boosting head power

Pillgrimm13 · #1 12-02-2011, 10:54 AM

hi, ive got a peavey markIII xp series head rated at 150 watts and im looking to get near 300 watts power. the head has a power amp input. now ive also got a hartke head from a ha1415 combo (needs the volume switch fixed). together that would give me what i need in power with minimun dollars spent. anybody know about those peavey heads? can i run the hartke head through that peavey head at 140 watts without damaging it? this is my first stack as ive only had combos for the last 20 years so im a newbie on the subject. any help would be apreciated.

Selta · #2 12-02-2011, 10:59 AM

No, you can't. You'll want to hit up the FAQ (AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links) as there are a lot of topics covered in there about stacks.
I'm not sure where you came up with "needing" 300W, but in no case can you run the hartke's output into the peavey. At best you can run the preamp out of the hartke into the poweramp in, but that buys you no more wattage.
What is your end goal? Are you having volume issues?

dmusic148 · #3 12-02-2011, 11:05 AM

You can't add power amps together. Doesn't work that way. If you run the power amp out(speaker out) from the Hartke into the Peavey power amp input, all you are doing is feeding the Peavey an EXTREMELY high-gain signal, which will simply blow it up(and maybe the Hartke, too). It will still output a maximum of 150 watts, until it blows up.

CL400Peavey · #4 12-02-2011, 11:11 AM

More importantly what kind of cab are you using the peavey with? From your profile it looks like you have a 210 cab. If you need more volume then you really should be looking for a cab with more cone surface. A 210 is only going to move so much air and pumping more current is not going to make it much louder, just blow your speakers.

dmusic148 · #5 12-02-2011, 11:12 AM

What you COULD do is connect a speaker cabinet to each amp. Then, run the Hartke preamp output into the Peavey power amp input. This would 'slave' the Peavey amp to the Hartke preamp. Or you do it the other way around- slave the Hartke to the Peavey. Depends on which preamp you prefer the sound of. It would be louder than either amp alone, mostly because you are using more speakers this way.

Pillgrimm13 · #6 12-02-2011, 11:13 AM

bummer guess i gotta buy a new head then, the guitarists in my band both have 150 wat heads and like to crank them to get the overdrive so i need atleast 200 watts to be heard.

Pillgrimm13 · #7 12-02-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

More importantly what kind of cab are you using the peavey with? From your profile it looks like you have a 210 cab. If you need more volume then you really should be looking for a cab with more cone surface. A 210 is only going to move so much air and pumping more current is not going to make it much louder, just blow your speakers.

ive got a hartke 1 15" and a peavey 2 10"/1 18"

Selta · #8 12-02-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pillgrimm13

bummer guess i gotta buy a new head then, the guitarists in my band both have 150 wat heads and like to crank them to get the overdrive so i need atleast 200 watts to be heard.

Stop even thinking about the wattage involved. Get at least a 4x10 cab, run it with the Peavey you have, and see if that gets you heard. If not, you can move up to 6x10 and 8x10 arenas.
And, don't forget the ear plugs. I never understood why bands insist on practicing so loudly.

Pillgrimm13 · #9 12-02-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmusic148

What you COULD do is connect a speaker cabinet to each amp. Then, run the Hartke preamp output into the Peavey power amp input. This would 'slave' the Peavey amp to the Hartke preamp. Or you do it the other way around- slave the Hartke to the Peavey. Depends on which preamp you prefer the sound of. It would be louder than either amp alone, mostly because you are using more speakers this way.

cool i think that would work!

Pillgrimm13 · #10 12-02-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

don't forget the ear plugs. I never understood why bands insist on practicing so loudly.

me either, but were playing death metal so volume helps the sound of the distortion (personally i hate going that load but guitards like to show off and kill their ears). wish i could afford to buy a cab or another head but im broke so im trying to make what i have work.

gnjpowell · #11 12-02-2011, 11:22 AM

What you really want is to run the output of your bass into the input of BOTH amps (via a splitter or pre-amp out and power-amp in daisy-chain) and connect a cab to EACH amp. You will then have the total combined power of BOTH amps. You must use a cab on EACH amp to do this. Will work just fine. BTDT.

CL400Peavey · #12 12-02-2011, 11:29 AM

Well if you are really looking for volume then I would say ditch both your cabs as well. Go big or go home right?

Pick up an 810 cab. Find one used at a good price. Find a preamp that you like the sound of, go to a store and try out as many as you can until you find one that fits you, then go find that used as well. Get a power amp that will work with your cab, it doesnt need to be 10,000 watts as you wont have the cabinet to push that much. Something in the 400-800 watt range. Hook it all up and play.

This way if you end up needing more power you can add more cabs/power amps as needed.

Just for comparison, I play with two guitarists that use 150w full stacks so that they can be heard over our heavy handed drummer. Everyone there asks ME to turn down and I'm only using a 400w head.

+1,000 to ear plugs at loud practice.

Selta · #13 12-02-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pillgrimm13

me either, but were playing death metal so volume helps the sound of the distortion (personally i hate going that load but guitards like to show off and kill their ears). wish i could afford to buy a cab or another head but im broke so im trying to make what i have work.

I play in a symphonic metal band, I kind of understand. My guitarists play stupid loud too at practice. I just never understood it. It's practice, not a gig. You need to worry about honing the songs down and getting everything right, not being loud and hence, not able to hear as well. Totally sucks. There's been a lot of times where I simply don't play, or play very quietly, and still get complimented on "playing well". Yeah, I'm playing well, sure... I'm sitting right next to my cab and don't hear a peep coming out of it...

Sucks that you're in that kind of a boat too. Running the amps together might work, but 2x10 + 1x18 + 1x15 just sounds like it'll be a mess.

Pillgrimm13 · #14 12-03-2011, 12:47 AM

yeah the 2 10" 1 18" is a huge cab and not something i want to drag to a gig and the 15" doesnt have the tone im looking for alone. the 18" needs work or replacement as of yet but the 2 10"s and the 15" sound really great and actually get the clean massive crunching distortion im after. i just need to get that sound out of a more portable package when im not spending the little food money ive got on gas to get to work.

so for now im gonna try slaving the amps or using a splitter. maybe 2013 i might take my tax return and grab a new amp and cab but for now just got to use what ive got. or maybe we should stop fooling around and make it big so i can get an indorcment lol. (would probebly only get a pignose or gorilla endorcment

sad_katz · #15 12-03-2011, 06:30 AM

Get a new cab(s). 2x410 or a 8x10. Get them used for better savings.

210 and 115 combination puts out less volume than a single 410 box (theoretically and over simplification). I don't think a 1x18 cab can produce enough mids to cut through a heavy mix.

...or a new and quieter band .....

VS · #16 12-03-2011, 07:24 AM

My Mark III head I had was 150 watts as well. It's a massive 150 watts, that's for sure. It had all the volume as my Trace Elliot GP7 SM250 which is 250 watts.

If you got a single 4x10", you may get more volume but you would need a 4 ohm cabinet to get the most power from the head. Then you're stuck with one cabinet and can't expand unless you get an amp that can handle a 2 ohm load. Also, just as a test, I tried running just a 4x10" with the Mark III and I couldn't even hear myself standing next to the cab (in a band setting). I added another cabinet and BOOM, I was back in action.

I would suggest keeping the 2x10"/1x15" cabinet configuration. It sounds like you don't have much money to work with and amps and cabinets are the money suckers for us bass players.

In all honesty, you need to get the guitarists to BRING IT DOWN. I play in a metal band as well. We don't have that issue, but in other bands I've been in, it's like asking a man to birth a child. Not only will you be heard, but the entire mix is going to sound better. If they can't deal with it, find other people to play with. I live in the sticks and I've found so many musicians. You just have to actually ask around and persue them. -Luke