Amps

An amp or amplifier is an electronic device that amplifies the volume of an audio electrical signal to obtain sufficient sound power. The amplifier is equipped with one or more speakers.

In the context of musical instruments, the amplifier intensifies the electrical signal sent by the musical instrument to make it audible to the spectators present.

An amp is an essential device for any musician who would perform in front of a public. For a violinist or cellist, it is important to choose the right amplifier for their instrument and their needs on stage.

Musical instrument amplifiers are manufactured to suit the frequencies of the targeted musical instrument. For example, a guitar, a bass, and a violin share some frequencies, but they are not 100% identical.

A good amplifier must be able to reproduce the range of the plugged musical instrument without altering its quality. Otherwise, the sound heard will not respect the frequency ranges of your instrument. In addition, depending on the low tone of your instrument, you risk damaging the amp.

For a violin or a viola, the choice is oriented towards an amplifier dedicated to bowed string instruments or acoustic guitars. This type of amp is suitable for the high impedance of violins.

Choosing the right amp involves analyzing:

• its power
• its pre-amp
• the type of amplifier (tube amps vs transistor amps)

Wattage is the maximum output volume of an amp. It is expressed in watts.
The pre-amp allows you to process and color the sound using different equalizers or effects. It is useful for defining your sound well, especially if you are not using any effects processors in parallel.
The type of amplifier relates to its type of manufacture. The majority of amps today are using transistors. These are the most affordable and resistant.

Finally, your budget is a determining factor in choosing an amp. The price differences are very notable on this type of product.

It all depends on what you are going to use it for.

For playing at home, a small 10 to 30 watt amp is perfect. We do not recommend very small amps rated under 10 watts. They have often a poor sound quality, and the life duration of the speakers is limited.

To play in a group, it is worth aiming for a minimum of 50 watts. Before choosing, look at the power of the amps used by the members of your group. You need to be able to compete with them in order to get along and be heard.

For professional use on stage, you have to go beyond 50 watts.

The connection can be made directly from the musical instrument to the amplifier using a jack cable. If you use intermediate devices in your sound chain, they must be added. The amp is always the last element of your sound chain (except in special cases of specific connections used on stage).

It is also possible to use a wireless system instead of a jack cable.

When choosing violin amps for practice or performance, here are some key features to consider:

• Speaker size and wattage determine potential volume.
• Different input channels allow you to play with a friend, or run two instruments into the same amp.
• If you don’t use some effects, onboard effects such as reverb, add pleasing effect to add warmth to your tone.
• Line-in allows you to integrate a sound signal from another device like a smartphone.
• Line output sends your signal to the PA system so the sound technician can mix your sound with other band members.
• A headphone jack can allow you to practice without disturbing your neighbors.