on a 750...

Gougedeye · #16 01-15-2012, 05:23 PM

I went straight to the RH750. Despite all the controversy, I love mine.

Sumtingwong · #17 01-15-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gougedeye

I went straight to the RH750. Despite all the controversy, I love mine.

Okay! I'm glad you chimed in! You actually had the juevos to do exactly what I was afraid to do.
1) Replace the SWR with the 750.
2) Turn it into a satellite cab.
I've played this combo for 11 years.. That's roughly 700 shows, and never once has it let me down, but it's showing it's age. I was doing the math, and was really in awe of It's reliability.
How does it compare in terms of volume with the SWR?

Gougedeye · #18 01-15-2012, 06:10 PM

I dig the RH750 + the 2 4X8 cabs way more than I ever liked the Silverado and the Henry Jr. The RH 750 is way louder to my ear. The features of the TC head are so good and flexible, that I have been very happy with my choice and will never regret getting rid of the aging SWR. I will say, however, the RH750 takes some tinkering with to find "your" sound. Out of the box, it sounds different than most class D heads. The presets are cool and easy to set and the "shift" can make some dramatic changes. But with a little bit of experimenting and patience, I think you will be very happy! Good luck.

nukes_da_bass · #19 01-15-2012, 06:42 PM

Was just looking at the specs and you should be able to split out the signal to a second 4 ohm cabinet- push more air and suddenly you have more volume...voila!

Sumtingwong · #20 01-16-2012, 01:01 AM

Whelp.. I finally done gone and spent money I don't really have, and pulled the trigger on a new RH750.

I was really trying desperately to find a way to get around spending the money on a new RH, given all the controversy- If the power output was definitively 750w, and clearly measured, it would have been a no-brainer.

The return policy was worth the risk of not having enough power to push my 4x12, so if it runs out of gas, then I can return it for something with a lot more muscle. I'm thinking that the spectra comp and their signal processing should keep the signal focused enough to cut through the mud. (Dear lord, I hope so..)

I'll keep you posted.
Thanks for all the input!