Isn't class A for really nice hi end tube amps?
and this is coming from (me) a complete electronics dummy.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

wetreverb
I liked the Power Block at $199 - At half that price, it's definitely a smokin' deal.

A 150-watt Class A amp for under $100?

What is a "NO-BRAINER"???

Bruce D

150 solid state watts. My crate is 120 watts and can't get near the volume of my 40-50watt Vibroverb or the Showman.

In stating the Power Block 150 was a Class "A" amp, I was <u>quoting</u> Doug Forbes, who's a college professor who teaches music technology, so I drew the conclusion that he was qualified to make such a description.

We've already gone around and around on this one, but let me relate my experience using the Crate Power Block 150 at the 4th Annual South Bay Surf Stomp at Suzy's in Hermosa Beach on May 28, 2006.
I played my Japanese Mosrite of Classics through my Reissue Fender Reverb Unit, into the Crate, going out via a pair of Jensen NeoDymium Ultra-Lightweight Magnet 12" speakers, wired 8 ohms total.

Big Tiki Dude and many of the "regulars" were there that day. This was the first time I'd used this rig in front of this specific audience.

In BTD's write-up of the day-long event, he mentioned that Longboard Ranch, (My band) sounded better than he'd ever heard us play. Several others from the audience, came up to us after our set, to tell us exactly the same thing. These are about the most demanding people one can imagine, when it comes to how they want to hear their surf music played.

Longboard Ranch is a TRAD SURF BAND, and with trad surf, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SOUND! I considered this show to be the ultimate ACID TEST of the Crate Power Block with NeoDymium speakers, and THIS RIG HELPED US TO EARN A STRAIGHT "A+" REPORT CARD. We couldn't have done better with Dick Dale's rig!

I would think that oughta settle the argument once and for all, but I know that some people are "stick-in-the-mud" and rigidly set in their opinions, that even the proof and record of what happened with Longboard Ranch in a friendly "battle of the bands" situation, won't impress or sway these "purists". I might as well be trying to convert Pope Benedict to Judaism!

As lead guitarist in the band getting these accolades, I'm satisfied that for the faithful playing of Trad-Style Surf Instrumental music, I'm getting equally satisfying results from the Crate/Jensen combination as I ever got from Fender/JBL, or Fender/EV combinations.

Also, the Clean Volume of the Powerblock 150, played MONO, through 8 ohms, is at least equal to what my Showman can do. I've proven this amp at several outdoor gigs, where 40-45 TUBE watts would have NEVER done the job.

The Scimitars

So that I may be quoted correctly: The Crate Power Block is a Class D power amp utilizing a switch-mode (or "switching") power supply. The Class has nothing to do with "good" or "bad" just the topology of the output stage. Like any engineering endeavor it is a compromise and is good at some things and not at others.

I am in agreement with Bruce; if it sounds good use it irrespective of what parts are used or circuit design.

I would add however; if it sounds bad use it anyway. Don't use not having "the sound" as an excuse for not making music.

Doug

bruce, two small points:

the powerblock/neo combo (I have both too) lacks in one department: crunchy edge. that just slightly crispy overdiven edge. the Powerblocks 'point of breakup' doesn't sound rparticularly good, and the neo's I cant getto distort with any amp as the have way too much power handling capabilities.

personally, I think the powerblock sounds fine (not awesomly great) with a JBL, but not so good with the neo's. but that might well be a matter of taste since Im not after the superclean sound but after the edgy sound.

the neo's with a tube amp sound better, though I'd prefer them to have less clean headroom, taste rather than judgement again.I'll probably sell them in a while and get something different.

as for the power, I think a JBL is rated at around 94 or 95dB efficiency, the Jensen Neo's a bit over 100 if I rember correctly. that's a huge factor in the loudness of the amp. The powerblock with a JBL is about as loud as a 45W bassman, perhaps even a tad less. with the neo's it's louder. but so is the bassman with the neo's.

eitherway, even with the jbl, the powerblock is plenty loud for gig use, perhaps maybe outside without PA.

ymmv.

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

To bring it on home, I just got mine today, but unfortunately I'm so busy trying to get my grad school paperwork together I haven't even had a chance to try it out yet! Soon as I get the chance, I'll shoot out a post with my first impressions.

~B~

For that I have all manner of effects at my disposal in my sound processing unit. The fact that the Neodymium speakers are so effcient is only a plus from my persepective.

I thought you were trad, but you have effects?

Also, if you were truly going for the trad sound you would use exactly what every other trad band of the '60s used, and that would be tube amplification and normally those speakers had some bite to them.

I use SRV's amp, but I don't sound like SRV. I get rather nice clean surf tones. Perhaps it was the Tube Screamer and not the amp that gave SRV his sound.

If the tone and sound I'm making, please a crowd of very exacting surf music fans, including Mr. Phil Dirt, then why even begin to criticize my choice of the gear that allowed me to produce that sound???

Exactly, please the crowd. I don't criticize the gear you choose, I criticize the fact that you claim to be strictly trad but you do so by using non-trad elements. Fact is that it is your playing and skill that allows you to get the trad sound. I'm not getting the trad sound with a Squier and Crate, but you may. I just don't want a ton of younsters or newbies to go out and buy this gear. If I see them playing live I'm going to think less of them if they don't kill as musicians.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2006 22:55:17

I have <u>never</u> claimed at any time, on this forum or any other that my band or I were "strictly" trad - <u>only</u> that we have an authentic "trad" sound!

I have said that we've drawn much positive comment from both live audiences, and those who've listened to our CD's that we capture the essence of the First Generation vintage Trad Sound. Yes, I've gone that far in the claims I've made, because that's what I keep hearing from fans of Surf Music, who've heard us play.

In fact, earlier this month, Longboard Ranch played three hour-long sets at the City Of Orange International Street Fair. Due to a last minute change in schedule, they had The Lively Ones start at 6PM rather than the advertised 4PM. So, much of the crowd we played to from 4-5PM had come expecting to see The Lively Ones! I was using the Crate Power Block and the Jensen Neodymium speakers for all 3 sets BTW. After we finished playing at 5PM, and had cleared our gear off the stage to make way for The Lively Ones, several folks came up to compliment us on how we sounded just like the original Surf Bands they grew up listening to. Then, just before The Lively Ones started playing, I was approached by a total stranger, a middle-age-looking gentleman, who I'd never met before.

He pointed to our "prop" surfboard which has our band logo on it, and said, "Is that your band?" When I said "Yes," he went on to tell me how impressed he was with our authentic First Generation sound, and how much he'd enjoyed the songs we played. I shook his hand and introduced myself, upon which he said, "Oh Yeah, my name is Eddie Bertrand." Jim Masoner greeted him as "Eddie" and they carried on like very old friends. Our new rhythm guitar player later confirmed that it really was Eddie Bertrand.

This is ironic, but extremely appropriate to this discussion, because don't forget, it was a very heated argument between Eddie Bertrand, and the ever-so "TRAD" Paul Johnson that caused the breakup of The Bel Airs, one of the greatest SoCal surf bands ever. PJ simply didn't go along with using that "New-Fangled" Fender Reverb Unit, because it wasn't "LEGIT" in his opinion, while Bertrand saw very clearly how profound an effect the Fender Reverb Unit would have on surf music. This story has been re-told by PJ himself, and in our conversation, Bertrand, 43 years later, still showed considerable bitterness and anger about this episode!

Don't forget, in the early 60's, what we now think of as "TRAD" and "LEGIT" amps and guitars, represented Brand New "State Of The Art" of the day, in terms of technology and design. The Fender Reverb Unit did NOT exist prior to 1962. Nor the Fender Jaguar BTW, both items that Bertrand took to using as soon as they first became available.

I'd lay odds that if Leo Fender had introduced the Crate Power Block 150 in 1962, together with the Reverb Unit, Eddie Bertrand might well have embraced using the ultra compact, light-weight, POWERFUL, and clean sounding Power Block, since it does such an excellent job of producing the kind of tones that Bertrand was famous for in those days.

As noted above, one of the surviving Godfathers of Surf Music, Jim Masoner, of The Lively Ones, (Goofy Foot, Surf Rider & Tranquilizer) still performs as The Lively Ones, doing their old standards as well as other surf classics, and general oldies. There's NOTHING "trad" about his gear! He couldn't care less what people think about the appearance of his rig - all he cares about is that he can still deliver the sound he wants to, as faithful as he can make it to the way they sounded 44 years ago.

So, what's "legit" and what's <u>not</u>? And under exactly what Heavenly Mandate was any one of us selected to be the arbiter of "legitimacy" in anyone's choice of gear?

The last couple of times I saw The Surfaris live, PJ was using a Fender Reverb Unit! It's nice to see that 43 years after the Bel Airs' demise, Paul accepts the fact that the Fender Tube Reverb has a "legit" place in the gear of a surf guitarist!