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BH550 into a 250w 4ohm cab?

F

frenfrins

Dec 7, 2012
110
44
#1
Hi, I'm thinking about buying a new head, at this moment I'd like a TC BH550. I would like to know if it can be safe to use it with a 115 250w 4ohm cab that I have from a combo that I currently have in one of the rehearsal rooms (I have another cab, more powerful, but I want to keep it for another band and also for gigs, and don't like to move it from one place to another).
Will it be safe to use it or is it too much 550w head into 250w cab?
I've readen messages about similar situations telling "use your ears to know how much to push" but want to be sure, as there must be a limit to do that.
 
#2
At the risk of repeating what you've already heard said, if something doesn't sound right...
image.jpeg

That being said, I think there is a big difference in using your ears to know how hard to push vs using them to know when to back off.
 
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#7
Any idea what the amp and cab are rated in besides just "watts"? Watts RMS, program or peak? Otherwise the ratings are pretty useless.

In a nutshell, RMS x 2 = Program, and Program x 2 = Peak. You can extrapolate the amp and speaker rating to find common ground and get an idea of the health risks, if any. So, 500 WRMS x 2 = 1000 W Program. 1000 W program = 2000 W Peak.

Nothing against TC amps, but the specs in the manual might as well be printed on toilet paper so they can be useful. That just means you might have to dig to find out. I didn't look up the cab or scour the TC website.
 
#10
BadExample said:
Wazzat?

I'm just saying you can't compare apples to oranges. Unspecified is unknown. It's not a good idea to grossly mismatch the wattage ratings. Right now that is unknown and could be off by a factor of four.
Click to expand...
APM? Amp Power Measurement?
Amp power claims/printed specs are pretty much like the Wild West.
Ain't no sheriff in town. Everyone does what ever they want.
 
#11
Gotcha! Thanks. Google said All Pork Meat, All People are Meat (from a Papa New Guinea website), etc. I don't agree with the wild west theory 100%, but agree there are differences between manufacturers. The differences should be stated, but often are not, and that's where the lack of sheriff is a problem :D I will discontinue the Wattage discussion, unless OP has the desire to find his truth in the matter, in which case I will post white papers from reputable speaker manufacturers. Shall we discuss overhead :laugh::D:laugh:
 
#12
What if I use a cable from BH550's balanced output into the combo's effect return?
That way I could use the preamp of the TC head and the power amp of the combo, so I won't need to worry about damaging the cab, is it right?
 
#16
frenfrins said:
What if I use a cable from BH550's balanced output into the combo's effect return?
That way I could use the preamp of the TC head and the power amp of the combo, so I won't need to worry about damaging the cab, is it right?
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be condescending, but I think you're making this way more complicated than it needs to be. You got your answer from @Old Garage-Bander in the first thread response...

Q: Can I use a 550 watt amp with a cabinet rated as handling 250 watts, without damaging the speaker?

A: Yes, but you should listen for any signs of distress from the speaker, and back off, should you hear any.

That's pretty much it.

You have numbers and labels and you have the practical reality of using gear. Being aware of signs of distress from speakers is something that you should do regardless of concerns about power mismatches...it's not like someone should sit by with a speaker farting, distorting, the cone traveling like crazy, possibly a faint burning smell and just ignore it saying "Yeah, I see, smell and hear that, but it's okay; this is a 500 watt amp and the speaker is rated at 600 watts!"

Another practical reality of using gear is that power ratings are maximums/limits that are intended to address potential, not operating constants. Because an amp has a rated maximum of 500 watts does not mean that whenever that amp is being used, the output is 500 watts. The way that the relationship between power (in this case, wattage) and loudness works, if a given amp reaches its maximum capacity for loudness at 500 watts, at 50% of its potential loudness, the power is about 50 watts...at 75% of its potential loudness, the output is about 200 watts.

The bottom line is that it doesn't really matter what those numbers and labels say, because they don't override what you hear and see (and sometimes smell).
 
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#18
Hi again, I tried Balanced output to FX return, but didn't like the result, I cannot get enough volume this way.
Is it possible to connect to the Aux in input in the second amp (banlanced output to FX return)? Will it be better?

I tried also the "use your ears way", connecting straight to the speaker and not bypassing the second amp, sounds ok, but again, it makes me worry about damaging the speaker, last rehearsal was loud, and I don't feel confortable.

Thank you so much for all your help
 
#19
frenfrins said:
Hi again, I tried Balanced output to FX return, but didn't like the result, I cannot get enough volume this way.
Is it possible to connect to the Aux in input in the second amp (banlanced output to FX return)? Will it be better?

I tried also the "use your ears way", connecting straight to the speaker and not bypassing the second amp, sounds ok, but again, it makes me worry about damaging the speaker, last rehearsal was loud, and I don't feel confortable.

Thank you so much for all your help
Click to expand...
Be sure you're not getting balanced and unbalanced mixed together without appropriate interfaces.
Mixing works with chocolate and peanut but but not in audio.
FX loops, aka Send/Return on amps are are usually unbalanced.
Balanced output to unbalanced input can lose you half you signal if you just plug them together. Just because the plugs fits the Jacks at both ends of the cable does not automatically make the signals compatible.
You usually need an audio transformer between bal and unbal signals. This gets you the full balances signal out and can help to avoid hum problems too.
 

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