Rebel 20 and 30 users - Wattage knob

[Thinline_slim]

First post but I've been a reader here for a little while. A question for those who would know.

I've owned the Rebel 20 for around 2 years now so I am familiar with how it's wattage knob affects the volume/tone but I've recently purchased a Rebel 30 combo and it seems like the wattage knobs are non-functional and I'm now thinking it's defective. (I bought it new so I can return it immediately)

Should the two Rebels wattage knobs have a similar affect on the amps volume/tone?

 

[dan desy]

First post but I've been a reader here for a little while. A question for those who would know.

I've owned the Rebel 20 for around 2 years now so I am familiar with how it's wattage knob affects the volume/tone but I've recently purchased a Rebel 30 combo and it seems like the wattage knobs are non-functional and I'm now thinking it's defective. (I bought it new so I can return it immediately)

Should the two Rebels wattage knobs have a similar affect on the amps volume/tone?

I have a rebel 30 (head). The wattage controls are extremely subtle and in most cases seem to do nothing.

But my understanding is that they really make a difference when the amp is run really hot, with the master volumes up well above the half point. I typically run my masters at 9-10 o'clock, so varying the power has little to no effect.

 

[Roddy]

Thematersr volumes have to be up at 1o'clock or higher to hear the difference

 

[Thinline_slim]

Thanks for the replies guys. I wound it up yesterday (about noon on each channel) and really tried to hear a difference and there was none. Not even the woosh sound that I get when using the watts knob on the 20. Since I've had the 20 and used the wattage feature quite a bit I was expecting a somewhat similar affect.

It is now on the truck heading back for an exchange and unfortunately Egnater was closed yesterday and today. It will probably take a couple of weeks to get a replacement but I'll check out the new one. If it has the same issue I'll contact Egnater direct since it's new with full warranty.

Absolutely a pro sounding amp though! The Rebel 20 is a solid amp but the 30 is a beast comparatively.

 

[JeepGuy04]

There is a Tech Notes section on the egnater website that talks about this issue of Watts Vs. Volume here

http://www.egnateramps.com/TechTalk/Volume1.html

It's definitely a subtle thing. You are not going to be able to set it for one watt crank the volume and expect it to be bedroom or conversation levels. It will be loud at 1 watt

When I set mine at one watt I notice the distortion is slightly more muddy or loose? And when i go to 30 watts it seems more clear. I can hear this difference at low volume levels so I wouldn't say it's lowering the volume. It has more of an impact on the tone. But it is a subtle change... it took me a little while before I could learn what to listen for.

my feeling is your amp was probably ok.


Rob

 

[danelectro]

There is a Tech Notes section on the egnater website that talks about this issue of Watts Vs. Volume here

http://www.egnateramps.com/TechTalk/Volume1.html

I'm still not getting the wattage thing. I understand that 20W is not twice as loud as 10W, however the difference between 1W and 30W should be significant. I can barely detect a difference in volume between the 1 and 30 watt settings on my Rebel 30 (although I do notice the difference in headroom), and I don't detect any difference between the 10 and 60 watt settings on my Renegade. In contrast, the difference in volume is HUGE between my 15W Fender Blues Junior and my 40W Hot Hot Deluxe, even when played through the same speaker. It may be on paper that the wattage of the R30 varies between 1W and 30W, but I've got to believe that what the speaker is seeing is something different. Maybe its because the output transformer is sized for the higher wattage and thus it allows the amp to be more efficient when set for low wattage???

 

[Ian Egnater]

There is a Tech Notes section on the egnater website that talks about this issue of Watts Vs. Volume here

http://www.egnateramps.com/TechTalk/Volume1.html

I'm still not getting the wattage thing. I understand that 20W is not twice as loud as 10W, however the difference between 1W and 30W should be significant. I can barely detect a difference in volume between the 1 and 30 watt settings on my Rebel 30 (although I do notice the difference in headroom), and I don't detect any difference between the 10 and 60 watt settings on my Renegade. In contrast, the difference in volume is HUGE between my 15W Fender Blues Junior and my 40W Hot Hot Deluxe, even when played through the same speaker. It may be on paper that the wattage of the R30 varies between 1W and 30W, but I've got to believe that what the speaker is seeing is something different. Maybe its because the output transformer is sized for the higher wattage and thus it allows the amp to be more efficient when set for low wattage???

The main thing to remember, is that if you aren't playing loud enough to use up what 1W can supply(which is still very loud), then switching between 1W and 30W won't make much of an audible difference. It also will not make as much of a difference if you have the gain up already, since you won't hear the amp clipping as much. The most audible difference in wattage can be heard when playing loud and clean. I don't know off hand the difference between the two Fender amps, but you must take into consideration that they could have different amounts of gain, different tapers on the pots, etc. etc., which can all cause a bigger difference between the 2 amps. What you are hearing on the Rebel/Renegade amps is the subtle difference that just changing wattage and nothing else will have.

 

[jpfeifer]

I've also noticed that the wattage knob seems to be more noticeable if you have the tube selector pointing all the way to either 6V6 or EL84 setting. If you have it in the middle, you're getting a little more power so you would have to turn up the amp more to notice the wattage effect. I normally run the amp about 9 o'clock master volume setting and this is plenty loud, so I don't notice too much of a difference with the wattage turned down. However, it seems to be a little more spongy sounding at the low wattage setting. With the master at 12-oclock you can really hear the difference, but this is realy loud.