Quick Ohms and Wattage question.

[mannysilvers]

I just got the Hartke LH500 head and the Hydrive HX410 cab. The specs for the LH500 say 500W at 4 Ohms. At my drummers house, where we practice, there is a Hartke VX3500 with an open back so a separate head could be used with just the cab. Though the LH500 is 500W at 4 Ohms, the outputs in the back of the head say 8 Ohms. At the store where I bought the amp, the guy explained to me how the Hydrive Cab still gets all 500W of the head, but I don't really get it. My main question is, can I use this head with the VX 350W cab safely?

[GaryM]

Since the manual gives the output into a 4 Ohm load, I'd happily connect that head to a 4 Ohm speaker cabinet. The "8 Ohm" labels on the back are confusing but I guess they are to suggest that if you are using two speaker cabs at the same time they need to be 8 Ohm cabs.

[BadB]

Usually a solid-state amp will put out a little less power at 8 ohms than it will at 4 ohms. That doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of 8 ohm cabs that will blister your eardrums with your particular head.

[mannysilvers]

I guess my question is if it would be ok running the 500W head into my drummer's 350W cab.

[BadB]

Your particular head puts out 350 watts at 8 ohms.

[mannysilvers]

Ok thanks.

[BadB]

Originally Posted by mannysilvers

I guess my question is if it would be ok running the 500W head into my drummer's 350W cab.

Yes. That cab should be 4 ohms. Your cab should be 8 ohms. Don't combine it with your cab unless your head is 2 ohm stable. If your drummers speaker, (or any for that matter) starts to fart out, back off the power. The best thing is to be sure of your impedances when you are trying to determine what your can hook up to your head. If your cab is 8 ohms, your head is not putting a full 500 watts to your cab.

[will33]

It means you can plug in two 8ohm cabs or one 4ohm cab. Whatever you have that's openback, do NOT play a bass through it. It may work at private, quiet listening volumes but try to hang with a band and you'll fry it.

[poorbassist15]

Isn't the VX3500 a combo?


EDIT: I just answered my own question. Yes. It says it's got 350 watts, that'd be more than enough power for me.