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How loud is 30 watts?


jimwratt

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I gig regularly with a 30 watt Rivera, with no mic on it mind you, and its plenty loud. I hardly ever turn the amp up past 3 or 4 on the master volume. Plenty loud, plenty of headroom.

 

Depending on your speaker situation, the size of the crowd, and the venue, 30 watts can be insanely loud. I don't understand those saying it won't have headroom. You guys must be playing really big rooms with really big crowds.

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It all depends on your band mix and how your guitar tone fits into it.

You can cut with 20 watts, or get buried with 150.

Personally, I've never had *quite* enough volume out of 10 watts, but I've done just fine with anything more. There are FAR too many factors involved to make any kind of sweeping generalization about amp wattage, tube or otherwise. (But really 30 SS watts probably won't do it, due to power stage clipping)

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Have you done this? I'd be interested to see this work, because my experience tells me no. Depends on the amp/speakers, as always, I'm sure.

 

 

I'm using a 30-watt Peavey Vypyr, but it's in a 3-piece band with a drummer who doesn't hit real hard. I've also used it with a larger group with a louder drummer in rehearsal and had enough volume to scream when necessary.

 

I played in a bar/restaurant recently with the 3-piece band and the waitress asked me to turn down, and I was nowhere near max volume. However, we played a gig on the street and I had to crank it up near maximum to be heard over traffic. I'll probably bring my 30-watt Fender tube amp to the next outdoor gig.

 

Effects pedals can make a difference, too, as some of them really suck power out of your signal chain.

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Have you done this? I'd be interested to see this work, because my experience tells me no. Depends on the amp/speakers, as always, I'm sure.

I've gigged a number of times with my Vox AD30VT thru a 2x12 cab and it was plenty loud. I have my AD60s set at 15 watts when I gig,.

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Depends on the amp... tube amps tend to project better on less wattage.

 

I just bought a 1960s Selmer 30w combo with original 2x12 celestion alnicos (same speaker as Vox blues) and that thing is PLENTY loud.

 

I also have the Vox AD60VTH head with 2x12 cab loaded with celestion blues and the power switch never goes above 30w.

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A player's idea of "loud enough" will vary wildly from one person to the next. I recall a million years ago I had a Fender Deluxe Reverb. I "hot rodded" the second channel for higher gain and left the clean channel and power amp (20 watts) alone. Even had an EV speaker in it. It was great at reheasals and for small jobs. The first time I took it out into a big hall ( a wedding!), it completely disappeared. It was so underpowered, I could not even come close to getting it loud and clean. We didn't mic things back then so there was nothing I could do about it. That was my "enlightening" moment. Many say that 10-30 watts is plenty loud. Again, depends on your specific needs and how lound and clean you really need to be. Below is a paper that may explain some of the specifics about power.



TECH NOTE #101
WATTS vs VOLUME and other stuff

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" Yes, 'Scud133' hit the nail on the head. Mic it.

How many watts is your singer's voice ? ? Dumb question right ?
He's got a mic. If he's not loud enough, you turn his mic up.
He doesn't sing louder outside, or softer inside. It's his voice.
Do you know any singer's voice, that's as loud as a 30 watt amp ? ?
Your guitar rig is your voice. Put together the rig that gives you 'your voice' and mic it. Mic it and run it direct. Put it in an isolation box .. whatever you have to do, to find out what works, for your voice.
Turning up an amp changes your sound/voice. Turning an amp down, changes your sound/voice. Screw that. Find the settings that are your voice.
Then let the mic/PA dictate the volume of your voice for the venue.
End of sermon. My 2 cents worth. " MS1

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All I know is that I played this one bar with about 100 people there (maybe 1500 square feet?) and had a Fender Deluxe Reverb which is about 23 watts or so. The guy running the PA kept running over and turning down my amp like a little girl. No mic. Drummer and another guitar and bass with a singer into the PA. I think I had to leave it on "4" the whole night and use pedals for overdrive. Maybe the owner or bartender was bitching to him about the volume. S yea 30 watts is loud enough to gig with. Mic it to the PA if you need more headroom.

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