Amp Output Power and Perceived Loudness

[Helmholtz]

Low wattage amps can produce a lot of noise but they suck with clean headroom, that being my main complaint.

[Chuck H]

I modified a silver face Champ for a guy that wanted to use it for small gigs and recording. His main complaint was that it didn't have enough clean headroom. Now it runs an EL34 power tube with a bigger OT matched for the EL34 and a more efficient 8 ohm ten inch speaker. I made some other modifications but they were minor tone tweaks. In the end it puts out seven watts and he now uses it all the time. Granted the volume differences are partly in the greater LF efficiency of the bigger OT and the greater cone area and efficiency of the speaker. But the extra three watts doesn't hurt.

[The Dude]

......If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
You can't just expect consent.......

Agree, and I'll add: If you don't like the direction your thread is going, make a relevant post and steer it back instead of whining about it. I see threads devolve or change directions here all the time and it's usually because the original topic has run it's course and there's nothing else to add, which seems to be the case here. IMO, this was never intended to be a discussion, but rather a statement. The OP has his opinion and that's that.

[Chuck H]

Well he wanted support for his position from a community that he (I think) has some respect for. What I don't think Teacher counted on what that the laws of decibles and perception are almost rote here and so, because we generally discuss amps, the particulars of nuance in that regard would end up being the focus. As it naturally would here. Still not sure what was hoped for but I do think Dude is right that more specifics on the matter at hand and a nudge keeping things in that direction may have helped? Still... It's not a bad thread. Teacher actually made his point whether he sees that or not. Obviously it's the exception to the rule that is going to get pointed out and he seemed to take offence to that. Maybe it was hoped that we would all band together and say "Wow! You're so right. We've been blind to it all this time. What else can we post that supports your position on the matter?" Whatever. I don't wish to see anyone feeling misunderstood or unsupported. But this IS a public forum. You get on or you don't. Or... You learn to get on. It's up to the individual.

[walkman]

Everything being equal doesn't appear in isolation. Some spaces may more easily reveal the difference in output power to the listener than others. Eg in a small bedroom everything above a certain power level will sound very loud vs a rehearsal room or a large hall there may well be more air to move and less reflections.