Amp Head and P.A system?

earlessdog · 01-29-2006, 11:21 PM

if this doesn't belong here feel free to move it.
I was wondering,say i had a amp head, any size, and plugged it into a pa system at church. What would happen? I have never really looked at the back of a head, does it have a input like a guitar, just usiing a cable? If so could you plug that into a different input that connects to a pa system and then plug yer guitar into the head and then the sound go through the pa speakers and you can adjust the tone with the head? Just curious.

**Rainer.** · 01-29-2006, 11:22 PM

Only if you used the line out of a solid state head. Anything involving speaker outs or tube heads disconnected from speakers means some serious damage.

Major Tom · 01-29-2006, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlessdog

if this doesn't belong here feel free to move it.
I was wondering,say i had a amp head, any size, and plugged it into a pa system at church. What would happen? I have never really looked at the back of a head, does it have a input like a guitar, just usiing a cable? If so could you plug that into a different input that connects to a pa system and then plug yer guitar into the head and then the sound go through the pa speakers and you can adjust the tone with the head? Just curious.

If you connect an amp's speaker out to the PA board, it will fry something, probably that channel of the said board, possibly more. If its a tube amp, possibly the output transformer. Some amps do have a line out on the back, that can be used to feed a channel on the board, some will have a speaker simulation and some don't. Without a speaker simulation it will sound very fizzy and high-endish. You can buy DI boxes that do the speaker sim, it would connect between the amp's line out and the board. Behringer makes one for like $30.

earlessdog · 01-29-2006, 11:40 PM

the pa system at my church is just 2 75w SS amps/speakers connected to a peavey pa system.There is like 7 different lines, you plug your guitar in number 3 say and you adjust everything on the number 3 section on the pa system (i know you know that i am just righting that down so i understand what i am saying). But i mean if i plugged a SS head into number 3 say then plug my guitar into the head, can i just adjust the tone myself on the head? can the head plug into something like a guitar does? i know i am kinda repeating myself, but i couldn't quite understand what you were saying

Major Tom · 01-29-2006, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlessdog

the pa system at my church is just 2 75w SS amps/speakers connected to a peavey pa system.There is like 7 different lines, you plug your guitar in number 3 say and you adjust everything on the number 3 section on the pa system (i know you know that i am just righting that down so i understand what i am saying). But i mean if i plugged a SS head into number 3 say then plug my guitar into the head, can i just adjust the tone myself on the head? can the head plug into something like a guitar does? i know i am kinda repeating myself, but i couldn't quite understand what you were saying

If it has a jack on the back marked "line out" yes. If not, then no.

earlessdog · 01-30-2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom

If it has a jack on the back marked "line out" yes. If not, then no.

so some do some doen't? So it would work if it had a "line out?"

rockstar0173 · 01-30-2006, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlessdog

so some do some doen't? So it would work if it had a "line out?"

your best bet is to get a transformer, bout $80, that way it wont blow anything, thats what I use and it works just fine.

**thesteve** · 01-30-2006, 02:02 AM

Your best bet is to learn how these things work before asking questions so you can understand the answers you're being given.

if you plug anything besides a "line out" (or a pre-amp out into a DI) into a soundboard you're running the risk of doing some serious damage to something (your amp, the soundboard, or both).

**Rainer.** · 01-30-2006, 02:46 AM

Here are some basic principles. There are line level signals, and there are speaker level signals. Line level signals are the weak signals that guitars work with, preamps work with, mics work with, pedals work with, and basically anything that isn't driving a speaker is working with. Speaker level outputs always come out of a power amp, and are many times as powerful as linw level, to drive the speaker.

Push a speaker signal into a mixer, or any other line-level input for that matter, and something is bound to fry.

You are allowed to use a line-level out, a preamp out (often labeled Effects Loop out), or a headphone out (lower the volume for a headphone out)..

With a tube head, thou shalt not run without a speaker attatched. Output transformers shall blow.