Amplifiers do one thing: they make things louder. In the case of a guitar amplifier, the sound can be iconic like a Marshallstack, or a Boogie, or a Fender Twin. In the case of a power amp, the sound and punch and clarity can be heard through amps like Crown, BGW, Phase Linear, QSC, where size, weight, power, and reliability are prized.
Tube amps sound very different from solid-stage amps. A number of smaller boutique amps have monster sound at manageable volume levels. English tubes, American tubes, hi-gain preamps, and monster output transformers all have their sonic imprint. In this section we will focus on popular brands and circuit designs, and listen to the subtle differences between each.
A popular new direction is integrated power amps into FOH systems in order to establish consistent controlled performance. We’ll take a close look and listen to them all.