Derrick1642607670 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 im not a very experianced player so this might seem kind of a dumb thing to ask but im confused on the purpose of externals preamps and power amps. Im thinking the power amp is something to of a volume increasement? as far as a preamp im not sure other than a second equalizer.. I think.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Pre-amps boost a signal that may be a bit weak. Microphones, for example. A pre-amp serves to make sure all your input signals into a desk (recording or PA) are on the same page, so to speak. Otherwise, the mixing gets compliacated. Sometimes, when using mikes, you need a preamp even to drive humble effects pedals. Important when dealing with, say, brass instruments. Often, guitar amps have a pre-amp as well, so that you can crank up the pre-amp and get a nice, distorted sound while keeping the overall amp volume (ie the master volume) down. A power amp is the part of the amp that actually sends a signal out to drive the speakers. But I'm sure others are capable of a much better explanation. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick1642607670 Posted February 1, 2007 Author Share Posted February 1, 2007 a bit to complex for me is there a more bare bones explanation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trucks Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Erm. I thought he explained it pretty well A preamplifier, also referred to as a preamp, is a device typically used along with sound equipment to help improve the overall quality of sound. In order to accomplish this, the preamplifier helps prepare the main amplifier, which increases the power and sound of the equipment, for receiving the electronic signal. Through the help of the preamplifier and the main amplifier, the sound is not altered in quality, but it is much louder. A preamplifier and main amplifier may be used for a home audio system of for live band performances. They may also be used in a music recording studio or built into a music mixing desk. A preamplifier may also be used with a television in order to improve antenna or satellite communication. In order to prepare the main amplifier for the electronic signal it receives, the preamplifier emits a low level signal to line level. The preamplifier is often part of a turntable, pickup, transducer, or turntable. In the case of a home sound system, the preamplifier may simply switch to various line level sources in order to control the volume without truly amplifying the sound. In the typical audio system, a preamplifier only supplies a voltage gain, which is generally somewhere between ten millivolts to one volt. The preamplifier does not, however, provide current. Rather, the second amplifier, which is referred to as the power amplifier, supplies the necessary current to the speakers. A preamplifier may be incorporated into a sound system in a variety of ways. It may be placed inside the housing of the power amplifier that it corresponds with, or it may have its own housing. The preamplifier may also be kept close to the source of its electrical signal while maintaining a distance from the power amplifier, such as when it is near a hi-fi entertainment system or when it is part of the home computer. If the preamplifier has its own housing and is to be used with the sound system of a band, it may be anchored to microphones, turntables, an electric bass, or an electric guitar. From HERE: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-preamplifier.htm The "main amplifier" it refers to is the power amp. Soundclick Myspace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Yes: the controls for volume, treble, etc, are in the pre-amp section. The power amp section goes directly to the speakers. Active pickups are also kinda like pre-amps, as are multi-fx units, in that they process the signal before the amp gets it, and the amp delivers what it's told to. Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 So did you get that, or do you want us to try again? ADDED: Well, I'm going to have another go anyway, what the heck. Anything that goes through a lead, cord, cable or whatever you want to call it, is known as a SIGNAL. They had to call it something, I guess When you play your guitar, you send a SIGNAL to the amp. Now. Not all signals are equally powerful. Microphones, for example, put out much weaker signals than guitars. Which means that amps, mixing desks, etc. have trouble "hearing" the signal. The mixing desk might not even register any sort of signal from the microphone at all. So, at that point, you need a pre-amp... which is a tiny, low power amp that boosts the signal so it'll be as powerful as all the others. A pre-amp ned only be a couple of watts, all it has to do is boost the signal a tiny bit. When we are talking about guitar amps (or amps in general, really) we usually have two STAGES, which is like having two separate guitar amps inside the same box. One is the power-amp stage and usually there is a pre-amp stage as well. The power amp is the one that actually goes out to the speakers and makes the sound that you hear when you play your guitar. Most guitar amps have a pre-amp stage too. Not because guitar signals are weak, but simply because the small pre-amp can be cranked up and made to produce a distorted, overdriven sound while keeping the amplifier output (from the power amp) low so as not to annoy the neighbours. Better? Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Wow! Hard to believe I may be the most concise answer on this thread. Put simply, audio is all about gain (level) stages. As others have mentioned, mics and pickups provide very little output level. First you raise that output to a level that can be further mixed or manipulated and processed by running into a pre-amp. Once you've processed, mixed, eq'd, etc. to your heart's content, you must amplify the signal to a level that can drive speakers. This is accomplished by the power amp. The confusion lies in the fact that guitar amplifiers and home stereos often package a preamp, processing in the form of EQ or effects, a power amp and speakers into one package. And though that's the norm for guitar amps, beginning around the 1980's people began separating the preamp from the amplifier too. So now you can have all in one amps or discrete components that are hooked to one another. Of course, separate speaker cabinets have been available almost as long as instrument amps have been around. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick1642607670 Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 im fine now asked a friend and he translated it to dumbass for me so its all clear now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 im fine now asked a friend and he translated it to dumbass for me so its all clear now Well, out of curiosity... what part did you find hard to understand? This question might come up again, you see, and I'd like to provide the best possible answer. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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