Features of guitar amplifiers and their choice

Guitarists know how important it is to use amplifiers for professional sound. Today, such equipment is offered in different versions, divided into several categories, each of which has its own characteristics. We would like to bring to your attention useful information about amplifiers for guitars.

Guitar amplifiers are designed to convert electrical signals from a musical instrument's pickups into sound. Aggregates are divided into several categories. The equipment consists of a pre-amplifier, a power amplifier with speakers, and a power supply unit. Separately, it should be noted such a concept as a loop of effects. This is a general circuit between the input and output of the circuit, between which it is possible to connect additional effects equipment. There is a gap between the preamp sections and the final amplifier, which should be used. Various effects and an equalizer are connected there.

If we talk about the first amplifiers, then it must be said that they did not have such loops. Today this circuit is used in almost all combo amplifiers. If guitarists like to use compressors with boosters and overdrives, loops are great for this.

First you need to understand the varieties of this musical equipment, which is in great demand. Each type of amplifier has its own characteristics, differences in construction and the effect that it gives to the instrument, therefore it is necessary to conduct an overview of the characteristics of the different devices. Mini amplifiers are great for home use or frequent travel. They can be used in small concerts or street festivals.

They are usually offered at an affordable price, being a simple but rather useful assistant to the street musician. The idea behind it was to provide an inexpensive portable handheld device. If a guitarist wants to practice and hone his skills, he can safely choose this amplifier option. A mini-combo is a portable device to which you can connect a musical electric instrument, in particular an electric guitar or its semi-acoustic version.

The main task of the amplifier is to amplify the sound of the guitar, but the equipment is also capable of changing both the tone of the guitar and adding special effects. If we talk about the differences from stationary amplifiers, which require electricity from the mains, portable ones are capable of operating on batteries. They are small and lightweight, and often come with a strap for easy carrying. Sometimes they, rather, resemble the dimensions of a large pedal.

The continuous operation of the portable amplifier from batteries reaches 8 hours, but much depends on the model. Some are able to function for almost a day. Of course, an important characteristic of a combo is its power.

Single-ended amplifiers designed for electric guitars have been around recently, but have already gained popularity. The power of such a device is 5 W, but this is enough to play music at home or at street concerts in a small confined space. Such amps are also found among tube amplifiers.

Guitar amps come in two forms:

• combined (combo) equipped with an electronic circuit and a reproducing acoustic system in a single design;
• an amplifier located in the case, which is connected to the audio system via a speaker cable.

Modern musical equipment is divided into 4 types, which you can familiarize yourself with further.

These amplifiers are currently the most sought after by professionals. It was on lamps that the first guitar amplifiers were produced, which later began to be supplanted by transistor analogs. The main advantage of lamps is that they reproduce bright, high-quality sound and better distinguish sound effects (overdrive). In addition, tube amplifiers exhibit tremendous dynamics. The instrument responds easily to strings being struck, delivering the rich sound of nonlinear distortion. It is with such a device that many musicians go on stage and give concerts.

Thanks to the tube amplifier, the guitar sound is so recognizable by professional musicians that it cannot be compared with any other sound reproduced on similar equipment of a later generation. An added bonus is the beautiful glow of the lamp in the amplifier. True, such equipment is both expensive in terms of price, rather bulky in volume, and heavy in weight. A 100 watt amplifier can weigh over 30 kg, not including other pieces of equipment. And this can cause certain inconveniences when moving from place to place while touring.

Lamps often fail and replacement takes time. If the amplifier is used exclusively at home, replacing the lamps may take 5-6 years, and in cases of touring, this can happen at any time.The unit must be handled with care, the internal filling is very fragile, therefore any shaking and shock can lead to equipment failure.

The amplifier needs to be overclocked to get good sound, and for that you need a preamplifier. It is also better to have it on lamps. Now manufacturers produce different models of tube amplifiers and preamplifiers. While lamp equipment is expensive, it would be a wise investment.

As the name suggests, the amplifier uses transistors. These units are much cheaper than the previous ones due to their simple production. These products often appeal to aspiring musicians looking for an affordable amp. If there are any drawbacks in a tube device, then in a transistor device they cannot be found at all. This is a lightweight unit that will sound beautiful even at low volumes. Besides, there is practically no need to replace components, which saves costs.

And since the most important thing in an amplifier is the sound that it is capable of transmitting, there are certain drawbacks in transistor equipment in this sense. However, a simple listener will not be able to recognize the difference, which will only be apparent to a true professional. It all depends on personal preference and standards, so first you should try several options to compare the sound quality.

In such amplifiers, the sound is formed by mathematical algorithms. If the previous versions of amplifiers worked with analog sound, then these are intended exclusively for digital. It should be noted that modeling the necessary distortions will not work perfectly, but if you try and practice the skill, then it is not so difficult to get closer to perfection. Choosing a digital device must be careful, as there are not many noteworthy models on the market. The price of such equipment is close to tube equipment, and in some cases even more.

The main factor affecting sound quality lies in the converter, the algorithm of which must be as accurate as possible in order to obtain the desired result without delay and distortion. The main advantages of digital amplifiers are that they have built-in effects, so the possibilities of musical performance are significantly expanded. Novice musicians often choose the digital version of amplifiers, since no additional speakers are required for their use. On the market you can find a modeling mini-amplifier with a built-in multimedia speaker.

Any device consists of a preamplifier and a power amplifier, and in hybrid units the role of the first is played by the tube type, and the transistor type is used for the power supply. It is safe to say that this development was a compromise that manufacturers came to, since it was necessary to combine the good sound of a tube amplifier with a light weight and low cost of a transistor amplifier.

The sound is initially formed in the preamplifier, but the amplifier simply has to enrich it and make it more saturated at the output. The engineers have managed to combine the best characteristics of the two types of amplifiers in hybrid equipment, so there is no doubt that this equipment option will be the ideal choice. It is a compact and lightweight device that can be purchased at an attractive price.

Each musical instrument and equipment comes with a rich selection of accessories, spare parts and components, which are difficult to do without. One of these is a sound attenuator, which serves to soften the volume of the guitar speaker.It should be noted that the parameters do not change in this case, the settings are saved even at overload. With increased use of equipment and frequent transportation, cords and cables can break, so they can be purchased additionally, taking into account all the characteristics of the combo.

Of course, you want your musical equipment to serve as long as possible, so it must be used for its intended purpose, as well as protected from moisture and dust, especially if it is often transported from place to place. For this, various covers and suitcases are used, which are produced by the same amplifier manufacturers.

If you are actively involved in music, love to play the guitar, but understand that it's time to replenish your arsenal with a quality amplifier, you need to consider different criteria. Due to the wide range of products, it is not so easy to make a choice. To begin with, it is important to set a goal and understand what characteristics the device should have. It is worth noting that home amplifiers are somewhat different from those used at concerts and festivals. Therefore, the first step is to decide whether you are going to take equipment for a small room, home rehearsals or large-scale concerts.

The main indicator for this is the power of the amplifier. For example, lamp units of the same power as transistor ones will sound much louder and brighter. But if you do not need such an effect, then a device up to 5 watts is suitable for home use. When it comes to performances in a concert hall, an amplifier above 50W is the best choice. It is also important to consider the type of instrument you are playing. If we are talking about a bass amp, it should be 2 times more powerful than a six-string electric guitar amp. For a classic tool, a conventional unit with standard characteristics is suitable.

So, you have carefully selected and purchased your amplifier. The next task is to correctly connect it to the tool and start using it. Most devices have a guitar input, one line in and one out. On some models, you will find an XLR connector where you can plug in a microphone. It is worth noting that there are several schemes, one of which consists in connecting by means of a matching device - a mixing console. If you are using an electric guitar, to get the processed sound, the amp must be connected to the processor's pedal, and the output must be connected to the output on the console. Many people are interested in how to connect a device to a computer and configure it correctly.

The same scheme is also used here: the cable is connected to the sound card through the line-in, and to set up the equipment, use the levers on the control panel. There are electrical circuits, thanks to which you can emphasize the depth of the sound, give it a characteristic color, for example, blues. The guitar amplifier is an excellent speaker system designed to reproduce the music of electric instruments. Now you know much more about such equipment, its types and features.