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Am I a "dumb-ass" for thinking this?

#43
Even if it sounds like crap I figure the 210 and the combo w/ an adapter (it's a male speak-on connector for the speaker) should suffice to see if the amp functions properly? Since it is used and looked a little too clean to be true!! practically NOS (box and all) it was listed as "lightly used" w/ a 30 day return policy.I'm just wondering if it's an old floor demo or a return!
 
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#44
JeromeH said:
In case it wasn't obvious I was somewhat inebriated when I posted this thread! I was sitting here looking at my combo and ext cab thinking "Well there's 4 ohms (8 ohms each)so what should I add to get the full bang from the Hartke amp? To be honest I'll probably never need it! My thought at the time was adding 2 8 ohm cabs might be better than one 4 ohm because I could mix and match them and any of them could still be used as an extension for the GB combo when the Hartke would be overkill
Click to expand...
Dude.... You didn't close your quote!
 
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#46
JeromeH said:
My 210 is only rated for 200 watts but that should be safe to run as long as I don't push the volume? The amp is 240 w at 8 ohms.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I forgot to cover the Watts dilemma as well. I had similar misconceptions before as well. The numbers that are provided by most amp and cab manufacturers are measured at very specific frequencies, neither of which ever happen in practice for more than a millisecond at a time. For bass, when you dig in on those lower strings the initial attack of the note really taxes the amp so it is best to have a deep well from which to draw those buckets of bass punch (kind of where Hartke got the name "Transient Attack" for those amps).

As a really rough rule of thumb you will be a happy player if your amp can supply twice the "watts" that your cab can handle. That way you don't have to run your amp at the edge of its abilities. Use your ear and gauge if your cab sounds like it is being pushed too hard (makes undesirable sounds).

Also, another notion is how much bass rig to bring. You need to decide that for yourself. For me, a substantial rig not being pushed hard always sounds better than a small rig at it's limits. So, I always bring as much rig as I care to carry or will fit on stage without looking ridiculous or simply won't fit.

I was thinking about your situation and if you plan to keep the amp, the best bang for your buck in the future may be to find a pair of really good 4Ohm 2x10 or 2x12 cabs. That would fully utilize the amp you are lugging, be a minimal space taker and if you do a smaller gig or practice you could just bring one. Again, those would be really easy to build (if you can or have a woodworker in your circle) and there are plenty of great 10" drivers out there in the $100 ballpark a piece. But see how what you have works for you for now.

Keep on quotin'...
 

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