More volume from ashdown stack????

[bigben379]

Hey guys ive got an ashdown MAG 300H Evo head with the MAG 410T cab, when im playing with my band when rehearsing i have to run the head at just under full volume keep up with the rest of the band ( drums (very loud drummer), 2 guitars, keys and singers). Im really not up to speed with wattage and loads, im just the bass player haha, if i add another cab: 1. will i get more volume? 2. will i run the risk of damaging the head? Cheers for your help!!!!

[LiamPodmore]

Add a second MAG 410T Cab, and you should be fine. Your head is designed for 4 Ohms, and both MAG 410T's will be 8 Ohm each, making a 4 Ohm load pumping out 307w.

Liam

[dukeorock]

This

[Joe Louvar]

Originally Posted by bigben379

Hey guys ive got an ashdown MAG 300H Evo head with the MAG 410T cab, when im playing with my band when rehearsing i have to run the head at just under full volume keep up with the rest of the band ( drums (very loud drummer), 2 guitars, keys and singers). Im really not up to speed with wattage and loads, im just the bass player haha, if i add another cab: 1. will i get more volume? 2. will i run the risk of damaging the head? Cheers for your help!!!!

Quick answers #1 - yes, #2 - not if the impedance is matched.

Picking the right speakers for your bass amplifier.

Over powering a speaker can damage it and a impedance mismatch can damaged an amplifier. See Eminence‘s webpage Understanding Loudspeaker Data | Eminence Speaker and look under “POWER HANDLING”. And Myers Sound “Making Sense of Amplifier Power Ratings” Making Sense of Amplifier Power Ratings

Power - the ideal situation is to choose a loudspeaker that has the capability of handling more power than you can provide lending some headroom and insurance against thermal failure.” If you don’t know how much power a speaker cab can handle, slowly turn up the bass amp volume until the speaker starts to sound bad, then turn down the bass or volume until it sounds good.

Ohms - make sure the speaker cab impedance meets the bass amp requirements. Look on the back of your bass amp note the required speaker load (ohms) and make sure the impedances of your speakers match. See Wiring Diagrams | Eminence Speaker

Stacking Speakers - about 3dB is considered the least amount of SPL gain the human ear can hear and it takes about 10dB to double the volume (SPL). See dB: What is a decibel? If you have a 100 watt amp with one 12" speaker and you add another 12" speaker you will get the a 3dB increase. You would have the same SPL as a 200 watt amp with one 12" speaker. To get the next 3dB increase you need to double the speakers again so you would need four 12" speakers. Having 4 speakers will give you a 6dB increase in SPL compared to 1 speaker. Then it gets more complex. If you double the 4 speakers to 8 speakers there isn’t a 9dB increase in SPL as compared to one speaker like you’d think, instead you only a 6dB increase compared to one speaker because phase cancellation comes into play. The distance between the speakers causes the sound to reach your ears from the speakers at a different time and this has the effect of canceling some sound so more speakers are better up to a point. Drivers, enclosures, power, impedance, etc all play a role in the SPL. There is no perfect bass speaker enclosure because all loudspeaker enclosures are a compromise of design trade-offs. So just buy speakers you like the sound of and make sure they meet your bass amp impedance requirements. Start with the volume off and slowly turn it up to the desired volume level or until the speakers start to sound bad - then turn down the bass or volume until it sounds good.

EDIT:
I added more details than required so this might also help other TBer's as well.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by bigben379

if i add another cab: 1. will i get more volume?

+6db with a second identical cab, which is the equivalent of quadrupling your amp power.

2. will i run the risk of damaging the head?

No, so long as the impedance load is not less than the amp is rated for.

[bigben379]

Thanks for the quick replys!!!! very helpfull

[Dave Brown]

Make sure your active/passive switch is in the right position.

[Downunderwonder]

If you aren't already wearing earplugs you should buy some before next practice.

As well as saving you from going deaf like me you may find you can hear yourself so much better you don't need the 2nd cabinet.

[bigben379]

yeah i gotta get some of those ''hearos'' my guitarists and drummer use them....

[slaphappychappy]

Explains their high volume, lol.

[bigben379]

hahaha classic!!!!

[NickLomango]

Originally Posted by bigben379

Hey guys ive got an ashdown MAG 300H Evo head with the MAG 410T cab, when im playing with my band when rehearsing i have to run the head at just under full volume keep up with the rest of the band ( drums (very loud drummer), 2 guitars, keys and singers). Im really not up to speed with wattage and loads, im just the bass player haha, if i add another cab: 1. will i get more volume? 2. will i run the risk of damaging the head? Cheers for your help!!!!

I had the same problem with my band and the same gear as you do.
I bought another 410T and problem sorted. Besides I sound a lot better through a 810 (2x 410).
You won't regret it!

[bigben379]

sweet looks like im goin shopping!!!!!

[bigben379]

So i added an ashdown 210 (250w 8 ohm) to my 410 and mag 300....... Which i use for small gigs (210), but when running both cabs for large gigs / rehearsals im still nowhere near the volume i require, im running the amp at near full volume and its not cutting through......
Would more wattage at this stage be worth a look? or again look at some more powerful cabs?
I am playing in a Hard rock tribute show and am playing some large stages, sometimes with no P.A assistance..... I really need more volume.
Any reccomendations? I am open to all options, im not restrained by any sort of budget.
Cheers

[RickenBoogie]

You needed an 8 ohm 410 to match the 1st one. Using a 210 is limiting your rig to the limits of the smaller cab, which is getting DOUBLE the wattage per spkr as the bigger cab.

[bigben379]

What If I added a second 210 8 ohm cab? would that then draw the full 307w from the amp at 4 ohm load?
This in essence would be louder than a single 410 8ohm cab?

[B-string]

Originally Posted by bigben379

What If I added a second 210 8 ohm cab? would that then draw the full 307w from the amp at 4 ohm load?
This in essence would be louder than a single 410 8ohm cab?

By very little and you most likely will not detect it.

[grenadilla]

You might consider the Ashdown MAG 810 cabinet. This is a 4ohm cabinet and you may use this with no second cabinet,ever. It will be loud and heavy.