GK 400RB Watts?

[_jojo_bass]

I've been looking for a new head. I wanted something classic and professional sounding. I found the GK 400RB head and Ive heard sound samples that blew my mind. Its only 280 watts though. That's not very loud at all. How do people get a lot of clean volume from a low wattage amp?

 

[cableguy]

The 400RB is 200 @4 ohm and the 400RB-IV is 280 @ 4 ohm. If you have a 4 ohm 4X10 or 8X10 cab it will get pretty damn loud. Through an 8 Ohm 1x15 not so much, for my band at least. They're great heads if they meet your volume requirements. The 400RB also doen't have a built in DI. The 400RB-IV does.

 

[will33]

Watts don't make volume, speakers do. Yeah, the 400rb is a great amp. Sort of like a little brother to the 800. Through an efficient (high spl) cab, they can get plenty loud. As with most GK's, they're real watts, with oomph behind them. Sound more powerful than a lot of stuff labelled 200 watts. A blues jam I used to go to now and then around here, the house rig was a 400rb and a Dietz 215. That's basically a pair of EV tl606's in one box loaded with 15L's. High spl, loud speakers. It was plenty.

 

[_jojo_bass]

I thought if you had a head running at 4ohms you needed a 8ohm cabinet to piggyback with?

 

[DerTeufel]

I thought if you had a head running at 4ohms you needed a 8ohm cabinet to piggyback with?

You either need ONE 4 ohm cabinet or TWO 8 ohm cabinets.

 

[_jojo_bass]

If I had the 4ohm head, got a 4ohm 4x10 cab, I would need a new 4x10 cab to add a 1x15?

 

[DerTeufel]

The head can either run at 4 ohms or 8 ohms. If you already have a 4 ohm cab, you can't add anymore cabinets. You would need to get an 8 ohm 410 to add an 8 ohm 1x15.

Side note, you'd be better off with two 8 ohm 410's vs a 410 and a 115.

 

[_jojo_bass]

THANKS FOR ANSWERING MY NO KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS BASS MEN!!!

 

[will33]

amps send power, speakers recieve it. You can chain along as many speakers as you want as long as you don't end up below 4 ohms. Usually, this means one 4ohm cab or two 8ohm cabs. Usually the two 8ohms cabs is better/louder.

 

[srayb]

I've been using a 400RB for many years. Plug it into a 4-ohm cabinet and it is plenty loud enough. Used it on many gigs with a Peavey 1516 (4-ohms). Sounds great.

 

[Downunderwonder]

200w is plenty to rock a good sized bar with good cabs. Extremist metal with no consideration for anyone's hearing excepted.

 

[agreatheight]

I played the original 400RB for maybe 3 or 4 years with no real need for any more volume. With a 4x10 it'll do most small or medium stages, with more speakers it'll handle medium so large stages. Cavernous stages and outdoor you might need more.

 

[_jojo_bass]

If I got the 700RB with a 4x10. It will be louder.

 

[johnnynitro]

I had a GK400rb with a Hartke 4x10 Always had more than enough power !

 

[Downunderwonder]

If I got the 700RB with a 4x10. It will be louder.

Just a little. Speakers convert amp voltage into sound. There's a limit to the useful amount of sound you can get out of one cab. Two cabs on the 400 is louder than one driven to an inch of its life by 700.

 

[tjh]

... or, you could look into a GK 800RB with the 4 ohm 410 ... that would be 300 very loud watts into the 410 ... and, if you found you ever needed more you could look for a (matching) 8 ohm 210, and run that off the 2nd power amp in the 800 to increase your set-up to a 400 watt 610 ...

...

 

[Dave W]

If I got the 700RB with a 4x10. It will be louder.

If by louder, you mean more wattage. Yes.

As mentioned many times, wattage does not = volume. Example? The Ampeg SVT (that many people think is insanely loud) is "only" 300 watts.

 

[Govier966]

400 rb+4 ohm 2X12=happy me! I feel the GIVE technology in gk RB amps provides both great volume and a juicy tone.

 

[Eckie]

I had the 1x15 combo version and it was plenty loud enough even for medium sized halls. Sometimes I added a 2x10 and it was even better and so deep.
Unless you're playing very big halls or outdoors, the RB400 should be fine.

 

[throbgod13]

the 400RB is quite powerful.. find a good cab(s) to match with it.. the GK Neo 412 in 4 ohm would be a really good match..