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Need amp help. How many watts do you guys gig with?

squeally dan

squeally dan

Mar 30, 2008
572
668
#1
Currently using a TC Electronics BG250 combo. Playing mostly weddings and similar gigs. 99% of the time I’m running through a pa. I’ve used this amp on larger gigs and outdoor and it worked ok with help from monitors. It was cranked a few times.

so now looking to get something with a bit more than the 250 watts I’m currently using. Leaning towards a class D head with a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. Do I need 800 watts or will 500 be enough of a step up?
 
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#2
Many SS amps including class D's will not give you full rated power until you add a second cab. A 500 watter might only give you around 350 watts until you load it more heavily. Milages vary so check the specs for candidate amps.

Looking at the BG250 manual, I didn't see any mention of it being able to take an external cab. This might mean your amp is already doing 250 watts. FWIW.

Adding a second cab to get the extra power will also get you a lot louder due to the extra speakers. So lots of options for power, loudness and speaker flexibility on your horizon. Have fun shopping.
 
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#3
My last touring rig used a stereo power amp with about 250W per channel. Most of the time I used one side pushing an Eden D210XLT. The key here is the D210XLT has a pretty high sensitivity rating of 103dB 1W/1m.

The decibel change from 1W to 250W: log(250/1) x 10 = ~24dB.

Add this to the sensitivity rating: 103 + 24 = 127dB. This is the calculated SPL with 250W.

I believe I am usually happy if my rig is capable of at least 124dB, so the D210XLT with 250W was plenty.

Hopefully you see that SPL is a function of both power and the cab's sensitivity rating. If you have amp with a lower power rating, using speakers with a higher sensitivity rating will get you more volume. Also when you add an identical speaker, the sensitivity rating goes up by 3dB. For example a pair of D210XLTs would have a combined sensitivity rating of 106dB 1W/1m.

That being said, I would probably go for an 800W head myself. The difference in cost is usually fairly small, and IMHO better to have more than you need, rather than not enough. However, this is assuming your cabs can take the extra power. Having an amp that can produce way more power than your speakers can handle is a good recipe for blowing your speakers.

Price Comparison:
Aguilar TH500 $900/TH700 $1000. The price difference is $100 and the decibel difference is ~1.5dB.

GK Legacy 500 $850/ Legacy 800 $950. The price difference is $100 and the decibel difference is ~2dB.

The extra SPL is not enough to justify the extra cost IMHO. You could try both and see if there is any perceived difference in tone/feel. Then decide if you want to spend the extra $100. Also sometimes the more powerful amp has extra features, and/or can handle lower impedance.

Good luck!
 
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#4
EDIT: It seems other users have posted far more detailed advice while I was typing out my post - you'd do well to heed that.

Well, you're in a bit of a pickle. I was going to suggest an extension cab, but from what I see on TC's website none of them have the option to add one.

What is the speaker configuration on the cab are you currently using? That will help determine the level at which you're topping out with your current rig.

Love the username, by the way. ;)
 
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#5
Verticos said:
EDIT: It seems other users have posted far more detailed advice while I was typing out my post - you'd do well to heed that.

Well, you're in a bit of a pickle. I was going to suggest an extension cab, but from what I see on TC's website none of them have the option to add one.

What is the speaker configuration on the cab are you currently using? That will help determine the level at which you're topping out with your current rig.

Love the username, by the way. ;)
Click to expand...
Thank you! It is a 1x15.
 
#6
squeally dan said:
Currently using a TC Electronics BG250 combo. Playing mostly weddings and similar gigs. 99% of the time I’m running through a pa. I’ve used this amp on larger gigs and outdoor and it worked ok with help from monitors. It was cranked a few times.

so now looking to get something with a bit more than the 250 watts I’m currently using. Leaning towards a class D head with a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. Do I need 800 watts or will 500 be enough of a step up?
Click to expand...

If you can afford an 800w head, do it. I moved from the head version of the amp you have (the BH250) to its 800w big brother, the BH800 and have never looked back or felt I needed more. I considered the BH550, but am glad I went for it and got the 800

Using it with 1 2x10 (Ampeg SVT210-AV, 8 Ohm) was good and clean, but with 2 2x10s (4 Ohm) or my 4 Ohm 4x12, I could bury anyone in my band. I also had an Ampeg 810 at one point and that was stupid loud with the BH800.
 
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#9
800 - Mesa TT800

350 - Mesa Walkabout

100 - modified Fender PA100

30 - Ashdown LB30

Watts mean nothing (relatively speaking). There's no "minimum" number of Watts for a "real" gig worthy amp. I have done plenty of loud gigs with that LB30. I just brought plenty of cab.

Quit concerning yourself with watts. That is but one small piece of the equation.
 
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#10
squeally dan said:
...a class D head with a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. Do I need 800 watts or will 500 be enough of a step up?
Click to expand...

If you have enough speakers 500W will be plenty.

As you mention Class D, take a look at the IMG Stageline STA-400D. It's a general purpose power amp so you'll probably always find some use for it. It will do 270W per channel RMS into 4 ohms each channel, or 180W into 8 ohms. It's based on Hypex modules. It has VERY low noise! It takes balanced XLR input and has Speakon output connections. Short term surge is 700W so if you play with a pick and use compression to let short peaks through you can make use of the extra punch.

If you feed it with signal from bass via a preamp (or whatever else you use to shape tone), you'll have relatively low cost, very high efficiency, low weight, and above all, versatility.
 
#12
squeally dan said:
Currently using a TC Electronics BG250 combo. Playing mostly weddings and similar gigs. 99% of the time I’m running through a pa. I’ve used this amp on larger gigs and outdoor and it worked ok with help from monitors. It was cranked a few times.

so now looking to get something with a bit more than the 250 watts I’m currently using. Leaning towards a class D head with a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. Do I need 800 watts or will 500 be enough of a step up?
Click to expand...

Currently a Hartke 350 with 2 2x10 cabs. Bring one or 2 cabs as needed.
 
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#15
Old Garage-Bander said:
Adding a second cab to get the extra power will also get you a lot louder due to the extra speakers. So lots of options for power, loudness and speaker flexibility on your horizon. Have fun shopping.
Click to expand...
This. I gigged for years with an SWR PB-200 and then the head version of your amp, the BH250. But I ran through a GenzBenz 15, with an SWR Bass Monitor 12 when I needed more volume (which is more midrangy than many 12s, and a great compliment to the 15). Between the two cabs, I never had any trouble getting enough volume, either by themselves or with the PA for bigger spaces. I moved to a Mesa Subway D800 for the tone not watts, and now use a Subway 15 plus the Genz 15 when I need both.

But the key point: more speakers, more louder. Whatever you get, your impulse for multi speaker cabs is the right one. If you can get a more powerful amp, that would be great, but if you have to choose between more watts and more speakers, lean toward more speakers (either in 1 cab or across two).
 
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#17
I use a GK MB500 (as a lot of people on this thread seem to do!) which is 300 at eight ohms and 500 at four ohms. It’s enough for me. I will confess I miss my old LM800, because 500 watts at eight ohms sounds enormous. But the 300 is definitely enough.

Oh yes, 4x10 cabinet.
 

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