Crate Power Block anyone?

[notCardio]

I just wondered how far these things would go and stay relatively clean. i just wanted one to use live as a power amp for a POD or V-Amp.

The price certainly is right.

Anybody got one?

[zacanger]

I had one. I returned it. You can get pretty loud clean, and for a POD or a V-Amp it'd be perfect. I was just trying to use mine straight and with a stompbox, and it sucked for that.

[notCardio]

Thanks! Sorry it didn't work out for you, though.

Where did you get yours, and was it a hassle returning it?

[amra]

I have been thinking of getting 2 and trying and rackmount them to use as a power amps to drive stereo cabs.

Anyone try to racmkount these things yet? Sam Ash has them on sale here this weekend for $79 bucks, so it has me thinking.

[notCardio]

but the fact that they aren't rackmount was actually a selling point for me. About the size of a POD, so a POD/V-Amp, a little block, and no big rack to lug around.

[zacanger]

Originally Posted by notCardio

Thanks! Sorry it didn't work out for you, though.

Where did you get yours, and was it a hassle returning it?

I got it from Musician's Friend, and there no was no problem at all returning it. I sent it back, they gave me store credit. Easy as... something.

[Unsprung]

I've got one, although I'm needing to get one of the cabs designed for it. Will at least be a good gig/jammin' with buddies rig.

Matt

[amra]

Originally Posted by notCardio

but the fact that they aren't rackmount was actually a selling point for me. About the size of a POD, so a POD/V-Amp, a little block, and no big rack to lug around.

That's funny. No wonder companies have such a hard time pleasing everyone.
I am thinking of rigging up a V-AMP PRO with a couple of crate power blocks as a backup rig in case my main amp blows a tube or something. I figured if I could make it all fit in a little 3 space rack case, It would be like a little head but WAY lighter to lug around as a backup.

[notCardio]

that if you were going to have a rack mount V-amp, you'd just go a head and have a rackmount power amp in with it. I wouldn't be playing out with it unless it was somebody's basement or something, so portability was a big thing for me, if I had to go up and down stairs in a house with it.

And it's cheap.

[notCardio]

Originally Posted by Unsprung

I've got one, although I'm needing to get one of the cabs designed for it. Will at least be a good gig/jammin' with buddies rig.

Matt

I didn't know there were cabs designed for it. I'll have to check that out.

[warrengtype]

Originally Posted by notCardio

I just wondered how far these things would go and stay relatively clean. i just wanted one to use live as a power amp for a POD or V-Amp.

The price certainly is right.

Anybody got one?

If you use the 'line in' connection in the back of the amp it bypasses the preamp completely. When you do that it's basically a clean 150 watt solid state power amp. You then control the volume through your POD or V-amp which acts as a preamp.

I have one and I'm pretty happy with it, especially with the price. I actually think it sounds pretty good by itself. The gain doesn't go up as high as I'd like, (it's kinda like a jcm800) but I've found that sticking an overdrive in front of it actually works much like a tube amp would. Gives it that extra kick for a decent heavy sound.

No, it's not as good as a tube amp. But it's fun, cheap, light, and is a fantastic back up amp to have around.

[surfmaster]

i tried it out once and actually really liked the tones i was getting. just dirty enough but still clean.

[Thurgood]

I second the pod idea. I currently use a hafler power amp with pod and its pretty loud 45 watts x2, just right for home jam, but not loud enough for gig. Un-mic'd But............... I would have to buy 2 for stereo, even on sale at $77.00 US two might put me into higher power higher quallity 2 ch. power amp options.

[zacanger]

Actually, I'm about to buy another one for my fiancee. She only ever uses two sounds -- acoustic and heavy distortion. And she doesn't care anything about tone, so I have free reign over what she uses, and this is so small and easy I won't hurt myself carrying it.

[notCardio]

Originally Posted by Thurgood

I second the pod idea. I currently use a hafler power amp with pod and its pretty loud 45 watts x2, just right for home jam, but not loud enough for gig. Un-mic'd But............... I would have to buy 2 for stereo, even on sale at $77.00 US two might put me into higher power higher quallity 2 ch. power amp options.

Just so you know, they are stereo amps. 75 w/channel 150 bridged mono.

Or maybe you knew that and wanted 2 x 150 for more power. If I needed that much power I think I'd just go ahead and get a rack power amp.

Tell you what, I'd buy you a Crate and trade you for your Hafler.

[gitrguy87]

I have a powerblock with the matching cab that I run my BOSS GT-3 through. It works really well for me. Although for bigger gigs I use 2 BLB Sound cabs that I run stereo through the powerblock.

[BlackHawk2029]

uhh yeah on the 2 power block/stereo note, the power block is already a stereo amp. they're perfect for a POD/V-amp setup, but as was said ealier it sucks for just a stompbox. i had one for a while and it was ok for a while.