flyfisher

Interesting comments. I can understand musicians getting all precious about their actual instruments but amps and cabs? They're just amps and cabs and not exactly delicate are they? And how difficult is it to remember a few eq settings anyway? Prima donnas might be a bit strong . . . but not by much.

Indeed, and such resistor would probably need to be mounted on a heating as well.

Fair point. I was thinking of things like phone/laptop/camera chargers and the like, which is what I'm normally using in the US. I don't normally lug bass amps around over there.

Read the manual carefully. A 2-pin mains lead could be for the US or Europe. Changing a European mains plug for a UK one is unlikely to do any harm, as long as you know what you're doing. Changing a US mains plug for a UK one (even if you know what you're doing because the cable colours will be different to UK/European ones) could result in a damaged amp unless it can accept UK mains voltage. And if it is damaged in that way then I doubt it would be covered by the warranty. An unlikely occurence if the amp was bought from an approved dealer, but mistakes can happen. Did I mention about reading the manual carefully? Or call the supplier you bought it from and demand a UK mains lead.

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1360621868' post='1973703'] Stuff of my youth, 1970s, girls, tubular bells...................... Caravan, Camel, Wishbone Ash, Free, Deep Purple, Sabbath... enough reminiscing lol. [/quote] Hey, you've been flicking through my vinyl collection . . .

This all getting a bit surreal for a file-sharing topic. Time to go methinks.

I only suggested the 4-ohm resistor thing for completeness. It would work, and wouldn't damage the amp, but I wouldn't try to pretend it's a great idea. With that extra bit of information from Sam, I'd say the best answer, by far, is to get an 8ohm cab. Ashdown 210s and 115s come up pretty regularly on here and they are all 8 ohms and will perfectly complement Sam's Ashdown combo. As for which would be best, I'd agree with Bill that the options really have to be tried because the results will be subjective. FWIW, I have an Ashdown Mag300 head and have two Mag210 cabs and one 115 cab. I've tried them in various combinations but cannot honestly say I've noticed a big difference between them, certainly nothing that the eq knobs couldn't sort out. I've gigged a single 210, a 210 + 115 and both 210s and they've all done the job. Maybe I have cloth ears? Or perhaps it's because I don't use gold-plated mains plugs and unobtainium speaker cables?

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361194116' post='1982469'] I was told to "Stick with IT", but i bloody hate IT with a passion. If i had to work with computers all day, i would stab my eyes out with rusty old needles. [/quote] I can't really explain why that is so wrong on almost every level without coming across as a really smug git, so I'll just suggest that there are far worse ways to earn a rather decent living.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1361190918' post='1982404'] I seem to have stolen a cold from someone this morning. [/quote] Brilliant, and oh so relevant.

[quote name='Russ' timestamp='1361184507' post='1982262'] Vinyl junkies aren't as much of a dying breed as you think, they're just becoming much more genre-specific. There's still quite a lot of people out there who are buying the high-end turntables, top-end speakers, etc, but they're mostly listeners of classical, jazz, reggae, prog rock and some kinds of dance music. These are almost always people who take the time to listen and concentrate on their music rather than having it as audio wallpaper. But these people will often also use digital formats when they're out and about, but prefer vinyl for home listening. [/quote] My lad and all his mates are pretty keen on music, like most youngsters, but I don't see any of them yearning to buy their own hi-fi systems (vinyl or otherwise). Their media world revolves around their PCs and smartphones. Some will upgrade their PC for a better sound system (which usually just means louder and bigger speakers ) , but the concept of a separate collection of boxes and a shelf full of physical media is completely alien to them. I suppose they may not be typical, but I suspect they are. Don't forget that the technology we're talking about has really only been available for about 20 years and probably only mainstream for about 10. Do we really believe that things are not going to continue in the same direction, at an ever faster rate? I've seen complete technologies come and go in my lifetime - Compact cassettes, VCRs, minidisc, camcorders, etc. Anyone thinking that they can slow down or even halt the rate of change is living in a dream world - much like the big label bosses and the board of HMV.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1361183921' post='1982247'] The benefits of some new format over what we have at the moment will be very technical and not very accessible to the public---they just won't care. [/quote] I agree. And whatever new formats are developed, they will be playable on PCs and smartphones anyway, without anyone needing to go out an buy a new playback system, like they had to for CDs and DVDs.

Perhaps we should zoom out a bit for a sense of perspective? When was it that Edison invented audio recording? 100 years ago? Whatever, before that time, there was ONLY live music. Think about that for a minute - it can be quite difficult in our current time of wall-to-wall music emanating from loudspeakers everywhere. The ONLY way to hear music before Edison was to listen to real live musicians playing real live music. So imagine the revolution that recording brought about. Imagine all those musicians arguing that it would be the end of music because once recorded there would be no more work for real live musicians and everyone would just play the same records over and over, so few musicians could earn a living, so less and less new music would be written. Disaster for the music business! Except it didn't happen did it? Music adapted to the most revolutionary technology ever - recording. It completely transformed how the world consumed music. Back then, music was inseparable from musicians. if you weren't in the same room as a musician you would hear no music. Simple as that. Today, people can spend their entire lives listening to constant music without ever being in the same room as a real live musician. The point being that music will always survive, despite whatever technologies are invented. it's the music business that's having problems, not music itself. it's the music business that is going to have to change, whether it likes it or not - not the music. If it wasn't for change, the music industry wouldn't even exist in its current form and it is utterly ludicrous to think that things can be kept the same forever. ANd even if they could, it would be a very bad thing.

A UPS should certainly solve any PC-related power problems but might not be a full solution if other devices in the audio chain are still connected directly to the mains (e.g. amps, pedals etc). The pops and other noises might be coming from those devices. Also, the PSUs in PCs are usually pretty resilient to mains fluctuations. Still, a UPS might be worth a try and I can't see how it could make things worse. I guessing that your location has a lot to do with the supply problems. Do your neighbours have similar problems? Are the problems fairly regular e.g. could it be that your house is supplied by a single mains supply that also powers the milking parlour on the farm next door? (OK, not necessarily that precise scenario, but you get my drift).

I'm guessing the question is because Sam wants to add a second 8ohm cab and still have a 4 ohm total load. A simple way to achieve this would be to add a high-power 4 ohm resistor in series with the 4ohm cab, though of course this won't generate any additional sound energy and will just be a waste of power. But it would work electrically and the amp will be OK. But would there be any point? Presumably the additional cab is desired to move more air, but would this make much difference is a significant portion of the amp's output power is just being used to heat up a big resistor? I doubt it.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1361131059' post='1981607'] Ha, I thought this was a joke - the implication being that plasterers carry crates of beer around with them. Dur. [/quote] Ah, sorry for the confusion. They use them to stand on so they can reach right to the top of most walls. In fact, the one I have that was left behind by plasterers even had a bit of 3/4 inch ply fixed to the bottom (they use them upside down). Not that I'd use it for gigging though because it's covered in plaster splashes!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1361135017' post='1981723'] So what are new ways that music artists can make enough money to live on from their work? And don't give me that bollocks about great art coming from suffering. Great art comes from having the time and energy to put into creating it, instead of having to spend most resources into other things in order to be able to put food on the table and a roof over your head. [/quote] It sounds as if you think musicians have some sort of fundamental right to be able to make enough money to live on. I don't think that's the way things work these days, in fact I don't think it ever worked that way. We have to earn our income and we can choose many different ways of doing it. But when times change, the way we used to earn a living may not work anymore, so we have to adapt. If that sounds tough then I'm afraid it is, but wishing it was different will make little difference. People who embrace change and figure out ways to exploit new opportunities generally fare better than people who prefer to remain rooted in the past.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361131600' post='1981631'] Yes, but what somebody considers rubbish, another person will consider brilliance. [/quote] Exactly. That's why, for any given person, most of the music out there is rubbish. As for not paying an artist, what about all those people who are happy to play original songs for free? I went to a gig a while back and the band was giving out CDs to anyone who wanted them. Surely it's down to the owner of the music to decide the terms on how it is used?

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361130147' post='1981581'] [i]"Vast amounts of music out there is totally rubbish" [/i](Mr Foxen) This is your opinion. What music you like has no place in this. We can just assume that all music is governed the same and the artist has the same rights as every other artists. [/quote] Actually, I didn't read that as Mr Foxen's personal take on things (though it could be). I read it as applying to everyone. Unless someone happens to like absolutely all music , then the statement is essentially true for anyone. I know it is for me.

If you want a plastic beer or milk crate, just ask a plasterer. They always seem to have a few in their vans.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1361117005' post='1981261'] Musicians who accept the new ways are enjoying freedom to share their work like never before, while the grumpy old men moan on and on about the so called good old days. You might resent it, but the kids don't care [/quote] Nail > head.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361105353' post='1981060'] I have never downloaded music illegally. Is it illegal to rip a song from a CD to a computer because it's illegal to make a copy? Because i think that was really only to stop people making copies and giving them to other people. I don't think it's too hypocritical just because i want my CD's on my iPod. In my case, i have at least bought the music (i do own some hard copies and downloaded versions of the same albums though, not many) whereas other people are outright taking it without paying. Maybe it's a bit hypocritical. [/quote] See? Full of confusion. Yes, it is illegal to rip a CD that you've purchased, though it's looking like the law will be changed - probably in recognition of the fact that it's a daft law that can't be enforced. Taping LPs for use in a car was the same sort of thing in the 70s and 80s but everyone did it.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1361106388' post='1981073'] None of these are really free though. As a consumer you still have to pay for your internet connection to get YouTube and Spotify, and you have to buy the Sunday paper in order to get the CD. And while the end user might be getting them for "free" the distributer (YouTube, Spotify, etc.) has paid the rights holders a fee in order to be able to use that music. For the artists it's a balancing act between getting paid for the usage (and on YouTube and Spotify the rate per play is minuscule) and using it as cheap advertising in the hope that those listening will be tempted to buy their music on CD or downloads. Of course that won't work if people are simply happy to only watch/listen on YouTube and Spotify. I think what will start happening soon, is that unless royalty rates from the on-line services start getting sensible from an artist PoV, artists and rights holders will restrict what is available free to stream, so YouTube will be like MTV in the 80s, with the main track promo video from the album will be available, but nothing else. The same with Spotify, a couple of tracks that you can listen to, but if you want more, then buy the album(s). [/quote] Yep, all fair points, but I think you,re missing mine, which is that althese things result in kids today being immersed in effectively free music, so they no longer value it as I used to when buying an LP was a significant amount of cash and building a record collection to lovingly house on special shelves was something to aspire to. Likewise, all those CDs I paid £10-15 for . . . .those days have gone and won,t be coming back. Plus music is a disposable commodity these days. We may sweat and fret over the creation of our songs, work long and hard to record them, lug around tons of expensive gear so we can perform then, but for the vast majority of people all these efforts are just something to listen to while doing something else. And if they don't listen to our stuff they'll just listen to someone else's - it's no big deal. So yes, copying music is wrong, but so is stealing post-notes from your employer and driving at 80mph on a motorway - but it doesn't,t stop it happening and it won't stop it happening. That's just the way it is.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1361103528' post='1981023'] Illegal downloading is theft from musicians. The apologists and blinkered will concentrate on the "evil" record companies getting their comeuppance, but musicians are being ripped off buy the public illegally downloading their music more than they ever were by record companies. [/quote] That may all be true, but we have to deal with the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be, and there's no way that the digital/Internet genie is going to be put back into the lamp.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1361101305' post='1980966'] Simple principle...Get something you didn't pay for = theft?? [/quote] Who pays to view stuff on YouTube? What about listening to music on spotify? What about all the free music CDs given away by the Sunday papers? None of this is 'theft' yet it allows people to access music for free. This is the world that kids are growing up in and this is why the value of music is being devalued.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361101404' post='1980969'] I didn't write this on the value of music, that's subjective, and if you are willing to pay nothing for an album, well then you shouldn't own it, because it clearly shows that you don't really want it. I value a burst tyre at nothing, because i don't value a burst tyre, because i don't need a burst tyre. Somebody might value it at something, but not me. But i think the attitude of the general public is "I can have it for free, so why wouldn't i have it for free?". They completely disregard that it is actually illegal, purely because the likelihood of them getting done for it is incredibly slim. I suppose that stands to reason really, most people will do things when they think they won't get caught. But that is not the point, just because you can get away with something does not mean that you should, and to argue that you should be allowed to continue to keep doing something illegal is idiotic. It's a illegal for a reason- It looses the artists and label so much money. Copying a CD onto your computer, i don't see an issue with that. While i'm defending people getting their music legitimately, i'm not going to buy hundreds of songs again so i can have them on my iPod. That doesn't make me bad, i've downloaded plenty of other music that i didn't own. [/quote] You see, that's full of the contradictions and cherry-picking that I alluded to in my earlier post. Copying a CD your PC is illegal, yet you see no problem with it. Or downloading plenty of music you don't own. These are the sorts of attitudes that are devaluing music in general. Right or wrong, depending on your personal opinions, I think it's inevitable.