Ampeg PF 800 enough power for 2 2x12 Orange SP speaker cabs?

[jimibrowncat]

Hi just joined so I can get people's opinions about the capability of the PF 800 which I just bought and am loving but I haven't plugged into speakers just used on headphones.

Because I drive a hatchback with a small boot the only options are small cabs and the Orange will fit but I'm worried that I'm about to outlay 2k+ AUD and find that the head won't be able to power so I'm heard above my drummer. The SP speakers are 600 rms per cab 8 OMS and PF 800 is 400 watts at 8 OMS and 800 at 4 OMS. Has anyone plugged something similar and what happened?

 

[sharkbait130]

You should have no problem at all being heard above your drummer with this set up. If you really crank it , your drummer will have to worry about being heard over you.
Both cabs run in parallel (the only way they will hook up without special wiring) will be running at 4 ohms so you will be getting the full 800 watt capability out of the head. Each cab will be pushing 1/2 of those watts so 400 to each cab. Even though the cabs are rated at 600 watts , you can still hurt the speakers if you push it too hard. Use your ears and if it sounds like you are hurting the speakers , you probably are. However , with this set up if you are hurting those speakers you are probably damaging your ears too. This will get you easily into earplug territory. If you are playing that loud , use earplugs. Tinnitus sucks.

 

[jimibrowncat]

Thanks I heard that the Orange SP series needs a lot of power to get them loud. Something to do with the isobaric factor.

You should have no problem at all being heard above your drummer with this set up. If you really crank it , your drummer will have to worry about being heard over you.
Both cabs run in parallel (the only way they will hook up without special wiring) will be running at 4 ohms so you will be getting the full 800 watt capability out of the head. Each cab will be pushing 1/2 of those watts so 400 to each cab. Even though the cabs are rated at 600 watts , you can still hurt the speakers if you push it too hard. Use your ears and if it sounds like you are hurting the speakers , you probably are. However , with this set up if you are hurting those speakers you are probably damaging your ears too. This will get you easily into earplug territory. If you are playing that loud , use earplugs. Tinnitus sucks.

 

[bassmachine2112]

You will get noticed that,s for sure.

 

[JimmyM]

You can power cabs with one watt. 800w will be more than plenty. There is no such thing as underpowering a cab. They don't have a minimum requirement.

 

[Mystic Michael]

The SP speakers are 600 rms per cab 8 OMS and PF 800 is 400 watts at 8 OMS and 800 at 4 OMS. Has anyone plugged something similar and what happened?

Don't be so concerned about trying to match up the power handling rating of the cabs with the power output rating of the amp. That may be necessary in the guitar world, where the norm is to crank the amp to "10", matched to a cab(s) with speakers that break up harmonically at the appropriate overall volume for the gig or session. In the bass world, it just means that you're unlikely (though it's not impossible) to blow out the drivers when you turn up. The key distinction is that in the bass world, you generally don't need to overdrive either the amp or the speakers for tonal purposes, whereas with guitar you often do.

With bass, the tones and timbres you set at low volume will typically scale up to high volume, more or less in linear manner - without the volume level itself changing the quality of the sound very much. Your master volume control is just to make it all louder.

MM

 

[Bassmann79]

Just to make it clear, I have the PF-800 as well and it works for me. It is actually 800 watts @ 4 ohms and 400 watts @ 8 ohms