How far can i push my combo amp?

[kombi]

I can't belive it myself, but I haven't found any topic through the search and google...

My question is short and simple: How far can I push my combo amp?

Scenario 1: In most cases, I dont go further than 3/4 with the volume knob and 1/2 with the tone knob (on the amp, not the bass). I'm kinda scared of pushing it too far.

Scenario 2: I plugged a Marshall 4x12 guitar box (wich is not mine) in my combo instead of the build in speaker. I guess my combo-amp-head (Ibanez SWX100, 100watts) is actually a bit too weak for a huge 4x12 amp? Could that damage my amp head or the 4x12 Marshall box?


Help (or links) would be really appreciated since I don't have much knowledge yet when it comes to amps

 

[vin*tone]

About 3 miles.

 

[whitefuneral]

How long is a piece of string?

 

[Kenner]

does it have wheels?

 

[grass132456]

I think combo amps can be pushed further than head and cab, but I'm not sure. Don't try what I'm about to do, but on my Rumble 75, I turned the volume knob ALL the way up. bass knob up to 3 o clock, and turned my active bass volume all the way up just to see how sensitive it was. Before that, I did not know that the cab could bust, but after I tried that, nothing broke but I don't think it is ideal for the amp. It just pushed A LOT of air out. And the slightest movement of the E string (like letting go of muting it) will make it play. And the amp will resonate the string and it will get louder and louder.

 

[Setebos]

Is difficult to say.
I use a combo too and try not to go over 3/4 on volume and gain. My amp EQ is always flat. You need to consider that if you increase your bass knob that only can put a lot of strain on your combo.
I use my combo together with a programmable sansamp. Once I engage the pedal the volume always goes up. But also my combo has a limiter to help not damaging the amp and speaker.
connecting 4x12 as long as they are the right Ohms wont damage the amp but it will be difficult to move them with only 100 watts.
My 160 watts combo barely moved my previous 4x10. Nowadays a have a 2x10 for when I want a bit more volume and a rounder sound.
Another thing, if it distorts is time to go down in volume.

 

[sad_katz]

Depends on how far you live to the nearest cliff.







In all seriousness, listen to the speakers. If it's farting then you need to back down. This is typically either you're pushing the overall volume too far or too much bass boost.

 

[kombi]

About 3 miles.

does it have wheels?

Depends on how far you live to the nearest cliff.
In all seriousness, listen to the speakers. If it's farting then you need to back down. This is typically either you're pushing the overall volume too far or too much bass boost.

Honestly, I love posts like that
And yes, it has wheels

@sad_katz: Hmm, I rarely crank the volume up to the maximum, but when I do, I can never hear a "farting", distortion or similiar things. That said:

... But also my combo has a limiter to help not damaging the amp and speaker. ...

Totally forgot to mention, the Ibanez SWX100 also has an in-build-limiter/compressor. Both, the head and the 4x12 are running on 4 Ohm.

 

[sad_katz]

Keep in mind the Marshall box is not tuned for low frequency. Sending more low frequency than it can handle may damage the speakers. Note that the same applies to bass cabs and any other speakers. And playing alone is never a problem - I plug into a guitar combo at school and it does just fine. The problem comes when you add a drummer and a guitarist. Especially ones that can't control their volume.

Just be mindful about the sound coming out of the speaker cab If it's farting or distorting or generating a generally harsh sound, back off the volume and/or bass knob.

 

[krstko]

combos always have a matching amp and speaker so you won't burn anything at full volume (but it may sound ugly)

 

[bassmachine2112]

Quiet a long distance with wheels,depends on hills if they are up or down.
Down are good cause you can sit on it and use it as a cart-fun time.
Maybe upgrading the wheels to the ones the downhil carters use can get you some more speed and distance.

 

[krstko]

if you use amp for riding it downhill don't put anything else on (my friend had really bad accident, his marshall head went to hell xDD)

 

[JimmyM]

combos always have a matching amp and speaker so you won't burn anything at full volume (but it may sound ugly)

You would think so but it doesn't always work like that. I used to have a combo that had a 300w head but the cab would start farting well before I ran out of clean volume in the head. And I had an Acoustic 100w combo in the 70's that my friend blew the speaker because he turned it up too loud.

Anyway, your ears are your friend in situations like this.

 

[RickenBoogie]

combos always have a matching amp and speaker so you won't burn anything at full volume (but it may sound ugly)

Not even close. Might *seem* like that's how it should be, but no way. As with ANY gear, the speakers are the limiting factor. When pushed too hard, they WILL break. Volume is only part of it, low end eq being a bigger part.

 

[Bass_Pounder]

combos always have a matching amp and speaker so you won't burn anything at full volume (but it may sound ugly)

Not even close...............

In fact alot of combos start to sound terrible the more they are pushed because the cabinets are not really optimized for the speaker inside it due to size constraints.

 

[Downunderwonder]

+1 to everyone saying use your ears. That's harder to do in a band situation than bedroom.

Totally forgot to mention, the Ibanez SWX100 also has an in-build-limiter/compressor. Both, the head and the 4x12 are running on 4 Ohm.

As far as adding an extension speaker, you may be maxed out already. Amps run or die at whatever speaker impedance you give them, so if the combo speaker is 4 ohms that's what it's running at. But if the speaker is 8 ohms you can add another 8 ohm cabinet for more noise @ 4 ohm to the amp.

A 4x12 guitar cab is not advisable for bass, it farted out at very low volume the one time I tried it.

 

[carlos840]

combos always have a matching amp and speaker so you won't burn anything at full volume (but it may sound ugly)

Not so sure! I managed to burn the speaker in my Mesa Walkabout scout without even pushing things that hard!

 

[kombi]

Quiet a long distance with wheels,depends on hills if they are up or down.
Down are good cause you can sit on it and use it as a cart-fun time.
Maybe upgrading the wheels to the ones the downhil carters use can get you some more speed and distance.

Wheel upgrade will be the #1 purchase of next year!!

if you use amp for riding it downhill don't put anything else on (my friend had really bad accident, his marshall head went to hell xDD)

+1 to everyone saying use your ears. That's harder to do in a band situation than bedroom.As far as adding an extension speaker, you may be maxed out already. Amps run or die at whatever speaker impedance you give them, so if the combo speaker is 4 ohms that's what it's running at. But if the speaker is 8 ohms you can add another 8 ohm cabinet for more noise @ 4 ohm to the amp.

"Problem" is, I only have one input for a speaker. So I either plug in the build in speaker or the guitar box.

A 4x12 guitar cab is not advisable for bass, it farted out at very low volume the one time I tried it.

I'd say that any time too, but that Marshall guitar box is veeery Mid-heavy, wich I really like. I mostly run the bass knob at a maximum of 1/2 when I have the guitar box plugged in, because I don't wanne pay for it when it blows

Not so sure! I managed to burn the speaker in my Mesa Walkabout scout without even pushing things that hard!

Yeah, a friend of mine told me something similar. Since then, I got a little careful with my combo.

 

[BogeyBass]

My question is short and simple: How far can I push my combo amp?

I guess my combo-amp-head (Ibanez SWX100, 100watts) is actually a bit too weak for a huge 4x12 amp? Could that damage my amp head or the 4x12 Marshall box?

As far as i can tell your combo has a single 15" speaker. A typical single, low to med cost driver will handle a real world 80 to 150 watts before the sound will be distorted. And heavy bass notes will "fart out" or cause the speaker cone to go into over excursion. So a low cost speaker in the 3mm xmax range will fart around 80 watts and a medium cost speaker in the 4 to 5mm range will fart out around 120 to 150 watts.

So in your cause your real world 80 to 100watt combo amp might not be able to blow that speaker. Since you have turned the volume all the way up and didn't hear a gross amount of distortion. I'd say your somewhat safe. But if it was a 250watt combo it would be capable of blowing a factory type speaker no problem.

As far as the limits of the amp. Its is probably stable down to 4 ohms, and can only assume the single 15 is 8ohms so the amp is really safe at 8ohms. A lower ohm speaker load like 4 or 2 ohms follows ohms law. So a lower impedance will draw more current. More current will cause more heat, and if the output transistors and heatsink cant dissipate enough heat. The amp will overheat and be damaged.

The amp is not to "small" to run a large cabinet or multiple speakers. Speakers work just fine at 1 watt or 10 watts the only thing that kills them is being over powered.
And the biggest killer of amps is heat and running loads that are too low for the amp to remain stable. You could run a 100 speakers with your amp, just as long as it was a 4ohm or higher load. And in fact with low wattage adding more speaker surface area is your best friend to achieve more volume, or more sound pressure.

 

[kombi]

As far as i can tell your combo has a single 15" speaker. A typical single, low to med cost driver will handle a real world 80 to 150 watts before the sound will be distorted. And heavy bass notes will "fart out" or cause the speaker cone to go into over excursion. So a low cost speaker in the 3mm xmax range will fart around 80 watts and a medium cost speaker in the 4 to 5mm range will fart out around 120 to 150 watts.

So in your cause your real world 80 to 100watt combo amp might not be able to blow that speaker. Since you have turned the volume all the way up and didn't hear a gross amount of distortion. I'd say your somewhat safe. But if it was a 250watt combo it would be capable of blowing a factory type speaker no problem.

As far as the limits of the amp. Its is probably stable down to 4 ohms, and can only assume the single 15 is 8ohms so the amp is really safe at 8ohms. A lower ohm speaker load like 4 or 2 ohms follows ohms law. So a lower impedance will draw more current. More current will cause more heat, and if the output transistors and heatsink cant dissipate enough heat. The amp will overheat and be damaged.

The amp is not to "small" to run a large cabinet or multiple speakers. Speakers work just fine at 1 watt or 10 watts the only thing that kills them is being over powered.
And the biggest killer of amps is heat and running loads that are too low for the amp to remain stable. You could run a 100 speakers with your amp, just as long as it was a 4ohm or higher load. And in fact with low wattage adding more speaker surface area is your best friend to achieve more volume, or more sound pressure.

Thanks, I learned a lot here!