How dangerous is an octave pedal to a cab at normal playing volume?

[Mobile Sprout]

So I'm going to demo some analog octavers with my "big rig" (GK 1001 RB-II into an Epifani T-310) and the full band today.

With my small practice amp I've noticed that if I hit a low E (or a low B with the five string - it'll track for about a second like that) with one of these octavers going the speaker will make some very "motor boat"-like sounds. I assume this is the speaker bottoming out or otherwise failing to produce the low tone.

How dangerous is this for the speaker? Assuming I'm not cranking the amp up to an unusual high volume? Is this something that would be dangerous at any volume? (Like.. no one with an octave pedal is ever supposed to play on their B string?)

"Hey guys check out my new pedal!" *EXPLOSION!*

[icarussmicarus]

If its an analog octaver and your paying a low E or B, the sound is probabbly just the flub of the octaver failing to track a note that low

[Mobile Sprout]

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

If its an analog octaver and your paying a low E or B, the sound is probabbly just the flub of the octaver failing to track a note that low

I think it is producing the low tone. Having played with these for several weeks now, when they cannot track a low note they generally default to the note one octave up. But they'll track the low note briefly. On the other hand, one octave below low B is 15 Hz... too low for the human ear and too low for most speakers to produce. But my practice amp sure makes a strange noise. There's this transition at about low E or so where you can't hear any tonality anymore, and it's just the the speaker going "Pt-pt-pt-pt-pt-pt-pt-pt-pt"

[dmusic148]

^ +1. Analog units will not track really low notes. Motorboat city.

[jgroh]

look into a limiter/compressor to put after the octave pedal. Boss has one that isnt too expensive. I put one after my Bass Synth Wah (which has an "octave" effect) to keep my speakers safe.