8 to4 ohm

[Zigman]

I am useing a peavey mark 6 head to a 8ohm 115 black widow, im going to trade it out for a 4ohm black widow how big of a diff. Will i hear? My amp is rated at 400 watts at 2 ohm about 250 at 4ohm and im gessing about 150 at 8ohm?

 

[Downunderwonder]

Not much. Less than 3dB and that's only if it doesn't fart out under 250w.

A better bet would be to find another 8 ohm BW and stack it up. Then you get almost 6dB stressfree.

 

[Joedog]

Not much. Less than 3dB and that's only if it doesn't fart out under 250w.

A better bet would be to find another 8 ohm BW and stack it up. Then you get almost 6dB stressfree.

Bazinga!

 

[Zigman]

What do you mean by fart out under 250?

 

[agedhorse]

In your case, right around 3dB more volume, but only because you have plenty of speaker capacity with your particular amp.

 

[Downunderwonder]

What do you mean by fart out under 250?

as you add power it gets louder until it distorts.

It also gets hotter and wastes a bigger proportion to heat.

 

[Zigman]

It shouldent fart out its rated at 400 continues and 700 peak

 

[basscooker]

Au contraire

 

[Zigman]

Basscooker please explane

 

[basscooker]

Farting out isn't necessarily related to watts. It's about using more low end than the speaker can reproduce. Any speaker can be pushed too hard for it's physical limits without reaching its power limits.

 

[Zigman]

Ok i get you, thanks for the input

 

[agedhorse]

Farting out isn't necessarily related to watts. It's about using more low end than the speaker can reproduce. Any speaker can be pushed too hard for it's physical limits without reaching its power limits.

In this case, there appears to be adequate speaker capacity between the available amplifier power and the speaker's mechanical limits. This is why I clarified my comments by saying with this particular amp and speaker...

 

[basscooker]

Fair enough, but IME BW's don't like being pushed with much really low end volume before crying for help. They like low mids, just always want to go farty down low if the volume goes up to half-ish of rated power anytime I've ever used them. I was more commenting on the general statement that they shouldn't distort due to their watt ratings.

 

[Zigman]

Ok cool

 

[agedhorse]

I was more commenting on the general statement that they shouldn't distort due to their watt ratings.

Correct, and because of the specifics involved, this is more the exception to the rule. For many manufacturers, it's common for the mechanical power handling to be much lower than the thermal power handling at low frequencies, which is why it's important to derate most drivers unless there is specific mechanical power handling information provided.

For example, the Subway cabinets have a specified thermal AND mechanical power handling capacity, where both values are very close (or identical in the case of the 112)

 

[Downunderwonder]

In this case, there appears to be adequate speaker capacity between the available amplifier power and the speaker's mechanical limits. This is why I clarified my comments by saying with this particular amp and speaker...

the 8 or the 4 ohm version?

 

[orangejulius3]

I would definitely advise anyone to listen to these guys!

I avoided this problem by having more speakers and having an amp rated for 200 to 1000 watts to cover me for any kind of venue. Even my 200 watt amp sounds so much louder pushing my 4x12 cab compared to my 1x12 cab!
Smaller to medium venues I bring my 15 inch micro stack! Haven't had to complain about volume or pushing air!

 

[agedhorse]

the 8 or the 4 ohm version?

The amp's 4 ohm rated power and the 4 ohm speaker's power rating.

 

[Downunderwonder]

The amp's 4 ohm rated power and the 4 ohm speaker's power rating.

maybe we aren't talking about the same BW. 20 years ago my Trace 250 needed a firm leash on the lows to avoid giving a BW 8 ohm a hard time. It got plenty loud.

 

[agedhorse]

maybe we aren't talking about the same BW. 20 years ago my Trace 250 needed a firm leash on the lows to avoid giving a BW 8 ohm a hard time. It got plenty loud.

Possibly. Some of the earliest BW's were essentially mid-bass speakers, but that hasn't been the case of newer models for quite a while.