too much amp for my cab?

[joecarrr]

I have a crown xls1000, behringer Bass V-amp Pro and an Acoustic b810 cab. My Basses are both active.
The amp says it puts out 1100 watts bridged at 4 ohms. My cab is only rated for 800 watts. Should I just keep the amp turned down some or should I run only 1 channel? If I run 1 channel then it's only 350 watts at 4 ohms. I'm trying to cut through 2 guitar players running Marshal tube heads. Any help would be great.

[PatQ]

Just listen to your tone. If the speakers start farting out you put too much power in the cab. If not, you're fine.

[amimbari]

I have been running an XLS1500 thru 2 old hartke TP4x10's for a year in bridge mode, never blew em up yet. Even before that I was running a Mackie 1400i in bridgemode thru the same 2 cabs....

[wcriley]

Originally Posted by joecarrr

...The amp says it puts out 1100 watts bridged at 4 ohms...

The amp CAN put out 1100 watts, but that doesn't mean it always WILL. Just be careful about how loud you crank it and how much you boost the low frequencies. You should be able to hear if the drivers are being overpowered.

I know a guy who uses a 3000 watt power amp with speakers rated at a combined 900 watts. He hasn't had any problems and neither will you if you use common sense.

[joecarrr]

That's what I figured. Thanks

[hover]

It's one thing to have that much power available or headroom, and quite another to use that many watts regularly. Unless you're deaf, you're never going to fry your cab.

Then again...I've yet to play a small / med / large venue or stadium gig with anything more than 500 watts into an efficient cab where I thought "man, I really need more power". I've never even dimed those in any of these settings. I cannot imagine a scenario where you'd be using 1100 watts of power in anything less than a stadium...then again, I never partake in gigs with musicians into volume wars.

[joecarrr]

Well I've always used a 100 watt combo through the p.a. so I'm new to running under my own power totallt. I guess ill find out friday night at band practice how much volume knob I'll have to use.