Okay, I am no expert and I assume that someone will be along soon to tell me my idea is unfeasible, dangerous, and/or pointless, or some combination thereof.
However I’ve noticed that there are many discussions over the weight of amps, and of course as soon as something changes to threaten the existence of valves (for example the quite brilliant Tonemaster range) in order to reduce weight (and cost, and reliability etc. etc.) then some people start jumping up and down. More so over on TGP for example, but even over here there are those who dislike the idea that valves may no longer be fit for purpose.
So I’ve used me noggin!
I understand – and again I have no clue of the innards of an amp – that the power and output transformers are responsible most of the weight in an amp.
Now, combos were split into heads and cabinets in order to make it easier to move amps around, so taking that idea one step further, would it be possible to split an amp, not just into two (head and cab), but into three, so the transformers are removed into their own cabinet, joined with a cable of some sort
Would it get rid of weight? No, of course not, but would it make moving the weight easier? Yes, I think it would. Just as with a combo, it is easier to move the head and the cab, I think it would be easier to move the cab, the head, and the transformer box
Of course it wouldn’t take any less energy, but as we get older it becomes more accepted to make a couple of trips to move stuff around, rather than in one big lift like we used to do when we were in our twenties or thirties.
There is also the potential, like with cabs and speakers, to create a new market for combining the head from one company, with the transformers from another, going into the cabs from other companies, filled with speakers from a multitude of other manufacturers.
The fan-boys on TGP would love that!
Okay, shoot it down!
Comments
But if they were in cabinets that matched the look of the head and cab (similar dimensions, tolex covering etc) then they would appear as an integral whole as it were.
I'm just thinking of a way to manage the practicalities of moving heavy equipment around for those of us not in the first flush of youth anymore (not that I'm tied to a valve amp - my Egnater Tweaker hasn't been switched on for over a year. I use Overloud's TH-U on my PC and iPad these days).
The output speaker transformer also has the high voltage on it's primary so again dangerous to have as a separate unit.
So basically not possible for safety reasons.
You need to be getting up to at least a 100W guitar amp, or more likely 200W+ bass amp, before the transformers are heavier than the speaker. (And even then, multiple speakers will outweigh them.)
A toroidal PT can save some weight. Blackstar appear to have now introduced a valve amp with a Switch Mode power supply (SMPS) which does away with the heavy PT altogether, but it still must have an output transformer.
If you really want to do the job properly, the solution is solid state combined with a lightweight cabinet and neodymium speakers.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
In a combo.
Example:
Blackstar Stage60Mk2 112 mains transformer 3.6Kg
Celestion Seventy/80 speaker 3.1Kg
I don't have a cabinet to hand, so can't comment formally but they aren't heavier than 3.6Kg.
Not *quite* so clear cut...
I'd be amazed if an HT60 cabinet wasn't more than 3.6Kg... it's quite a heavy amp.
I admit my experience is based on things like the Mesa Trem-o-verb, where the weight was definitely in the cabinet and speakers, even though I didn't actually weigh them - but the transformers are no larger than in any other 100W amp, and the combo weighed 45Kg, which is a *lot* more than most other 2x12"s. Even with two V30s (4.7Kg each), clearly most of the rest is the cabinet.
(Joking about the speaker... I'm really not a fan of the stock Seventy/80 though, as you know! Still like the Line 6 one .)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
Use a pine cab over a plywood/MDF cab
Use a lightweight Neo speaker
Use high grade laminations in the transformers - allows you to reduce stack height which reduces weight or
Use toriods or SMPS power supply - I think the amp would need to be designed around that as even the PT has an effect on feel of an amp.
Use an aluminium chassis
Use a smaller valve amp and re-amp it to higher power with a class D power amp
The weight differential between a regular Fender Twin reverb ri and a GB Twin (with pine cab and neo speakers) is 14lbs / around 6KG. 4KG of that is probably speakers, so there's a 2KG saving in weight.
I suspect any 1x12 combo cab that weighs less than 3.6KG must be made with something very light.
I do press ups and occasionally arm wrestle.
Works for me
Neodymium type speaker can work just check your speaker specs. Hope this helps.