Gearhead wrote:
...we keep on asking Sean to turn it down :-[ -> yes it's loud enough to even gig in bars etc.
You have to realise that tube amps sound significantly louder than sand solid state ones at similar wattage. This is, amongst other reasons, because a lot of watts in solid state are spent on feedback so the sound is bearable.
Another (often neglected) point is that watts are converted into decibels in the speakers at a very varying efficiency. Speakers run from roughly 85 dB/W/m up to, say, 102. The difference between those equates to a factor of 50 , meaning it's quite easy to blow a 2x100W into 87dB hifi system (realistic values) out of the water with your 15W into 4X12" each 101 dB guitar amp (realistic values). ?
Also, tube amps are typically rated at the power they produce when they are just at the point of breakup or clipping or whatever its called. You may find that is at volume on 6 or 7. Then you still have a long way to go to 12. Whereas solid state amps will produce the rated power at volume on 12
