Why is the Herbert 180 watts?

[ctoddrun]

I was posting on another portion of this site and someone made a comment to me that made a lot of sense.

I wonder if I can get some opinions on this:

If Mr. Diezel designed a 180W amp it was to prevent people like us from getting too much power amp distortion. Turning up the volume won't get you better tone from that amp. If anything, it will sound mushy and loose. Adjust the volume to play with your band, and enjoy your way-overpowered amp.

The insane-volume-equals-better-tone myth needs to go. At least for modern amps.

 

[MARK2C]

It sounds like a statement of nonsense to me. It take 30 seconds to find the sweet spot on most Diezel's
regardless of how many watts it has in the power section. It's just a good robust power amp, but you can still get power tube saturation.
Even if it does not seem to sag like a typical amp struggling to supply power, you would be hard pressed to find a better range of tones.
To answer why Diezel would make a 180 watt amp, because he could.

 

[van hellion]

have you heard it? he made it 180 watts so it could dominate the world..... duh!!


A Wood

 

[ctoddrun]

I've heard it.

I hear it every day.


I just dont hear it up past about 9:30 on the volume, otherwise I obliterate small animals and children.

 

[Nolly]

Maximum low end clarity. Bass frequencies require far more power to produce than treble (hence why your average touring bassist's rig is so much higher in wattage than your guitar rig).
To reply to the guy that posted that comment, the power-amp-distortion-is-always-desirable myth needs to go.

 

[stephen sawall]

Maximum low end clarity. Bass frequencies require far more power to produce than treble (hence why your average touring bassist's rig is so much higher in wattage than your guitar rig).
To reply to the guy that posted that comment, the power-amp-distortion-is-always-desirable myth needs to go.

Could not agree with this more. I love power amp distortion. But that is only one flavor. You need lots of power to move clean lows.
I have about a dozen amps 5/150 watts. All have there uses.

 

[Sixtonoize]

And really...is there a noticeable volume difference between 100 and 180 watts?

Barely.

Anyone who questions it can feel free to pull two tubes out of their 100 watt amps.
Will there be a volume difference? A little.

90% of what you'll notice is that you lose bass response.

Ergo - a 180 watt amp controls the bass better than a 100 watt amp, which in turn handles the bass better than a 50 watt amp. It's not about volume, or really even power tube distortion...it's about bass definition.

 

[van hellion]

I've heard it.

I hear it every day.


I just dont hear it up past about 9:30 on the volume, otherwise I obliterate small animals and children.

help control the pet population!

A Wood

 

[Szar]

Which is why the Mesa Strategy 500 poweramp sounds like in sonic form.

 

[thegame]

People who question the validity of ultra high power amps likely can't comprehend the fact some amps are designed different than a Marshall.

 

[nbarts]

Why is the Herbert 180 watts?

Because it has 6 power tubes

Isn't it 150 with EL34s?

 

[scottph]

I've heard it.
I hear it every day.
I just dont hear it up past about 9:30 on the volume, otherwise I obliterate small animals and children.

Quoted for truth.

 

[steve_k]

Why is the Herbert 180 watts?

Because it has 6 power tubes

Isn't it 150 with EL34s?

150 with 34's. Replace them with 6L6's and it takes it up to 180.....

 

[HerbieTheRadDorklift]

I always wondered why bass amps were stupidly high wattage.

So, when I have my Mesa Mark IV set to Triode, Class A and Tweed power (The lowest wattage it can go to, 15w) is that why the bass is looser and "flubbier", because the lower watts can't handle the bass as well?

 

[Bato]

Why is the Herbert 180 watts?

Because it has 6 power tubes

Isn't it 150 with EL34s?

150 with 34's. Replace them with 6L6's and it takes it up to 180.....

No no no no my friend. 150W 6L6
180W EL34
200W 6550

 

[scottph]

That's what I thought.

 

[iivel]

Why is the Herbert 180 watts?

Why not?

 

[stephen sawall]

I always wondered why bass amps were stupidly high wattage.

So, when I have my Mesa Mark IV set to Triode, Class A and Tweed power (The lowest wattage it can go to, 15w) is that why the bass is looser and "flubbier", because the lower watts can't handle the bass as well?

Yes ~ that is part of it. Most of it I would guess. You need a ton of power to keep clean below 40 hertz and have some decibels.
We as guitar players do not go that low normally. In general the bigger the wave or lower hertz the more power is need to keep it together. Or something like that.

 

[Sacha]

Power amp distortion is not what you want for modern Metal or other heavy styles, simple as that.

 

[jcj]

Power amp distortion is not what you want for modern Metal or other heavy styles, simple as that.

True. It's not even what I want for 80's metal

I love the way the Herbert just THUMPS with the volume at 11 o'clock or so. Best bass response of any amp I've had.