My mistake. So 7dB is not quite doubling the volume? I've never seen a 20 watt amp with enough clean headroom to work with a loud drummer. I just think most drummers are complete lightweights nowadays.
Correct. Per my math, it's about 1.7 times the volume. I'm not entirely certain of my math though, I'm literally just learning how to go from dB differences to loudness differences. The section of Signals, Sound, and Sensation that I'm going from:
There is no 'only' in the difference. You can feel it.
Well, I guess that brings up the question of why the pants flap and/or if that is a good proxy for "loud". Don't get me wrong, I like pants-flapping amps, punch, etc., but I don't know how good of a measure it is. I was in church service the other day and my shirt was flapping whenever the bass player hit the right notes despite things not being anywhere near a cranked Marshall's volume. I could also see the backdrop sheet vibrating. If your point is that volume differences/ratios doesn't account for other things like whether the amp punches you in the chest or flaps your pants though, I think we can agree on that.This is just my opinion, and this coming from an engineer. All that talk about 'only 3db louder...only 6db louder...etc".
Stand in front of a 70's 100W Marshall and then stand in front of one of those 20W amps! Yes the 20W amps are loud but the pants are not a flappin.
To me it's measured by the fact that no 20 watt amp ever will have the clean headroom to keep up with a loud drummer. If you're playing rock music and your drummer isn't louder than a 20 watt amp then your drummer should be fired. If you load it with really efficient speakers you can ALMOST get it there but you'll still be buried during solos and buried beneath a guy who brought more amp. Might be ok for a night of dirty rhythm playing. My other beef is little 6v6 and EL84 amps run hard are a failure waiting to happen if you gig often.
Really my point was that numbers are just numbers...stand in front of a 100W and then a 20W and then you'll experience the only thing that matters. What it sounds and feels like in real life. It's not a small difference. It just isn't.
Standing in front of a cranked 20 watter you go, wow, that’s cookin’. Standing in front of a cranked 100 watt, metal panel will make you feel like your DNA is being rearranged.
I think we're on the same page then.*
A 20W is yelling at you, a 100W is punching you in the face, a 150W+ is kicking you in the nuts.
What's 200W+, or at that point is it all the same? Bucketlist item is to build a 300W+ amp...A 20W is yelling at you, a 100W is punching you in the face, a 150W+ is kicking you in the nuts.
I A/B'ed my 6550 loaded plexi against a triple rec a buddy owned once. Both with the corresponding cabs. I buried that triple rec. It wasn't even close. I've never hear a louder amp than that thing tbh but never got to stand in front of a major or a Hiwatt.
A Twin outdoor is an entirely different thing than nearly any club or room that gets regularly played in. So far you're the only person whos responded.....I've been on a 12+ gigs per month run since last May with my Wizard MC25 and not once, including outdoors at Ft Stevens have I gotten close to opening that thing wide open, and its freaking loud and owns its sonic slice at the regular volume I play. At the point that its chest thumping everyone is telling me (or anybody else) to turn the fuck down hahaha
What cab, speakers, etc?
Oh yeah sorry man. I reread that and get what you are saying. I might have to get an sv20 down the road. I almost got one but when reviews were saying they were too loud for home use, I ended up getting the Silver Jubillee. I love that amp as well though.