Mig-30 loud enough for a band?

[Jouni]

Hiyall!


I made a bid on Ebay for a Sovtek Mig-30 head, I actually wasn't paying attention and thought it was a Mig-50, before I had a closer look.

In anycase, would it be sufficient for rehearsals on a 1 guitar band?.. I'd reckon it a borderline case...
In anycase at gigs the guitars are always miced around here, but rehealsals and backyard-parties.. can it compete with a drummer?

 

[apratsunrthd]

Absolutely. 50 watts is not much louder than 30 at all. The only thing you gain with the extra wattage is more headroom.

 

[Guitarer]

Absolutely. 50 watts is not much louder than 30 at all. The only thing you gain with the extra wattage is more headroom.

this.

A 50 watter would only be something like 14% louder. I've seen people go unmiked with 18 watters and not even be able to crank those.

 

[Rickson Gracie]

its a shame that theres such misconceptions about amp wattage and loudness.

this is why you see kids (and adults) with 100 watt mesa half stacks playing in their bedroom. this is also the reason why people rely so much on distortion pedals instead of hearing the magic of real cranked up tubes.

if you need more than 30 watts your band in playing way too loud. the only excuse for high wattage is the need for loud clean headroom.

unless youre playing a stadium (and even then your miced up) no one really needs more than 30 watts and more than likely can get away with 15-22 watts.

obviously im talking about tube amps

 

[ggunn]

Hiyall!


I made a bid on Ebay for a Sovtek Mig-30 head, I actually wasn't paying attention and thought it was a Mig-50, before I had a closer look.

In anycase, would it be sufficient for rehearsals on a 1 guitar band?.. I'd reckon it a borderline case...
In anycase at gigs the guitars are always miced around here, but rehealsals and backyard-parties.. can it compete with a drummer?

I use a Fender Deluxe Reverb (22 watts) in a 7 piece band, with 2 guitars and keyboards. In rehearsals I use the low gain inputs and set the volume at about 3.5. On stage I use the high gain inputs and set the volume at about 4. It's plenty loud.

YMMV, of course.

 

[Gear_Junky]

My 15-watt SCXD will drown out an unmiked drummer (if pointed at him)

save your ears, people. and save your backs.

 

[Jouni]

Yeah, I kinda knew that lugging around a 100watter would be insane on these 6x6m stages around here.

Btw, thanks for the replies!

It's just that I'm playing a baritone and pretty distorted rockmetal (kinda "Entombed"-like). Where I need the headroom is the lower end. But I think I could manage with right speakers.

Thanks again, I'll try to grab that Mig, my first tube amp, and the reviews aren't bad on them Sovteks.
And I'm dreaming of a scene where I'd come in my amp in one hand, cab in the other and gtr in my back. Set up in 5 minutes!

 

[bongolation]

In practice, perceived volume is more a function of speaker efficiency than amplifier output in wattage.

 

[bongolation]

its a shame that theres such misconceptions about amp wattage and loudness.

this is why you see kids (and adults) with 100 watt mesa half stacks playing in their bedroom. this is also the reason why people rely so much on distortion pedals instead of hearing the magic of real cranked up tubes.

if you need more than 30 watts your band in playing way too loud. the only excuse for high wattage is the need for loud clean headroom.

unless youre playing a stadium (and even then your miced up) no one really needs more than 30 watts and more than likely can get away with 15-22 watts.

obviously im talking about tube amps

Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes.

In guitar tube amps, wattage is most significant as an indication of where the power stage breakup sweet spot will be.

For 90%+ of guitar players, the magical point of power-stage tube distortion will ***NEVER*** be reached as they've grossly over-amped for their application. With a true 30W tube amp, our friend may never hear that amp really open up and honk before someone tells him to turn it down.

So...everyone is getting their "awesome tube tone" through an overloaded preamp V1 or a bunch of stupid stompboxes.

 

[Gear_Junky]

Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes.

In guitar tube amps, wattage is most significant as an indication of where the power stage breakup sweet spot will be.

For 90%+ of guitar players, the magical point of power-stage tube distortion will ***NEVER*** be reached as they've grossly over-amped for their application. With a true 30W tube amp, our friend may never hear that amp really open up and honk before someone tells him to turn it down.

So...everyone is getting their "awesome tube tone" through an overloaded preamp V1 or a bunch of stupid stompboxes.

to agree with you...

i dunno, there's a lot of enthusiasm for 5wt "juniors" of various incarnations as well as 15watt fender blues juniors. I think maybe folk is starting to "catch on".

the reason i didn't end up with one of them is because of lack of features. I can only have 1 combo amp and I need 2 channels (with footswitch) and at least reverb. But I suspect that if SCXD was 5 watts, but with 2 channels, I'd like it too.

I think it possibly has to do with marketing too. the low-wattage amps also look very small, combos usually have very small speakers, so people assume they can't hang with a drummer. hopefully we'll see more combos with reasonable wattage matched to practical speaker size and practical controls/features. Hopefully at reasonable prices also.

Also, even though I'm of the opinion that "nobody" needs a half-stack, I'd come out and say: it can be cool to play through a 4x12 (if you wanna lug it around and have room for it). You just don't need a 50-watt head for it. But people tend to like matching head/cab combos (who wouldn't?).

For guitarists it can take many years to learn about equipment. One can be a good player and not have a whole lotta understanding about gear.

 

[jtees4]

It should be plenty loud enough! I think you will be surprised at just how loud 30 watts is! The speaker choice will matter too. If you have say a 4x12 bottom, you'll get a very loud amp!
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[Thurgood]

Hey all, I got a pretty good stable of amps and find that my 22 watt deluxe workds fine in band situation. WHen I feel the ned fro more, i just bring along an extra cab. I have 100 watt Marshall and only use it to record (when no one else is in the county.

 

[Ironklad Audio]

FWIW, my krank rev jr. showed up yesterday, and it's louder than thru a 2x12 cab, and it's only 20W

 

[bongolation]

i dunno, there's a lot of enthusiasm for 5wt "juniors" of various incarnations as well as 15watt fender blues juniors. I think maybe folk is starting to "catch on".

I have all those, too...but I'm not terribly impressed with EL84s for power stage distortion, plus they're still surprisingly loud. I want to monkey around with a 6V6-based 5-watter at some point.

In the meantime, I need to build a good speaker isolation box.

the reason i didn't end up with one of them is because of lack of features.

Yep. In marketing, low watts=low features=low price except for ridiculou$ boutique-grade stuff.

I think it possibly has to do with marketing too.

Gear marketing is a primary work of Satan.

For guitarists it can take many years to learn about equipment. One can be a good player and not have a whole lotta understanding about gear.

There's no reason for people to be so freaking ignorant about gear, except that the entire industry is predicated on keeping consumers as clueless as possible and that people hate education anyway because it bores them and requires their sweating fanboyism to have some basis in reality rather than in none at all. Education is so...so...unawesome.

 

[bongolation]

Also, even though I'm of the opinion that "nobody" needs a half-stack, I'd come out and say: it can be cool to play through a 4x12 (if you wanna lug it around and have room for it). You just don't need a 50-watt head for it. But people tend to like matching head/cab combos (who wouldn't?).

My beautiful tube 4x12 half-stack serves as a stand-up desk in my office.

Probably the most useful function it will ever serve.

 

[Jouni]

YESS!!

Scored it on Ebay, "new, no played" all original parts built in 1992 Mig-30 tube head, mint. On the way.

Now, the cabs...?
There'd be this one one sale near by...
with a Celestion G12K-85 and a G12T-75:s in it?
and a maching Soviet star!

Or, for my "miced Pignose in a toiletbowl-sound"-metal, am I to aim for
V30:s ???