if its just a great little backup amp then what would you recommend as a main amp.. (right now the crate is my main amp....).
I'm not Pro or Anything But I do Play weekly at my Church. I only have the Power Block to use. I love it sounds great does a fine Job for my purpose!! I can recommend it for main use I see nothing wrong with this little amp other than it's out of the box & not your traditional amplifier Amp must be big have tubes etc.. etc.. this amp is great & for 99 bucks if you don't like it or suite you for main amp purposes keep as your backup. Anyhow it's my main amp & thats just my opinion but it works for me & may for you as well 8)
I bought the Power Block for $99.00 a few weeks ago. Great buy. I plan on carrying it along as a backup. I have a GNX4 which I plug directly into the PA system. But sooner or later someone will blow their main amp and I'll be ready with the Power Block.
Our lead guitarist uses his Power Block as his main to drive a Marshall stack. It sounds real good with his GNX3. For the small venues we play, it has more power than he needs.
Judging from the sound and volume of our lead guitarist, I would say the Power Block can be used as a main without any problems. Most of us use effect pedals (GNX's) to color the sound. So a head amp with all kinds of controls would probably just be bypassed in our setup. Also, the Power Block has 150 watts of power and many mains are either 50 or 100 watts. But I don't want to compare digital amps to tube amps, as my experience has always been that tube amps are a lot louder for the same given power rating.
A) The small size and weight is due to the power supply being a switching type rather than the regular transformer
It appears that its Mono for Guitar ( Only one channel preamp). The stereo bit is only for the CD inputs
So in case you want a stereo chorus or phaser or pan out from the GNX, you cant plug into the single guitar input.
C) Tube amps sound louder than solid state amps because they compress the sound. So if you play a guitar through a Tube and an SS Amp of same RMS power rating in an A/B comparison, the Tube Amp will play at a higher average wattage for the same peak output.
However if you run a compressor or Tube type overdrive unit or Tube Amp emulation in front of the Solid state amp, it compresses in a very similar fashion and you will get same levels of perceived volume from both Amps.
It appears that its Mono for Guitar (Only one channel preamp). The stereo bit is only for the CD inputs.
I don't believe that is correct. There are two seperate stereo inputs in the back. One RCA stereo input L/R marked as CD Input for line level sources. And the other stereo input marked as L/R 1/4\" Line In. The GNX4, or any other stereo pedal, could be patched into those inputs. The choices for speaker outputs are again, stereo L/R or bridged MONO. So you run a stereo signal into the Powerblock and back out in stereo using the back panel jacks.
If you input the guitar directly into the front of the Powerblock, you would have a mono source. That mono guitar signal could remain as bridged MONO, or sent out via the L/R speaker outputs - but the guitar sound would remain MONO even though it is going out thru 2 speakers. If you really want stereo effects, go through the back panel.
For some reason, there is only one mono XLR output for the mixer. Since the GNX4 has stereo XLR outputs, it is not an issue for me.
Also, my brother-in-law says his Level control knob on the front panel only controls the input jack from the front panel, and has no effect on the stereo inputs in the back. I have not yet verified or disproved his claim with my new Powerblock, as I have yet to set it up with a stereo cab. He has a GNX3 which has limited stereo outputs compared to the GNX4. Maybe someone else who has been using their Powerblock can confirm or deny if the Powerblock Level control has no effect on the rear panel stereo inputs. I don't know why the Level control knob would not have any control over the rear panel inputs, the manual says it does. But I'll have to give it a test when I have time (my stereo cab is not at my house) unless someone else already knows the answer.
Indeed I tried it initially thru the EFX Loop. Did not like it & your Volume control is at the GNX4 that is correct. Mono signal or not I think the GNX4 sounds much better running into the front!! So much more warmth & tone 8) I have also found out that the XLR on the back of the Block sounds better than the XLR's out of the GNX4. The level is alot lower but much less harsh just has more tone & chaacter out of the block. I don't need stereo so that works for me To bad you do because I'm sure you would notice a big tone difference as well
I have a custom made \"boutique\" made by a local guy, its modeled after the Marshall 30th Anniversary Slash 2 -12 100watt 3 channel combo (I'l soon be replacing it with some powered monitors, maybe the new Behringer Eurolive's)
Indeed I tried it initially thru the EFX Loop. Did not like it & your Volume control is at the GNX4 that is correct. Mono signal or not I think the GNX4 sounds much better running into the front!! So much more warmth & tone 8) I have also found out that the XLR on the back of the Block sounds better than the XLR's out of the GNX4. The level is alot lower but much less harsh just has more tone & chaacter out of the block. I don't need stereo so that works for me To bad you do because I'm sure you would notice a big tone difference as well
God Bless!!
Partch
Good points Partch. Played around with the Powerblock last night on my brohter-in-law's rig. I agree with you in that the Powerblock sounds better going through the front MONO guitar jack, or at least it is much easier to adjust the volume and tone controls from the front of the Powerblock to get a better sound. We tried both ways and the front MONO jack was better with all things considered. But my brohter-in-law already knew that which is why he also plays through the Powerblock's front input.
Like I said, I have my GNX4 jacked directly into my stereo PA system, which I think is the best way to go with the GNX4. The Powerblock is my standby amp in case we blow a head or other amp. For $99, I would recommned everyone with some spare cash buy a Powerblock as either their main or backup amp.
Comments
I'm not Pro or Anything
God Bless!!
Partch
Our lead guitarist uses his Power Block as his main to drive a Marshall stack. It sounds real good with his GNX3. For the small venues we play, it has more power than he needs.
Judging from the sound and volume of our lead guitarist, I would say the Power Block can be used as a main without any problems. Most of us use effect pedals (GNX's) to color the sound. So a head amp with all kinds of controls would probably just be bypassed in our setup. Also, the Power Block has 150 watts of power and many mains are either 50 or 100 watts. But I don't want to compare digital amps to tube amps, as my experience has always been that tube amps are a lot louder for the same given power rating.
A) The small size and weight is due to the power supply being a switching type rather than the regular transformer
So in case you want a stereo chorus or phaser or pan out from the GNX, you cant plug into the single guitar input.
C) Tube amps sound louder than solid state amps because they compress the sound. So if you play a guitar through a Tube and an SS Amp of same RMS power rating in an A/B comparison, the Tube Amp will play at a higher average wattage for the same peak output.
However if you run a compressor or Tube type overdrive unit or Tube Amp emulation in front of the Solid state amp, it compresses in a very similar fashion and you will get same levels of perceived volume from both Amps.
I don't believe that is correct. There are two seperate stereo inputs in the back. One RCA stereo input L/R marked as CD Input for line level sources. And the other stereo input marked as L/R 1/4\" Line In. The GNX4, or any other stereo pedal, could be patched into those inputs. The choices for speaker outputs are again, stereo L/R or bridged MONO. So you run a stereo signal into the Powerblock and back out in stereo using the back panel jacks.
If you input the guitar directly into the front of the Powerblock, you would have a mono source. That mono guitar signal could remain as bridged MONO, or sent out via the L/R speaker outputs - but the guitar sound would remain MONO even though it is going out thru 2 speakers. If you really want stereo effects, go through the back panel.
For some reason, there is only one mono XLR output for the mixer. Since the GNX4 has stereo XLR outputs, it is not an issue for me.
Also, my brother-in-law says his Level control knob on the front panel only controls the input jack from the front panel, and has no effect on the stereo inputs in the back. I have not yet verified or disproved his claim with my new Powerblock, as I have yet to set it up with a stereo cab. He has a GNX3 which has limited stereo outputs compared to the GNX4. Maybe someone else who has been using their Powerblock can confirm or deny if the Powerblock Level control has no effect on the rear panel stereo inputs. I don't know why the Level control knob would not have any control over the rear panel inputs, the manual says it does. But I'll have to give it a test when I have time (my stereo cab is not at my house) unless someone else already knows the answer.
God Bless!!
Partch
I think you will like it Cobalt 8) What is your main amp?
God Bless!!
Partch
Good points Partch. Played around with the Powerblock last night on my brohter-in-law's rig. I agree with you in that the Powerblock sounds better going through the front MONO guitar jack, or at least it is much easier to adjust the volume and tone controls from the front of the Powerblock to get a better sound. We tried both ways and the front MONO jack was better with all things considered. But my brohter-in-law already knew that which is why he also plays through the Powerblock's front input.
Like I said, I have my GNX4 jacked directly into my stereo PA system, which I think is the best way to go with the GNX4. The Powerblock is my standby amp in case we blow a head or other amp. For $99, I would recommned everyone with some spare cash buy a Powerblock as either their main or backup amp.