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EA IAmp 350 w/40hm B-2?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by JahKnow, Jul 13, 2003.

  1. Jul 13, 2003 #1
    JahKnow

    JahKnow Guest

    Nov 24, 2002
    Santa Barbara, Ca. U.S.A.
    I'm getting an EA 350 combo on Thurs., and I have an Acme B-2 (4 ohm.) with a blown speaker. The head of the 350 slides out, so I have the option of using this as an alternate set up if I get the Acme fixed.
    My question is, will the 350 be enough power for the B-2, or should I sell it and get a 4 ohm B-1?
    Anyone tried either combination?
    PEACE!!!!!, Johno!
     
  2. Jul 13, 2003 #2
    Richard Lindsey

    Richard Lindsey Supporting Member

    Mar 25, 2000
    SF Bay Area
    If the amp isn't enough power for you with the B-2, then getting a B-1 would be an even worse idea, because you would get *less* volume for the same power.

    As always, everything depends on how loud you need to be. If you don't need to be that loud, the EA should be fine and sound good.
     
  3. Jul 14, 2003 #3
    JahKnow

    JahKnow Guest

    Nov 24, 2002
    Santa Barbara, Ca. U.S.A.
    Its not really a question of not being loud enough, Acme's are known for "farting out" if they are under powered. I'm wanting to know if anyone has tried this combination so I can decide if it is worth getting the B-2 fixed, or sell it as is and get a B-1.
    PEACE!!!!!, Johno!
    .
     
  4. Jul 14, 2003 #4
    Richard Lindsey

    Richard Lindsey Supporting Member

    Mar 25, 2000
    SF Bay Area
    No, that's not really what happens. I think you misunderstand the whole "underpowering" thing. (I have a B-2 BTW.) It's not that the cabinet farts out when it's "underpowered," it's that the *amp* distorts because it's being worked too hard, because the low efficiency of the Acme means you have to turn it up too high to get a given volume. Now, the B-1 is 3 dB less efficient than the B-2. This means that you need *twice* as much power to get the same volume you would have had with the B-2. In other words, you would have to turn the amp up *higher* with the B-1, which means you would be *more* likely to get the farting sound with the B-1 than with the B-2!

    This underpowering the cab myth just won't go away. There's no such thing as underpowering a cab. You can feed 1 watt into an Acme and it won't fart *if you're not overdriving the amp*. You can only be underpowered *for your gig*, which means that you can't get your desired volume without overstraining your gear. As I said, to get a given volume with a B-1, you would have to push your amp *harder* than you would with a B-2 and thus would be more, not less, likely to have a problem.

    Please don't think i'm going off on you personally; I'm trying to help. The reason this underpowering myth gets my goat is precisely that it can make people think they ought to do exactly the wrong thing--like get a smaller, less efficient cab to avoid clipping when that's the *last* thing they should do to achieve that.
     
  5. Jul 14, 2003 #5
    JahKnow

    JahKnow Guest

    Nov 24, 2002
    Santa Barbara, Ca. U.S.A.
    So, in your opinion, would the EA/B-2 combo work?PEACE!!!!!, Johno
     
  6. Jul 14, 2003 #6
    Richard Lindsey

    Richard Lindsey Supporting Member

    Mar 25, 2000
    SF Bay Area
    Sure! That should sound great. As long as you don't play loud enough that you have to push the amp too hard. It's not really about the ratio of the amp power to the cab rating as much as it is about the ratio of the power you have available to the power you need to get your desired volume in your situation.
     
  7. Jul 14, 2003 #7
    JahKnow

    JahKnow Guest

    Nov 24, 2002
    Santa Barbara, Ca. U.S.A.
    I guess my main concern w/this combination is portability. It would be mainly for practice @ home, or quiet practice w/Jazz combo. For everything else I would use the EA combo w/or w/out the ext. cab (CXL-110).
    I am also looking for a different tone. I really love the way the Acme's sound, and I was always under the assumption that the "gas" problem was w/the Acme's. Thanks for clearing that up.:)
    I haven't even heard the EA set up yet (I get it Thurs.), and I may just decide to stick w/it, and sell the B-2. I'd hate to see it go. When powered right they sure do sound GOOOOOD! I think my best sounding rig ever, was a Fafner w/2 4 ohm. B-2's. Great tone.
    Don't know why I have this NEED to always be changing my set up!
    PEACE!!!!!, Johno!