How many watts do I -really- need?

[jid]

Answering some questions:

why tube: love the sound. Always have. But I’m sure a hybrid could also do the job.

More about this rig: my mesa 6x10 sits in the basement and doesn’t move. It weighs too much and while it has wheels, it is not something I need to gig with. I doubt the head I settle on will be used for gigging much.

for gigging I have a 2x10 I use for smaller venues and a 4x10 I use for more regular ones. The 6x10 just makes me happy to play through. And while I could sell it, no reason to.

so this purchase is for me. Purely for me. I’m not a working musician... I’m a family guy with a day job. But when I do play, I want to enjoy it thoroughly. Heck, most of the time I’m not even plugged into an amp when I’m practicing!

so that’s a little more color!

 

[Bassdirty]

easy answer= All the watts you have available...

..Plus 3

 

[G On Bass]

Answering some questions:

why tube: love the sound. Always have. But I’m sure a hybrid could also do the job.

I've had hybrids. Without power tubes, there is just something different. But if you go that route, there are many, many options. Including effects pedals with tubes in them.

 

[Jim Carr]

I don't believe you will find an 800 watt tube head. As @JimmyM and others have indicated, tube amps of that power for audio are not really practical due to their power requirements.

You might consider a Mesa Prodigy. About 250 watts rms, IIRC, and ALL tubes. Mine sounds quite lovely IMHO, but I like clean.

They were discontinued by Mesa. As I understand it, the Prodigy and it's larger sibling, the Strategy presented unacceptable part supply challenges, in particular finding the required high quality power tubes.

As others have pointed, an SVT out would do it, if you really must have a tube power section. I have taken the Prodigy to gigs quite often, but actually prefer the EQ of the Mesa d800, especially for upright. The d800's preamp is superior to the Prodigy, IMHO.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Just one

 

[Paulabass]

Any backline company will rent you a 300watt all tube SVT. Try one for a weekend, and discover just how loud an SVT is. (Spoiler- It's just slightly quieter than an act of god)

 

[byacey]

Why? Why would you choose an amp based on that technical specification rather than simply basing it on how it sounds?

Make a sound your goal, not a technical specification.

Tube amps can sound great. They can also sound terrible. The same goes for solid state amps. In the end, it comes down to the amp design, not whether it is tube or solid state.

Right.
A better question is "What SPL do I need to achieve?" The amp power output is only half of the equation, because the speaker efficiency at the frequencies of interest plays a large part in the resultant volume level you can achieve. I would suggest with a halfway efficient cabinet and a couple hundred watts RMS of clean power, if that's not good enough, you're too loud.