Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) so, I wrote an email to Markbass, I love my new Markbass combo so much I brought it into my living room forsaking my 25 watt Marshall practice amp, and although my Markbass is only on the 1st notch of its volume control it's such a great sound but... I wanted to know how much electricity it uses. It has a 600 watt sticker on the back panel and I know from the spec sheet the amps output is 500 watts. Surely this tiny lightweight amp isn't using 600 watts of power all the time it's on! The email to Markbass asked this question and their reply confirmed my suspicions. Yes it does. [b]The Little Mark III and the Markbass Combo II uses 600 watts of power[/b] That'a equal to 6 100 watt light bulbs or 56 11 watt energy saving lightbulbs, or set your electric shower on medium and and leave it running! Am I bonkers (Shonkers) or is that a bit unfriendly to our planet and our pocket? A techie friend of mine told me, before I knew the facts, that regular amps of equivalent output power don't use half of this amount of power. He may be wrong, but I agree with him I never thought amps consume so much, regular class B amps anyway. Now I know the truth I'm going back to using my 25 watt Marshall that uses about 30 watts of power which is 20 times cheaper and friendlier to the eco system. The Markbass is for gigs and that's that! I'm interested in what you think about it. Do you know what amount of power your amp uses? Do you know how much it's costing you to practice? How much it's adding to your fuel bill? Have you though about it? Do you care? [attachment=202349:electric meter.jpeg] Edited October 8, 2015 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I very much doubt that your Markbass uses 600 watts of power when running at low volume or idling. That energy has to go somewhere, so if it was using 600 watts of power and only putting out 10 watts to the speaker when playing at low volume, it would have to be dissipating the other 590 watts as heat. Unless it gets very, very hot indeed I don't think that could be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1444319905' post='2882238'] I very much doubt that your Markbass uses 600 watts of power when running at low volume or idling. That energy has to go somewhere, so if it was using 600 watts of power and only putting out 10 watts to the speaker when playing at low volume, it would have to be dissipating the other 590 watts as heat. Unless it gets very, very hot indeed I don't think that could be the case. [/quote]cool, ..excuse the pun. so, excuse my ignorance in this matter also, are you saying the consumption of power is variable according to how much volume you using? If so, at at low volume for 'front room practice' what would your estimate be considering it's a 600 watt amp? I realise it would be a very rough estimate. Should I bring it back to my living room?? Edited October 8, 2015 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) Yup. There must be something that was lost in translation, because it was nonsense - also what your techie said. These are solid state amps with transistors, yes? In case, 600W is just the maximum it can use for some time (disregarding certain spikes). Some of the energy goes to warmth, and some goes to light and other losses. 500W is the musical output. Normally such an amp is considerably hotter when blasting than when being idle, so when you take out only 25W, chances are the amp uses no more than 30 to 50 W, though probably slightly more than the 25W amp would (I've seen both 30W and 35W on the stickers on the back panel on those). Such an amp can not deliver 500W music output and use only 300W to do it. A heat pump could do it though, but it tends to sound worse. Edited October 8, 2015 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 well thanks 'Bass Tractor! I just assumed, incorrectly, that it was a constant energy drain. I'm bringing back from the garage to my front room. I really didn't understand the basics on this subject so this info is great, and I hope this post helps out anyone suffering from the same ignorance I was suffering from If I get a huge energy bill because of any misinformation here, you'll be hearing from me.....!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1444322400' post='2882264'] If I get a huge energy bill because of any misinformation here, you'll be hearing from me.....!! [/quote] You grossly underestimate the power of me deleting my post the very morning your energy bill comes in. BTW, allow me to abuse this thread for a question together with a hint: there exist gadgets that you plug in the mains, and in which you can plug the kettle lead for your amp. These gadgets will be able to tell you how many kWh or Wh have been consumed by the amp since the last reset. They will also be able to tell the Wattage at any given moment. That was the hint. The question is: what is such a gadget called in English? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 [quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1444323047' post='2882270'] You grossly underestimate the power of me deleting my post the very morning your energy bill comes in. BTW, allow me to abuse this thread for a question together with a hint: there exist gadgets that you plug in the mains, and in which you can plug the kettle lead for your amp. These gadgets will be able to tell you how many kWh or Wh have been consumed by the amp since the last reset. They will also be able to tell the Wattage at any given moment. That was the hint. The question is: what is such a gadget called in English? [/quote]the 'tightarse app'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) You can get a free 'energy meter' from some suppliers, eg: British gas which will show you how much you are using, so you can actually see the amount in pounds&pence or KWH whatever you programme it in. I've got one, somewhere - it didn't take long for the novelty to wear off but they are good You can go around the house & switch individual items on & off & see exactly what they're costing! Here you go! https://www.britishgas.co.uk/smarter-living/control-energy/smart-meters.html Edited October 8, 2015 by KiOgon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1444323459' post='2882274'] the 'tightarse app'? [/quote] Thanks! I'll visit my nearest electric device shop tomorrow, and just ask for a hardware tightarse app. [quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1444324037' post='2882279'] You can get a free 'energy meter' from some suppliers, it didn't take long for the novelty to wear off but they are good [/quote] Thanks! I used one to monitor the waterbed's energy use, and it did eventually manage to calm down the then wife. Now though, I need one to monitor my heat pump, as, for technical reasons, it's on the mains of my ex's part of the house. She's afraid I might underpay her. Ha! Talk about one who needs a tightarse app! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Che Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Excuse me for saying this Im new to this community, but ... you can always play the acoustic bass. It cost nothing energy wise maybe a beer or two just to get it goin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I don't use my big rig at home - it's all headphones until band rehearsal and gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 My electronics is very dusty these days, but by my recollection a Class B amp only draws the power it needs at any given instant. Class A amps on the other hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) not sure what class the Markbass is as the power amp side of it is analog and the preamp is digital, so I read somewhere. I thought is was a class D initially but I read its a C class Edited October 8, 2015 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgraff Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I'm not overly concerned about such things because, in comparison to an iron or kettle (I don't use a kettle), consumption is negligible. Also, if you own a big amp and a little one, although you are using less power in your home, the energy used to construct the small is vastly more than your energy saving, if you look at it from a global standpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) Can't be a class C. Class C is not suitable for audio applications because it has horrendous distortion (and not in a good way!). Class A traditionally gets used for HiFi amps because it has very low distortion, but it has very high power consumption - in effect it uses all the available power all the time, whether it's producing an output signal or not. Instrument rigs normally use Class B or Class AB IIRC. If properly designed they give low distortion, and are much more efficient than class A - in simple terms, no output signal means little or no power drain. (In practice there'd normally be a little, but minimal.) As I said though I'm very rusty on this stuff as I haven't practised it in 25 years or more. Edited October 8, 2015 by leftybassman392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 hey, i just play bass......what do I know?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 [quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1444324037' post='2882279'] You can go around the house & switch individual items on & off & see exactly what they're costing! [/quote] I've got an energy meter, but I don't need to look at it - all I have to do is follow my missus and boy round the house like a ghost switching off lights, TVs and computers when they inevitably leave a room without doing so, all the while mumbling, 'I'm not made of money, you know', 'Please don't take electricity for granted' and 'Who's watching this telly? The invisible man??' and so on and so forth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1444336710' post='2882448'] Instrument rigs normally use Class B or Class AB IIRC. As I said though I'm very rusty on this stuff as I haven't practised it in 25 years or more. [/quote] I'm rusty too, but: Yup! Class B or AB, with output transistors rather than output transformators. If there are output transformators in a solid state amp (but that is rare and possibly always was rare), then my rustiness is too large for me to say anything about the power consumption. Edited October 8, 2015 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 so where does that leave me regarding the original inquiry? . . . i feel like I'm back to square one. I've just sent an email to Markbass, I'll let you know what they say,,,,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1444342462' post='2882511'] so where does that leave me regarding the original inquiry? . . . i feel like I'm back to square one. [/quote] Sorry. I've been wording less than carefully, forgetting your OP and going into a more general approach. Nothing has changed. You have a regular solid state amp with output transistors, and it will use power as stated earlier - meaning it will use hardly any electricity in bedroom conditions. As indicated earlier, MarkBass do strive with the English language. Edit to add that I've written wrongly too - - the curse of editing without reading through the result before posting. I've corrected that bit in my previous post. Edited October 9, 2015 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) This needs the 'in service' measurements - not the manufacturer's claimed ([s]emissions[/s]) consumption figures. I do not suspect Markbass have a software switch that detects bedroom use and lowers energy usage though . As suggested earlier a smart plug / Plug In Power Meter Energy Monitor (£12, search the well known internet auction site) will provide answers relating to reality At a push you could get the measurements from your electric meter, just stop any additional appliances being used during practice. Edited October 8, 2015 by 3below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1444342462' post='2882511'] so where does that leave me regarding the original inquiry? [/quote] Your Markbass won't be using much electricity in your bedroom - even less if there's no sound coming out! Bit like a car engine - at idle it uses very little fuel; when you're moving it uses more. Simples! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 (edited) well I dug out that thingy British Gas gave me years ago to monitor usage of the electric. Switching it on, it read .083 kw per hour (background appliances including fridge freezer etc). Switching on my little 25 watt practice amp recorded virtually no change in the reading. Switching on the Markbass (at low volume) and it went up to .116 kw. turning the volume up .119 kw. I think my reading is per hour. I don't know if I have to be thumping a really loud bass constantly to draw 600 watts but just turning the volume up and playing quietly didn't make much difference. Edited October 9, 2015 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 (edited) [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1444336710' post='2882448'] Can't be a class C. Class C is not suitable for audio applications because it has horrendous distortion (and not in a good way!). Class A traditionally gets used for HiFi amps because it has very low distortion, but it has very high power consumption -[b] in effect it uses all the available power all the time, whether it's producing an output signal or not.[/b] Instrument rigs normally use Class B or Class AB IIRC. If properly designed they give low distortion, and are much more efficient than class A - in simple terms, no output signal means little or no power drain. (In practice there'd normally be a little, but minimal.) As I said though I'm very rusty on this stuff as I haven't practised it in 25 years or more. [/quote] My pair of Krell class A power amps use 1Kwatt each, just by being on. Edited October 9, 2015 by gelfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1444382250' post='2882689'] I don't know if I have to be thumping a really loud bass constantly to draw 600 watts but just turning the volume up and playing quietly didn't make much difference. [/quote] The lesson is: Always take manufacturers' specifications with a pinch of salt. Except Barefaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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