What is a tube amp and what do I need to know?

[AndreLyles]

Dude, this was an awesome article. Thanks so much for everything!

 

[Cobhc221]

what about poweramps? im fairly new to them and was wondering how the essentially work?

i was looking at engls poweramps and the E850/100 has
86l6gc tube to power the monster...so does that mean it has 200 watts of tube? im confused....

 

[Pav]

what about poweramps? im fairly new to them and was wondering how the essentially work?

i was looking at engls poweramps and the E850/100 has
86l6gc tube to power the monster...so does that mean it has 200 watts of tube? im confused....

A typical guitar amp "head" has a preamp section, a power amp section, and often an effects loop in between the two. If you're looking at dedicated preamps or power amps, you're basically buying the preamp and power amp sections separately, as individual units, rather than everything conveniently routed together in one big case.

That ENGL power amp you're looking at is a tube power amp. But if you get a power amp, you will also need some sort of preamp to run before it. The power amp would be the last part of your chain before you run it to your cab(s).

 

[mesaboogie6l6]

what about poweramps? im fairly new to them and was wondering how the essentially work?

i was looking at engls poweramps and the E850/100 has
86l6gc tube to power the monster...so does that mean it has 200 watts of tube? im confused....

No, it's 100 watts for each side, left(A) and right(B), stereo, 4-6L6 for the left, and 4-6L6 for the right. 100 watts total.

 

[Cobhc221]

A typical guitar amp "head" has a preamp section, a power amp section, and often an effects loop in between the two. If you're looking at dedicated preamps or power amps, you're basically buying the preamp and power amp sections separately, as individual units, rather than everything conveniently routed together in one big case.

That ENGL power amp you're looking at is a tube power amp. But if you get a power amp, you will also need some sort of preamp to run before it. The power amp would be the last part of your chain before you run it to your cab(s).

that makes sense to me now thanks!

 

[Sferic]

No, it's 100 watts for each side, left(A) and right(B), stereo, 4-6L6 for the left, and 4-6L6 for the right. 100 watts total.

100W per side would be 200 total, not 100.

 

[Cobhc221]

im getting an Engl Rack setup soon and was very curious if you have to have two cabs to run the stereo setup?

couldnt i just play with one standby on and one off?

btw im buying an engl E570 Special Edition Preamp And an Engl E840/50W Stereo poweramp.

Should i be fine with one cab or must i buy 2 to keep the signal from the output intact?

 

[7 Dying Trees]

im getting an Engl Rack setup soon and was very curious if you have to have two cabs to run the stereo setup?

couldnt i just play with one standby on and one off?

btw im buying an engl E570 Special Edition Preamp And an Engl E840/50W Stereo poweramp.

Should i be fine with one cab or must i buy 2 to keep the signal from the output intact?

Normally you can run stereo power amps with one side off.

Or you can get a stereo cab, and run both into that.

 

[27duuude]

Quick question for the people who build/design tube amps; is running my amp in 4 ohm mode through a 5.3 ohm load still out of safe ranges?

I had some 16 ohm 70w speakers from combo amps (Peavey 6505 112, Jet City Eminence 112ext cab) running in parallel with 2 8 ohm Marshal GT50s in series.

So the math is
8+8=16
16/3=5.3

All 4 are in a Marshal 4x12 MG (I know the cab is crap). Just wondering if my 60w Peavey 6505 (now a head) has the balls to deal with the load.

60w 4ohms
||
16 = 16
| |
8 - 8


I've had it at full blast (only cause I couldn't resist) and it still works fine but I want an engineers opinion, as mine is only as a technician and guitarist.