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Two amps are better than one?

Doctor Intrepid

Doctor Intrepid

Dec 27, 2017
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7,031
#1
Question for the TB community. I have a project in mind, and will spare you the details, but one question I have to make it work is as follows. Can you increase your volume by using more than one amp, or is increasing wattage the only was to increase volume? For example, can I increase my volume by adding a second 50 watt amp or is it best to just replace the 50 watt with a 100 watt?

The numbers are not my actual concern at this point, so no responses such as 'you need 500 watts'. I just want to know whether one can increase volume via adding amps instead of adding watts?
 
#3
Doctor Intrepid said:
I just want to know whether one can increase volume via adding amps instead of adding watts?
Click to expand...
Mostly yes. You might not actually increase the dB of your SPL, but you will be moving more air and have greater dispersion. As an example, take a pair of Rumble 100 combos. Each individual combo has a maximum SPL output. Slaving one off the other does not double your SPL, but it does double the amount of air moved and the total dispersion of sound. Psychoacoustically it will sound much louder when in fact it may be exactly the same dB of sound pressure level.
 
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#6
Add amp and speakers, IMO.

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#11
I was debating a single Rumble 200C or a pair of 100C's and the pair won (1 used and 1 on sale). I use one for practice and can Send/Receive the second for more output or use them in stereo. I'd expect the 2x12 would be louder than the 1x15... more total cone area and 200W vs. 140W.

But when I try a 200C at the music store, it sounds better the the two 100C together. I've read about upgrading the speaker to the Eminence Beta 12-A... $150 for two. Now with the $480 spent on the pair of 100C's and then adding speaker upgrades, I'm in the price range of a 500C. Think I'm going down the wrong path here?
 
#12
Doctor Intrepid said:
Question for the TB community. I have a project in mind, and will spare you the details, but one question I have to make it work is as follows. Can you increase your volume by using more than one amp, or is increasing wattage the only was to increase volume? For example, can I increase my volume by adding a second 50 watt amp or is it best to just replace the 50 watt with a 100 watt?

The numbers are not my actual concern at this point, so no responses such as 'you need 500 watts'. I just want to know whether one can increase volume via adding amps instead of adding watts?
Click to expand...

Yes, you will get more volume with a second amp and cabinet. Although IME you're not going to end up with twice the volume.

I power a pair of 2-12's with a stereo power amp. I used to run a single cabinet with each side of my amp. Just to experiment, I turned the volume control of one side of the amp to zero, and the other side wide open. I played a bit, then I turned the other side up wide open. Both sides at once: More volume for sure, but it didn't sound like twice the volume to me. I hope my example makes sense.
 
#13
Edword said:
I use this rig to get even with the neighbors.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to find another pair of 2-12's for my setup, same brand and model. They've been discontinued, but they're still out there on the used market.

I'm running a "Dirty" and "Clean" setup these days, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. Once I buy 2 more cabinets, I'll have 900 watts and four 12"s of "Dirty", and 900 watts and four 12"s of "Clean" on hand. Not that I'll need that much volume, but I've always wanted a mammoth wall of speakers like the big boys used back in the day.

Plus, my guitarist has twin stacks, and we'll be playing outdoor festivals in the future. I'm sure we'll have the Soundperson howling bloody murder at us to turn down, and we'll have to wear earplugs plus shooting earmuffs, :laugh: but we're both middle aged guys that aren't into sports cars. :D
 
#15
I did add a second stacked identical speaker cabinet, a second 100C, connecting from SEND of the upper 100C to RETURN of the lower one. Both are working in parallel, with the tone and volume controls of the upper one controlling both. The volume difference is noticeable, think it's 6dB more, but certainly not double which is 10dB.
 
#16
rickso said:
I did add a second stacked identical speaker cabinet, a second 100C, connecting from SEND of the upper 100C to RETURN of the lower one. Both are working in parallel, with the tone and volume controls of the upper one controlling both. The volume difference is noticeable, think it's 6dB more, but certainly not double which is 10dB.
Click to expand...

To double the volume you’d have to supply ten times the power. Sad but true!
 
#17
I play in an acoustic trio (well, acoustic and electric guitars, and bass). Not looking to double the volume, just be a little louder with more bass extension. Looking for the rich deep tone (not volume) of a 500W amp through a 4x10, but with two Rumble 100s. Currently using an EH Tone Corset compressor and Boss GEB-7 EQ with a 5dB boost @50hz, 5dB cut @120 & 400Hz, 5dB boost in the upper mids, Rumble tone controls set flat. Sounds pretty good but think I can get better tone from the Rumbles and my MIM Jazz bass. Will be adding series/parallel pickup switching, as I've read that should add some low end. Any suggestions?
 

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