Would my amp be loud enough for a gig?

[Stumbo]

Thanks again folks, haha I know what cabs are. My old man has a Hughes and Kettner tube(can't remember wattage) and a marshall cab and hearing that thing is ape****.. I'll be looking around for a 500w tube head and then a cab to match when I get to that point. So by "mud" do you mean that weird fart sound when it's too loud and doesn't voice the note properly? Usually happens when I run my fx pedal, especially if I construct an effect with too much going on. Sounds like an overload of input or something. Also now I have to post a thread about Hz... Haha I kid I kid I'll go do my research. I can still hear dog whistles so my hearing is almost annoyingly good(electricity in the house down the block I hear, it kinda sucks).

I also suggest checking out the HPF/LPF mega thread.

 

[bhendrix]

Thanks again folks, haha I know what cabs are. My old man has a Hughes and Kettner tube(can't remember wattage) and a marshall cab and hearing that thing is ape****.. I'll be looking around for a 500w tube head and then a cab to match when I get to that point. So by "mud" do you mean that weird fart sound when it's too loud and doesn't voice the note properly? Usually happens when I run my fx pedal, especially if I construct an effect with too much going on. Sounds like an overload of input or something. Also now I have to post a thread about Hz... Haha I kid I kid I'll go do my research. I can still hear dog whistles so my hearing is almost annoyingly good(electricity in the house down the block I hear, it kinda sucks).

Take it from an old fart who rocked hard in the 70's and 80"s.... get some ear plugs and use em! I kinda thought you were going to go loud and proud! Rock on!

 

[/\/\3phist0]

The reasonably priced Fender Rumble 200w 2x10 combo and later with a 2x10 extension cab along with a HPF(high pass filter that cuts the mud) will allow you play pretty much every local covered venue.

I have recently played a few gigs with my Rumble 100 BE (112) combo.
With acoutic kit. It worked, but still had help from FOH.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Again, it's the SPL. 500 watts might mean 115dB or 130dB depending on the speaker cabinets and their efficiency. What is sufficient? You mention an 800W cab and some speakers, but how many dB does that translate into?

My first amp was only 60W but had a very efficient speaker (although limited frequency response) giving it 116dB at 1m. I upgraded to one rated at 117dB maximum into one speaker and while it had better frequency response I had to get an extension cab to bring it up to 121dB. My current rig will give me 122dB, which is significantly louder, with the main advantage being it is lighter. The loudest I had was only 1 more dB than now, but it was much heavier - more speakers but less sensitive. My PA tops out at 121dB. 800W into a couple of less efficient cabs might only be 126dB or 'a bit louder'. I can't see needing more than 122dB as I'd want to have FOH support ahead of a louder amp.

My 800-watt amp into my DNS410 cab will at least theoretically yield ~134db. Max db on my DNA DNS410 cab is 137db. 512 watts into it will produce around 133db. It requires double that of course for the next 3db gain, which is 1024-watts. My amp is a couple of hundred watts below that at 800 watts so it won't get the 136db, but it should get the 134db just fine...of course I don't want to be anywhere near it when it does.

I can't claim I've ever pushed it that hard because it's just a damn LOUD cab. I run my Eden WT500/800 with my master at 9 o'clock to 9:30 indoors and generally at 9:30 outdoors. A couple of months ago I had to place my amp behind the stage with the stage about a foot above the asphalt I set it on. The shelf port was pointed below the stage but the speaker cones were above the floor of the stage. With it being handicapped like this, I turned it up to 10:30 to compensate. After playing one song at 10:30, I was asked to turn it down. So I turned it down to 10 o'clock. After that song, I was again asked to turn down so I ended up playing the rest of the gig with the master at 9:30.

The Owner of SnoTown Brewing took a video of us playing and when he walks around, you'll get a short glimpse of my amp and cab behind the stage. My master was at 10 O'clock on this song and after this song, I turned it down to 9:30. If you want to see and hear it, you'll find it in message #28 of the following thread:
2500 watts, check! ..... now what?

 

[-Asdfgh-]

My 800-watt amp into my DNS410 cab will at least theoretically yield ~134db. Max db on my DNA DNS410 cab is 137db. 512 watts into it will produce around 133db. It requires double that of course for the next 3db gain, which is 1024-watts. My amp is a couple of hundred watts below that at 800 watts so it won't get the 136db, but it should get the 134db just fine...of course I don't want to be anywhere near it when it does.

I can't claim I've ever pushed it that hard because it's just a damn LOUD cab. I run my Eden WT500/800 with my master at 9 o'clock to 9:30 indoors and generally at 9:30 outdoors. A couple of months ago I had to place my amp behind the stage with the stage about a foot above the asphalt I set it on. The shelf port was pointed below the stage but the speaker cones were above the floor of the stage. With it being handicapped like this, I turned it up to 10:30 to compensate. After playing one song at 10:30, I was asked to turn it down. So I turned it down to 10 o'clock. After that song, I was again asked to turn down so I ended up playing the rest of the gig with the master at 9:30.

The Owner of SnoTown Brewing took a video of us playing and when he walks around, you'll get a short glimpse of my amp and cab behind the stage. My master was at 10 O'clock on this song and after this song, I turned it down to 9:30. If you want to see and hear it, you'll find it in message #28 of the following thread:
2500 watts, check! ..... now what?

What would be considered moderately safe listening levels (100dB) for the audience from your two rig's maximum SPL levels alone are 165 and 235 feet respectively.

 

[Alexander]

And remember, one tube watt is basically the same as three to four regular watts!

 

[Rip Van Dan]

And remember, one tube watt is basically the same as three to four regular watts!

Not really. Watts are watts. However, the tubes have the ability to throw higher momentary peaks, so you are correct that you can often get by with fewer watts in an all-valve amp - up to a point. Had an electronics guru friend of mine explain why that was and I wish I could remember and recite his explanation for you. Perhaps he'll pop in here.