Question about power amplifiers

[dragoon419]

Hey.

I was wondering if I could use any power amplifier, or if I have to use a bass specific power amp?

Thanks.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Hey.

I was wondering if I could use any power amplifier, or if I have to use a bass specific power amp?

Thanks.

In theory, a power amp is a power amp. It's job it to produce power to drive the speakers. There's no difference between bass watts, guitar watts, and P.A. watts. Different sounds require different amounts of them. Many of the power amps that you see are rigged for stereo, or two channels, most bass players don't need this, so you'll find that you can run your power amp bridged. Just make sure your power amp can take the input from your preamp and you're golden.

Personally, I've had my power amp modded. It pushes 1000Watts out one channel. Mono. A great person to talk to about this would be Bob_QSC. He's a great guy and he works for QSC. He will have a lot of information if you're looking for something more technical that what I just explained.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Hey.

I was wondering if I could use any power amplifier, or if I have to use a bass specific power amp?

Thanks.

Any decent power-amp will work for bass. There are many of us who use a stereo power-amp with some sort of pre-amp in our rigs. I use both Carvin DCM series amps and Mackie FR1400 amps. My favourite is the Carvin DCM1000 at $330. 500W/ch at 2Ω and 350W per at 4Ω.

Paul

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

Also, if you're running two different cabs running a two channel amp in two channel mode can be useful for level matching the two cabs.

 

[de la mocha]

I was about to make a thread asking what is a power amp? I don't understand what it is. Also, does a power amp work with out a pre amp or do you need both to play bass?

 

[bongomania]

A power amp takes your preamp signal and boosts the current to create increased power, power which is needed to drive your signal through speakers. A "combo amp" or an "amp head" both contain a preamp section and a power amp section built in.

A preamp is needed to take your instrument signal (which is very weak) and boost the voltage to a level which will properly drive the power section.

 

[dragoon419]

Also, if you're running two different cabs running a two channel amp in two channel mode can be useful for level matching the two cabs.

So if I wanted to run my 8ohm 200watt WorkingMan's 2x10 and my 700watt 4ohm Goliath III, I could use both of them so long as I used two channels?

 

[de la mocha]

A power amp takes your preamp signal and boosts the current to create increased power, power which is needed to drive your signal through speakers. A "combo amp" or an "amp head" both contain a preamp section and a power amp section built in.

A preamp is needed to take your instrument signal (which is very weak) and boost the voltage to a level which will properly drive the power section.

Okay! Now I got it! Thanks!

 

[BassmanPaul]

So if I wanted to run my 8ohm 200watt WorkingMan's 2x10 and my 700watt 4ohm Goliath III, I could use both of them so long as I used two channels?

In a word Yes!

Paul