Guitar parts and accessories are so expensive that you will not think of buying them all at once. And this is why we guitarists try to utilize a single accessory for various purposes. However, have you ever thought of using a guitar amp as a speaker? Well, we thought of it some years back and experimented. But can you use a guitar amp as a speaker?
Well, it is surely possible to use a guitar amp as a speaker. An amp is built on almost the same principles as a speaker, and you can surely use it for listening to music. However, for this, you will have to make certain changes, and everything will go right for you.
Now, if you are interested in finding out the details of using a guitar amp as a speaker, we have a deal for you. Here, we will help you use a guitar amp as a speaker in the best possible way.
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Is It Possible To Use A Guitar Amp As A Speaker?
There is no doubt that you can use a guitar amp as a speaker, or you can even use it to connect a microphone and sing your favorite songs through it. However, you must keep in mind that to do so, you will require certain accessories, and you will have to adjust the settings of your amp to get desired results.
An amp is not supposed to work as a speaker, and if you want to use it as one, you will have to do volume and plugging settings, or you will not achieve the desired results.
So, if you are thinking of using an amp as a speaker, follow this article to the end. It will help you achieve the right results with minimum setting adjustments.
How To Use A Guitar Amp As A Speaker?
Using a guitar amp as a speaker is not a hard nut to crack, but using it correctly is certainly a hard task to perform. So, below, we have listed some steps to help you achieve the best speaker sound using an amp.
1- Get A 3.5mm Mono Plug Or Headphone To Guitar Adapter
The most important thing that you need to get to use a guitar amp as a speaker is a 3.5mm mono jack or a headphone-to-guitar adapter. The plug you need to connect to play music on your amp using your phone or smart device is so thin that it will not fix the jacks of the guitar amp.
So, this is why you will have to get a headphone-to-guitar adapter or a 3.5mm mono plug to allow you to connect your smart devices to the amp so that you can play music with ease.
2- Lower The Volume Of The Amp
Once you have connected your device to the amp, you are not supposed to play music directly. Doing this might affect the quality of the amp you are using. The frequency of an amp and a speaker is different, and playing music directly through an amp might affect its sound quality.
Therefore, what you need to do is lower the volume of the amp and then connect and play the sound. Do not worry; we are not asking you to play music with low sound. You can adjust it accordingly when the music starts to play. But, make sure not to go so high that you affect the quality of your amp.
3- Reduce The Volume Of Your Device
One of the main mistakes that most of us make is that we lower the volume of the amp but forget to mute our devices. It is sure that you will not hear anything even if the amp is set at the lowest volume, but the frequencies do travel when one device is playing sound at a high volume.
So, what we suggest is that you need to lower the volume of your smart device too and increase it after playing the song. This will allow you to adjust the sound as per your needs, and at the same time, it will protect your amp from any sort of damage.
4- Play Music And Adjust Sound Accordingly
Now, if you are done doing everything correctly, it is time to check the sound of the amp that you connected to use as a speaker. For this, you will first have to enhance the sound of both your smart device and the amp.
After it, adjust the sound as per your needs, and you are good to go. But, make sure to avoid playing loud music using an amp. This will destroy the mechanism of your amp.
What Is The Difference Between An Amp And A Speaker?
The very first difference between the amp and a speaker is the difference in their properties. An amp is electrical in nature, and you cannot see what goes in and out of it. On the other hand, the speaker is mechanical in nature; it comes up with electrical properties that are animated by mechanics.
Along with it, an amp has the work to amplify low frequencies into considerably high ones. It receives low-power signals from your instruments and then converts them into a faithful high-power signal for better sound quality with minimal distortion.
A speaker has the work of a transducer. It is driven by electrical signals that an amp generates. With the help of these electrical signals, the speaker produces high-pressure sound waves creating the sound that you created with the help of your instruments.
Can You Use A Guitar Amp As A Phone Speaker?
Certainly, you can. It is surely possible to use an amp as a phone speaker. However, doing it directly is not possible at all. For this, you would require certain accessories and will have to make some sound adjustments.
So, what exactly do you need to do? Briefly, you need to get a 3.5mm mono plug, an AUX cable, and certainly a cell phone along with a working amp. Now, you need to connect the mono plug to the amp input jack and then attach one end of the AUX to the plug and the other to the phone.
Now, reduce the volume of both your phone and amp to zero, and then play some music. After it, increase the volume of both devices gradually and set it to the level you want. This is how you use a guitar amp as a phone speaker.
Can You Use A Guitar Amp As A Subwoofer?
Well, to be honest, we will never suggest you use a guitar amp as a subwoofer. Subwoofers are meant to produce incredibly high sound, and this is not what guitar amps are designed for. A guitar amp will catch the lowest frequency, but it is not meant to accept high-range frequencies.
So, this is why you must not use an amp as a subwoofer. If used, an amp will make such a bad subwoofer that you would regret using it. This is why it is suggested to avoid using an amp as a subwoofer.
Should You Spend More On Speakers Or Amplifiers?
Well, this is not something that needs to be answered technically. Spending more on an amp or on a speaker depends entirely on the choice of the player. If you need a good speaker, go for it. And, if you feel the need for an amp, you must spend your money on it.
But, if you ask for our suggestions, we would suggest you bet equally on both amps and speakers. Both of these two things are equally important when you play music. So, it is never appreciated to spend on one and forget the other one. You must spend on what you feel needs upgradation.
Can I Play Bass Through A Guitar Amp?
Well, it is possible to use a guitar amp to play bass, but at the risk of your amp. A guitar amp is designed to be plugged in by a guitar, and you can do it with bass too, but with bass, the risks of damaging your guitar amps increase.
A bass guitar produces sound with relatively higher resonance than any other guitar, and it will be hard for a guitar amp to bear bass for a longer duration. So, though it is possible to use a guitar amp from bass, we will never suggest you do so.
This is something that can damage your guitar severely. If you need to use it anyway, then you need to reduce the volume and use it. But, ensure that you do not play for long, even in these settings.
Can Bass Amps Be Used As Speakers?
Well, like any other guitar amp, you can surely use a bass amp as a speaker too, but this is not the ideal thing that you will be doing.
First of all, no amp can play music, as well as a speaker, does.
Secondly, when we talk about bass amps, you need to know that they cannot play mid and high frequencies.
So, with a bass amp, you will be able to enjoy only those musical compositions that are made of low frequencies. So, if you really want to try using a bass amp as a speaker, you may. However, it is not suggested to do so. This will bring no positive results.
Can I Plug Mic Into A Guitar Amp?
Certainly, you can plug a mic into a guitar amp. An amp is designed for a microphone, too, and connecting a mic to it will not be an issue at all. However, there are certain things that you need to remember before you connect any mic to your guitar amp. Remember them, and they will help you keep your amp safe from any possible damage.
The very first thing that you need to remember is that you should never plug in or plug out the mic when the amp is on. This creates sparks inside the jack and might affect the sound quality in the long run.
Along with it, you must not play loud music using your amp. For loud music, there are speakers, and you must not use an amp for this purpose. This is how you’ll be able to use a mic with your amp while creating no issues.
What Does Preamp Mean In Music?
Like the name itself says, a preamp means before the amp or preamplifier. They are the sound controller before your amps. A preamp is the primary and most important control unit in a stereo or home theatre. Without a preamp, the stereo will not work as you want it to.
The preamps basically switch low-level signals from your audio sources to the audio amplifiers. The audio amplifiers boast a preamp output significantly to drive the speakers. All in all, the preamp is the main source for any amp that you are using to produce music. Lastly, remember that a preamp always comes up with volume control.
Can I Connect Bluetooth Headphones To Guitar Amp?
This is the most asked question, and most of us want to try it, but we are still confused about whether it is possible or not. Well, if you are one of those, then you must know that it is surely possible to connect Bluetooth headphones to a guitar amp.
Today most amps come with Bluetooth connectivity. Therefore, what you need to do is match the frequency of your Bluetooth headphone with the guitar amp, and then you are good to go. However, if you have an old amp, there is no need to worry. There are Bluetooth adapters that you can connect to your amp and then connect to your headphones.
These are the ways that will help you connect your Bluetooth headphones to the guitar amp.
Conclusion
To end, we can say that this is the article that you can trust to know whether you can use a guitar amp as a speaker or not. Above, we have elaborated on some of the most efficient ways to use a guitar amp as a speaker.
Along with it, we have also explained some dos and don’ts while using an amp as a speaker. So, you are good to go with the above-listed methods if you want to use an amp as a speaker. However, if you find anything missing, let us know. We will be there to assist you.
