is there such a thing as.....?

[lefrash]

A small cheap Class D power amp? Purely hypothetical, I could easily use my pedal board as a preamp and just plug directly into a power amp. I know there are tonnes of class D bass amps, but i really dont need any EQ or anything else, just power!

A quick google search suggests there aint, but something small purely to power the signal would fit nicely into the front of my pedal board case, and that would be one solution!


any suggestions?
Fraser

[Mr. Foxen]

Small left to right? There are bunches of rack sized ones. Really, ones with a preamp built in will be cheaper due to economies of scale, bypassing that isn't generally massive issue.

[lefrash]

You're right. Theres tonnes of ones with preamps. But with so many FX out there that are stand alone pre's or multi FX that are amp sims, I'm amazed there isnt something out there thats the size of a thesaurus doing nothing but powering! Less components, cheaper for bassists?

[LukeFRC]

look in the affiliates forum - there was a company offering cheap class D power amps there before christmas. They were lightweight but full rack width.

The other maybe easier option is just buy a powered monitor and use that as an amp/wedge

[Musky]

There's the SWR amplite. Can't think of any others that aren't rack sized though.

[redbandit599]

[url="http://www.ehx.com/products/44-magnum"]http://www.ehx.com/products/44-magnum[/url]

I saw this whilst surfing aound a while back, would this do the trick?

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='redbandit599' timestamp='1363982437' post='2020632']
[url="http://www.ehx.com/products/44-magnum"]http://www.ehx.com/products/44-magnum[/url]

I saw this whilst surfing aound a while back, would this do the trick?
[/quote]

Hmm! Curious... Is that a speaker out?

[redbandit599]

Yes, I think so. Could be a useful 'get out of jail' gadget.

[KingBollock]

There's a 100w rms amp kit at Maplins:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/200w-power-amplifier-46467

It requires a few extra bits, like a heat sink, transformer and an enclosure, but it still works out quite cheap.

[lefrash]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1363984066' post='2020658']
There's a 100w rms amp kit at Maplins:

[url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/200w-power-amplifier-46467"]http://www.maplin.co...amplifier-46467[/url]

It requires a few extra bits, like a heat sink, transformer and an enclosure, but it still works out quite cheap.
[/quote]

Interesting! I have no skills when it comes to electronics.... but surely that plus heat sink and transformer would fit into a nice week box. Even two, make it dual output!

[skej21]

What do you mean by cheap? I've tried one of these and for pure power, they're pretty good. £350 AND most importantly, the amp itself is removable from the speaker and can be used seperately. http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/RedSub-BT5110-500W-Bass-Amp/C61

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1363984066' post='2020658']
There's a 100w rms amp kit at Maplins:

[url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/200w-power-amplifier-46467"]http://www.maplin.co...amplifier-46467[/url]

It requires a few extra bits, like a heat sink, transformer and an enclosure, but it still works out quite cheap.
[/quote]

I like their answers to question:



[quote]
[b] What are the supply requirements?[/b]


Maplin says: 230Vac mains Via step down transformer (35 volt)
[/quote]


So it needs 35v, but that 35v needs to be stepped down from 230, apparently.

[lefrash]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1363991064' post='2020794']
What do you mean by cheap? I've tried one of these and for pure power, they're pretty good. £350 AND most importantly, the amp itself is removable from the speaker and can be used seperately. [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/RedSub-BT5110-500W-Bass-Amp/C61"]http://www.gear4musi...0W-Bass-Amp/C61[/url]
[/quote]

I fully understand There are plenty of sub £300 class D bass amps. What I mean, is there such a thing as just a pure class D power amp. Not a rack amp, not a bass amp.... just a power amp in a small casing. What it really needs is one 1/4" input > 300w > 1 volume knob > speaker out. Or just double that for a stereo amp. I could by a class D bass amp, but I'm then running two preamps.... one in my pedal, one on the amp. Why not just have a unit that doesnt have a preamp.


I'm just throwin an idea out there. I've seen on audio forums people do such things for car and home stereos etc.

[Mr. Foxen]

There is also this sort of thing, I got one of these to run my desktop speakers: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390166545300"]http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=390166545300[/url]

Its 75w/side, but prob can get bigger for more money.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Mr. Foxen

[lefrash]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1363996190' post='2020881']
There is also this sort of thing, I got one of these to run my desktop speakers: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390166545300"]http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=390166545300[/url]

Its 75w/side, but prob can get bigger for more money.
[/quote]

that is along the lines as I'm talking about! Just with a jack for an input, and a speakon as an outpout.

The magnum 44 pedal is almost perfect too, but just a bit small (power wise). The casing could be x2 or x3 the size and still fit nicely into a gig bag.

Am i barking up the wrong tree with this idea? Surely I'm not the first person to think its abit daft having a preamp on the floor, then one again on the amp itself.

I suppose the price of small class D bass amps are cheap enough for this maybe not to be an issue but for me, its more to do with simpler the better... less things to go wrong

[Jack]

Somebody made one on here a while back using a class D module. Like everyone else I just use the effects return on my amp when I need to.

[lefrash]

Interesting. I'l try have a look back for that

[Guest bassman7755]

In your position I would use a shuttle 6 and go into the fx return. Ridiculously light with stacks of low end grunt.

[Guest bassman7755]

Just spotted this http://basschat.co.uk/topic/203274-fs-genz-shuttle-90-inc-genz-bag/ in for sale section. Seriously dont arse around with some generic amp, get this thing.

[KingBollock]

Just had a thought. I did some reconditioning of a stereo power amp I have and it is made up of 3 parts, the transformer and two separate boards for the amps, basically two mono, 250w rms at 4 ohms, amps, each with a volume knob. It's a 2 unit rack amp, but it is quite shallow. It would be dead easy to take out the innards and put just the transformer and one of the amp boards into a much smaller case. The only thing is, if you we're to buy something with the intention of doing this, you'd have to know whether the amps are on two boards or one.

[lefrash]

Thats a very interesting thought actually. Never thought about that!

[KingBollock]

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1364117861' post='2021974']
Thats a very interesting thought actually. Never thought about that!
[/quote]
When money's tight, you have to get inventive.

[lefrash]

Aboslutely! haha. In all honesty, considering you can buy a small but powerful Class D bass amp for under £200 (in fact theres ashdown little giants on here 2nd hand for under £150) I'm probably not gonna get much cheaper by building something myself. But, you're idea of gutting out a rack power amp would probably be the best plan! If one comes my way, and its super cheap, I might give it a go (in the hope the 2 amps are seperate boards, as you say).

[Mr. Foxen]

Stuff is spread out in the class d/SMPS amps for a reason mind, they can interact funny, which is why even though both technologies have been about for ages, they weren't mixed in an amp for a fair while, they tended to couple badly, moving the parts close together might give lots of funny noise issues.