Tube heads

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The biggest all-tube head I've seen is 300W, and that said "world-tour ready."

How does 300W tube stack up to solid-state or hybrid? It's not too hard to find a 1200W+ solid-state head, can a 300W tube one keep up?



Curiosity sucks.
 
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300 watts of all tube power is massive.Probably equivalent to over 1000 watts of solid state power.
 
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Greg said:
300 watts of all tube power is massive.Probably equivalent to over 1000 watts of solid state power.

+1. Never under-estimate the power of tubes.

Unless they're about to blow. :p
 
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Tubes are mighty powerful things! my guitard mate has a 17 watt tube combo, F*** me its loud, i mean it beats a 150watt spider line 6 guitar combo!
 
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whyachi said:
What's all-valve mean? Valve = Tube?

Yup, Valve = Tube. Our friends on the other side of the pond tend to refer to tubes as valves.

And speaking of tubes, I have two SVT-II (non-pro) heads that are just killer with the right cab (I prefer them without tweeters). :D
 
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I used to play thru a 1971 Fender 400 PS (google it)....it had 435 watts of all tube power and let me tell you.....that thing was friggin' loud. I used to get the cops called on me on regular basis for practicing at what I thought was a reasonable volume.

I loved that amp. The only reason I got rid of it was because it weighed over 100 pounds. That plus my bass and 3 cabs was just too damn much for me to bring to practices and gigs. Not only that but I had to spend about $1000 a year on tubes (The only power tubes I felt sounded right in this beast were NOS GE-6550A tubes. These tubes were made by GE especially for the 400 PS back in the 1970's and are no longer made). The tubes got so hot that when I had it too close to a wall it literally stripped the paint.
 
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@nizz

THAT is what I'd love to have. I want an amp that causes bodily harm to use, and can actually demolish a house.

I'm remembering the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in the second book this band is the loudest noise of any kind ever recorded. They play remote control instruments from orbit in a space ship and the audience listens from 30 miles away in a concrete bunker.



Only problem is, I've been through the book a few times and can't find where they say who made that amp. :shock:
 
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whyachi said:
@nizz

THAT is what I'd love to have. I want an amp that causes bodily harm to use, and can actually demolish a house.

I'm remembering the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in the second book this band is the loudest noise of any kind ever recorded. They play remote control instruments from orbit in a space ship and the audience listens from 30 miles away in a concrete bunker.


Only problem is, I've been through the book a few times and can't find where they say who made that amp. :shock:


I remember that!! I forgot all about those books. I read them back in the good ole days. Oh memories....how i miss those days :(

This is definitly an amp that can cause some serious bodily harm. My back is always sore the day after lugging it around... :wink:

If you can find one I say get it. But that's IF you can find one. They were only made for a few years and are extremely hard to find....now that I think about it....I saw one on Music-Go-Round's web site in the used gear section. I don't remember the price but shipping on that bad boy is murder....that might not even ship it cause it so big. When i got mine on eBay I think I paid over $200 to ship it from California to Michigan. But who knows....
 
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whyachi said:
@nizz

THAT is what I'd love to have. I want an amp that causes bodily harm to use, and can actually demolish a house.

Get a late 60's or 70's SVT or SVT-II (non-pro) head and a Bergantino NV610 cab and you'll be dangerous!!
 
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Another question here, if a 300W tube head = a 1000W solid-state head, how does that affect matching it up to cabs?

In theory a 300W head could go to like a 211PRO cab but if 300W tube power is made for full stacks..?
 
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Out of production... to eBay!


...I wish. Mr. Plastic isn't speaking to me until I get a job.
 
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whyachi said:
Another question here, if a 300W tube head = a 1000W solid-state head, how does that affect matching it up to cabs?

In theory a 300W head could go to like a 211PRO cab but if 300W tube power is made for full stacks..?

:wink:
 
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If you have an all tube head that's 300watts you do not need a cab that can handle 1000watts. I mean, it wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary. A 300watt cab will handle the power.
 

Florin

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nizzrooster said:
If you have an all tube head that's 300watts you do not need a cab that can handle 1000watts. I mean, it wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary. A 300watt cab will handle the power.

I don´t know... I used before the ampeg svt 3 pro, and 500W410 HLF cabinet.
Once, a friend of mine came with a vintage 300W ampeg head, and I was pretty scared not to damage the cabinet. It was very loud...
 
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Florin said:
nizzrooster said:
If you have an all tube head that's 300watts you do not need a cab that can handle 1000watts. I mean, it wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary. A 300watt cab will handle the power.

I don´t know... I used before the ampeg svt 3 pro, and 500W410 HLF cabinet.
Once, a friend of mine came with a vintage 300W ampeg head, and I was pretty scared not to damage the cabinet. It was very loud...


mate i wouldn´t even use my wca 411 neodym (800 watts i think) with a 300 watts all tube... that much power makes me scared :)
 
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Phil Jones makes a 600 watt all tube head. :shock: It's more than the hellborg too!
 
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I thought the Hellborg was solid state with some transformers to make it sound like a tube head?
 
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