Is this a dumb idea? Trying to create a mobile setup.

[hillerheilman]

one potential problem with many of the less expensive portable AC power supplies, is that while coming from an internal DC battery source, the inverted 60Hz AC is synthesized somewhat crudely, and not as a true sine wave. this causes a classic buzz/hum for audio amplification, it can be pretty annoying.

i've avoided this in two ways:

1) did some research and spent a little more on a stand-alone inverter that was spec'd as 'clean AC sine wave power' or some such. i run that off of
a deep-cycle 12v boat battery. i can play full range 120v AC loud amps for hours and hours. it's a heavy rig, but i need clean and loud!

2) use a good DC powered amp or two, that have their own built in batteries and chargers. you can use the cheaper AC power supplies/inverters from the hardware store to charge the DC amp's battery.

of course if there's a DC powered amp that you really like, you could skip the inverter and just get a fat DC battery rated to match it.

it's also quite possible that some of the recent, less expensive supplies are now synthesizing cleaner 60Hz AC. but be prepared to have to return them if you're getting buzzes. i've tried some that touted 'clean power' but still aren't good enough for audio.

cheers and good luck!

I will definitely keep this in mind while I’m researching for a power supply.

I’ve talked to a couple amp builders I know and they both advised me that a tube amp probably wouldn’t be wise. Those Hotone amps do look like a great option. Especially for so little in terms of weight.

[hillerheilman]

I guess the question has now become whether or not it’s wiser for me to do cabs and a head, or just two solid state combo amps with an ab/y, and then run those off a battery. I’ve been advised that the latter would probably be the easiest, but the former seems like it would be superior in terms of weight.Any opinions, forum?

The Hotone heads are neat, for sure. I don’t know if any of them are quite what I need tone wise though. I will be snagging one on eBay to test it out.

I’m thinking separate preamp and power amp pedals could also work and save some weight compared to two combos or a head. Don’t know about how power efficient that’d be though.

Something like this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... eamp-pedal

Into something like this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -amplifier

Then out to two cabs as discussed. That would leave me room on a pedal board for that wah experiment I wanted to try, and then any additional effects could be added with my iPad. It’d be easy to record using as well I think.

[øøøøøøø]

One thing you might look into is a "Class D" amp, if you can find it.

These are extremely, extremely efficient and extremely, extremely light in weight.

I don't know any off the top of my head, but that might be something to research

Edit: I just became aware of this: https://www.zzounds.com/item--EHX44MAGNUM?siid=225411

It doesn't get much smaller and lighter than that, and it runs off 24V DC, which you might be able to get in a battery type supply somehow (two 12V batteries in series?)

Edit again: here's 200w in a small (and presumably light) package: https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/p ... -block-201

[hillerheilman]

One thing you might look into is a "Class D" amp, if you can find it.

These are extremely, extremely efficient and extremely, extremely light in weight.

I don't know any off the top of my head, but that might be something to research

Edit: I just became aware of this: https://www.zzounds.com/item--EHX44MAGNUM?siid=225411

It doesn't get much smaller and lighter than that, and it runs off 24V DC, which you might be able to get in a battery type supply somehow (two 12V batteries in series?)

Edit again: here's 200w in a small (and presumably light) package: https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/p ... -block-201

That EHX pedal was actually just recommended to me by my Sweetwater sales guy! It does look better for my needs than the orange one I posted. Only issue really at this point is powering everything. I’m looking into the quilters as well. They have a slightly bigger version of the one you posted that includes reverb. Definitely worth considering.

[jorri]

One thing you might look into is a "Class D" amp, if you can find it.

These are extremely, extremely efficient and extremely, extremely light in weight.

I don't know any off the top of my head, but that might be something to research

Edit: I just became aware of this: https://www.zzounds.com/item--EHX44MAGNUM?siid=225411

It doesn't get much smaller and lighter than that, and it runs off 24V DC, which you might be able to get in a battery type supply somehow (two 12V batteries in series?)

Edit again: here's 200w in a small (and presumably light) package: https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/p ... -block-201

That EHX pedal was actually just recommended to me by my Sweetwater sales guy! It does look better for my needs than the orange one I posted. Only issue really at this point is powering everything. I’m looking into the quilters as well. They have a slightly bigger version of the one you posted that includes reverb. Definitely worth considering.

https://orangeamps.com/terror-stamp/ the other Orange option may be of interest?

[ThatGuyOverThere]

I’m surprised Templo Devices aren’t a bigger deal. Well worth checking out their Nomad and Rambler amps, with a built in rechargeable battery. Plus an output for pedalboard. I’m hoping to pick one up someday, but they don’t ship to Europe at the moment.

https://www.templodevices.com/

[Racing]

If tubes is your game there´s certainly decent converters to be had.

An alternative worth lookin into, remember i´m an amp designer/engineer/tech, is that back in the old days noone gave running tubes at 6 or 12 volts dc a second thought.

What many automobile radio manufacturers used is known as a vibrator . Yeah, i know..get it out of your system..
Anyways. These were used to convert DC power to AC. A few of those would most certainly do the trick.

In turn actual alternators were used. Or more to the point combined DC n an AC alternator. I´ve got one at the shop that i kept for nostalgic reasons i guess.. runs off of either 6 or 12VDC and puts out 220VAC (I´m in Europe).
True..not exactly the most convenient of solutions i guess and certainly we´ve come a long way since. So in essence those two IDEAS are to ponder, and there IS modern day n alternatives available.
My point being that your "issue" is nothing new.

Boys bring out another valid point though and that is weight. For a wheel chair any pound added is of course an added pound of load. Thus, using neodynium speakers is a very good idea in my book.
COULD you use a decent hybrid amp for at least decent tones? Like an Orange Terror bass or whatever.. I guess. They sure weigh of nothing at least, and certainly use their onboard preamp tubes to the best of their capacity.

Hm. This was..a fresh take. Have to say. I happen to like fresh takes on matters.. Lemme think about it and get back to ya..
Neos though that would as far as i see it be a given. A low wattage tube amp in turn doesn´t have to weigh many pounds. On the matter of onboard vibrators i know for a fact that SOME of the old Italian made Geloso amps from the -50´s and -60´s use them. Either for push/pull 6V6 or EL-84 offerings.
These amps are of lunch box size, sound GREAT when pushed as is and weigh in at like 5kg or so (11lbs). They WILL hand you an easy "18 tube watts" when asked, which i guess would suffice in your case.?
Ie; they can be run directly off of a car battery - as is. Just hook ´em to the 12V inlet and you´re done.

Speaking of which. As my tag implies i have a past with the pro racing community. On saving weight, yeah..i KNOW they´re anything but cheap but then again they´re of very very high quality.. Racing battery.. Like a Red Top or similar. WAY smaller than a regular car battery and pushes the envelope. Always of gel variety which means they can be installed any way you see fit. Such a Red Top or similar the size of just oversize battery for a bike will push performance on par with a regular lead car battery, weighing like 1/5 the weight doing it.
Expensive as stated buuuut..in your case it might be worth checking out at least?