60 or 120 watts? Half power switch question...

[cvogue]

I've got a Peavey Ultra 120 plus and it has a half power switch to run at 60 watts and I've been using that a lot with the mindset that I don't want to get too loud.

 

But the other night I switched it to full power and it really didn't get much louder but the sound had more "oomph" to it and it was more dynamic. Just seemed like there was more to work with there...

 

Anyone else have a half power switch on your amp? Do you ever use it?

 

Any insight appreciated.

[newholland]

if yer already running 60 watts... good luck with the 'not getting it too loud' thing...

 

 

that's a hella lotta watts.. and 120 is twice hella lotta. you got headroom for miles there, man... but 60'll at least put you within striking distance of a little power tube compression in a big assed venue.

[donnievaz]

Here's a good explanation by Bruce Egnater.

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TECH NOTE #101

WATTS vs VOLUME and other stuff

[newholland]

that said-- yer gonna have a significant amount MORE headroom with 120 watts than 60. and a WHOLE lot more than you would with 20.

[guitarcapo]

Jesus too much to read.

 

 

I would think that a switch between 60 and 120 watts would probably change the character of the amp's clean tone a little bit and that's pretty much it. It might also take pedals differently. Maybe it also saves electricity.

You really have to crank an amp to get overdrive at 60 watts without a master volume....and I'm not a fan of master volumes on amps.

[Slaymoar]

There is not much difference between 60 and 120watts. As most know, a 3dB increase is basically around what it takes for a human ear to discern a slight increase in sound. The only practicality, is that it gives you the extra 3dB which only really comes in handy when the mix volume of the band reaches the specific threshold where a 60watt amp starts getting drowned out with your desired sound.

 

-D

[the_bleeding]

the only difference i hear between 50 and 100 watts is that 100 watts sounds better.

 

50 watts sounds weak - less bass, compressed treble, fuzzy attack, and with all that, the distortion sounds less saturated.

 

And running it on half power doesnt save any power. The transformer is still putting out the same amount of power.

 

I bought my amp (marshall 30th anniversary) most in part because of the extensive power switching options, thinking i'd need them to jam at home. I was wrong. It sounds much better at full power.

[cvogue]

 

the only difference i hear between 50 and 100 watts is that 100 watts sounds better. 50 watts sounds weak - less bass, compressed treble, fuzzy attack, and with all that, the distortion sounds less saturated. And running it on half power doesnt save any power. The transformer is still putting out the same amount of power. I bought my amp (marshall 30th anniversary) most in part because of the extensive power switching options, thinking i'd need them to jam at home. I was wrong. It sounds much better at full power.

 

 

Yeah that's what I'm finding... 120 watt mode does sound better

[Armitage]

Hint: It takes 10 times the power to make something sound twice as loud.

[cvogue]

 

Hint: It takes 10 times the power to make something sound twice as loud.

 

 

Yeah there's that whole logarithmic aspect of decibels...

[knucklefux]

 

While we

[BeëlzeM]

Always wanted to know this: are those half-power switches on amps like these just regular pentode/triode-switches? So there is a significant difference in tone and volume, instead of just volume?