Stacks/Cabinets/Heads questions!?

Make sure the cab can handle more then the amp delivers, that's the bottom line. But why do you need a stack anyway, espescially if you're going for a cheap head? Why not get a higher quality combo instead?

ive heard the Crate Power Block (i think that's what it's called) is really kinda good. but if i were you and getting a halfstack, it'd totally be a Marshall.

I'm have to agree with Arjen on this one. Make sure the cab can handle more then the head puts out. But, I truly believe, and I'm sure many others will tell you this, as Arjen has also already said, chances are you will not need a halfstack, and espically not a cheap one. You probably would be better off getting a good tube combo, and maybe a few pedals. That would be my suggestion.

A halfstack may look nice up on a stage, but remember that you are going to half to move it back and forth also.

Well, right now I have a VoxAD30VT, which is fine for me, I was just saying further down the road. So, then what is the point of having a half stack if a combo can cover it?? I was just thinking it might be louder.

Vox makes the AC30, which is a GREAT solid combo.

and you can buy cabs made especially for it.

that basically turns it into a halfstack.

and you get both the combo and the halfstack sound.

Well, stacks are nice if you play stadiums. Or need a drastic ego boost. Or both. In any case, if you play bars and pubs a stack is pointless. You don't want to reach the back of the room through your amp anyway since that will deafen the rest of the people, just mic your amp and put it through the PA. For what it's worth, I did an outdoor gig with the AD30 and it wasn't even running at 50%. Go for sound, not volume.

Okay, cool man, I get where your coming from, the need to be louder and stuff. Hopefully someone give can you exact numbers on this but as far as I know, with tube amps at least, in order to produce twice as loud sound, the wattage needs to be tenfold. Pretty much, a 500watt amp is only twice as loud as a 50 watt amp. Then again, this might only be with tubes.

Also, the PA note is very important. If you try to crank your amp loud enough to reach everybody in the building, you might just deafen everybody. Mic it, or line-out is a better option.

Paul

OHG hits the spot: ten times the power with the same speakers results in a doubling of perceived volume, although not volume per se. But the core part of volume are the speakers, more effecient speakers can result in way more then doubling the wattage. Which is why a stack with 2x4 high-quality 12" speakers will sound a whole lot louder then the same amp attached to a single less-efficient speaker.

One huge advantage of getting the stack/halfstack is that if you dispise the head you can get a new head and keep that expensive cabinet you bought. Instead of paying for a combo everytime especially if you like the cabinet. Plus the cool rule: a stack played at the same volume as a combo is 10x as cool.

Well, stacks are nice if you play stadiums. Or need a drastic ego boost. Or both. In any case, if you play bars and pubs a stack is pointless. You don't want to reach the back of the room through your amp anyway since that will deafen the rest of the people, just mic your amp and put it through the PA. For what it's worth, I did an outdoor gig with the AD30 and it wasn't even running at 50%. Go for sound, not volume.

Haha, did you ever get the idea that in the "old days" (i.e. before gain controls on tube amps), people used to play a whole lot louder.
It's a wonder anyone from back then can still hear!

Ok, this stuff is all cool and interesting by itself, and I really don't plan on buying a stack/half stack anytime soon. But my question still stands. So my understanding is that if your cab can handle 300 watts, and I have a 100 watt head I would be fine?? To get the most out of the cab though I would want a 300 watt head?? Just hypothetically speaking (and I'll say once more, I am not planning on getting a stack anytime soon, so don't all try and persuade me to not buy one right now, because I'm not.)

Thanks.

basicly on a speaker cabinet it will tell you what the max amount of watts it can handle is. either in peak or rms. peak is max, rms means that the cab can take about double that wattage and live. in short watts on a speaker tell you the maximum amount of wats you can run ito it without causing it damage.

on amps watts refer to the output of the amp. how many watts it can put out when you have it cranked to 10 and you are playing your guitar as loudly as possible through it.

therfore it iis as others have said. as long as your cab can take more wattts than your amp can you will be fine.

ALSO ALL OF THE ABOVE ONLY APPLIES IF THE CAB AND THE AMP HAVE THE SAME IMPEDENCE.
generally impedence is listed as ohms or as a little upsidedown horsshoey thing.

if the ohms don't match then things get messy/interesting/expensive/above my head.

hope this helps :P

basicly on a speaker cabinet it will tell you what the max amount of watts it can handle is. either in peak or rms. peak is max, rms means that the cab can take about double that wattage and live. in short watts on a speaker tell you the maximum amount of wats you can run ito it without causing it damage.

on amps watts refer to the output of the amp. how many watts it can put out when you have it cranked to 10 and you are playing your guitar as loudly as possible through it.

therfore it iis as others have said. as long as your cab can take more wattts than your amp can you will be fine.

ALSO ALL OF THE ABOVE ONLY APPLIES IF THE CAB AND THE AMP HAVE THE SAME IMPEDENCE.
generally impedence is listed as ohms or as a little upsidedown horsshoey thing.

if the ohms don't match then things get messy/interesting/expensive/above my head.

hope this helps :P

you generally won't find amp heads that are above 100 watts (unless you get into some more expensive stuff, like a mesa/boogie triple rectifier, which is still only 150 watts). the reason being is that you never really need that much wattage. i play a mesa/boogie dual rectifier (100 watts) and rarely put the master volume above 4. it all depends on if you are going to be playing out somewhere and how big that place is. 300 watts would blow the front row's face off almost anywhere you would play. the reason that the cabinet can handle that much is because of wattage spikes and other random things that can happen. generally, you want to find an head and cabinet that match on ohms (very confusing topic for me, i just know the basics) and make sure the cabinet can handle more watts than the head can put out.

i personally like a stack/half stack better than a combo amp because of 1) the cool factor (haha...sorry to anyone i offend but a stack is the classic rock and roll look) 2) the sound is a little bigger (not necessarily louder, just has more presence) 3) you can replace the head if you need/want to and can still use the same cabinet and 4) stacks/half stacks just have that "it" factor for me that combos don't (can't put my finger on exactly what it is).