Cabinet under powering?

[madjazzbass]

I have a 700 watt 2x10 8 ohm. cab and a 900 watt Bass head (4 ohms) If I add another exact same cab (1400 watts total); Will I be "Under Powering" my cabs. or is that ridiculous? Is there any risk involved at all to the cabs. or the head? Thanks. btw, it's a Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and a (? soon to be two) Avatar Delta pro 2x10 cab(s) ceramic not neo if it matters at all ...?

 

[dincz]

Will I be "Under Powering" my cabs. or is that ridiculous?

The latter.

Is there any risk involved at all to the cabs. or the head?

Think about it. When you stop playing, there's zero power going to the cab. Does it explode violently?

 

[Passinwind]

There's a whole FAQ for that:

AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links | TalkBass.com

The Cliff Notes version: there is always some risk to your cabs and amps any time you use them. Use your ears and common sense, and if need be, the knowledge from reading through the FAQ that the mods worked so hard to put together. Link Removed

 

[B-string]

There is no 210 in existence that will handle 700 watts rms with bass guitar use, 700 peak is even a stretch. They may handle 200 watts rms of bass guitar each. So you can burn out your cabs from OVER-powering.

 

[Downunderwonder]

There is no 210 in existence that will handle 700 watts rms with bass guitar use, 700 peak is even a stretch. They may handle 200 watts rms of bass guitar each. So you can burn out your cabs from OVER-powering.

this.

Really your biggest risk is feeling safe when you are actually far from it.

 

[iualum]

There's a whole FAQ for that:

AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links | TalkBass.com

The Cliff Notes version: there is always some risk to your cabs and amps any time you use them. Use your ears and common sense, and if need be, the knowledge from reading through the FAQ that the mods worked so hard to put together. Link Removed

Stickies are you friends. Read'em.

 

[iualum]

this.

Really your biggest risk is feeling safe when you are actually far from it.

Also yes. Gotta guard against overconfidence.

 

[iualum]

I have a 700 watt 2x10 8 ohm. cab and a 900 watt Bass head (4 ohms) If I add another exact same cab (1400 watts total); Will I be "Under Powering" my cabs. or is that ridiculous? Is there any risk involved at all to the cabs. or the head? Thanks. btw, it's a Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and a (? soon to be two) Avatar Delta pro 2x10 cab(s) ceramic not neo if it matters at all ...?

You mean with these Delta Pro drivers? These 200 RMS @ 8-ohms 10s (for a 400 RMS @ 4-ohms box)? Or am I missing something (maybe I am)? You won't be "underpowering" anything, a myth anyway. You do risk overpowering, a real/true possibility. Your amp'll send 450 RMS to each 400 RMS cab.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[madjazzbass]

Stickies are you friends. Read'em.

Thank you Sir.

 

[madjazzbass]

The latter.



Think about it. When you stop playing, there's zero power going to the cab. Does it explode violently?

Haaaaaaaaaa!!! No, but I do stand back away from it whenever it's off, just in case.

 

[madjazzbass]

There is no 210 in existence that will handle 700 watts rms with bass guitar use, 700 peak is even a stretch. They may handle 200 watts rms of bass guitar each. So you can burn out your cabs from OVER-powering.

No, The Avatar Delta Pro 10 LF's are "special designed" speakers made especially for Avatar and they're rated at 700 watts for their 2x10 cab. I've heard this directly from Avatar and from others that own the cab.

 

[iualum]

No, The Avatar Delta Pro 10 LF's are "special designed" speakers made especially for Avatar and they're rated at 700 watts for their 2x10 cab. I've heard this directly from Avatar and from others that own the cab.

Do you mean a 212?

 

[Bass_Pounder]

No, The Avatar Delta Pro 10 LF's are "special designed" speakers made especially for Avatar and they're rated at 700 watts for their 2x10 cab. I've heard this directly from Avatar and from others that own the cab.

Regardless............there is NO 2X10 that will handle 700w

 

[madjazzbass]

Regardless............there is NO 2X10 that will handle 700w

Is too (jokingly) Ha!

 

[chaosMK]

If you underpower your cabs they will implode. I've seen it happen a few times.

 

[Omega Monkey]

Oh FFS, how do people even get this crazy idea into their heads? Also yeah, 700 for a 2x10 is EXTREMELY optimistic.

 

[The Chuck]

700 British watts with a 210? Maybe, American watts no.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Some cabs need more power than others to open up and sound good. Perhaps this is where the under powering questions stem from. BUT this is not what you are asking about.

A rule of thumb that I go by is that the RMS speaker capacity should be twice that of the RMS power output capacity of the amp. Boosting the tone settings could put a higher burden on the speakers which might want to make you turn the volume down a bit. With a 900W bass head, I would look for a 1800W speaker cabinet rating.

But you need to listen and use that as your primary gauge.

 

[Bigskybassguy]

100 years ago, my rig was a cheesy Carvin 4x10 under an anemic 200W head. Loud Rock band -- UP my volume knob would go --until that bass distortion out of that cab sounded like I was running a fuzz box from uber-clipping that pussy amp.

Now, in my salad years, I've learnt "more power = clean headroom"... of course that crappy 4x10 box is long gone -- now two fEARfuls under 1500w. Clean as a whistle, and plenty of SPL if I need it.

 

[madjazzbass]

700 British watts with a 210? Maybe, American watts no.

? British watts? What the hell is that?!