I Need a Silent Amp Head!

Chrisk-K · #1 02-25-2011, 05:54 PM

I've heard that a class A/B amp is silent (no hiss through a tweeter). Is that true?

Is a Markbass LM III or 250 a class A/B?

fdeck · #2 02-25-2011, 06:28 PM

No amp is silent. Amplifier noise emanates from a small set of physical root causes that are pretty much the same for any amplifier class. Of course within any particular class, you can design a quiet amp or a noisy amp.

superdick2112 · #3 02-25-2011, 06:28 PM

I've never heard any amp (of ANY class) that does not hiss even a little bit when the gain is past 7 or so. My old EBS HD-350 (class D) was fairly quiet, as is my SWR Headlite (class D power w/tube pre), and obviously a passive bass with single coils will hiss far more than an active bass with humbuckers will. Class A/B amps are usually tube amps, running in non-single ended mode (think 100-watt Marshall guitar head).
Hiss comes from a combination of pickups, preamps, cables, effects and the amp's power section, so if you're looking for a dead-silent rig, you have to look at your entire signal chain.

Chrisk-K · #4 02-25-2011, 06:37 PM

I've read several posts here at TB where the poster claimed that his Little Mark II or III was dead silent. Maybe the definition of "silent" is subjective?

superdick2112 · #5 02-25-2011, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

Maybe the definition of "silent" is subjective?

Indeed it is.

fdeck · #6 02-25-2011, 06:39 PM

It is quite possible that one amp design is quieter than another, but this is not rooted in which particular class of output driver is chosen.

I once designed a preamp (not for musical use) where a portion of the circuit was cooled by liquid nitrogen to make it quieter.

Chrisk-K · #7 02-25-2011, 07:03 PM

I did some experiment. Well, it turns out that my amps (GK & GB) are virtually silent. My pedals add hiss. I have 7 pedals on my board. Got to find a way to make them quiet.

superdick2112 · #8 02-25-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

I did some experiment. Well, it turns out that my amps (GK & GB) are virtually silent. My pedals add hiss. I have 8 pedals on my board. Got to find a way to make them quiet.

Try adding a Boss noise suppressor pedal - I find mine virtually indispensable, especially when using My Rickenbackers and Fender Jazz basses.

Chrisk-K · #9 02-25-2011, 07:20 PM

A noise suppressor simply gates the noise, right? I hear hiss when playing at home (of course no one can hear in a band setting) and it bothers me. I'll post a question at the Effect forum.

superdick2112 · #10 02-25-2011, 07:45 PM

Yes, the noise suppressor will silence your pedals when you are not playing. Easy to set up (last pedal in your FX chain), and easy to operate - just leave it on all the time.

fdeck · #11 02-25-2011, 08:30 PM

One idea is to try a digital multi-FX. Of course this only works if you actually like how it sounds, but at least in theory, digital effects should add no noise other than what is generated at the front end of the unit.

Chrisk-K · #12 02-25-2011, 08:39 PM

Yep. I used to use only a Line 6 M13. No added noise.

georgestrings · #13 02-25-2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

A noise suppressor simply gates the noise, right? I hear hiss when playing at home (of course no one can hear in a band setting) and it bothers me. I'll post a question at the Effect forum.

When I played alot of guitar, I used a few different noisegates - I never really liked how they affected my overall sound...

- georgestrings

JimmyM · #14 02-25-2011, 09:33 PM

no noise = boring. i'm not saying try to induce 60 cycle hum, but a little noise never hurt anything.

fdeck · #15 02-25-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

no noise = boring. i'm not saying try to induce 60 cycle hum, but a little noise never hurt anything.

Or 50 Hz. We have to be sensitive to our international TB'ers.

Stereo Joe · #16 02-25-2011, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Or 50 Hz. We have to be sensitive to our international TB'ers.

Just the other day I was wondering if countries with 50Hz electricity get 50 cycle hum through electronics - thanks for confirming! It makes sense...

jg919 · #17 02-26-2011, 02:09 AM

Hi!
I don't know about your current setup (bass/compression/effects/overdrives etc...) wise, but any difference in bass, effects, compression, etc will change the amount of noise you hear from your amlifier (even using different cables changes this!).
As far as I'm concerned, the best remedy for (excess) hiss is to use a noise gate - if you use compression, a rack unit with a niose gate is a good idea, but you can get noise gates in pedal-formats too (MXR for one).
In terms of amps, I have owned a few Trace Elliot amps, and most of these had a quite nice noise gate in them (along with dual-band compresison). I found this VERY handy when using my bass guitar setup (compression, effects, etc) and switching to my upright bass between tunes (as my upright has a rather noisy pickup).
I personally can't comment on any amp which is quiet - all produce the same amount of noise when I use the same gear before amplifying. Hiss will more than likely be lost in any band mix, and when recording, ask the engineer to gate your equipment if it's noisy and mic'd up.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw in a suggestion - hope this helps!
JOHN

GrowlerBox · #18 02-26-2011, 11:21 PM

The very first thing I noticed about my new TCE RH450 when I plugged it in, after using a Markbass F1, was that I could not hear it at all. The F1 is fairly noisy until you play something through it -- not so that you'd ever notice it at a gig or rehearsal, but I always knew it was on without looking at it. The RH450 -- nothing, even with my ear against the cab and all 16 piezos in the array switched on. Makes no difference most of the time, but if I were playing "open" solo lines on a mic'd cabinet in a studio, I would use this amp.

98dvl · #19 02-26-2011, 11:23 PM

The question here really is, "Why do you need a silent amp?".

Are you playing in a library or something? If so, why are you bringing your amplifier?

Silent amplifier seems like an oxymoron to me.

I realize some (if not all) amps have some "noise" (hissing, hum, etc). But I've never heard someone playing through an amp and thought, "Wow, that's a really noisy amp". You may have noise while NOT playing... but I doubt that you'll honestly be able to detect anything while you're playing (unless there's something wrong with your amp). If you need silence while not playing, get a volume pedal or use a tuner as a mute switch.