Small power amp to drive a POD

[Che_Guitarra]

I'm looking to build a small 1x10" powered combo so I can practise with my L6 POD. It doesn't have to be too loud, 20 -30W is enough. I have been looking at a powered PA speaker, but most are overkill for what I need.

Any suggestions?

[printer2]

Not too loud, 20 - 30 watts, I wonder what you consider as loud.

[BelairPlayer]

Do you really want to build it? Just to be sure you know...it's just about never cheaper to build your own amp. Most do it for the challenge, etc. not the savings.

If you're just looking for an amp to run your pod into on the cheap, look at an older, used Peavey bandit. They have a dedicated input for the power amp section that'll let you bypass the coloring of the preamp.

[studio1087]

A company built that exact amp. It was a solid state amp with a 1 x 12 and a space on top for a POD. Who the heck made that thing? You could study it online for ideas.

[studio1087]

Tech 21 Power Engine. They still make it. 60 solid state transparent watts and a Celestion in a cab for use with a POD or anything like a POD.

http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/po...rengine60.html

[tweedtone]

I recently picked up one of these for low-volume gigs. I run my usual pedalboard into one of these and then into the powered speaker, which has a neat mic stand mount adapter. Works great.

[Che_Guitarra]

30w is loud, but it's useable volume with enough headroom for jamming without a PA. I currently have a Flextone III XL - I love it to death, but at 65 pounds and 120 watts it's too much amp for me. I need to downsize.

I love DIY challenges so home built is my preferred option... It might cost more but thankfully i can afford this luxury.

[Warm Gums]

If you are going to build it yourself, I wouldn't even mess with a ss amp, the little hot spots and all in one pa's are a dime a dozen, and will do as well as anything you could build.

I also would avoid a tube guitar amp design, you will just end up setting the eq flat and it will still impart a tonality based on the design.

What you might look at is tube hifi amp projects,tons of DIY stuff out there
Most should have a fairly flat response and are very efficient, you probaly wouldnt need more than 10-15 watts with the right speaker and cab.
You might need to make a few tweaks in the design but nothing major, if this is a first build check out the small amp projects for tubing up a iPod, building one of those and getting it to sound good with the pod would be a good way to get you feet wet.
This could be a very artistic project, use some nice woods for the cab, design a nice enclosure for the head...yea it would be cool.

[Che_Guitarra]

Fantastic idea. Thanks Warm Gums

[printer2]

You looking for tube or SS?


Well this post made more sense before you beat me to the reply button.

[cband7]

Get a medium grade set of computer speakers (woofer/satellite type, usually around $50) and run the Pod directly into them. They'll go from a whisper to louder than you need and the Pod handles all the tone. Cheaper ones are out there but the woofer size is the key: borrow a few from someone and try it out.

I've had PA cabs (powered) and they work great but they ARE designed for a lot of volume and would seem to be a waste of money & capability.


.

[Che_Guitarra]

SS or tube, i'm not fussed. But - I would like it to look pretty, and will build a champ/deluxe style tweed cabinet to house it all (yet keep the POD detatchable).

Computer speakers are a good idea and will do for now, but I want an all-in-one type combo for portability and practicality.

[StephaninMelb]

You can use most Tube Combo or Head guitar amps equipped with Effects Loop. Just connect an Instrument line cord from the Line 6 POD into the amp (Return) jack and the signal will bypass the preamp tone stack and go straight to the guitar amp power section.

Alternatively build a small 18W - 25W tube guitar amp combo from a kit. Modifiy it for a line input before the power section:

Weber
www.taweber.powweb.com/store/kits.htm

Ceriatone
www.ceriatone.com/

Marsh Amps
http://store.marshamps.com/index.php...bvab86rrhcqdo0

The above companies supply cabinets too.

Do It Yourself Audio
Forum for Guitar Amp & HiFi Audio Kit & Project Builders
http://www.diyaudio.com/

[wrathfuldeity]

I modded an old monoblock for use with an old vox tonelab tt, works great. The tonelab acts as the preamp and it goes right into the phase inverter and use an old intercom ceramic speaker that sounds really good. However I haven't put it into a cab, but it would be an easy diy.

[StephaninMelb]

If you are going to be working on tube amps or building them please read caution information below. Safety is a must and prevention is always the best course of action. As always, if you dont know what you are doing or safe practice for what you are doing, dont do it until you find out how to minimize the risks to you and those around you.

Your Back Pocket – The Most Important Guitar Amp Tool

When working inside a live amp Put your Second Hand in your Back Pocket. When working with one hand if you get a jolt it is going to sting. If you have your second hand touching the amp chassis or other ground point the current path will flow through your heart. Chances are you are doomed if you take a high voltage jolt with both hands completing a circuit.

You will be working around 300-500V circuits!

Other Safety Tips

• Use a nylon potentiometer screwdriver
• Alternatively, use a metal tip insulated screwdriver
• If you drop your tool while the amp is on - don't reach for it
• If you drop your tool turn the amp off and discharge the caps before attempting to remove tool
• Don't leave your amp unattended with the enclosure open if children are around
• Don't connect/disconnect test leads with the amp on
• Don't touch any of the circuitry outside the potentiometer with the amp running
• Rubber soled shoes/rubber mats can provide additional safety
• Do not touch any other plugged in electrical item or pipes while you are working
• Take jewellery off
• Left handed people have more chance of lethal electrocution event
• Surveys have shown a high percentage of amp tech hobbyists have suffered at least one potentially lethal electrical shock event
• If you are not experienced it is best to have a tech work on setting your bias. Alternatively seek detailed specific instructions for each of amp procedures from experienced people here on TDPRI.
  
  Guitar Amp Safety Concerns
  • Always use bleeder resistors!
  • The low impedance/high energy supplies so beloved in the tube guitar amp community are particularly dangerous
  • Always check voltages on caps (including coupling caps, especially in tube circuits) with a meter before poking around
  
  It's the milliamps that'll get you, not necessarily the volts.

[Che_Guitarra]

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron and schematic and this won't be my first project by any means, but thanks for the wise advice

Now that I think about it though, I probably want a solid state 20W 10" combo. Longer term i'd really like a 5E3 and a 1974x clone, but the sweet spot on both these amps is too loud for my current apartment... and modifying either of these classics to accomodate a Pod is almost a crime!

I've tried looking up on ebay for basic hi-fi amps, but I think my keywords must be wrong, i'm not finding many options to suit. FYI - Australia = 240V mains (if you didn't already know).


I'll give this thread a few days to boil, otherwise i'll try that DIY Audio forum as suggested

[Warm Gums]

Hi-fi is sort of a vintage term..I used it to indicate mono.
Although it would be simple to run in stereo using the headphone out and dividing the cab in half and putting a smaller speaker in each side in fact that might be preferable, as using the amp out will disconnect the cab modeling of the pod, and if you are using a power amp alone you will want that on.

Try searching for mono block, tube (or valve)stereo( lots of folks call anything designed for home entertainment "stereo") tube PA, Tannoy, Bogen, Dukane etc. in the US there were probably a half dozen companys who made small tube PA amps designed to drive the overhead in stores, churches etc. Figure out who did that "down under" and you should get some hits. For the stereo side of things there are a lot of modern projects available on the web, some are full kits, while others are simply etched boards, or basic instructions.
This would be cool, and it is available for 240 but it is pricy, put this in a nice cab with some efficient speakers and you could get some decent volume out of it.
http://www.triodestore.com/diy35kit.html

[wrathfuldeity]

I had run the tonelab through a regular guitar ss and a tube amp but that bogen monoblock really made the fx's and the cab sims really come alive...but I don't know why.

[StephaninMelb]

Prices in Australia for American and European brand guitar amps new and used can be 2-3 times more than USA even with Australian dollar worth more than USD. There are all the big name brands with some locally made amps not seen overseas. There is limited amount of used stuff on the market at any one time. Also one sees in Australia European equipment, which came from overseas with migrants. Big trade in Chinese equipment because of cheaper shipping from China to Australia than from USA and lower prices than American and European goods.

Junky old PA & organ amp guts in Australia sell for a high price. eBay Australia sellers have positioned old PA amps into tube guitar market for a long time. Bottom of old tube PA starts at around AUD$200 to $300 range and there is not much Bogen or similar old PAs on market. Also few 1950s - 1960s tube HiFi. Most would have to be purchased from USA, Germany (Dunacord, etc,) or UK (Quad, etc). Australia though does have lots of vintage tube radios, but they aren't much use for guitar amp conversion. And probably collectable anyway.

Huge pressure to buy from overseas because of high local prices. It is generally cheaper to buy guitar amp, effects, PA gear from Germany, UK and Hong Kong than USA because best shipping deals are from those countries. Keep in mind prices are high in Australia. For example a pair of Levi jeans around AUD$100 to $110. Australians desensitized to high prices and get ripped off on most purchases. Largely monopoly pricing here in many product categories.

Example of amp stuff available on eBay outside your usual name brand new and vintage guitar amps. Limited amount of used gear available:

MENG SERIES (Mensyue 4 x EL34)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Music-Ang...#ht_4053wt_923
AUD$260 (shipping included)

Decca 4 x 6V6 Amplifier
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-D...#ht_2022wt_928
AUD$499

Rex Mascot Aussie Tube Amp from 60s on eBay
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REX-Masco...#ht_1375wt_928
AUD$699

That's the Rex Mascot, a very humble single-ended valve amp using a 12AX7 preamp and 6BQ5 power stage for a few true Class A watts, is one of the Australian (made-in-Melbourne) amp holy grails.

1961 Fi-Sonic 40w vintage valve amp
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1961-Fi-S...7#ht_842wt_928
AUD$450 with bids 4 1/2 days to go

I have for sale a very collectable vintage Australian made valve amp.
a 1961 Fi-Sonic 40w guitar combo made by Philip Dreoni out of his shop in Marrickville. He was well known for making great sounding hand wired amplifiers. It is in full working condition, the tremelo channel works fine and it has an awesome warm tone and loads of volume. Powered by 2 x 6L6's, 2 x 12AX7's and 2 x 6AV6's.

Ultratone Valve Guitar Amp 'Custom Forty' - Mid 1960s
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-U...#ht_3653wt_928

Built by Robert Moody of Sydney (Moody Amps) in the mid 1960s, serial no. 4002. These Forty watt custom valve amps are rare as... It comes with two (2 x) original 'red' Rola 12 PEG Speakers.

Starting bid AUD $2500

[bdgregory]

Here's a suggestion . . .

Get one of these, you'll also need one of these, although that part may be overkill - you could build a smaller one. and then you need a transformer something like this one. Finally you need a heat sink. Assemble it all together inside a cab and you have your amp - just add a pod.

You could also get one of these which has the power supply integrated with 2 channels. that would allow you to run stereo. I have built some of these to use for hi fi and they work great. I tested it with my Pod 2 and it sounds surprisingly good. The LM3886 chip amp is what is used in the Roland Cube amps. Ignore the 68 watts - that's into 4 ohms. It's more likely around 35 watts.