Newbie with Superfly questions

aussieartist · #1 08-04-2010, 01:20 AM

Hi all,
I've been reading up but a lot of the posts about the superfly are not too recent.

Here's my bunch of questions, please be kind as they're probably very stupid and obvious!

I have 2 Behringer Eurolive B1220 Pro PA cabs that I don't use and was thinking to match them up with the Superfly - the cabs are 8ohm and peak 800w (but I think a more conservative rating is about 400w) I know they will only get about 160w rms out or each of the Superfly 250w outputs being 8ohm... Does anyone think this will cook the Superfly?

I don't play loud (folk/rock), but my little Ashdown perfect 10 (30w) just isn't up to the job at gigs! (even though it's a beautiful little unit) and I'm sick of mic-ing it up and relying on the PA foldback.
The Superfly looks ideal for crafting a tone and has DI etc... and I'm in Australia so shouldn't have any power supply fades or issues.

I just can't afford any new cabs and don't want to kill a $600 investment by pairing it up with speakers it can't drive...
Am I being a fool in buying a 5 kilo head but lugging 60 kilo of speakers into a gig? Yes, But isn't the Superfly a great unit to start with and eventually get some compact 4ohm boxes? And in the meantime I'll get fit and finally get some use out of what are essentially a pair of coffee tables in my spare room! - provided it doesn't all catch fire on the first gig.

Any ideas welcome!!!
Steve

Sundogue · #2 08-04-2010, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussieartist

Hi all,
I've been reading up but a lot of the posts about the superfly are not too recent.

Here's my bunch of questions, please be kind as they're probably very stupid and obvious!

I have 2 Behringer Eurolive B1220 Pro PA cabs that I don't use and was thinking to match them up with the Superfly - the cabs are 8ohm and peak 800w (but I think a more conservative rating is about 400w) I know they will only get about 160w rms out or each of the Superfly 250w outputs being 8ohm... Does anyone think this will cook the Superfly?

I own a Superfly. Awesome little amp. Some have had issues with theirs and it is a discontinued amp, that's why you don't hear much about them anymore. I'll give you a bit of advice...remove the outer cover plates. The top cover plate vents (that are in a circular pattern) don't match up with the cover plate venting underneath (rectangular pattern). Plus the cover plates are useless and add another 5 lbs. to the amp and restrict airflow. Remove them and your amp will run a lot cooler.

As to your PA cabs. They aren't designed specifically for bass, but they will work. Being 8 ohm, you'll only put 160 watts into each cab, but underpowering a cab is a myth. The amp will be fine. As long as your cabs are efficient (put out a lot of volume with less watts) you should be able to get pretty loud.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussieartist

I don't play loud (folk/rock), but my little Ashdown perfect 10 (30w) just isn't up to the job at gigs! (even though it's a beautiful little unit) and I'm sick of mic-ing it up and relying on the PA foldback.
The Superfly looks ideal for crafting a tone and has DI etc... and I'm in Australia so shouldn't have any power supply fades or issues.

The EQ on the Superfly will allow you to tailor your sound to every place you play and then you can save it as a preset. I loved that feature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussieartist

I just can't afford any new cabs and don't want to kill a $600 investment by pairing it up with speakers it can't drive...
Am I being a fool in buying a 5 kilo head but lugging 60 kilo of speakers into a gig? Yes, But isn't the Superfly a great unit to start with and eventually get some compact 4ohm boxes? And in the meantime I'll get fit and finally get some use out of what are essentially a pair of coffee tables in my spare room! - provided it doesn't all catch fire on the first gig.

Any ideas welcome!!!
Steve

You'll love the Superfly. And yes, get some different, smaller "Bass" cabs in the future. I drove two little 115's (one off each side) and although they were little cabs (27 lbs. each) they were really loud and the tone was awesome. I mounted my Superfly into a homemade (topload) rack along with my Zoom B2 and my wireless. Note that in this pic, the Superfly cover plates are removed...

aussieartist · #3 08-04-2010, 05:52 AM

Thanks for your sage advice Sundogue! I have read many a post in the forum about the Superfly and yours were always the most fair and considered... I figured if you had an opinion then it was worth taking. So I'm off to get my new toy this week and you'll hear all about it!!!
Again excellent advice and I'm glad I got it from someone who knows and has been writing about the Superfly for some time!
Cheers
Steve

aussieartist · #4 08-04-2010, 06:02 AM

just looked at your pic and it's just what I want... I too play through a wireless and now you have me dreaming up a slick box with wireless, amp, tuner and leads space... probably about the size of a briefcase...
Cool!!!

Sundogue · #5 08-04-2010, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussieartist

just looked at your pic and it's just what I want... I too play through a wireless and now you have me dreaming up a slick box with wireless, amp, tuner and leads space... probably about the size of a briefcase...
Cool!!!

It was about the size of a briefcase. And with the Superfly being so small, I could also fit my Zoom B2, wireless unit, all my cords and keep everything plugged into a little power strip and it all fit inside. I had a velcroed cover for it and it was an easy one hand carry and easy to get set up quick.

There were actual issues with some Superfly's, but most were about overheating and you can see in the pic how the vents on the amp don't match with the cover plate vents. The cover plates are not needed...at all. It's completely encased in steel all the way around, under those outer plates. Removing them is the best thing to do with it.

aussieartist · #6 08-04-2010, 06:55 AM

Yeah, cool ideas, I kind of figured the factory case as an expensive gimmick... looks sexy though...
I'll definitely make some kind of case to house all the stuff and maximise cooling like yours... did you find the need for another fan? I guess you run with the top cover off.

Hey btw, I'm here in Australia but did live in the US for about 3 yrs (St Louis MO) do you know the place? I never made it up to Minnesota unfortunately, but I did travel the US a lot in the mid-west and east and west coasts... We'll be back there in 2011 for a month or two. Go the Cards!!!
Cheers
Steve

aussieartist · #7 08-04-2010, 06:56 AM

Oh... I meant Wisconsin... sorry!

Sundogue · #8 08-04-2010, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussieartist

Yeah, cool ideas, I kind of figured the factory case as an expensive gimmick... looks sexy though...
I'll definitely make some kind of case to house all the stuff and maximise cooling like yours... did you find the need for another fan? I guess you run with the top cover off.

Hey btw, I'm here in Australia but did live in the US for about 3 yrs (St Louis MO) do you know the place? I never made it up to Minnesota unfortunately, but I did travel the US a lot in the mid-west and east and west coasts... We'll be back there in 2011 for a month or two. Go the Cards!!!
Cheers
Steve

I lived in St. Louis for a while. My sister still lives there. Best concert I ever saw was Carlos Santana at Forest Park. The bass player, Alphonso Johnson, must have been in heaven playing with two drummers behind him and two percussionists in front of him. What fun it must have been to be able to play off all that going on!

Yeah, I leave the case cover off when playing. I never needed another fan for the Superfly. Just removing the useless cover plates was enough. Just so you know, you can just take off the top and bottom cover plates and leave the funky side ones and handle on. They all bolt on separately.

aussieartist · #9 08-14-2010, 04:24 AM

Hey,
I finally got my Superfly... and it's great!!! a little noisy in the top end... but I am using full range PA speakers and have not dialed in the sound yet... first rehearsal is on Monday... can't wait, new rig and drummer is back from a 2 month vacation... so it's got to be good!

All that folk say about the Superfly may be true... it's awesome, it's noisy, it's rugged, it's small, it's hot

, but on the up side, it's awesome, it's noisy, it's rugged, it's small and it's HOT... I love it!

Thanks Sundogue for helping me choose this amp!
And all who have helped vicariously with your own thoughts.

Rock on!
S.