Dragsters vs. Amps

[framptone54]

Sorry if this has been posted already but



Dragster versus Guitar Amps Volume Wars. Which is louder? Guitarist magazine HD video - YouTube

[HOT-BRIT]

amps will always triumph for me

[Dr.Distortion]

I saw Nugent the Who and ACDC live back in the day that they were known to be loud... I regularly go to NHRA events...
Top Fuel cars are LOUDER… They are so loud that they make the goop in yer eye ball shake so hard you can’t focus…

[yeti]

There you have it folks, an AC-30 is louder than a 100 watt marshall. What a load of bull. A healthy 100 watt Non MV Marshall with a single cab loaded with 4 Greenbacks is at least 6dB louder than an AC 30 with the same speakers, which in turn is also louder than a HotRod deluxe into similar speakers.

[xsouldriverx]

Originally Posted by yeti

There you have it folks, an AC-30 is louder than a 100 watt marshall. What a load of bull. A healthy 100 watt Non MV Marshall with a single cab loaded with 4 Greenbacks is at least 6dB louder than an AC 30 with the same speakers, which in turn is also louder than a HotRod deluxe into similar speakers.

I thought this too. the only thing i can think of is speaker sensitivity differences, or they held it ina spot where the sound waves were acting against each other. Also wouldnt you want all knobs cranked if youre trying for max volume?
I would think too a funny catr would be louder, it looked like the guys starting her up werent wearing ear protection.

[Custom53]

I saw The Who, Zepplin, and a few other extremely loud bands during their hayday in the mid '70s..

And I have been to many tracks/races...

Sorry but top fuel dragsters are WAY louder..!

[5-0 phonebooth]

Of course if you were with me the night we closed Lions you'd have gotten some rockin' with your rollin' from Flash Caddilac and the Continental Kids, and The Association. Danny Ongais took funny car and was certainly louder than the PA, at least with our faces 10" from the hot fuel spitting pipes! Those were great times, but typical for So. Cal.

[River]

Well, it depends entirely on how close to the P/A speakers you stand. If you stand close enough to them (in venues where they're stupid enough to allow you to get that close), there's really no contest.

'Cause you ain't stickin' your ear in an exhaust pipe at any drag venue I know of.

And, from what I've been learning lately, duration matters. Dragsters make loud noises for about as long as I last in bed.

[Archtop 13]

Dragsters are loud!

Ford 427 SOHC Engine in action!! - YouTube

Ford 427 SOHC Engine in action!! - YouTube

[Dr.Distortion]

Originally Posted by Archtop 13

Dragsters are loud!
Ford 427 SOHC Engine in action!! - YouTube

That car is "The Assasin". It's owned by Jim Green. He has a speed shop that I go to for my hot rod parts. It's about 10 miles away. I've seen that car run about half a dozen times...
Jim Green was 1973 NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car World Champion running the Green Elephant Vega.
He is currently restoring the Green Elephant at his shop.

[Archtop 13]

I love that video. If I'm in a bad mood, it's all I need

[Soul Tramp]

Dragsters are crazy loud but if you want permanent hearing loss, listen to an Indy car at 10K+ RPMs. It's insane! Not only are they loud, but the frequency they produce is just piercing.

[12watt]

Originally Posted by yeti

There you have it folks, an AC-30 is louder than a 100 watt marshall. What a load of bull. A healthy 100 watt Non MV Marshall with a single cab loaded with 4 Greenbacks is at least 6dB louder than an AC 30 with the same speakers, which in turn is also louder than a HotRod deluxe into similar speakers.

Hard wired AC30s don't run Greenbacks, nor do HR Deluxes, so the results will be different. Speakers make a huge difference. When running 8 drivers off 100W you are getting 12.5W per driver, measuring from a point source each speaker has a lower maximum output, but the combined effect will be larger, especially if it was in a confined space.

[Backstage]

Dragsters? Pffff ... come on ... I'll blow you away:

[Slick]

Originally Posted by 12watt

Hard wired AC30s don't run Greenbacks, nor do HR Deluxes, so the results will be different. Speakers make a huge difference. When running 8 drivers off 100W you are getting 12.5W per driver, measuring from a point source each speaker has a lower maximum output, but the combined effect will be larger, especially if it was in a confined space.

In the magazine article it comments that the Marshall gives a lower reading but produces a much bigger sound, it also suggests that with more efficient speakers the Marshall would have been the loudest.

[yeti]

Originally Posted by 12watt

Hard wired AC30s don't run Greenbacks, nor do HR Deluxes, so the results will be different. Speakers make a huge difference. When running 8 drivers off 100W you are getting 12.5W per driver, measuring from a point source each speaker has a lower maximum output, but the combined effect will be larger, especially if it was in a confined space.

from Vox's website:

Choose either Celestion Alnico Blue or Celestion G12M Greenback

, that's a 2 dB difference in sensitivity(98dB vs 100dB), depending on what they use. The fender uses G12-80's I believe. That's rated at 99dB, the marshall cab might have Celestions rated at 97dB sensitivity. All in all not that much difference. Even if the Marshall has G12T-75s and the Vox has Celestion Blue (3dB difference) I still think that the Marshall would be at least as loud, considering that a healthy 1959 produces more than twice the power of an AC-30. The wattage per speaker argument is flawed because the volume in question is the volume of the entire rig, not the SPL at one cone. Fact is that you can gig a cranked AC-30 in a medium sized club, you can't gig a cranked 100 watt non-MV fullstack indoors unless your name is Joey Ramone. I know that AC-30's are loud amps because of their voicing, lack of negative feedback, etc. but Marshalls are also voiced very loud. The enclosure also contributes to loudness.

[12watt]

The Marshall would be louder in a room. Outside, measuring from a single close point, it won't be. The Marshall is behaving like eight 12.5 watt amps and the dB meter is effectively placed in front of one of them. The Deluxe is pushing 40W into one speaker. The AC is pushing 15W into each (more efficient) speaker. Those speakers individually will produce a higher SPL at near point. Measure the volumes from a greater distance and the stack will be louder.

[H.E.L.Shane]

Originally Posted by Dr.Distortion

I saw Nugent the Who and ACDC live back in the day that they were known to be loud... I regularly go to NHRA events...
Top Fuel cars are LOUDER… They are so loud that they make the goop in yer eye ball shake so hard you can’t focus…

yeah.. there is no comparison...

when you can sit in the stands, 200 feet away from the track, and when the car takes off, your bones rattle, your heart skips a beat, your hair hurts and your skin vibrates...

aint no 100 watt stack comparing with that

[yeti]

Originally Posted by 12watt

The Marshall would be louder in a room. Outside, measuring from a single close point, it won't be. The Marshall is behaving like eight 12.5 watt amps and the dB meter is effectively placed in front of one of them. The Deluxe is pushing 40W into one speaker. The AC is pushing 15W into each (more efficient) speaker. Those speakers individually will produce a higher SPL at near point. Measure the volumes from a greater distance and the stack will be louder.

I think the measurement in front of one cone is just misleading and misses the point entirely. And since you factor in room (indoor vs outdoor) the difference in volume will be greater outdoors because medium wattage open back amps just fizzle out outdoors while a Marshall fullstack will move enough air to be heard. If you're an open cab kinda guy it's a good idea to have a Twin Reverb for outdoor gigs. I use 4-ten / dual 6L6 Fenders and outdoors they just don't cut it, turning them up doesn't help, they just don't move enough air. Another thing making the Fullstack louder is the beaming effect of the 4 twelve cabs. I have seen this time and time again mixing FOH, the guys with 100 watt stacks aren't even in the PA, even in goodsized outdoor venues, try that with a couple of AC-30's.
Are there AC-30s that are louder than a 100 watt marshall? Sure, but if you take 2 healthy specimen they's really no comparison.

[12watt]

I think the feature was meant as a bit of fun.

I, for one, shall be playing the dragster in my next band - the guitar is for old ladies.

[Soul Tramp]

Originally Posted by Dr.Distortion

He has a speed shop that I go to for my hot rod parts.

Doc, what do you have for a car?

[GrouchyDog]

I just love hearing the crack-of-doom throttle response of a blown V8...

[Archtop 13]

That ain't no mormal v8, that's a 427 cammer. Not nearly as lethal as the Marshall car, but certainly in its time.

[Dr.Distortion]

Originally Posted by Soul Tramp

Doc, what do you have for a car?

'56 Nomad...

[Soul Tramp]

Originally Posted by Dr.Distortion

'56 Nomad...

Well, that's doing it right! What an outstanding and classy vehicle. That choice in cars says something about a person. The 55/56 Nomad is right up there in my top ten, and I'm a Ford guy.

[Dr.Distortion]

Thanks Don... It's been a lot of work. I got it it was a rust bucket. Full frame off. I had to replace everything from half way down the firewall right around to the rear valance.
I had to find a rear tail gate... What a bitch that was!

[dwagar]

If you've ever stood beside a Top Fuel Dragster lighting up, there isn't much like it. Maybe a whole lot of shotguns going off in your ear would be close.

[Dr.Distortion]

The first time I experienced that I was about 10 or 11 years old…. Car show at the San Diego Convention Center. Crazy bastards started a top fueler indoors. I was standing about 5 feet away from the exhaust…