How much of a difference does a higher watt amp make?

[JimmyM]

A 10w amp will never be loud but it can sound awesome if it's a good one. The world's most recorded bass amp is only 25w or 30w, depending on which one you get. But there's definitely a world of difference between a cheap beginner's 10w combo and something better.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Not a rule of thumb, and I'm shure there are some OK sounding 10 watt amps, but in general, a bass amp in that range is probably gonna be weak in all areas of design, which is usually contained by cost elements guiding the build for beginners.

 

[Redbrangus]

Yes, a more professional, more powerful amp would sound better than your entry-level amp, and having more power might figure into that, but the benefits wouldn't be exclusively from that.

I recommend you consider buying used gear if you want to get the most value for your money. I've bought a number of smaller used amps for practice/rehearsal purposes and typically have paid only $100 or so. I play these on gigs - or at least I did - in groups that are amplified but don't have drums.

 

[Ostie]

I have the Rumble 25 and it does all I need for hone practicing. If I did it over again I would probably get the Rumble 40, only because it’s slightly lighter than the 25. but I don’t regret getting the Rumble 25. I got it off CL for $50. Worth every penny.

 

[bassliner50]

Get a Rumble 40 or Rumble 100. Try to buy one used, Do the searches, (Craigslist, Facebook market place, Offer up, Letgo.com etc) this will save you money, do this over a lifetime and hang with Warren Buffett.

 

[equalizin]

I'm just going to agree with what most posted before me. 10 watts is mostly a headphone amp. For the home 40 watts of something in the rumble/ampeg ba line or similar should sound great. It takes power to produce bass notes. IME a 40 watt amp is very flexible if you play with others without a drummer. In those situations maybe even gigable. Think coffee shop/acoustic duo at the local restaurant bar. For live drums you'll want 250-350 to be safe.

 

[Skillet]

Buy something Used. Your dollar goes a lot further. The bigger the better!

 

[LostJohnny]

IMHO you can never have too much, but you can always have too little.

True, although there can be that issue where your usable range on the volume control is between "too quiet" at 0.2 and "too loud" at 0.3. I mean, you could get a Lamborghini and use it as a golf cart too, but I don't think it's what anyone would recommend...

10 watts? so it’s a headphone amp not a bass amp.

That's a little harsh considering we're talking about a beginner looking for a bedroom amp. A lot of manufacturers make practice amps in that range: Ampeg, Fender, Roland, Hartke, Ashdown.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Right now I have a 10w practice amp.
And I was just wondering how much better your bass sounds depending on how many watts a bass amp has.
And yes I know most of the great tone etc. come from the fingers.

Also any amps in a $200 range that you recommend?
And 1 other thing what is the difference between amps that have heads? (I think that's what they're called.)

Well, your 10w little amp is due. A jump to even a 40w combo would probably yield you amazing results in all areas of tone. You can pick up a solid 110 combo, of a lot of different makes, for around $200. Its gonna be night and day for the better. Youll see.

The difference between heads and combos is that heads are amps. They have no speakers. Combos are amps with speakers. If you buy a head, you then need to buy a speaker cabinet to hook it up to. Combos have them both in one box. Combos are usually heavier, and most of the time they're also bulkier, but they're convenient.

This little guy looks like it'd be great for you. Peavey Max 110

 

[equalizin]

IMHO you can never have too much, but you can always have too little.

Yep. I felt like an absolute idiot years ago when I brought an Ampeg V4b and 2 12" cabs to a gig and it wasn't loud enough. You cant expect PA help everywhere you go. From that moment on It's 800 watts minimum just to keep me sane.

 

[brianrost]

10 watts is not the issue, it's the 6" speaker in that Ibanez and the size of the box that the speaker is in. If you disconnected the speaker and jury rigged a cable to a much larger cabinet, like an SVT fridge you'd probably be surprised how much better it sounds, and plenty loud for playing at home.

Until the late 1960s, 100 watts was as high powered as bass amps got. The difference was most amps used larger speakers, 15" being the most common. The speakers also didn't have as much low end response as what's available today. Driving less lows, meant it was possible for overall volume to be higher. In fact, I can't recall a single bass amp back then with only an 8" speaker until well into the 1970s, only guitar amps like the Fender Champ. Maybe 1-12 or 2-10 if not 1-15. It keeps prices down, but today's mfrs do bassists a disservice selling combos with such small speakers.

My very first bass amp in 1973 was 20 screaming transistor watts on a good day in a head so light you would think it was class D and a 15" speaker cabinet. Later on I had a Traynor BassMate combo, 20 tube watts plus a 15". I played gigs with that for years.

OK, so why do we now have amps offering megawatts of power if 100 watts was enough back then? Because players want to play at high volumes without the amp clipping (distorting) on peaks (like when slapping), because players want to reproduce the fundamentals of notes down to low B (hint: an SVT fridge cannot do this), because players want to use smaller cabinets that can create a huge sound but require a lot more power to do so.

As for an amp: get something used. For the $100-200 prices many people are suggesting you can buy an older amp that will be up to playing gigs if/when you're ready.

 

[bearhart74]

Find a used trace eliott blx 80 for bedroom practice.

 

[Loring]

Go used - a lot more amp can be had for 200 on the used market...

 

[khutch]

The amp power determines how loud your bass is, the sound quality depends on other factors that could be present or absent in an amplifier of any power level. So, if you want better tone you need to focus on getting better tone and the others can help you with that. I play through a church PA system so I have no control over my tone and I don't have any opinion on which amps have great tone and which do not. The good news is that if you want BOTH great tone AND more power then there is no reason you cannot get that. At the end of the day the suggestions of others will be helpful but you probably want to "audition" the amps yourself.

 

[lark_z]

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[buldog5151bass]

It's not just a matter of power. Higher powered practice amps likely have better speakers.

In general, Fender Rumbles are the best "bang for the buck" amp. IMHO.

 

[AlvaroOcampo]

With that budget definitely go used and hear it by yourself. You need a 15" or 4x10" to keep up with a drummer on a coffee sized gig or rehearsal. There is no use upgrading if you can't take it to a jam with a real drummer. I'd aim for that as a bare minimum. For larger or outdoor gigs you'll need PA support, but that's something the organizer should provide for a club or festival. Also be wary that jazz basses single coil pickups can be very very noisy with the tone wide open, you should check how does the amp handle that.

 

[Thunder Lizard]

Power is clarity in a lot of cases. You can turn a 200 or 500 watt amp down enough to play anywhere... you can't turn up a 10 watt amp enough for a loud stage or large venue. Get every bit you can and you're hedging your bets against needing to replace stuff in the future.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Right now I have a 10w practice amp.
And I was just wondering how much better your bass sounds depending on how many watts a bass amp has.
And yes I know most of the great tone etc. come from the fingers.

Also any amps in a $200 range that you recommend?
And 1 other thing what is the difference between amps that have heads? (I think that's what they're called.)

To hear a bass properly you need to move air and that takes wattage and the proper speaker(s). Practice amps are good for what they are, something that you can live with tonally as you practice by yourself.

My response to your question if you are not currently working with other musicians and have no plans to do so, I would look for a something over 30 watts to get a full tonal pallate. You should be able to find something in your price range. I’d also suggest to look for a gently used combo.

if you are going to be working with other musicians (drummers, guitarists in particular) I’d recommend at least 100 watts but you may find your options somewhat limited to fit within your price point.

If you can be patient, save a little more money, check out the used gear on Guitar Center. From time to time you can land an increadible deals, that come with a money back guarantee. For instance, I picked up an Eden E300 combo in great shape. 2-10” speakers and rated at 320 watts RMS for $300. I used it primarily as a practic amp, but also use it at band rehearsals and gigs at smaller venues (100 people or less as I have other more suitable gear). Unfortunately these things are as scarce as hens teeth as they don’t make them anymore, and those that bought them aren’t selling them.

That said, you should be able to find a Fender Rumble (highly poplar here on this forum) at an agreeable price. I’ve played through a couple and they sound nice.

‘Good hunting, and best wishes on finding something you’ll be happy with.

 

[SunByrne]

im using a using an Ibanez IBZ10B with a Squire CV jazz bass.

I have one of those in my office. It's frankly pretty bad, gets all buzzy playing anything lower than the 5th fret on the E string. This is not really all that surprising, though, given what it is. I kind of wonder if the cheapo 10w Peavey is any better, but it has the same kind of limitations so while it might be a little better, probably not enough to matter.

Anyway, there are two issues here: power and driver size. In principle, you don't really need a ton of wattage to sound OK, but a single 6.5" driver is just not going to get it done unless it's a really really good driver, and that's not what you're going to get in a cheap combo amp.

Even just for home practice, look for something with at least 40w and at least a 10" driver.

The good news is you can get there for $200. As has been noted, this is Fender Rumble40 or Ampeg BA-110 or Hartke HD-50 territory. Any one of those will be just miles better than the little Ibanez. Seriously, it'll be like night and day.

Definitely do the upgrade. I know that's what everyone always says on TB, but trust me, this time we're really not kidding. The Ibanez is garbage, all of these other options are not.

If you're going to be moving it around much, get the Fender—it's under 20 lbs, with the other two are in the mid-30s. If not, I'd probably get the Ampeg. Little bit cheaper, and it's cut so you can do a wedge-like placement, which will be better when you're standing.