Lebo

Sorry about my ignorance, but what's a powerAmp?, someone offers me a 9200 for my explorer, but I don't know how to use it, thanks in advance

Marshall Amps

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Lebo

Can someone educate me about this? or at least tell me something about it?, thanks

Lebo

really, none knows?

TradAmpGuy

Its a tube powered, rack mountable power amp. Most amps have a preamp section that drives the power amp section all in one cabinet. This is a separate unit designed for the rack mounted gear fad a while back. It is going to need some sort of preamp or processor to drive it, you cant use it all by itself. Google marshall 9200 for all kinds of info

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Lebo

well, someone already answered me, hahaha

Lebo

Thanks a lot, I was frustrated about not knowing, and whats a preamp?, or I could conect it to another amp? again sorry about the ignorance

impetus maximus

a preamp takes the very weak signal coming from your pickups and boosts it so the power amp can "hear it".
i don't really know how else to explain it

Wycked Lester

A guitar amplifier (combo amp) is 3 things in a box....

a preamp
a poweramp
a speaker

In a stack, the 'head' contains the preamp and poweramp, then obviously the speakers are in a seperate cabined.

Well, what you have, is JUST the power amp.

Lets go back to the little combo amp again....

Signal comes out of your guitar from the pickups,....this signal is VERY weak (known as instrument level signal0 . When you plug into an amp your signal first goes thru the preamp section, .....This is where you can shape the signal from the guitar by adding bass, treble, ect....it also amplifies the signal somewhat to a level that is known as 'Line Level Signal'.

Now that the signal has been shaped with EQ, and amplified to line level signal, it is STILL NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO POWER A SPEAKER, ...so the signal must now go to the power amp. Its job is to take that line level signal and amplify it to the point it is strong enough to power a speaker.

Kinda like a radio,...the tunner [where you change channels] is the preamp, then it gets amplified by a power amp then sent to the speakers.

or,....kinda like a pa system, the mixer is the preamp, then you send it to a power amp, then to speakers.

So basically, to have a whole amp, you'll need something like this...


and a speaker cab.


See, the signal comming out of your guitar is VERY weak, too weak even to send to a power amp,....so that's why its the preamps job to amplify that instrument level signal up to line level signal.....The input of a power amp needs line level signal,...thus the preamp.

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I have a bunch of amps and guitars...

My favorite head ever - 2203
Second favorite head - Jubilee

My #1 Guitar - 98 Custom Shop Jackson Soloist-Mike Shannon Built
My #2 Guitar - 1982 Les Paul Std.

I dig blues and metal.

"IF IT'S TOO LOUD, YOUR TOO CLOSE"

Lebo

Thanks a lot, you coudn't have explained it better

Wycked Lester

cool, glad it made sense.

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I have a bunch of amps and guitars...

My favorite head ever - 2203
Second favorite head - Jubilee

My #1 Guitar - 98 Custom Shop Jackson Soloist-Mike Shannon Built
My #2 Guitar - 1982 Les Paul Std.

I dig blues and metal.

"IF IT'S TOO LOUD, YOUR TOO CLOSE"

Adwex

The beauty of the 9200 is it's actually two power amps in one unit. If you have a stereo effects processor, you can run two separate cabs for a wide stereo sound (or one cab with each side split, like a newer Marshall 4x12). This setup sounds great when used with a stereo chorus or flange type effect.

You still need a preamp though, like Wycked Lester described.

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Wycked Lester

yes, if you go with this kind of amp set up - seperate pre, power,...you can plug any kind of efx processor between the pre and poweramp. ...and like Adwex said, if you have 2 cabs you can run this rig in True Stereo, which is VERY freakin cool. Makes your tone HUGE. Actually you could do it with just one cab, if its a stereo cab,....but the stereo effect is a lot more prevelant if you use 2 seperate cabs a few feet apart. This, along with the fact that many preamp are programable makes for a VERY versitile rig that should allow you to dial up any tone from SRV to EVH to Dimebag at the touch of a button..


Sounds amazing huh? ....So, why doesn't EVERYONE do it this way,....well, many did back in the 80's,....

But most players agree that a good tube head will sound better than a separate pre and poweramp. And i tend to agree,...what you gain with all that versitility you loose in tone. Most,...or many players would rather have 1 amazing tone than 100 decent ones.....and thats why most players just stick with a reg tube head.

you can still put the efx between the preamp and the power amp if the head has an efx loop,....That is essentially what an efx loop is, a place where you can patch in an effect BETWEEN the preamp and power amp (even though they are built in the same head together)

But to each his own,....you'll just have to try it out, experiment around, and see what works for you.

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I have a bunch of amps and guitars...

My favorite head ever - 2203
Second favorite head - Jubilee

My #1 Guitar - 98 Custom Shop Jackson Soloist-Mike Shannon Built
My #2 Guitar - 1982 Les Paul Std.

I dig blues and metal.

"IF IT'S TOO LOUD, YOUR TOO CLOSE"

Adwex

What do you think your explorer is worth? A 9200 goes for $500-$600.

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Adwex

They look cool too.



I love the smoked glass panel, so you can see the tubes glowing.

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gjohnson

I wouldnt call it a fad! I'd call it prefrence.Many axe slingers use rack gear! The Monobloc amps are the shit!!

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