Power Amp Vs. Power Head

[DeivoxCarnal]

So I'm still a noob when it comes to amps so please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these points...

So first, your average bass head is just a pre-amp hooked up to a power amplifier right?

After looking through CL for a while I realized that I could get a lot more wattage if I were to just buy a power amp and use my MXR Bass DI+ as a preamp.

I found a great deal locally on a Crown Power Bass-3, and it looks like I could get a lot more BOOM for my buck by going this route.

I'm satisfied with my recorded sound for now, so I'm thinking that I'll be ok with running my MXR DI+>Crown Power Bass-3>David Eden 410 XLT (8ohm)

So is there something in this equation that I'm missing?
A watt is a watt, right?

If I'm right I could save myself at least 400 bones by getting a power amp with no pre.

Thanks in advance for the advice guys.

 

[seamonkey]

I agree with your approach.
It is amazing what regular pre and power amp can do for your sound. Effects, compression, distortion belong before the power amp.

A watt is a watt but the Crown is only going to do 540W into 8 ohms, and this actually is not that much more than 300w. Additionally the Eden may not get any louder over 300W. There is no specs available on what the cab can do with more watts. This is just typical of Bass cabinet manufacturers - they only give a thermal rating of adding up all the driver wattage specifications and saying that's what power it can take. They never talk about maximum measured SPL.

 

[grendle]

Yep that's what I did. I went with a pre amp and a power amp. Very happy with it too. If your looking for light gear, check out the berhinger I nuke power amps. Heard good things about them. 2000 watts ( rated, about 1400 actual) for under $300 and only 7 lbs I think? Hard to beat that.

 

[RickenBoogie]

Just be sure, whatever you get, that the MXR pedal puts out enough juice to run the poweramp. You're looking for a poweramps input sensitivity.

 

[passive pickup]

By coincidence i was experimenting with an mxr m80 di straight into a power amp last night. Sounded good but not a lot of volume. You might have to boost the signal into the amp with a mini mixer or something.

 

[seanm]

You still might want to get the power amp. There are lots of good preamps for a less than $400 dollars. I believe good Yamaha PB-1s go for about $150.

 

[DeivoxCarnal]

I feel kinda silly not searching before I posted since there's a very similar question RIGHT under mine in the list
That's what I get for TB'ing on the down-lo at work.

Thanks for the advice guys, I think I'm definitely gonna go the power amp route, I saw a hartke preamp/tone shaper thingy at GC today for under a hundred, and I have a feeling I'm not gonna stick with the MXR for long, I'm looking hard at the programmable BDDI.

So if I'm looking for poweramp input sensitivity how do I know what the output of my MXR is?