DIY qsn: Could a Ibanez IBZ10B (old ver.) "amphead" drive a Eminence Alpha 15?

[vat]

Dear All,
i have an old version of Ibanez IBZ10B (the one with a 1/4" headphone jack only and a twin-vent reflex-loaded cabinet). It's for practice and it's almost always within 3' from me. i hardly turn the amp volume pass the 3rd notch (9 o'clock position) when my passive bass gives out full output.

The manufacturer's specs states that it has a "10-watt" amp. i presume it's rated at 8ohm, because the 6.5" driver states a 8ohm load.

i've in the pass put the output into a Eminence Alpha 8A and loved the improved efficiency and lower bass tone. But the rig was just a temporary setup with a crude cabinet. The Alpha 8A has since gone elsewhere.

Could this 10W amp drive the 15" Alpha 15A nicely at low volume?
http://www.eminence.com/speakers/spe...odel=Alpha_15A

For comparison, there's the 8A and 10A.
http://www.eminence.com/speakers/spe...model=Alpha_8A
http://www.eminence.com/speakers/spe...odel=Alpha_10A

Is it strange for me to feel that according to the response graphs, the 8A and 10A has flatter response than the 15A's, making them more suitable for a even-handed behaviour across the frequencies?

i intend to use this "rejuvenated" setup for practice and i'm usually with 3' from the amp/setup. i'm using a passive bass and i'm only interested to find out if this DIY project could produce that elusive deep tone that "only a 15" driver could produce", or so some in TB said.

[billfitzmaurice]

Can 10 watts drive an Alpha 15? Yes. Should you bother? No. The reason to use a larger driver is to have sufficient displacement to handle the amp output. With only 10 watts even an 8 will take the full output of the amp without approaching excursion limits.
As for the 'elusive deep tone that "only a 15" driver could produce', that is a total myth. What determines how deep the speaker will go is the cabinet design, not the size of the driver inside of it.

[vat]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

... The reason to use a larger driver is to have sufficient displacement to handle the amp output.... What determines how deep the speaker will go is the cabinet design, not the size of the driver inside of it.

Thank you for the reply. Please do not mind a few newbie question:

1. Most 15" combo are at least 60W into 8ohm. Yes they are louder than what a 6.5" 10W combo would sound. But i would have thought that even though at a lower power rating, the 10W amp would still be able to displace the 15" woofer to produce those lower frequencies that a 6.5" or a 8" couldn't. Considering that the output volume is just for personal practice session in a 10' x 10' room.

(i thought of this "effect" to be like the difference i hear between, for eg., the B note on the E-string and that of the A-string. i felt the thicker gauge does have positive effect in producing that note "properly")

2. Considering the recommendation to not bother with driving a 15" with a 10W amp, would it be better if i could take reference from recommended cabinet designs to reinstall the amphead and 6.5" driver into another cabinet? Maybe a larger reflex loaded or transmission-line cabinet? (i have carpentry friends who could build for me at a price that's almost next to nothing.)