Backup Power Amp any recommendations?

[NSJ]

I want to get a back up for my Buscarino Power amp. To me that is head and shoulders the best. I ‘d like to find a better backup. Something that is cheaper, not a soulless FRFR speaker but colored for the guitar. I once had ALTO FRFR speakers, but they didn’t sound too good, to me.
I already have a Bose S1 and QSC K 12 speaker (I use that one for my Nord piano).

I guess the question is: what is the best and smallest powered speaker that can drive a small amp-pedal that cannot power a speaker? I already have the TOOB and Quilter SuperBlock. I guess the Quilter SuperBlock can power the TOOB, and that’s a great solution.

I got the Universal Audio Dream 65 amp pedal, and am looking for the best, compact, power speaker solution to power the Dream 65 pedal amp. Or is there a solution that can work with the Dream 65 and the TOOB? That may be ideal, as the TOOB is a great small speaker. But it can’t power the amp pedal.

Anything smaller and better than a Bose S1 or QSC that would work that doesn’t sound like a bad FRFR monitor? Or, alternatively, is there a way to use the Dream 65 pedal amp with the TOOB via a third party device that can power the TOOB?

[marcwhy]

Hey Navdeep,
Hope you're enjoying the Nor Cal winters better than Chicago!

So, I'm a little confused (a common occurrence!): are you asking about a "power amp," or "powered speakers," or either/both?

If speakers, give Sonusphere up in Oregon a call (the maker/designer of Moses Graphite necks/products); their powered guitar speaker could be your fix. Not a lot on them online, but Steve is a pretty knowledgeable cat.

Good luck!

[NSJ]

Thanks. I have the Universal Audio Dream 65 amp pedal. I could use my Buscarino powered cab to power it, or the QSC powered speaker. What do I need to power it, otherwise? My ideal soliton would be to use it with the TOOB speaker, as a remote speaker.

But the Universal Audio amp pedal won’t power the non-powered speakers. I guess there must be some sort of small pre-amp or audio direct in that would work as an intermediary between the amp pedal and the TOOB?

[NSJ]

PS that speaker looks impressive and small. Thanks! Won’t mind a drive to Oregon, lol.

PS Salt Lake City is a great place, I love visiting it, it’s become a nice alternative to Denver.

As for Northern California, we got torrential downpours and 10 feet of snow in the Sierras right now; lots of flood warnings, all along the Sierras to the Central Valley.

I guess we really needed the rain.

[NSJ]

Any thoughts on this?

Seymour Duncan PowerStage 200 - 200-watt Guitar Amplifier Pedal | Sweetwater

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Your SB and Toob are a great combo as a backup - why would you need anything else? Of course, the SB has a BF Fender emulator on board, so you wouldn’t need the UA pedal with it. It’s great by itself.

The UA is not an amplifier - it does not have any current amplification output stage. It’s just a preamplifier, which boosts the millivolt-level guitar signal to a few volts. So it drives a power amp (not the other way around, as you state a few times).

If all you want is a backup power amplifier, grab a used Crate PowerBlock. They’re bulletproof, sound great, have mono and stereo inputs to bypass the preamp stage, and go for about $100. They’ve been out of production for years, but they’re more popular than ever. I’ve had 3 for backups - one in each car trunk and one at home. I sold them all a few years ago when I got an Elf for BU, and I sold that when I picked up a Quilter Microblock (the ultimate backup amp - dirt cheap, reliable, 45 watts, and the size of a cigarette pack). If you can find one, a MB will cost you about $75 and sounds great - I used mine on a few gigs with a Toob Metro just to see how it did. It did very very well!

[st.bede]

FYI I am seeing the Quilter Microblock listed for around 125 on reverb.

How do they compare to SD powerstage?

I had a SD Powerstage 700. It sounded great. I bought mine used. It was making a weird high pitch noise after being on for a couple of hours. I called SD. They did not know what it was. I returned the SD. I am planning on replacing it, with a new one. However I keep seeing other possibilities… such as maybe two Quilter Microblocks….

When it come to the crate, I have read that they are not the best sounding options… is that mostly the preamp section? (FYI On reverb the crates look a little overpriced to me)

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

FYI I am seeing the Quilter Microblock listed for around 125 on reverb.

How do they compare to SD powerstage?

I had a SD Powerstage 700. It sounded great. I bought mine used. It was making a weird high pitch noise after being on for a couple of hours. I called SD. They did not know what it was. I returned the SD. I am planning on replacing it, with a new one. However I keep seeing other possibilities… such as maybe two Quilter Microblocks….

When it come to the crate, I have read that they are not the best sounding options… is that mostly the preamp section? (FYI On reverb the crates look a little overpriced to me)

I haven't priced a Microblock in a few months. It wouldn't surprise me to see asking prices of $125 since they are that good. But asking prices are not selling prices, and you can probably get a good one for $100 or less with a little perseverance. It may be worth a bit more to buy one from GC etc, since they have return privileges. But I've not heard of any consistent failures in any of the 'blocks, and I only know 2 people personaolly who have had isolated failures in any Quilter product. So if youcan get one for $75 or $85, I think the risk is very small and well worth it.

I loved my Crate Powerblocks - they sounded fine with guitar, keys, and even my trumpet through a vocal harmonizer (which is a dynamite bargain horn section). I did use the power amp inputs for my synthesizers, but I also used it as a straightforward guitar and keyboard amp through my Boogie Thiele cab and my RE 10 and got great sound.

[st.bede]

Thank you… I might keep an eye open for a crate, or make an offer on the microblock. The SD Powerstage 700 was great sounding but it comes with what seem to be an expensive price due to it being a class d poweramp.

The other options that I have seen you post are very interesting, and good prices but I worry about their sturdiness.

I assume that the quilter, crate, and SD are farily rugged.

again thank you

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I assume that the quilter, crate, and SD are farily rugged.

I can't speak about the SD, since I've never had one of their pedal amps. But I bought 3 Crate Powerblocks, 1 when they first came out and 2 more when they lowered the price near the end of their production run. I dragged them around for years, using them wide open in stereo with my Roland guitar synth and my Kurzweil stage piano and the usual way for blues guitar gigs. I lent them to friends, left them in the trunk of my car through sub-freezing winters and 100" degree periods, and generally beat them regularly. None of the 3 ever turned a hair, and they were still perfect when I sold them all to go even smaller with the next gen heads.

Quilter products have also held up very well for me and several friends. I think they're well designed, well made, and geat value for their prices. Even the $1k+ combos are the equal of amps costing far more. I wouldn't hesitate to buy more of their products if I needed them.