|  | 
04-19-2011, 01:17 PM
| | | | Connecting a head to a power amp
Sign in to disble this ad
Does this work well for heads that don't put out too much power? Rather than buy a preamp and running it into a power amp, I'm wanting to connect a solid state head to a power amp, to give it a little more power. The head is 500w and is having a little trouble pushing my 800w cab. The only problem is that the head doesn't have a preamp out jack. Any way to do this? |
04-19-2011, 01:20 PM
| | | | use the DI if it has one. an XLR cable you will need. |
04-19-2011, 01:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North Jersey U.S.A | | | what kind of music are you playing that you neeeed more than 500 watts? |
04-19-2011, 01:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jmercer91 what kind of music are you playing that you neeeed more than 500 watts? | Agreed. Maybe you need a more efficient cab. My avatar 212 at 8 ohms gets 500watts from my Peavey Tour 700 in a loud hardcore setting and works great.
What cab are you running? |
04-19-2011, 01:30 PM
| | | | I don't need more than 500w necessarily, Just at times I feel like I'm pushing my cab a bit too hard to get the volume I'm looking for. I'm running an Ampeg SVT-810E right now. But I'm looking to pick up two 6x10s sometime in the future. |
04-19-2011, 01:35 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by adbass  use the DI if it has one. an XLR cable you will need. | So I would need to run a cable from my head XLR out to the power amp XLR in? Then power amp to cab? |
04-19-2011, 01:52 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto Ontario Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by adbass use the DI if it has one. an XLR cable you will need. | I think you will find that the output level from the DI will be insufficient to drive a power amp fully.
OP if you want more volume then more speakers is a better way to go than increasing power.
__________________
Paul
|
04-19-2011, 01:57 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BassmanPaul I think you will find that the output level from the DI will be insufficient to drive a power amp fully.
OP if you want more volume then more speakers is a better way to go than increasing power. | Does the head drive the power amp? I thought the power amp would essentially just boost the signal? |
04-19-2011, 01:57 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BassmanPaul I think you will find that the output level from the DI will be insufficient to drive a power amp fully.
OP if you want more volume then more speakers is a better way to go than increasing power. | +1
Also, you say you "feel like you're pushing the cab too hard" ... if you're cab is being pushed to its limit with the power in your current amp what do you think pushing it with more juice will accomplish?
Also also: are you playing stadiums? How the **** is 500W into an 8x10 not loud enough? |
04-19-2011, 02:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto Ontario Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Nsmccarty91 Does the head drive the power amp? I thought the power amp would essentially just boost the signal? | In order to give their full output, power amps need a certain voltage level at their inputs. Typically this can be 1 to 4 volts AC. The DI is meant to feed a PA channel strip and can be either microphone level or, more usually, line level depending on the amp.
__________________
Paul
|
04-19-2011, 11:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Zealand | | | You are looking for a solution to having not enough bass in the room with 500W into a fridge?
Ideally, a proper PA and a smaller rig.
__________________
Team Trace Elliot #1, Mediocre Bassist #399, Old Basstard #86 Kala U-Bass #22
Swamp Kauri custom 5str. Stagg EUB. Krappy 5er FL.
|
04-19-2011, 11:40 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Zealand | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Nsmccarty91 Does the head drive the power amp? I thought the power amp would essentially just boost the signal? | A bass head is a preamp, ( with accessory line outputs, DI, effect loops, whatever ) coupled to a power amp.
DI can be only as powerful as a microphone. Try plugging a mic straight into a power amp, 1 mousepower will come out.
__________________
Team Trace Elliot #1, Mediocre Bassist #399, Old Basstard #86 Kala U-Bass #22
Swamp Kauri custom 5str. Stagg EUB. Krappy 5er FL.
|
04-20-2011, 06:23 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mississippi Coast | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Downunderwonder A bass head is a preamp, ( with accessory line outputs, DI, effect loops, whatever ) coupled to a power amp.
DI can be only as powerful as a microphone. Try plugging a mic straight into a power amp, 1 mousepower will come out. | +1......and don't ever run the output of your current head into the input of a power amp.
__________________
ERIC WATKINS
|
04-20-2011, 06:55 AM
| | Registered User
Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Hampshire | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Nsmccarty91 The head is 500w and is having a little trouble pushing my 800w cab. | The displacement limited power handling of an SVT is 320 watts.
If you can't get enough output you don't need more power, you need a more efficient cab. That means vented, not sealed. |
04-20-2011, 07:38 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Zealand | | Quote:
Originally Posted by lbwdog +1......and don't ever run the output of your current head into the input of a power amp. | +1000
Unless you like smell of magic smoke escaping from two amps simultaneously 
__________________
Team Trace Elliot #1, Mediocre Bassist #399, Old Basstard #86 Kala U-Bass #22
Swamp Kauri custom 5str. Stagg EUB. Krappy 5er FL.
| | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
