one speaker or two sir?

[John]

Hi all, With regards to valve amps , would a single speaker 30 watt amp be as loud as a 30 watt twin speaker amp, I am looking at buying a new amp which will hopefully be used for gigging some time in the future and a was wondering about size verses output

regards John

[David Martin]

Not so much to do with volume as sound dispersal... two speakers move more air...

D

[JimN]

When I got a Carvin Nomad combo (30 watts, EL84x4, single Celestion 12" speaker), I thought it was a loud amp (especially for its size and weight) in the Vox AC30 tradition.

But when I later got the matching 12" speaker extension cabinet, it went even louder - and with more bottom end...

JN

[Didier]

Not so much to do with volume as sound dispersal... two speakers move more air...

D

But interferences between both spearkers can have unwelcomed directional effects.
The AC30 were fitted with two speaker only because at this time a single speakers couldn't hold 30W...

Didier

[Didier]

Hi all, With regards to valve amps , would a single speaker 30 watt amp be as loud as a 30 watt twin speaker amp,

It depends on speakers sensivity rating.

Didier

[John]

So one answer would be to get a single speaker amp and if I find I need a bit more then I could get an extension cab.
Whadya think?

John

[John M]

But be wary of impedances.
2 x 16 ohm units would equate to 8 ohms (connected in parallel)
2 x 8 ohms would be equal to 4 ohms.

If youre using a valve amp with an output transformer impedance matching is VERY important.

[Bill Bowley]

Having had at least one speaker 'burn out' on stage I have always been glad that my choice in amps have always had another speaker to 'keep me going' after disconnection the faulty one! I know that with such paranoia I should buy a back up amp to take with me, but not having the 'readies' like The Shadows who can afford two JMI amps on stage each, I continue with my preference for two speakers 'just in case'.

'The show must go on'!

[RUSSET]

As David mentiioned, it is more to do with the dispersion of the sound in the room. Two speakers disperse over a wider area. I tried my single speaker AC15 Heritage at a band practise last month. Directly in front it was great, but a few feet either side it faded quite considerably, & this was from standing half way down the room. I've gone back to using a modelling pedal fed directly into our PA.

Tony.

[David Martin]

Bill

You don't need cash to get two amps each. Music Ground who own JMI and HiWatt give/loan them to suitable "names"...

Want their phone number?