A stupid question about wattage

[AndyMania]

I currently play a Markbass TA503 amp which is rated at
300 rws/8 ohms 500rws/4 ohms. My Epifani Ul112 is rated at 300rws/8 ohms. If crank the volume up completely on my amp and guitar, is my amp putting out 500 watts through my 300 watt cabinet?? Or is it putting out 300?? Im a little confused with this... I also noticed that the cabinet starts to distort at high volume and I lose clarity.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by AndyMania

is my amp putting out 500 watts through my 300 watt cabinet?? Or is it putting out 300??

It Doesn't Matter!
Pull ALL the watts

The cab is distorting because it's being overpowered, and that's all that does matter. Turn it down. If you need more volume add another identical cab stacked atop the first.

[BassmanPaul]

If the input signal is large enough the amp will put out its maximum power with the level control on 1. There is no correlation between the position of the level control and the power being output.

[RickenBoogie]

and +1 to both above- a single 12 cannot handle 300 watts, no matter what the cab is rated for. Read up on all this, it's all over the amps forums, and faq's.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

a single 12 cannot handle 300 watts, no matter what the cab is rated for.

One loaded with a 3012 or the equivalent can, but that's the exception to the rule. 150 is average.

[AndyMania]

Lol,
Thanks guys for the info. Bill, I will definitely get another 12 and stack it. Before I do that, I will try to raise my 12 above my knee level as you mentioned in another post of mine.

[Munjibunga]

To answer your question, the maximum output of your amp into an 8-ohm load is 300 watts. It's not going to produce 500 watts unless you connect it to a 4-ohm load. So no, it's not going to produce 500 watts into your cab.

As you have discovered, your cab is going to distort long before you put 300 watts into it, especially if you've got it EQ'd heavy on the bass end. As Bill so subtly implied, it doesn't matter what the power ratings of your amp and cab are as long as you have the good sense to turn the amp down if you start to hear the cab distort. If your cab distorts below your desired volume, you don't have enough cab. Get more (or better) cabs.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

One loaded with a 3012 or the equivalent can, but that's the exception to the rule. 150 is average.

However, the 10's in the DNS410 each can handle 350 watts. No, really. I'm sure of it.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

However, the 10's in the DNS410 each can handle 350 watts. No, really. I'm sure of it.

I suppose you believe in Santa and The Tooth Fairy as well?

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

I suppose you believe in Santa and The Tooth Fairy as well?

Hey, as you know, I got it straight from the designer's lips.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Hey, as you know, I got it straight from the designer's lips.

As did many get investment advice from Bernie Madoff's.

[will33]

No fan of Madoff's but in fairness he didn't do anything the social security system doesn't do....just didn't have quite enough laws and guns behind him.



How that relates to speakers I have no idea.

[AwkwardLoudness]

Originally Posted by AndyMania

I currently play a Markbass TA503 amp which is rated at
300 rws/8 ohms 500rws/4 ohms. My Epifani Ul112 is rated at 300rws/8 ohms.

First of all, the ratings are watts RMS (root mean square) not RWS. The amp supposedly can maintain a clean (non-distorted, no clipping) power stage up to 300 watts RMS at 8Ω.

Originally Posted by AndyMania

My Epifani Ul112 is rated at 300rws/8 ohms.

A cabinet's power handling, i.e. thermal rating (300 watts RMS), is a trivial number since other factors (speaker displacement, EQ settings, cab design) cause a cab's useful wattage limit to be far below the stated power handling.
Also, there are inconsistent rating criteria among manufacturers when they determine XXX watts RMS and useful frequency range.

Originally Posted by AndyMania

is my amp putting out 500 watts through my 300 watt cabinet?? Or is it putting out 300?? Im a little confused with this... I also noticed that the cabinet starts to distort at high volume and I lose clarity.

The output power by an amp varies instantaneously as notes are played on the bass guitar. At times, the amp may be reaching 300 watts, possibly a little more than that if the amp lacks a safety mechanism to prevent clipping.

If you want more volume and clarity, then either use different speakers or add more speakers.

[Russell L]

And remember, boosting the lows eats up your headroom. Cutting mids has the same effect as boosting lows and highs (because then you need to turn up some). Cutting mids gets me lost in the mix.