Is tweaker 40 too loud for bedroom use?

[beef331994]

Hi all,

So I've been looking around for a tube amp recently and after my research I've settled down to two options:
1) egnater tweaker 15 head with rebel 112x cab
2) egnater tweaker 40 head with tour master 212 cab

Would the second option sound too loud? I stay in a condominium btw. I really like the idea of the two channels.

Any feedback would be much appreciated as I do not want to land 1.4k on the second option and find out the tone sucks later at bed room volumes.

Another thing, if I choose the tweaker 15, would I be better off with the tour master cab or the rebel? I've heard good things about the tourmaster cab.

P.S. I originally thought that the master volume will do the trick of allowing one to have a cranked sound at low volumes but after reading stuff online I think it will not work.

Cheers,
Keith

 

[CyanideJunkie]

It depends on how your Master Volume is wired up. But in this situation, I would recommend the Tweaker 15 with the 1x12 cab; 2x12s can really push A LOT of air. You'd want to bring your amp up to the point where the power tubes start to work a little bit of their magic, so 15 watts is the better option for you. However, do test it out before making your final decision. 15 watts of tube power can be quite a lot for a condo space, unless you have have particularly thick walls, floors and ceilings.

 

[beef331994]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply. well i plan to place some sound absorbing foam in my music room. Will that help? Or is the sound reduction marginal? I see that you have a vos AC15C1, do you think it gets overly loud for the bedroom? I have played one in a studio a few times and find that it can get plenty loud. Will this be a good gauge to how loud the tweaker 15 will get?

Yes i have to test it out like you recommended. I have only done a ton of research cos i have no time yet to actually go down and test the amp. I choose the tweaker mainly for its versatility.

well i guess ill have to sacrifice two channels than.

 

[CyanideJunkie]

It will help to a certain extent but make no mistake, it's not an end-all solution. What you describe will only serve to dampen the sound, whereas sound-proofing is more complex. Since you have the resources to do so then by all means go ahead; it's better to have it and not need it instead of the other way around.

Regarding my Vox, there are some differences to take note of. When it comes to dirt tones, most people would agree that for an AC-style amp to really shine, the power tubes have to pushed to create most of the distortion. That would invariably mean that the amp would have to get pretty loud before it hits it's sweet spot. The Tweaker is much more forgiving in this aspect. You have your gain selector switch which allows you to alter the gain structure of your amp, making it much easier to dial in a sweet overdriven tone at reasonable volumes. In terms of maximum volume though, I believe the Tweaker would be the louder of the two, seeing that it comes with a more efficient speaker.

 

[beef331994]

Thank you,

I will test out the amp soon

 

[theunknown]

Do you wish to push your amp hard? If so, the 40 is very loud. My amp has a 0.75W mode, and I can't push it all the way without shaking the house (hdb flat).

 

[relinquish69]

the problem with a lot of people is that they shun high wattage amps because of volume issues.

get an attenuator and you will hear the difference from most high wattage vs those small bedroom type tube amplifiers.

of course to most people, it is a costly decision to do such a change in set up but once you hear a cranked up plexi at bedroom volumes, nothing else really compares. ballsy tones with no shaky walls.

you could get a marshall that has the option of power scaling. that works too.

 

[beef331994]

Thx guys for the reply,
As this will be my first tube amp, I will be quite oblivious to some of the jargon used for tubes so pls forgive the inadequacies in my knowledge. By pushing the amp hard do you mean pushing the gain? I'll definitely try this. Are attenuators expensive? I heard they do suck some tone...

 

[beef331994]

I also want to make sure the cabinet I'm getting is good such that I'll only need to buy amp heads next time. So do y'all think the 112 will suffice?

 

[relinquish69]

lousy or good, attenuators are all expensive ranging from $200 onwards. however, the key is finding the right one. don't believe everything you read. believe what you hear.

 

[relinquish69]

I also want to make sure the cabinet I'm getting is good such that I'll only need to buy amp heads next time. So do y'all think the 112 will suffice?

depends on what cabinet and what speakers. strictly for home use 1x12 is good enough but for myself, at least a 2x12. at this point, you should try to get a used cab from the buy/sell section and try it out first.

 

[beef331994]

So can I say how loud it would be would be dependent on the amp, not the cabinet? For example if the amp was on the same setting, a 112 cab would be at exactly the same volume as the 212?