Preamp of Amplifier
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Posted on Jul 01, 2004 05:49 pm
Izabella
Member Since: Apr 18, 2004
How would i go about removing the preamp of a cheap guitar amplifier? I just wanna get the poweramp, its really small and easy to move around unlike my other amps. I just want something kind of like a keyboard amp. Good sound reproduction.
If thats an awful idea then what would be a good (cheap) keyboard amp (or any amp really) that will reproduce sounds as cleanly as possible (meaning as close to the real thing as is possible).
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flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 01, 2004 05:58 pm they can carry quite a voltage, guitar amps, so i wouldnt go messin around with them...even when off theyll still hold massive current..
so, some sorta pre amp will do the job, theres a few in The Gear Bag ( <----- )...what kinda budget you lookin at?
Jul 01, 2004 06:03 pm If the "head" part of the combo has a direct out, or pre out, then just unscrew it and pull the whole thing out of it. I have done that a couple times and ended up with a couple of decent preamps...if there is no direct out, well, then I can't really help...
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 01, 2004 06:05 pm is true, will many cheap guitar amps have that option though?
anyways, evening (again) dan!
Jul 01, 2004 06:16 pm will someone explain the difference between the preamp and poweramp? what they do and what they look like. i just wanna get straight on that.
Jul 01, 2004 06:19 pm A preamp is tonal control, EQ and all that crap, poweramp is the wattage...
Jul 01, 2004 09:27 pm poweramp is the circuity directly before the leads running to the speakers.
and directly after the preamp.
right?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jul 01, 2004 11:23 pm Technicaly the pre-amp takes the small voltage coming from your instrument and amplifies it to "line level". I forget the exact specification in millivolts, but it is the standard that tape in's on a board will use as well as the standard that all of your processors want to see. Typically, all of the signal masaging like eq, chorus, fx, etc. will happen in the pre-amp stage because it is much easier to do this manipulation at smaller voltages and or currents. The typical power amp takes the signal out of the preamp at line level and takes it to wherever. Many combo amps and amp heads do not have seperated circuit boards for the two functions however. They may tap in and out between the preamp section and main amp section, but there is no physical divide between the two amplification stages in the unit. Now having babbled al that, it is also true that many very good amplifiers have multiple stages of amplification. Each stage less taxed and more discreate. So it gets all jumbled up in terms often used with many meanings. But as stated above, if you don't have a fair idea of what you are playing with, the experience could be shocking!
Jul 02, 2004 01:52 am Just gotta drain the caps and such though. Nothing that cannot be dealt with.
KeeganDo U Beleev in D-Flo?Member
Since: Jun 15, 2004
Jul 02, 2004 09:06 am I don't know your level of electronics know-how, but at least in theory you can tap the power amp directly on the the circuit board, and install an "power amp in" jack that would take a signal from an external preamp, or equiv. signal, and send it directly to the power amp. Draining the caps is just a safety thing though, so you don't wind up *** up on the other end of your basement. You would certainly need a schematic for the amp you're working with in order to do this type of mod. I would seek out a professional to do something like this. Depending on who does it, it may be cheaper than buying a keyboard amp.
