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i need help ?????

O

onescreaming

Oct 4, 2005
3
0
42
www.myspace.com
#1
hello im new to the bass world. i was the singer in a band but we lost our bass player so i said that i would fill in and i love it. so it got more intense. well my question is. . .


i have a swr working pro 400 watt head and a swr 4x10 working pro cab. what i need to know is if and when i get a new cab to run 8x10 do i just need to get a biger head or can i get something to up the watts on the head so that it can fill both cabinets???
 
#2
onescreaming said:
hello im new to the bass world. i was the singer in a band but we lost our bass player so i said that i would fill in and i love it. so it got more intense. well my question is. . .


i have a swr working pro 400 watt head and a swr 4x10 working pro cab. what i need to know is if and when i get a new cab to run 8x10 do i just need to get a biger head or can i get something to up the watts on the head so that it can fill both cabinets???
Click to expand...

If you look at the SWR website, note the following.

The working Pro 400 head is rated at 400 watts @ 4 ohms,
250 watts at 8 ohms.

The 4x10 WP can handle 400 watts at 8 ohms.

Basically, what this means is that your bass amp is capable
of delivering 250 max to your 4x10. After that it runs out of
headroom and starts to clip the signal, where speaker damage
can occur.

You could upgrade your head to one that will deliver up to or
higher that 400 watts to the 4x10.

If you add another 4x10 to your rig, together the impedance
of the two 8 ohm cabs is 4 ohms. The head will now deliver
400 watts total to both (200 Watts to each cab). Same clipping issue applies when you run out of headroom.

A good match for 2 cabs would be an amp like the SWR 900.
I recently got one for approx 600 in the classifieds used.

I would go for the amp first, then the second cab.
But you may want to put more thought into it, as the
choice of sound you want affects the direction you move
in, and is certainly beyond the scope of your question.

Welcome to TB, lock up your wallet now... :D
 
#4
onescreaming said:
thanks but what did you mean by the last paragraph or so about direction. the music we play is metal/thrash. i need something with depth but then when i sweep something with clairity. what do you suggest?
Click to expand...

I suggest you post a new thread with a title
"best rig upgrade for SWR for Thrash Metal"
or something like that so you can get responses from people
who are conversant with your tonal needs.

By direction I mean tonal or musical direction. Fill
out your profile with equipment and interests, it helps people help you, particularly people who share your interests.
 
#6
Well, for what it is worth, I find that my 450 watts and two 4x10 cabinets are more than plenty for anywhere I may play here. IMO there is nothing wrong with what you have, take the money you would spend on that 900 head, and look at other areas you may want to upgrade first.
 
#7
I'm the opposite of Thor. I say get the second 410 first. As Hookus has said, it should be plenty loud without ever having to push it too hard.

Ofcourse, it all depends on the size of the venues you are playing. If its small to medium sized gigs, I think the second 410 is all you'll need IMO.

I run my Trace RAH350SMX (350 watts/4 ohms) with a Trace 215 thats rated 400 watts/4 ohms and have never had a problem volume wise.

BTW, welcome to TB! :D
 
#9
Hookus said:
And remember, two cabinets stacked will sound louder than the power rating would let you beleive. Harmonic coupling, I think they call it. Two 4x10 cabs with 450 watts each is pretty darn loud.
Click to expand...

Well sure, but he won't GET 450 watts each.

The amp is rated at 400 watts at 4 ohms, so each cab
if he has 2 will get equal power of 200 watts each peak. Which is PRETTY dammm loud, but the math is not correct to assume the cabs will each get 450.

Just clarifying your point.

As noted by Kelly Lee, a second cab is fine too, it is
kind of what you want to spend money on. You can push
the 8 ohm rig harder, or add a cab for a total system impedance of 4 ohms thus adding power by lowering the impedance. Either solution works.

Ultimately, for the head splitting migraine volume of a F-15 at takeoff I suspect you want, you likely will end up with both if you keep hanging around here.
 
#10
Hookus said:
And remember, two cabinets stacked will sound louder than the power rating would let you beleive. Harmonic coupling, I think they call it. Two 4x10 cabs with 450 watts each is pretty darn loud.
Click to expand...
Its a combination of acoustic coupling making it actually a bit louder on the low end, and the 2nd 4x10 pointing at your head instead of your butt, making it seem louder.

Randy
 

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