Obtaining max wattage?

lazerviking · #1 05-14-2010, 01:46 PM

I have an amp head rated 600 watts @ 2 ohms. I use it with 8 ohm cabs. If I were to replace the speakers in the cabs with different impedance, could I achieve maxim wattage?

megadan · #2 05-14-2010, 01:49 PM

Yes. But it probably won't make as much difference as you think it would. Probably not worth the cost of new speakers. Better to spend that cash on a second cab, you'll get far more volume out of additional speakers.

Jim Campbell · #3 05-14-2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazerviking

I have an amp head rated 600 watts @ 2 ohms. I use it with 8 ohm cabs. If I were to replace the speakers in the cabs with different impedance, could I achieve maxim wattage?

why would you want to run wfo.....why not add a second cab like the first one.....drops you down to 4 ohms with more speaker area and a decent increase in volume

rockstarbassist · #4 05-14-2010, 01:51 PM

I think you're already running 2 8ohm cabs, correct?

SpamBot · #5 05-14-2010, 01:52 PM

Get another 8 ohm cab, three of them makes ~2.67 ohms, which will get you the lion's share of those 600 watts.

billfitzmaurice · #6 05-14-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazerviking

I have an amp head rated 600 watts @ 2 ohms. I use it with 8 ohm cabs. If I were to replace the speakers in the cabs with different impedance, could I achieve maxim wattage?

Don't bother. You'll get only a slight volume increase, if any, and running an amp at minimum rated load is never a good idea, the increased heat shortens component life.

Bass_Pounder · #7 05-14-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazerviking

I have an amp head rated 600 watts @ 2 ohms. I use it with 8 ohm cabs. If I were to replace the speakers in the cabs with different impedance, could I achieve maxim wattage?

It is not as simple as changing speakers to a different impedance. The speakers need to be matched to the box it is in. Also, if you do not use speakers of the same sensitivity or higher, you may actually lose some output.

Then, you also need to consider that if you change the speakers, can they REALLY benefit from the increased wattage, or are they going to be diplacement limited and produce no extra volume ?

Also, you state you are using 8 ohm cabs (plural) - how many are you using ?

lazerviking · #8 05-14-2010, 02:14 PM

Forgive me for not including all the info, I was short on time.
But I have the 600 watt head, a 4x10 and 2x 1x15's, All Acoustic brand. And a 200 watt head. Yes, I will be using all of them at once (have an A/B+Y signal path pedal on the way, which has a +/- 8db knob), but I'd like some other opinions on getting the most out of this set up. The music I play is me + a drummer and I'd like the most sound possible.

(Ignore the patch cable cable connecting the heads

)

Jim Campbell · #9 05-14-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazerviking

Forgive me for not including all the info, I was short on time.
But I have the 600 watt head, a 4x10 and 2x 1x15's, All Acoustic brand. And a 200 watt head. Yes, I will be using all of them at once (have an A/B+Y signal path pedal on the way, which has a +/- 8db knob), but I'd like some other opinions on getting the most out of this set up. The music I play is me + a drummer and I'd like the most sound possible.

(Ignore the patch cable cable connecting the heads

)

imho,a second 4x10 for the 600 watter like the one you have should fill most rooms.....aby'd with 2x15's sheesh

rockstarbassist · #10 05-14-2010, 02:29 PM

Not enough volume from that?

lazerviking · #11 05-14-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

Not enough volume from that?

Haha, well I'd like to get the most out of what I have to work with. Being very loud goes along with the kind of music we play. I wanted to see what other people have to say about the best configuration to use, and once my ABY comes I can play around with it more and find what I like the best.

rockstarbassist · #12 05-14-2010, 02:37 PM

Those Acoustic amps are really only 200W @ 2 ohms? That's a shame IMO.

lazerviking · #13 05-14-2010, 02:40 PM

The B200 head is 200 watts and 4 ohms.

rockstarbassist · #14 05-14-2010, 02:43 PM

You probably would get more beef plugging them all in to the 600W cab then splitting it up as someone referenced.

lazerviking · #15 05-14-2010, 02:43 PM

B600H 600w @ 2ohm, B200H 200w @ 4ohm, B115 cabs 250w handling 8 ohm, B410 cab 400w handling 8 ohm.

rockstarbassist · #16 05-14-2010, 02:44 PM

Sell the 200W amp and buy another 8 ohm 410. Should be plenty!

lazerviking · #17 05-14-2010, 02:53 PM

I can take back the 200w if needed, so I'd have 4 cabs with just the 600w?

rockstarbassist · #18 05-14-2010, 02:58 PM

It's the only way to get the max out of your 600W amp. To me the point of having an amp that'll go down to 2 ohms is so you can mix and match 4 8 ohm cabs or 2 4 ohm cabs.

My Boogie goes down to 2 @ 750W, so if I wanted to add another Berg NV cab, like a 412 to go with my 610 I could. I wouldn't buy another amp to power another cab if I already had the juice available.

Burlington · #19 05-14-2010, 03:04 PM

RIG TOO BIG

JimmyM · #20 05-14-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burlington

RIG TOO BIG

bah...don't be a wuss.

lazer, don't fall into the "squeeze every last bit of wattage out that i can" trap. it's a load of crap. if you need such high wattage, get a high wattage amp and cabs that can take it. squeezing a little extra wattage out won't do anything for you.