If nobody actually needs a 100 W amp anymore, why are we still buying them?

mightywarlock

mightywarlock

Well-known member
Most professional, bands, touring acts etc. are using modelers or going direct or micing their cabinets. Most people at home are buying a lower powered amplifiers. 10 W 20 W 40 W 50 W Most people playing shows in bars and clubs can’t turn up as loud as their amplifier needs to be to sound good.
And yet, a 100 W amplifier is still the standard and is still too loud for most people to actually use properly. So why are we still buying 100 W amps? For the headroom? When are 100 W actually needed nowadays?
I know myself, I own too many amps, but I own everywhere from 1w to 25w, 50 W and 100 W heads. And yet, I feel like I can never really get the volume loud enough at home to sound great, And some amps even at 100 W don’t seem loud enough sometimes with the band, especially during rehearsals
So what is your reasoning for the certain wattage of amplifier that you buy?

Just curious.
 
are people still buying them?? i would like to see a year by year breakdown of amp sales. i think there actually is something on reverb where you can do that
 
Because most amps are preamp-centric these days (and for the ones that aren’t, and/or the ones that need volume to sound best, reactive loads exist now) which means insane volume is no longer required to get the best out of a high wattage amp, which means people can buy amps based on tone as the primary consideration, and higher wattage amps almost always sound bigger and more authorative than lower wattage amps.

It’s kind of like asking why anybody would want to buy a sports car that can go 200mph when the speed limit tops out at 70. It’s because even between 0-70, there’s a lot the sports car can do that an economy car can’t.
 
What sounds best? A 1w, 5w, 20w, 50w, 100w or more? For me, it's a no brainer as the 100w always sounds best at low, med or high vol. 50s are fine but have something different going on; sweeter tone maybe but doesn't fill out the spectrum like a 100w. Regarding the lower wattage amps, sure they CAN do the job, most gigs BUT they won't sound as full IMO when you have a 100/50 at the same vol as the 20...the 20 strains and sounds much thinner than the 50, and even more so the 100.

100w amps always just sound best, at any vol, compared to any other wattage to my ears anyway. I buy my amps because they sound best for what I want to hear. I've also never had a hard time using any higher wattage amp, at a super low volume...they still sound great no matter how loud/quiet they are.
Sometimes people think that the only way a 100w amp sounds good, is to dime it....not even close to being a true statement. Every amp sounds its best loud, of course, but they can also sound killer down low. I had a Wizard MC100 that had this killer super low vol tone, whisper quiet that sounded like it was about to blow.
 
TheGreatGreen said:
higher wattage amps almost always sound bigger and more authorative than lower wattage amps.
Click to expand...
Beat me to it, but this.

Buying a new 100W NMV these days seems a little over the top, but if it has master like most do then the '100W is too loud' argument doesn't make much sense. A 100W Wizard, Soldano, Bogner etc. sounds excellent with the MV low and then you have headroom and SPL to burn should you ever need it.

But personally I feel that 50W with an excellent OT and healthy plate voltage is the sweet spot. Loud as hell when required, but a little less cost and bulk than 100.
 
ZEN Amps said:
Beat me to it, but this.

Buying a new 100W NMV these days seems a little over the top, but if it has master like most do then the '100W is too loud' argument doesn't make much sense. A 100W Wizard, Soldano, Bogner etc. sounds excellent with the MV low and then you have headroom and SPL to burn should you ever need it.

But personally I feel that 50W with an excellent OT and healthy plate voltage is the sweet spot. Loud as hell when required, but a little less cost and bulk than 100.
Click to expand...
I feel this way too. But goddamn it feels good to play a 150 watt amp and feel like a god for a bit
 
I've bought them for one reason or another. Mostly because I liked them.
I've kept them all because...

20240616_160317.jpg


...but mostly because I like them.
 
Well, "want" is a very strong motivator when "needs" are satisfied

And quite frankly one of the biggest source of reluctance people have towards big amps is the volume.

Well we live in 2024 where even very decent attenuators are affordable, and near magical solutions like the Powerstation (or a good load box into a poweramp) exist.

People are also more educated on speakers now ironically due to years of exposure to digital IRs, so they know that not only can they get the sounds they want out of certain speakers, but they'll also know of speakers that can handle really high wattages, meaning they can use their 100W big iron amp with a relatively easy to carry 2x12.

I don't gig anymore (day job too cushy and masters too time consuming), but if I did, I would just bring my Smallbox (15kg) and some lighter 2x12 with 2 Neo Creambacks
 
My Herbert sounds best with the master at noon or higher and the channel volume barely cracked. Same with my UL. I wish I could do that with my Marshalls. When big power sections are cooking(not necessarily over driven), they sound bigger. Bolder. Hotter. However you wanna say it. Little amps sound fine. But I don't dig little amps or little speaker cabs. I don't even play little guitars. But I will share this shameful secret here and now. I am a 6'3 fatboy truck driver that drives a tiny car(scion xb). Go figue.
 
Doesn't happen every day but I do open up my 3 100w and 1 50w amps regularly. WAY louder than any gig other than an outdoor festival. And, like Gilmour said, "that's a drug that's hard to kick".
100w Superlead opened up is a rush of monumental proportions.
Friggin love it.
 
I want it and I can afford it. That's the only reasoning I'll ever need.

I play them live all the time. I don't "crank" my amps but I don't play them super quiet either. I set the volume to match the drums. Not louder, but not quieter either.

As for shows, I play original hard rock and that's not supposed to be played quietly anyway. Venues that need quiet background music shouldn't hire my band, I'm very upfront about that.
And if a venue can't handle amps that are turned up to level with the drum kit, I'll be more than happy not to play there and find another venue, because if I play there, it will be a bad night for everyone.

They can find an an act that works with their volume requirements or a dj, comedy night etc and I'll find a proper rock club to play at. I'm booked through October right now so I guess tthat's working fine.
 
Racerxrated said:
Doesn't happen every day but I do open up my 3 100w and 1 50w amps regularly. WAY louder than any gig other than an outdoor festival. And, like Gilmour said, "that's a drug that's hard to kick".
100w Superlead opened up is a rush of monumental proportions.
Friggin love it.
Click to expand...

My first ever electric gig was in grade 10. It was supposed to be an "unplugged" gig that's basically just guitar-vocals-percussion (cajon in this case)

I pretended to have dropped my pick behind the combo amp and used that opportunity to crank it up, not to full volume, but enough to get tube distortion out of it.

The other kids loved it. We were in the school indoors stadium and people were just jumping and crowdsurfing hahahaha

That was my epiphany moment when I realized playing loud amps = happiness
 
I use them because they are cheap and nobody wants them. They are also reliable and sound good. I still have a couple gigs I can really get the amp cooking. Unsurprisingly those are the best gigs both in terms of audience size and pay.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rsm
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top