Will GK MB200 blow out 112MBX Cab?

[Chrisk-K]

I have owned an MB200 and a 112MBX cab as a micro rig of doom for a week I absolutely love it!

The MB200 pumps out 140W @ 8 ohm and the 112MBX is a 8 ohm cab rated at 100W RMS. Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is that the peak wattage of the 112MBX should be higher than 100W. So, unless I max out every knob of the MB200, the 112MBX cab can handle the MB200.

Please advise.

P.S. I could easily exchange the 112MBX with a 115MBE (200W 4 ohm) but the 115 is much bigger and heavier than the MBX.

Rant: Why did GK discontinue the 112MBE? It would be a perfect match for the MB200!

[Adam Bomb]

I dunno - that seems a lot more like a Nano-Rig of "Doom" to me ...



I love this setup, for home use and not-loud jams. I would gig it in the right situation. I don't push my amps too hard but I've never come close to stressing that cab.

Enjoy!

--Bomb
Nano Rigs of “Doom” Club no. 1

[Chrisk-K]

I haven't turned the volume knob past 12 o'clock for fear of blowing the speaker. I'll email GK and see what they'll say.

[mikkejohansson]

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

I have owned an MB200 and a 112MBX cab as a micro rig of doom for a week I absolutely love it!

The MB200 pumps out 140W @ 8 ohm and the 112MBX is a 8 ohm cab rated at 100W RMS. Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is that the peak wattage of the 112MBX should be higher than 100W. So, unless I max out every knob of the MB200, the 112MBX cab can handle the MB200.

Please advise.

P.S. I could easily exchange the 112MBX with a 115MBE (200W 4 ohm) but the 115 is much bigger and heavier than the MBX.

Rant: Why did GK discontinue the 112MBE? It would be a perfect match for the MB200!

A guy on swedish Bass Forum www.pratabas.se uses an MB500 w/ a 112MBX and says that as long as he keeps the levels "within sanity" it's been working like a charm.

[Wes Whitmore]

The MB200 is a strong little amp. If you find yourself pushing it up past 12, then you are hitting that 100 watt speaker in your 112 pretty well. That's just a little less than I will push the Ampeg 210AV I have at a gig, although it seems to take the power just fine when I almost dime it in testing. I don't slap.

Your answer depends on how well you listen to your cab when it's crying for mercy, and how well you know your gear. The best you can do when pushing more power through a cab than it was designed to do (besides using some type of hard limiter) is use that same cab in home practice and find it's threshold and don't cross it when getting together with the band. If you like the cab and the volume it safely produces, then why change it. If you find that it's not loud enough, then think about your needs and adjust.
Wes

[ian_s]

Originally Posted by Adam Bomb

I dunno - that seems a lot more like a Nano-Rig of "Doom" to me ...

The technical definition of a nano-rig is that it must be shorter than the cat. That is all.

[Wes Whitmore]

I think tigers are cats too...

[Chrisk-K]

Although I love the little 112MBX, I'll probably exchange it with with something like the Neo112. I'd rather have peace of mind. Why can't GK make a 200W cab under 20 lbs? :-)

[christw]

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

Although I love the little 112MBX, I'll probably exchange it with with something like the Neo112. I'd rather have peace of mind. Why can't GK make a 200W cab under 20 lbs? :-)

You can tell if you're pushing it hard. I suspect that the 100w limit is rated at the excusion limit of that speaker in that particular box. It's RMS handling until meltdown is likely significantly above that threshold. If I were you, I wouldn't worry. I run my 1001rb (700w @ 4 ohm) into two 8 ohm micro cabs, a 4x6 and a 2x8. (140/100w RMS ratings respectively). I spent 20 minutes figuring out just how hard I can push and it's quite obvious when they're at their limits. You don't need to worry about that so much as I do.

[Chrisk-K]

I'd love to keep the 112MBX. It's so light and looks sexy :-)

I'm clueless when it comes to the science of amps and speakers. How can I tell if I'm pushing it too hard? Will it be distorted?

[Wes Whitmore]

Generally, it will start sounding different. Sometimes it starts popping and farting/distorting, sometimes it starts smelling like it's burning (voicecoils getting real hot), and usually, it stops getting any louder as you apply more volume.

[RickenBoogie]

Basically, ANY amp can blow out ANY spkr- judicial use of gain, volume, and low eq is a must, no matter what rig you use. Your ears will know if the cab is straining.

[Adam Bomb]

Originally Posted by ian_s

The technical definition of a nano-rig is that it must be shorter than the cat. That is all.

^This.

--Bomb

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by christw

You can tell if you're pushing it hard. I suspect that the 100w limit is rated at the excusion limit of that speaker in that particular box. It's RMS handling until meltdown is likely significantly above that threshold. If I were you, I wouldn't worry. I run my 1001rb (700w @ 4 ohm) into two 8 ohm micro cabs, a 4x6 and a 2x8. (140/100w RMS ratings respectively). I spent 20 minutes figuring out just how hard I can push and it's quite obvious when they're at their limits. You don't need to worry about that so much as I do.

Amps don't blow speakers... Users do. Listen up. If the thing sounds like it's in pain... It is, so turn the heck down.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by christw

You can tell if you're pushing it hard. I suspect that the 100w limit is rated at the excusion limit of that speaker in that particular box. It's RMS handling until meltdown is likely significantly above that threshold.

i don't think so. i think 100w is where meltdown will occur. that's the figure gk quotes for all their cabs, so i don't see why this one would be different.

[robgrow]

As long as you don't hear clipping distortion, the GK 112MBX can handle way more than 100 watts. Many times in the past, I have used a Markbass LMII or a Walter Woods M300 (each about 300 watts @ 8 ohms) with the little GK cab without any problems, and for the past few months I have been using a GK MB500 with a 112MBX. It can get amazingly loud while staying very clean.

Of course if you start hearing distortion, then it's time to back off.

[Ben Esparza]

Chrisk-K,

You've got a PM.

[fred pratt]

What a beautiful, small rig! I've been using the EA Micro and Wizzy 10 but am still crazy enough to want something smaller and lighter. Chrisk, Adam, do you carry your rig in any kind of bag

[Adam Bomb]

Originally Posted by fred pratt

What a beautiful, small rig! I've been using the EA Micro and Wizzy 10 but am still crazy enough to want something smaller and lighter. Chrisk, Adam, do you carry your rig in any kind of bag

Hi! Yeah but nothing fancy. I carry the head in a generic shoulder bag I bought on the street. It holds the head in the main compartment and cords etc. in its pocketses. Usually just carry the cab like a lunchbox but if it's drizzling I'll put it in a plastic shopping bag.

Since I last visited this thread I used this as my rehearsal rig in a medium-loud rock band. I never turn any head up past half. It did fine. Wouldn't use it to gig with that band - not quite enough doom - but I could be heard fine.

Never before have I had a rig with this tone-to-weight ratio.

--Bomb
Nano Rigs of “Doom” Club no. 1

[HeavyDuty]

This interests the heck out of me - I have a 112MBX cab that I normally use with my MB150E combo, this would be a great second use for it. I was also thinking a pair of the 112MBX cabs with a MB200 could be fun...