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Amp+head vs Combo?

#41
MX5J6 said:
One question about heads, I heard somewhere you have to match Ohms, so what if a head is rated at 300w+ at 4 ohms but only like 2XXw at 8 ohms, will I need to find something that is rated at 300w+ at 8 ohms or would 2XXw be fine? that is something I don't really understand.

I ask because I am finding a few cheap Hartke HA3500's rated at 350w@4 Ohms that are only 240w@8 Ohms.
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Go with the Hartke man! My set-up while I was gigging was a Hartke 3500 into an 8ohm Mesa Powerhouse 4x10 and it was more than loud enough to keep up with a vocalist, 2 guitarists, and a drummer...and that was with the volume on 3.

Hartke makes goooooood stuff that can be found way cheap on the used market
 
#44
That's what I was afraid of. I was thinking of building my own cabs as my dad used to build speaker boxes and such a lot when he was younger so I just need to find a head to run a couple of those.
 
#46
OP if you are in a loud band an average 2x10 just won't cut it. A pair makes a versatile rig that should cover just about anything you do.. You'll need to look for 8Ω cabinets unless you go for a 2Ω stable head. The cabinets should also be of the same manufacturer and model. Some amps have dual output channels which means that you can run a cabinet from each channel.
 
#49
OK I think that should work then if I build my own cabs I already made out the measurements I just need to know what else I need? Besides the cab material, mat stuff and subs and tweeters? What kind of input jacks should I look for? Do I need anything besides that?
 
#50
Building your own cabinets is not a simple process. It's not a matter of building an arbitrary box and shoving drivers into it. That just ends up in a crapshoot. The box has to be designed around the parameters of the chosen driver(s). May I suggest you read through the fEARful thread and the other threads covering cabinet construction.
 
#51
MX5J6 said:
OK I think that should work then if I build my own cabs I already made out the measurements I just need to know what else I need? Besides the cab material, mat stuff and subs and tweeters? What kind of input jacks should I look for? Do I need anything besides that?
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You can make a working cab with pretty basic materials, as long as you buy the electronic components like crossovers, connectors and the drivers prebuilt. The design part is pretty tricky, and there is a big difference between a working cab and a really well designed and built one. For free or for a small fee you can get plans that give you great options to build cabs with the current drivers and the like on the market these days.

I'll direct you to a couple of fantastic spaces. My strong recommendation is to study up for a few days before deciding to take the plunge. There's a lot to get right, but the rewards are there.
Here's the greenboy page: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
And the BFM page: http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/
There are a lot of other designers and builders, some of whom supply kits, a little like flat pack furniture - cool idea, but you still need to be fairly handy. Some are on this site and can offer great tips and advice.

I'd still suspect that a second hand hartke or carvin etc. rig will cost less than a lot of self built options - but you shouldn't let the complexity and level of commitment put you off - you may come out with a great cab at the end of it. A lack of good facilities is my primary barrier to building a lot of things.
 
#52
Combos are for convenience, in my experience. They can be heavy, especially if you get a 115 or 212 or even a 410.
The upside is that it's all there for you at once. The downside is that it is hard to mix and match amp with cab. It can be done, since most modern combos have a cab out facility, but then you are just moving another piece of equipment.
I would go used, but as others have said, it sounds like you need a lot more power than your budget suggests.
 
#54
MX5J6 said:
Really looking into JHawk Customs right now, they look pretty amazing. Though I'm not sure I could afford more than one right now. It is a very good option though.
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JHawk Customs are a greenboy authorized builder - which means they can build some serious cabs! Check around for other options if you're looking to keep your budget - not that a serious cab builder like JHawk can't give you awesome cabs, but you'll need a bigger budget if you want to get a full rig if you go the custom route.

Don't eliminate options too early - the decision is yours, and the goal is a good rig pronto if I'm not mistaken. If you can wait a while and are able to save a bit to put towards a earth shaking custom rig (or something close to that :D) that's great - but if you're pretty firm on the budget of $400 in a few weeks and a bit more next year, you may be far better advised to get a used head and cab, or maybe new or b-stock gear but of a slightly lower 'grade' or line - eg. a cheaper version of the cab?

I'd say try out some gear in music stores, carefully peruse the local used market, explore your options with custom building and self-built cabs and see where it takes you.
Keep in mind the timeframe - and be honest with the budget, shop around, and don't go broke if you can help it.
 
#55
Yeah I may just wait till next year like in Feb or march and get something decent since right now my side project is on hiatus until further notice because of family issues and my playing in a band is also on hold for the same reason so right now I'm in no hurry.
 
#56
MX5J6 said:
Yeah I may just wait till next year like in Feb or march and get something decent since right now my side project is on hiatus until further notice because of family issues and my playing in a band is also on hold for the same reason so right now I'm in no hurry.
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That's cool - I had a few months between looking into and getting a capable rig. Hope things work out, keep practicing, rehearsing etc. and if the family stuff gets heavy I recommend speaking to somebody (not that it's any of my business, just a pretty universal suggestion).
 
#57
Thanks I appreciate that. =] I know this isn't the place but since my other thread isn't really getting anymore responses, do you have any opinions on new Fernandes basses? Like the Tremor 5 Deluxe?
 
#58
MX5J6 said:
Will the Hartke HA5500 Be able to power a 4 Ohm 2x10 that is 300w RMS and 900w peak? Or will I need something different? If it can handle one what about two?
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Don't worry about the amp not being able to power the speakers. Unpowering is a myth. The thing you need to worry about is being able to power the speakers safely. That means not running below the minimum ohm rating.

For a metal band I would go with that Hartke head and no less than 2 210s. If your guitarists are running through 412s or drummer is a gorrilla then I'd go with no less than 2 212s, others might disagree. If you go with 210s or 212s stack them vertically; the sound being closer to your ears rather than you knees will increase the percieved volume.
 
#59
MX5J6 said:
Thanks I appreciate that. =] I know this isn't the place but since my other thread isn't really getting anymore responses, do you have any opinions on new Fernandes basses? Like the Tremor 5 Deluxe?
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I'm afraid I've no experience with them - They look pretty cool, I know the G&L and Peavey 5 stringers play really well, and I've heard a fantastic sounding Fender Jazz V - an active version IIRC, I never got to play it though.
 
#60
I really don't know if I want to just buy some cabs, spend a little more and build my own and have something special because I built it or spend a good amount of money and get something really good quality though I will probably be getting a Fernandes Tremor 5. So that will set me back another 1100. I just need to get a decent rig. Hmm. How good would the Headliners do vs say 4 Ohm cabs I'd make myself or something done by JHawk?
 

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