Can I put a PC on top of a marshall half stack guitar amp?

In summary, the conversation discusses the potential consequences of placing a PC on top of a Marshall half stack amp. The concern is primarily about the distance between the hard drive and the speaker, as well as the magnetic field and vibrations from the amp. It is concluded that there is a possibility of damage to the hard drive bearings if the vibrations are excessive, but otherwise there should be no problems. The use of magnetic fields in modern hard drives makes them less susceptible to external magnetic interference. Several people in the conversation have personal experience with using laptops on top of amps with no issues, but caution is advised to prevent the computer from being knocked off the amp.
  • #1
CleanerTax
2
0
Hi, I wanted to ask if there would be a problem or two if I placed my pc on top of the head of the marshall half stack amp, the harddrive is about 65ish cm away from the center of the speaker (4x12inch speakers) and the power supply of the pc is about 50ish cm away from the center of the speaker, The amp is 175 watt, and the power supply is 760 watts. I read that it would probably won't cause any problems but I want to be sure about it. Thanks
 
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  • #2
I can only think of possible damage to the Hard Drive bearings if the vibrations of the cabinet are excessive. However, hard drive mechanisms are very light and well balanced so there may be no trouble at all. Magnetic fields from the Speaker Units will have no effect and the heat produced would be no more than from your lap when using the PD watching TV.
There is an apocryphal tale about the hard drives that were installed (quit a few years ago) below point of sale terminals in a national chain store. They were all failing after a very short operating time. It turned out that the cash drawer was closing with a bang and shaking the drive each time. But that was then and hard drives have come a long way since. Of course, if you are as rich as Croesus, your mass storage will be Flash Memory with no moving parts.
 
  • #3
Oh, ok thank you very much, I am not worried abotu the vibrations since I don't turn the amp volume all the way, not even half the way up, the maximum is like 1/4, and I can't notice any vibrations on the head, I was worried about the magnetic field or something affecting the computer or the speakers, but thank you very much!
 
  • #4
CleanerTax said:
I was worried about the magnetic field or something
When floppy discs were in their infancy (100kB capacity !), it was sometimes possible to affect the data with a magnet. Nowadays the magnetic patterns are impressed by very high local fields in the head gap. They are much higher than any loudspeaker could ever produce. The only region of high field is down inside the speaker unit where the voice coil sits.
 
  • #5
I have used my laptop setting on top of several guitar amps I have with no issue. The laptop is running effects software and other midi stuff. Another laptop sets on the amp for the piano at times with the amp turned up to club volume with no issues also.

All my desktop style computers are a bit large to use in that way but I don't think that it would create any issues.

Keeping the computers from being knocked off the amp is something you need to pay attention to.

Cheers,

Billy
 

1. Can placing a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp cause damage to either device?

Yes, it is possible for both devices to be damaged if a PC is placed on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp. The vibrations from the amp can cause damage to the delicate components of the PC, and the heat generated by the PC can overheat the amp and cause damage to its internal components.

2. Is it safe to put a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp while it is in use?

No, it is not safe to place a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp while it is in use. The heat generated by the amp can cause the PC to overheat and potentially cause damage to its components.

3. Can interference from the amp affect the performance of the PC?

Yes, the strong magnetic fields generated by the amp can cause interference with the performance of the PC. This can result in distorted sound, reduced network speeds, and other performance issues.

4. Will placing a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp void any warranties?

It is possible that placing a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp could void the warranty of one or both devices. It is always best to consult the manufacturer's warranty information to determine if this action is allowed.

5. Are there any alternatives to placing a PC on top of a Marshall half stack guitar amp?

Yes, there are alternative options for placing a PC near a Marshall half stack guitar amp. You can use a separate desk or table for the PC, or consider using a laptop or other smaller device that can be placed next to the amp without causing potential damage.

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