So I acquired a 1969 Ampeg B-25 tube head yesterday because the tone was just too sweet. My needs remain with finding a louder setup. Apparently I am at war with myself on this issue because I went and traded for 50 tube watts, which ain’t so quiet through two 15”s. I guess for small club-blues-jazz stuff it will work fine, but not a Sabbath tribute band (but the tone, man, the tone!)
But it does have an “Ext. Amp”
out jack. From what little bit I gleaned from old TB posts, the opinion seems to be it can be connected to another amp.
In an effort to get the best of both of tone and power without spending too much dough, what if I:
1. Acquire something, for example, like a Peavey Firebass, a big, burly, reliable chunk of American heat sink (I’m fond of Meridian MS products), something clean and loud primarily for the purpose of power amp, and to also to serve double-duty as an alternate/backup amp? Would it detrimentally affect the B-25’s tone?
I’m not against Class-D stuff with a power amp jack, but my first thought was old school Peavey for loud, cheap, and durable.
2. Would I be better getting just a dedicated power amp? If so, suggestions?
3. Or be patient and score something like a Peavey 120 or 120/120 Classic all tube power amp? Is this a novel but unnecessary idea?
3. Or, will I do great and costly harm to the Ampeg if I attempt to mesh 50-year old technology with equipment it was never intended to meet?
I’m aware that on its own, the Ampeg is 16-ohms out of one jack, 8-ohms if both are plugged in. I have a Palmer cab merger to run both of my 8-ohm Black Widows in series for 16, and a dummy jack plug when I only want to run one at 8. It is my understanding the Ampeg’s speaker jack impedence quirks are moot if and when a power amp feeds the Widows (unless of course I’m wrong). Thx in advance everyone.
But it does have an “Ext. Amp”
out jack. From what little bit I gleaned from old TB posts, the opinion seems to be it can be connected to another amp.
In an effort to get the best of both of tone and power without spending too much dough, what if I:
1. Acquire something, for example, like a Peavey Firebass, a big, burly, reliable chunk of American heat sink (I’m fond of Meridian MS products), something clean and loud primarily for the purpose of power amp, and to also to serve double-duty as an alternate/backup amp? Would it detrimentally affect the B-25’s tone?
I’m not against Class-D stuff with a power amp jack, but my first thought was old school Peavey for loud, cheap, and durable.
2. Would I be better getting just a dedicated power amp? If so, suggestions?
3. Or be patient and score something like a Peavey 120 or 120/120 Classic all tube power amp? Is this a novel but unnecessary idea?
3. Or, will I do great and costly harm to the Ampeg if I attempt to mesh 50-year old technology with equipment it was never intended to meet?
I’m aware that on its own, the Ampeg is 16-ohms out of one jack, 8-ohms if both are plugged in. I have a Palmer cab merger to run both of my 8-ohm Black Widows in series for 16, and a dummy jack plug when I only want to run one at 8. It is my understanding the Ampeg’s speaker jack impedence quirks are moot if and when a power amp feeds the Widows (unless of course I’m wrong). Thx in advance everyone.
