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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

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

D

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

David Martin wrote: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

John wrote: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

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

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.

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'!

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.

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?