need some recommendations for power-amp pedals

[BrianK]

Keep in mind, your cabinet is likely 16 ohms? So you can halve the power of what an amp puts into 8 ohms, and all the above recommend amps at 4ohms will only give you one-fourth that rated power: 40w at 4 ohms is like 10w at your 16ohms. This is likely why your "30w" is not giving you much (that may be 30w only at 8 or 4 ohms.)

So driving a 4x12 is tough. The above mention of a split cab is ideal, likely two sides at 8 ohms. If you can do that, you're good!

 

[BrianK]

And keep in mind - watts is not a linear slope: to make a 25 watt amp twice as loud, you need 100watts. To double a 50w amp needs 200w. Our minds think that 100w is twice as loud as 50, but it's not true.

And that ohms thing is so tricky: the rating may say 4 ohms, which is great IF you need it to go that low! But almost no one does - 8 or 16 are the usual. So you have to cut that power rating down, in half or 1/4 even!

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

Keep in mind, your cabinet is likely 16 ohms? So you can halve the power of what an amp puts into 8 ohms, and all the above recommend amps at 4ohms will only give you one-fourth that rated power: 40w at 4 ohms is like 10w at your 16ohms. This is likely why your "30w" is not giving you much (that may be 30w only at 8 or 4 ohms.)

So driving a 4x12 is tough. The above mention of a split cab is ideal, likely two sides at 8 ohms. If you can do that, you're good!

first, I never said my 30 watt Mooer Baby Bomb was not giving me much power... what I said was - I've only been using it at home with my 2x12 cab, and its been plenty loud for jamming by myself at home... I just haven't gotten a chance to actually try it at band practice, in a full band context, with my 4x12 cab... it was just was my assumption that it MIGHT NOT be loud enough...that's why I've been looking for something that is a bit more powerful... also, there is more than one Ohms option with most Marshall cabs. I grabbed a shot of the back panel from the internet so you can see it here.

that being said, I do have to admit... the whole wattage vs. ohms thing with connecting heads to speaker cabs has always confused me. I've had so many people explain it to me countless times, and I've never been able to grasp the whole concept. explaining how wattage and ohms work is like someone speaking another language to me... I just cannot wrap my head around it all... the only thing I know is how to connect my 100-watt Marshall head to my 4x12 cab. I found out the proper way to do it years ago, and I've always just done it that way.

 

[RDR]

I have a Traynor Quarter horse. Pretty sweet. 25 watts, switchable clean/drive channels, reverb, echo, tremolo. I run it into a 1x15 cab and it's loud. The drive sounds good.
Seymour Duncan has some nice ones with high wattage.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

I have a Traynor Quarter horse. Pretty sweet. 25 watts, switchable clean/drive channels, reverb, echo, tremolo. I run it into a 1x15 cab and it's loud. The drive sounds good.
Seymour Duncan has some nice ones with high wattage.

cool... and yes, I'm aware of the Seymour Duncan ones. as I said earlier, they're a little out of my price range, and probably a tad bit more power than what I need.

 

[donnyrocker]

This one from HB might be better suited to the US market:

Harley Benton Custom Line Thunder 99

Guitar Power Amplifier in Pedal Format Compact power amp pedal for electric guitar, For direct connection to any preamp, pedal or effects unit, Power: 2 x 50W to 4 ohms, For 4 - 16 ohm speakers, Master volume controller, 2 Inputs (L / R): 2x 6.35...

www.thomannmusic.com

You might not get the full 2x50W into 4 ohms with a 412 that is 8 + 8 ohms in stereo (if I understand it correctly).

I've been gigging this (90 miles/150km east of Chicago USA). RK5v2 with XLR to FOH and then I monitor with the line out to Thunder 99 into 112 Friedman (16 Ohms, so probably only 12+ watts output) for gigs where venue wants low volume.

Stereo IN/OUT, so when I get a pair of speakers I can see how "real" the UAFX Ruby *really* is

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

I've been gigging this (90 miles/150km east of Chicago USA). RK5v2 with XLR to FOH and then I monitor with the line out to Thunder 99 into 112 Friedman (16 Ohms, so probably only 12+ watts output) for gigs where venue wants low volume.

Stereo IN/OUT, so when I get a pair of speakers I can see how "real" the UAFX Ruby *really* is

can you personally attest to the quality and reliability of this Harley Benton thing? to be honest, I'm a little weary of their products. their quality has been known to be hit or miss.

 

[Magvike]

the Quilter Superblock pedals are only 25 watts, and the Interblock is only 45 watts - I already have a Mooer BabyBomb30 (30 watts), and I was looking for something much more powerful... plus, they cost more than what I was looking to pay - I'm looking for something that is under $200.

Carvin has a 100W power amp pedal.

 

[Francis Eckersley]

Consider the TC or Warwick 200 watt bass amps. They are small and very powerful. I have the Warwick which I use for outdoor gigs. For indoor gigs, I have never run out of power with my EHX Magnum 44. I play rock fairly load with a full kit drummer… They partner my self built JCM800 preamp pedal.

 

[Sikstringking]

just to be clear... I am not talking about "amp-in-a-box" pedals, or pre-amp pedals.

I am talking about POWER AMP pedals. I need a pedal that I can literally put after my pedal board, run a speaker cable from the output, and go right into a speaker cab, and be powerful enough to use in a full band context.

there's lots of them out there... Seymour Duncan makes those Powerstage power amp pedals that are supposed to be really good. they're just a tad bit more than what I need, plus they're a little out of my price range.

I want one that I can use as a back-up in case my main amp either craps out on me, OR if I have to take my amp to a tech to get worked on, which is what I'm getting ready to to next week. I will be without it for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3.

I actually have the Mooer BabyBomb30 that I use to play at home with my 2x12 Marshall cab. I just don't know if that will be powerful enough to use with my 4x12 cab when I'm at band practice. I play with 4 other guys - drums, bass, vocals, and 2nd guitar... I'm thinking I need something that is somewhere in the range of 60 to 80 watts. I don't really need anything more powerful than that, AND I'd really like to keep it under $200.

the one that I've been considering is the Hotone Loudster, which I believe puts out 75 watts at 4 ohms. can anyone recommend any others?

Check the Seymour Duncan power stage series. I have the 170 watt pedals to amp into the cab. I can run toe bombs or my headrush pedalboard and my headrush looperboard. You will thank me later man. Not to expensive either.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

Check the Seymour Duncan power stage series. I have the 170 watt pedals to amp into the cab. I can run toe bombs or my headrush pedalboard and my headrush looperboard. You will thank me later man. Not to expensive either.

1.) as I've mentioned TWICE in this thread, yes, I am fully aware of the Seymour Duncan Powerstage power-amp pedals. once again, they are a bit more power than what I need.
2.) as I've mentioned already, they cost more than what I am looking to spend on a power-amp pedal.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

so... today I'm taking my Marshall head to an amp tech to get it looked at... for the first time I used my Mooer BabyBomb30 power amp pedal at band practice last night... since I'm going to be without my main amp for at least 2 to 3 weeks, I've been worried all this time that my Mooer BabyBomb would not be powerful enough to drive my 4x12 cab in a full band performance situation (with another guitar, bass, drums, and vocals)... well guess what... that thing is LOUD as hell... at band practice last night I was only able to turn it up 1/3 of the way - any louder than that, I would've drowned out everyone else aside from the drums. god damn. how can something that is 30 watts (going into a 4x12 cab at 16 ohms) and no bigger than a pack of gum be that insanely loud??

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

fast forward 2 and a half weeks later...

I got my main amp head back from my tech, and its good as new and ready to go, however... I think for band practice purposes, I am going to keep my main Marshall head at home, and continue to use this setup - my pedalboard into the Mooer BabyBomb30, into my 4x12 cab. it works, it sounds great, and has more than enough power/volume for a full band context. besides being practical, I also might wanna keep my main amp at home because I could be getting together to jam with some other people sometime soon.

also... I've made a decision - if I ever get around to buying another amp someday, whenever that is, I think it will be a solid state amp. no more tube amps for me. they're just too high maintenance, and require constant TLC... its just too costly, and I'm too lazy to deal with tube amp maintenance anymore... yeah, they sound great and all that, but in all honesty, with the way technology is going, non-tube guitar amps (solid state, digital, modelers, etc.) are sounding better and better all the time.