[Harp-L] RE: Watts Up With That?

[Rusty Wilson <harpoon_man@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I’ll have
to side with Rick on this one.  It would
be nice if all the harp amp builders could come to a “gentlemen’s agreement” as
to how amp wattage is calculated/measured because it really has the potential
to affect buying decisions.  As Rick
mentioned, he discovered one harp-specific amp that delivered less than half
the purported wattage (see his blog posting here http://bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/2009/11/analysis-fat-dog-model-2a-harp-amp.html),
so we have a concrete example of an amp not living up to its wattage billing (and
in fairness, I see that the amp builder in question has revised the wattage
discussions on his website).

 

But how
would the claimed wattage play into a buying decision you might ask?  Well, consider the case of a fictional harp
player in the market to purchase a “mid-sized” harp-specific amp (let’s call
him “Gus”).  Since these amps aren’t
available at Guitar
 Center, Gus is in the
position of buying the amp sight-unseen based on amp company website
information.  Gus checks out the various amp
company websites and really likes both the Cruncher and the Mini-Meteor, but has
trouble deciding between the two.  He
thinks, “both of these amps have about the same speaker configuration and put
out 35 watts, so they’ll both be equally loud… I don’t know which one to choose.”  [Of course I understand there are many
fundamental differences between these two particular amps.]  Eventually, operating under the assumption
that all else is equal, he decides to purchase the Mini-Meteor, worrying that the
shiny lacquered tweed covering of the Cruncher would reflect too much glare from
the stage lights into his eyes.   When the Mini-Meteor arrives at his house, he
tests it, and determines the actual output is just 15 watts, not the 35 watts
he thought he was buying.  Now he wishes
he would have bought the Cruncher instead. 
[Just an example here… not implying the Mini-Meteor is underpowered… Scott
makes a quality product - I own a full-sized Meteor and LOVE that amp.]  In this fictional example, “wattage inflation”
led to a regrettable buying decision for poor old Gus.

 

As Greg
correctly notes, speaker efficiency is important – but there is a big
difference between speaker efficiency and an amp’s output wattage:  the speaker efficiency value is readily
available from the speaker manufacturers (as I understand it, calculated/tested
using some uniform methodology… I might be misinformed… feel free to correct me),
whereas there is currently no uniform methodology in use for
calculating/testing a harp amp’s output wattage.  [Of course I understand there are other
factors that influence a speaker’s perceived loudness.]

 

To
combine Rick’s and Greg’s concepts, in order to have a likelihood of correctly
predicting whether amp A will be louder than amp B based solely on the
advertised specifications alone, both the wattage and speaker efficiency would
have to be determined using uniformed/consistent methodologies for both amps.  Since such methodologies do not currently
exist for harp amp wattage, I think Rick’s suggestion regarding test methods
for wattage would go a long way toward helping amp buyers better understand and
compare the available amp offerings out there in the market.  [Of course there are other factors that are
important besides watts and speaker efficiency…my point is coming from an “all
else being equal” standpoint.]  Thoughts?
>Message: 6
>Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 11:23:27 -0800
>From: Arthur Jennings <timeistight@xxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Watts Up With That?
>To: Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Message-ID:
><e31b0bf80912041123s64f1f5fl807a300a7251d695@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

>I agree with Greg. The difference between 40 and 50 watts isn't enough to
>hear. Speaker efficiency makes a bigger difference.

 		 	   		  
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