Talk:Guitar amplifier

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Contents

[edit] Proposal: Break out Guitar-dedicated articles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Distortion#Proposed_Article_Titles_and_Changes

The refactoring is in-progress. MichaelSHoffman 03:39, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

The refactoring is done. MichaelSHoffman 08:50, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Modelling amps:most common forms section

In the Most Common Forms section it states:

"With the advent of microprocessors and digital signal processing in the late 1990s, "modelling" amps were developed that can simulate a variety of vintage amplifiers' vacuum tube sounds without the use of vacuum tubes. As of 2005, these modelling amps account for a minority of amp sales"

Is there a source for the sales data? I worked in a 20 store chain in New England for 4 years, and Line 6 was one of the best selling lines. During the 2004-2005 X-mas season we coudn't keep the little 15-30watt jobs in stock. maxcap 16:15, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

I removed the statement. "Minority" is meaningless; would need to list % of tube amps, solid-state amps, and digital modelling amps. MichaelSHoffman 02:14, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Moved list of amp makers

The list of amp manufacturers ought to be moved to another page. Where? MichaelSHoffman 21:28, 10 August 2006 (UTC) Done. List of guitar amp brands MichaelSHoffman 23:25, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] References

We shouldn't expect citations in this article, only references or a reading list, because citations aren't typically seen in writing on rock and roll. Marpeck (talk) 20:16, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

MIchael you've made some great edits, really, but sources still (or will) need to be cited. Please don't think that I think your edits are questionable though, because I think you've done some really accurate work. So I'm going to restore the section, but leave out the tag. maxcap 21:37, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

It is possible to cite one or more book pages for any statement in this article. I don't know which aspects of the article would make sense to provide references for. MichaelSHoffman 21:53, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

I understand that, do you maybe have a first choice go-to book that you use? I'm not calling you out on it, and I don't think it needs to be done with any urgency. Just something to keep in mind. maxcap 22:11, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

Current most-useful books; preferable source for cites:

  • Dave Hunter - The Guitar Amp Handbook
  • Jon Chappell - The Recording Guitarist - practical amp usage tips per recording studios
  • Aspen Pittman - The Tube Amp Book

I guess the important thing isn't which sentence in the article is supported by a given book, but rather, having a few good books present in the References section. http://www.amptone.com/booksgettingguitarsounds.htm http://www.amptone.com/booksamps.htm MichaelSHoffman 07:11, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] hybrid amps

A recent edit in Tube amp section (4 Sept 12.201.87.113)highlights a need for a short additional section on tube/silicon hybrids (Marshall valvestate etc). I'm not up to starting it but will be happy to contribute. 210.246.25.233 09:05, 8 September 2006 (UTC) Had an unsuccessful log-in, so signature for above comment should have read: RichardJ Christie 09:09, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Possibly Biased towards Valve amps.

The section describing how a valve amp works tends to be biased in favour of them. There is little detail on Solid state amps, and they are compared "off the back" of valve amps.

That's possibly because it is a section on how valve amps work ;-) RichardJ Christie 08:52, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Clean/dirty

What do these things mean in a guitar amplifier context? Is it a specific reference to distortion, or does clean simply mean an absence of effects? Or is it something else altogether?

-- TimNelson 11:44, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

From a technical standpoint, distortion is an effect, and an effect is a distortion. Both techniques involve modification of the input signal.172.132.137.91 07:30, 22 April 2007 (UTC)
Good point. But that still doesn't explain what people mean when they say that one channel is the "clean" signal, and one is the "dirty" signal; I guess I'm asking from the guitar culture point of view -- I know what it would mean from an electrical engineering point of view. Thanks again,
-- TimNelson 11:40, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Linear vs Switching

Solid-state amplifiers still require power transformers

Don't some guitar amps have switching supplies?66.217.164.74 21:49, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Switching power supplies still have a transformer. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.212.137.2 (talk) 16:44, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Analog Sensitivity; Device Failure

""Hard core" tube amp fans may not be able to tell the difference, in a blind auditory test, but will most always choose to play a tube amp because of its analog sensitivity."

Analog sensitivity is a meaningless phrase, and is not used in electronics. It should be deleted, or the sentence edited to say something like "Although they can't actually hear the difference, tube amp fans still prefer tube amps." (Well yes, that's why they're called tube amp fans. Duh!)

"When a tube fails, it is replaceable. While solid state devices are also replaceable, it's usually a much more involved process..."

But transistors don't fail! In a properly designed amplifier which doesn't overstress the devices, the lifetime of semiconductors is virtually unlimited. Tubes, on the other hand, have a very short life. The only reason they're easy to change is because they need to be changed on a regular basis!

As usual with discussions of guitar electronics, this article is not objective but is full of half-truths, unsubstantiated statements and personal opinions. Please try harder.

--84.9.75.142 14:34, 24 March 2007 (UTC)

I was about to mention these two things as well. --Aslkvbiwbegv 16:49, 24 March 2007 (UTC)
It may be possible to discern a tube amp from an SS clone. But amateur blind testing is not as rigorous as DB-ABX. Subjectivism vs objectivism is beyond the scope of the article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 172.132.137.91 (talk) 07:23, 22 April 2007 (UTC).

As someone who's never edited Wikipedia before, would there be great offense caused if I replaced this entire page? I'm doing a research project, and part of the literature review is going to be the history of amps, the way that vacuum tubes work, an examination of the controversies of solid state vs tube etc., and possibly a discussion on tone, it's subjectivity and the psychoacoustic aspects of this. It's all going to be properly referenced and linked. It will probably be around 1500 words but might be up to 3000 or so.

I guess I'd post it my proposed article and we could discuss it? I don't want to offend anyone or anything, but I feel that it would be a lot more in depth (and properly referenced, for one thing) then what's currently up there. There would be a few things I'd add that are on this page now, too.

Comments?

[edit] Wiki Project

I've added this article to the guitarist's Wiki project, which will hopefully get us more help on this article. I also added a discussion page header here, hoping to remind people to sign their posts.  ;) Enjoy! --Dulcimerist 19:46, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Amp Placement

One thing new guitar player don't know is how far from your amp to stand to hear yourself properly, If you stand directly in from of your amp their is a "dead zone" of 3 or 4 feet. In that "zone" the tone and volume are not what they are at 4 or more feet. The new players i have jammed with are practically standing on top of there amp with the cabinet blasting at there knees and still can't hear themselves with any clarity, so they turn it up & up & up, meanwhile the other people in the band are only hearing that one person. Anyone else have thoughts on this subject?

Marco —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.51.54.177 (talk) 16:28, 23 April 2008 (UTC)