Mic Up or Line Out?

Players ask me all the time which method is best to get your amped sound into the PA mix:  mic up or line out?

The answer with the Stage 5 amp is BOTH.  While our Stage 5 Amp’s line out does carry much of the signal from speaker effect is doesn’t get it all, so mic’ing up is better, right?  Well, not exactly. 

A common thought about small amps like the Stage 5 is that it lacks the bottom end of its bigger cousins.  Here is the dirty secret:  The Stage 5 makes the same bandwidth of signal as those big amps, including the fat bottom.  The thing that rolls off the lows in small amps is the small speaker.  When you run the full-range line out signal from the Stage 5 through a 3000 watt stage system with subs you get to hear those thumpin’ lows.

Next time you play your Stage 5 Amp on a big stage in a loud club or festival go ahead and throw a mic in front of it AND run a line to the mixer.  Balance the two to your taste:  Crunch from the mic and thump from the line.  Your sound will be spectacular.  You can thank me later.