I would have never expected...

[jimosity]

So today I picked up one of those odd little Crate Power Block amps to use with some of my multi-effects pedals and other junk around the house.
When I got it home, I had two of my Genz-Benz 2x12's sitting in my computer room so I plugged it in by itself to see what it sounded like as an "amp" with no other pedals or effects units...
I was pleasantly surprised and it was a nice tone but not something I could use for live gigs or anything serious.
The amount of power the thing puts out is insane.
There wasn't as much gain out of it as I expected, but it was still a really nice warm super overdriven tone that was fun to play with for a few minutes.

My RM4 was sitting here, so I plugged it in and then used the Crate Power Block as a power section only for the RM4.
Normally I run a VHT 2/90/2 with KT88's, so I'm accustomed to having a decent tone with higher quality gear...
My oh my...
I have been sitting here for probably four hours just playing with the RM4 and the Crate Power Block powering it and nothing else.
That Power Block gives my RM4 something it's been missing in my VHT rig believe it or not. I've not been very inspired to just sit and play like that for a long time.
Guitar Center was selling the Power Blocks for $99, so it's totally worth picking one up... It's so insanely loud that I could play anywhere with it.
I may leave my VHT out of my rack the next time we play out and just use the Crate as the power section for my RM4.

I've never owned a Crate amp because I always thought they kinda sucked, but I heard the Power Block was good for things like the Pod XT Live and Boss GT-6/8's, so I figured what the hell...
I haven't even gotten around to hooking anything else up other than my RM4.

I get bored with gear quickly and constantly have a ton of stuff coming and going...
The RM4 has always been one of my favorite pieces, but sometimes I find myself thinking I could do a little better with some other gear...so I usually change my rig constantly.
I've got quite a few preamps and the RM4 was my main preamp for quite a while, but then I kinda lost a little satisfaction with it because it just felt like it wasn't living up to it's previous glory...The tone was great, but just not knock-me-down great....

I own all of the Randall modules and then with Randall being slow to release any new modules and the Lynch modules taking unreasonably long to be released...I started to get a little disheartened with Randall, so My Recto preamp and other preamps have been serving me lately.

This silly Power Block has renewed my love for my RM4 and everyone should rush out and pick one up!

 

[bduersch]

Jim--

Sounds like what you need is more cabs, so you can run the power block in parallel with the VHT.

Seriously, tho, it's cool whenever something so inexpensive can bring so much joy. I've been tempted by the power blocks on more than one occasion (to use as a power amp for my Vox Tonelab SE in a pinch), and if the local GC's got 'em for $99, sounds like now's the time.

--B

 

[jimosity]

I've got 5 of those Genz-Benz 2x12's, maybe I'll see what it sounds like in conjunction with the VHT...

 

[bduersch]

Rats... did a few minutes worth of homework... looks like Crate is discontinuing the power blocks and all the online retailers I checked are sold out.

Looks like I'll have to drive up to the Cincinnati Mills GC on Tuesday if I want to get my mitts on one. :?

--B

 

[jimosity]

Yep, same here when I was hunting...
That's where I went and they had a big stack of them still.
Maybe I should pick up a second one just because they are discontinued.

 

[3 Mile Stone]

That's totally cool, I will pick one of these up for a spare amp to cary to gigs. Too bad they discontinued them. Don't worry, they'll be available on eBay. Someone's always moving onto the next thing like you said.

 

[MetalMajik]

Discontinued They just came out not all that long ago?!?

 

[Chad]

Discontinued They just came out not all that long ago?!?

Yeah, that means they were a super-bomb sales wise. As a matter of fact, I never even heard of anybody actually owning one until the $99 closeout deals started.

 

[bduersch]

Actually I know a few people who've bought 'em and loved 'em, so I don't think they've been a flop. Rumor is that they will be coming out with a new (fancier) version at NAMM, which means it'll probably cost twice as much and have less tone to boot.

--B

 

[schlagdog]

Are you still digging the CRATE? I'm thinking of going down to guitar center to grab one. I'm going to orger the Randall Rack unit and some modules.

 

[jimosity]

Picked up a second one last night, now they are $79!

 

[bduersch]

$79?

S@#$... what am I doing sitting around the house? I need to get up to GC now!

--B

 

[bduersch]

Yea! Put the call into GC earlier... they had only one powerblock left at $79, so I put it on hold long enough to take the dog out for a pee, stop at UDF for a malt, and make the 45 minute drive up to GC. I'm off to get this rigged up with my Vox Tonelab to see what she sounds like.

One interesting thing I noticed in flipping through the manual... the block diagram shows that there's a permanent "speaker sim" in the circuit between the preamp/line in and CD in/power section. So it looks like any preamp fed through the line in goes through the speaker sim, even if you're feeding a guitar cab. Makes me wonder if I should try feeding a preamp in through the CD in instead.

--B

 

[schlagdog]

I went down to the GC center here in vegas and got one last night for$79. They still had a bunch left, I hooked it up to my Podxt and it just sounded like any other power amp I own but lacking any presence. I'm sure it will sound way different with a tube preamp let me know how you like it.

 

[schlagdog]

P.S.
I do LOVE it doesn't weight 35lbs like my other amps!!!!! Now that is sweet!

 

[axecellent]

I picked up a Presonus EQ-3B the other day for $100 new. It's a 3 band fully parametric EQ (single channel).

The EQ-3B + Ultra module = Dime tone for days.

Thomas

 

[guitarguy510]

I tried hooking my POD XT through the Crate PB I had sitting the corner and it sounded OK. Keep in mind it was at a VERY low volume, think less than bedroom because everyone was asleep in my house. I will test it out tonight at a normal volume.

 

[rickgk]

Hi Just wondering if any of you guys would be willing to send a couple of those $79 crate powerblocks to me here in australia if i pay via paypal incl freight etc. Here in aus these units are over $400 each, i figure if someone is kind enough i could pick two up for half that. I have previously purchased gear off this forum from trazan & ziggy.

 

[jimosity]

They've since become sort of hard to find around here locally I think.
At least the local store here I go to was highly motivated to move 'em, so when they dropped to $69, they sold out.
Haven't seen any more lately.

I've heard there was something that was coming out to replace the Powerblock, but whenever you ask anyone if they saw something about it at the NAMM show, they laugh because it's such an 'insignificant' question to the gear snobs that were interested in looking at the higher dollar pieces.

Anybody know of any info on this next generation Powerblock or it's replacement?

 

[rickgk]

I have a feeling the replacement for the powerblock may be the new Flexwave line of amps.