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Power amps

#4
A traditional Bass Amp includes a preamp section, and poweramp both enclosed in one box which can be included with a speakers if the Amp is a Combo, or runs into the speakers of your choice. Simple and effect and all that most bass players need.


Some players prefer to choose their own specific separate preAmp's, which then run into a separate Power Amp which then runs into the speakers of your choice.
More specific options options, but more to deal with.


Just depends what you need, want, and are prepared to deal with.
 
#7
DavisP said:
so lets say I buy a power amp and plug everything in right, whats the difference between having one and not?
Click to expand...

You can do that if you have an OBP, (On Board Preamp) on your bass. Sound guys, FWIW, will become annoyed as you'll need to send them a strong enough signal... That's where a Preamp comes in. You can buy low priced=quality or high priced=quality Preamps to send a signal to a Power Amp and then out to your speakers.

IME; you would probably do best with getting started with a bass amp that has both the Preamp and Power Amp in one unit.

Keep in mind that most of the time $ = Quality. There are some great deals to be found here on TB, pawn shops, auctions sites, etc.

Continue to seek and indeed you will find!
 
#8
Lets say my bass cab handles 2000 watts RMS and my SVT-6 only pushes 1100 Watts, what would the difference be if I had a power amp? In reality will it make my head push more then 1100 watts?
 
#9
DavisP said:
Lets say my bass cab handles 2000 watts RMS and my SVT-6 only pushes 1100 Watts, what would the difference be if I had a power amp? In reality will it make my head push more then 1100 watts?
Click to expand...

If you take a LINE OUT of your SVT into a Power Amp, it will clean up your sound as each Power Amp will then need to push seperate speaker cabinets. You CANNOT run the Power Amps in a chain/parallel...:ninja:
 
#10
No. Your amp already has a power amp in it. A conventional bass amp head has both a preamp (where all the inputs, tone controls, effects, etc. are) and a power amp, which drives the speakers. Your amp has an 1100 watt power amp in it.

What you could do is take a line-level signal (preamp out or effects send, for example, depending on what connectors your amp has) from the SVT, feed that to another power amp, and run that into another cab. You can't run two amps into the same speaker cab unless you enjoy the smell of expensive smoke.

Reid

Edit: LowBSix, great minds etc... :)
 
#11
To repeat a bit of what's been answered above, one channel of one power amp feeds one speaker jack. Two channels do not feed one speaker. Two amps do not feed one speaker. Your amp head contains a power amp section, as stated above. If you want to slave a power amp off the preamp of your amp head, and then feed a whole separate stack of speakers, fine. It will be ridiculously large and loud and hard to manage, but it will work.

If you want more loudness from your SVT6, you don't want a power amp. You want to learn how to maximize the efficiency of the wattage from the amp you already have. 1100W is a lot. You want a more efficient speaker cab, and you want to learn how to use EQ and possibly compression for maximum loudness using that wattage.
 

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