How does wattage affect guitar amps

When you're in the studio, you may not need an amplifier with a lot of watts. The mics in the studio are strategically placed to pick up your sound, so your music isn't competing with other noises. If you're an aspiring musician, you probably need to own a few different amps. With varying capabilities of power, certain wattages are more appropriate for some situations.

The number of watts in an amplifier determines power, which isn't the same as volume. Some guitarists think that when they double the watts, they're also doubling their volume. But, that's not true. Wattage and volume are related exponentially, rather than equally. To get double the volume, you'd have to multiply the wattage by So, there isn't a big difference in volume between an amp with 18 watts and an amp with 36 watts.

When you're looking for a new amplifier for your electric guitar, be sure to take wattage into account. We can help you find the perfect amp that bests suits your unique needs as a musician.

The second method, one which old-school me tends to prefer, involves using a microphone or several microphones much in the same way you would for a live performance. Here the wattage of your guitar amp is going to matter for many of the reasons already discussed in this article. The key point here is that while you certainly can use a high-wattage amp for recording, just like when you are playing live you do not have to.

Some guitarists prefer to use small-wattage tube amps because they are capable of warm, buttery overdrive at very reasonable volume levels. The Fender Blues Junior is the classic example of a watt tube combo capable of impressive tones.

When you are a hobby guitarist you play for fun, and you should play through whichever amp seems like the most fun to you. If you are low on space but still want good volume and a wide palette of sound choices you may want to consider something like the Fender Mustang IV. Plus, if you do end up in band someday this amp has what it takes to do the job. I hope this article helped you decide how many watts you need for your guitar amp. Here are a couple more points I'd like you to consider:.

I think many players overestimate how much power they need in an amp. I know I did as a young guitarist. There are many factors that influence the sound and volume of your amp, and the power rating is only one of them. For example, a watt amp through a 4x12 cabinet will seem louder than the same watt amp through a 1x12 cabinet.

This is because the 4x12 moves a greater volume of air. The wattage is the same, but the effect is different. There are lots of mid-wattage 2x12 combos out there that will work just fine. Find an amp that sounds good, has enough power for your needs, and of course, fits into your budget. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Myron - Depends on the situation. Loud enough to jam with a rock drummer? Probably not. Loud enough for a coffee house gig? There is would probably do the job.

It's too small for jamming with a drummer, though, if that's what you mean. I've recently acquired a 70's Traynor 25w bass mate which I am using to practice at home with my self build Telecaster. Get good volume from it however the sound quality at low volume is beautiful and warm.

That's a cool amp. There seems to be a push for downsized low-wattage tube amps over the past year or so. Many of the major amp builders are putting out small versions of their successful higher-powered amps. Vox is making an AC10, and it is getting some rave reviews in the major guitar mags.

Always wanted to own a good Vox, and their years of declining value according to guitar mags are over. I sure wish I knew how to build those things! Thanks Wesman! I don't own any huge amps anymore either. As I primarily play at home these days, they were just collecting dust.

I've learned if I ever end up in band again a watt tube combo amp will give me plenty of power. Older and wiser I guess. Very good article. When I was a high school kiddo I had a 50 watt Marshal. I was WAY over-amped there.

I don't own an electric or an amp at present, just acoustics, but when I get to where I can own such luxury items again, I'm thinking ten watts or less is about all I need. I generally play only for self enjoyment.

Learning to Play. Bass amps, in particular, require a higher wattage when compared to a guitar amp in order for us to hear it just as loud due to the low frequencies. The size, quality, quantity and impedance of a speaker has a huge effect on the volume of an amp. First off, if you match the impedance of an amp with that of the speaker, the amp is able to deliver its full power.

In general, the more you pay for a speaker, the louder it will be. A mid-priced speaker upwards might be 97 or even dB. The same goes with amps — A W amp is only twice as loud as a 10W amp.

And a W amp is twice as loud as W. This might put the cost of high wattage amps into some perspective. Other variables include projection and dispersion. The reverberation helps to redirect the sound waves back at you rather than disperse into open air.

Make sure you compare the RMS wattage of speakers instead of peak power when making a purchase. Speaker decibel sensitivity is important, but not always readily available. A valve amp will be naturally louder than its solid-state counterpart due to compression.