pre-amp or amp

gmeanie · #1 05-11-2005, 12:21 AM

i was thinking of buying a new amp but was thinking of maybe purchasing a pre-amp/power setup and just play that threw a cab.
the demo's of the pre-amps online seem crappy to the real amp it is trying to be like.
for EX i listen to the marshall pre-amp online and it sounds like crap on musicians freind?
so my question is to AMP or PRE AMP ? LOL just looking for some opinion's because i don't know to my about the preamp/power amp setup's or is it considered MIDI?

gmeanie · #2 05-12-2005, 02:40 PM

I did alot of research in the last couple days and i think i figured my rack out

Only question i didn't figure out is if I can play the rack threw the CAB without an AMP?

Shaker3 · #3 05-12-2005, 02:48 PM

I've never quite understood the amp vs. power amp specifics. The bottom line for me was that power amps are always super expensive.
Being back in a band recently I was rethinking what to do for ampage.
I went with a Behringer LX1200 amp head (I already owned a Marshal JCM800 cabinet).
So for $200 bucks it sounds great and it has all kinds of features (1/4", jacks, midi jacks, XLR jacks, stereo effects, 125 presets, 15 cabinet simulations, many effects and on and on....)
zzsounds.com sells it for $199 with NO SHIPPING (in the US that is).

I would check them out for whatever you get. The prices are excellent and many items are no shipping. If you get something from them, let them know that a recently happy customer, Charles Alfinito, sent you!

Charles
www.shakedowncruise.com

pawel · #4 05-12-2005, 02:48 PM

If you have a preamp, you will need a power-amp to play through a cab, or, alternatively, you can plug the preamp into the effects loop of your existing combo or head.

gmeanie · #5 05-12-2005, 04:30 PM

Do i need to have a combo or head? or can i just get away with a speaker CAB? I rather not have to carry around a head or combo and just play the rack threw a CAB.
This is all new to me but i have my pre-amp, power all picked out.
I guess i could just ask @ guitar center but i didn't want them to label me a newbie and try to sell me junk

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawel

If you have a preamp, you will need a power-amp to play through a cab, or, alternatively, you can plug the preamp into the effects loop of your existing combo or head.

**elcid** · #6 05-12-2005, 04:40 PM

If you are going to play your pre amp through a cab you need a power amp.
If you already have a head or combo you can use the POWER AMP section of it as your power amp and then you will not have to buy a second one.

So to answer your question
No, you can not just plug your pre amp into a cab and expect it to work.

linthat22 · #7 05-12-2005, 08:00 PM

This thread is cracking me up, I have a feeling it might get worse

gmeanie · #8 05-12-2005, 08:38 PM

OK
think I got it

I am glad i could crack someone up that probably know's nothing about the topic

The Madness Here · #9 05-12-2005, 10:33 PM

just incase you don't have it figured out. I'll answer your question directly.

If you have a pre-amps AND a power amp in your rack, you don't need an amp head to play through a cab. You can plug the cab straight into a power amp.

Patrick Deno · #10 05-12-2005, 11:04 PM

I played this kind of setup (preamp->poweramp->cab) for many years and loved it except for two things: The bulkyness and the setup time (cables, signal path etc.).

Pluses: Total ease of customizability. Don't like the tone? Add another rack piece or switch to a different patch or signal path. Not enough power? Get a differently rated power stage and replace the old one. Great for those players that need to nail EVERY tone in the guitar gawd handbook.

Minuses: A little rocket science is involved and lots of time involved to find the right signal paths for different effects units and tones (do a search for all the threads about where to put a compressor in a chain for example). Not an all in one setup and can become a bit of a monster in and of itself monetarily. G*A*S* is preprogrammed; you'll always be looking for that next rack piece to make your "fridge" the hand of gawd.

In the last few years I just got tired of all the hassle of setting up before a gig and tearing it down again afterwards as well as getting a new piece and having to spend hours figuring out where to put it in the chain and dialing it in to fit with the rest. When I moved back to the U.S. after being in Germany nearly half my life I couldn't take any of it with me and had to go through all the hassle of selling off each individual piece again. I finally settled on a modelling amp head (Line6 Flextone II HD) and speaker cab (Jackson 4x12) combo for ease of use when I got back. Haven't felt the need to go back to the "fridge" since.

LJ

gmeanie · #11 05-13-2005, 12:30 PM

Thanks.
that was the info i was looking for in the last 2 post

i guess i needed to word it better next time.

gmeanie · #12 05-15-2005, 01:16 AM

OK new question's LOL
i went and bought a furman PL8II power conditioner today with a 10 space RACK and a QSC RMX 850 power AMP because that’s what guitar center suggested for a power amp.

I don’t know if i made the right decision with the power AMP ?and to get a tube sound would i have to use something like the MESA BOOGIE 20/20?

I want to run it with a rocktron prophecy pre amp and was wondering if the prophecy can run through that QSC power amp and get a tube sound?

**elcid** · #13 05-15-2005, 01:32 AM

Personally I would not have went with the QSC.
I would've went with the Marshall power amp.
I had one and I loved it.

pawel · #14 05-15-2005, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeanie

OK new question's LOL
i went and bought a furman PL8II power conditioner today with a 10 space RACK and a QSC RMX 850 power AMP because thats what guitar center suggested for a power amp.

I dont know if i made the right decision with the power AMP ?and to get a tube sound would i have to use something like the MESA BOOGIE 20/20?

i want to run it with a rocktron prophecy pre amp and was wondering if the prophecy can run threw that QSC power amp and get a tube sound?

Try it with the QSC, if you like the sounds you get, keep it - if not, return it and shop around for different power amp (Mesa, Marshall, etc...)

Btw, sorry to be a spelling Nazi, but the word you are trying to use is "through", not "threw"

bpd111 · #15 05-15-2005, 01:14 PM

I'd bring back the QSC. It sounds like a power amp for a sound system, but I'm not familiar with it (you don't need 850 watts). I would think you'd want a power amp designed for a guitar. There's not that many around, but I think you'd be happy with any of the tube Marshalls (if you can find one), the Mesa/Boogie products, or Peavey (60/60).

P.S. Take everything they tell you at GC with a large grain of salt...