Using 350 Watt amp with a 600 Watt Cabinet???

Dolando · #1 08-16-2011, 04:29 AM

Hello all,

I have a Hartke HA3500 amp (350 Watts at 8 ohms), and I was looking at new cabinets. I found a Warwick 411 4x10, but its 600 Watt at 8 ohms....

Will this be ok? As far as I know, it will mean it will only be running at 350 watts, so it just won't be as loud, is this correct? And would this put to much strain on my amp?

Apologies if this has been covered too many times.

Cheers,

Adam

JMac4strngr · #2 08-16-2011, 04:37 AM

Underpowering cabs is a myth. It should work fine with what You got. If the cab's a great deal and sounds good with Your amp, buy it.

icks · #3 08-16-2011, 04:44 AM

Isn't the Hartke HA 3500 a 4 ohms load amp? Delivers 300w @ 4 ohms and 230 at 8?
Running the 4x10 8ohms cab isn't a problem unless you need loud volume.

dug dog · #4 08-16-2011, 04:44 AM

What he said.

Dolando · #5 08-16-2011, 04:50 AM

Your totally right icks! Completely missed that, just checked the manual. It runs 240 watts at 8 ohms. Not sure how loud that would be...i mean I don't need loads of volume, but enough for practice and small/medium gigs...

So to get the full 350 watts, I would need a 4 ohm cab, is that right?

lomo · #6 08-16-2011, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dolando

Your totally right icks! Completely missed that, just checked the manual. It runs 240 watts at 8 ohms. Not sure how loud that would be...i mean I don't need loads of volume, but enough for practice and small/medium gigs...

So to get the full 350 watts, I would need a 4 ohm cab, is that right?

Or a 2nd 8 Ohm cab.

Dolando · #7 08-16-2011, 05:00 AM

Yea I don't really want another cab. Currently have a 1x15 and a 2x10, which sounds great, Just can never be bothered to lug it to gigs, so I want to down size to a 4x10.

lomo · #8 08-16-2011, 06:11 AM

Generally speaking, 240 watts into an 8 Ohm 410 will not be louder than 350 into a 4 Ohm 210-115 stack. If you want to downsize, I'd either find a 4 Ohm 410 or get the 8 Ohm and eventually a new head-maybe a micro that pushes 500 into 4 Ohms.

billfitzmaurice · #9 08-16-2011, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dolando

I found a Warwick 411 4x10, but its 600 Watt at 8 ohms....

Which means it probably is displacement limited to only 300 watts.

Quote:

Apologies if this has been covered too many times.

Probably no more than 500 times since you've been a member. Give or take.

Quote:

So to get the full 350 watts, I would need a 4 ohm cab, is that right?

Watts don't matter. Frequency response, driver displacement and sensitivity do.
Recommended reading:
AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links

Dolando · #10 08-16-2011, 06:46 AM

Lomo, I don't really need the 4x10 to be louder than the 1x15/2x10. Just loud enough for practice and small/medium gigs. At the minute for practice, i use the hartke head with just the 200 watt 8 ohm 1x15, and that's loud enough for what i need, just don't get the frequency response i want from just the 15, hence the move to a better 4x10.

billfitzmaurice, thanks for the link, will have a read. And i know i've been a member since 2006, but I don't come on here very much, so sorry again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Which means it probably is displacement limited to only 300 watts.

Would you mind elaborating on this? Not sure what you mean by that.

Cheers,

Adam

lomo · #11 08-16-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dolando

Would you mind elaborating on this? Not sure what you mean by that.

Cheers,

Adam

It means that the 600 watts limit simply means the speakers will be physically damaged at 600 watts. Of more relevance is the fact that they will actually only handle about 300 watts before they start to compress and distort and become useless from a real world point of view. They usefully process much less than the cab's physical (published) limit.

billfitzmaurice · #12 08-16-2011, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lomo

It means that the 600 watts limit simply means the speakers will be physically damaged at 600 watts. Of more relevance is the fact that they will actually only handle about 300 watts before they start to compress and distort and become useless.

+1. I believe Barefaced Bass explains on their site the importance of displacement and relative irrelevance of the thermal power rating.

Quote:

And i know i've been a member since 2006, but I don't come on here very much

Don't tell me you actually spend your time at work working, and not goofing off on line like everyone else.

Dolando · #13 08-18-2011, 04:47 PM

I eventually got an Ampeg 4x10. It's 500 Watts at 8 ohms. Sounds loud enough for what i need, but will be on the look out for a new head. Cost me £180, is a little beaten up, but sounds ace!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lomo

...or get the 8 Ohm and eventually a new head-maybe a micro that pushes 500 into 4 Ohms.

Surely you can't use a 500 watt head at 4 Ohms into an 8 ohm
cabinet? Most heads i've looked at don't seem to push out much more power at 8 ohms than the 240 I've already got....

WhoDidTheElf · #14 08-18-2011, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dolando

I eventually got an Ampeg 4x10. It's 500 Watts at 8 ohms. Sounds loud enough for what i need, but will be on the look out for a new head. Cost me £180, is a little beaten up, but sounds ace!

Surely you can't use a 500 watt head at 4 Ohms into an 8 ohm
cabinet? Most heads i've looked at don't seem to push out much more power at 8 ohms than the 240 I've already got....

Adding more watts won't really increase your volume a whole lot. Takes 10x the watts to double your volume.

Adding more speakers will add a bunch more volume with the same watts.

If you can find yourself another of the same Ampeg you got, your volume will jump quite a bit.