For example, could I hook a head up to a 2x10 and then add a power amp to power a seperate 4x10 (or what ever cab).
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Is it possible to hook a head up to a power amp?
- Thread starter FighttheSilence
- Start date
As long as whatever head you are using has a "line out"
It must be line level output (not a speaker out).
It must be line level output (not a speaker out).
You can run an effects "Send" from your head to another poweramp, or a "Line-Out". Both will be Line-Level signal that power amp can use. The power amp will amplify the preamp signal from your head- same EQ, etc.
My SM-400 has several ways to do something like this, many amps are connectible in similar ways.
Righty-O there, don't run a speaker output to you external power amp!
My SM-400 has several ways to do something like this, many amps are connectible in similar ways.
Righty-O there, don't run a speaker output to you external power amp!
Some players use the lightweight heads like the Shuttle 6, as preamps to power amps. I always wanted to do this with my MarkBass F1, but could never figure out the right way to do it.
You can run an effects "Send" from your head to another poweramp, or a "Line-Out". Both will be Line-Level signal that power amp can use. The power amp will amplify the preamp signal from your head- same EQ, etc.
My SM-400 has several ways to do something like this, many amps are connectible in similar ways.
Righty-O there, don't run a speaker output to you external power amp!
Yup - most amps with an effects loop can be used that way - you run the effects send into the additional amp, using it as a slave amp - and control both amps from the head...
- georgestrings
I don't think there is a right way to do it with the F1. Markbass heads (at least the F1 and LMII/III) have their loops in front of the preamp so you can't defeat it or send it out to another amp through the loop.
so i would hook all the cabs through the head, not the power amp, right? And how would Ohms work, my head is a superfly, so it has to use 4 ohm cabs. So say I get a 800watt per side @ 4 ohms power amp, would I add the 250 watts a side to the total making it 1050 watts a side @ 4 ohms. Or would the ohms go down to 2 because the head is 4 and the power is 4?
That's not it, the amp's power and the power amp's power are separate. Say you had an amp that pushes 400 watts at 4 ohms, and you had that hooked up to a 4 ohm 2x10. But you want to add a 4 ohm 4x10, and your head can't do 2 ohms safely... that's where you run a line from your amp's line out/effect send, into the input of a power amp, and then connect your 4 ohm cab to the power amp.
NO NO NO
The power amp DOES NOT send increased power back to your head.
You would hook up cabs to your Superfly based upon the Superfly's limits (2 X 4 ohms)
Any additional cabs get connected to the output of your power amp.
- OR -
Use your Superfly as the preamp, and connect all your cabs to your power amps output which will more than likely have a much higher output than the Superfly.
Actually, the di is post eq on the FI, but has little output compared to the effects send, which, unfortuneatly is pre eq.
Can I pop in here? To the OP: If you run the send from your head to the power amp, then you hook up your cabs according to the requirements of the power amp- because that is what will be feeding the cabs, not your head. Your head will send a preamp-type line input to the power amp. You are effectively separating your head into two discrete parts- because the new separate power section gives you more power in this case. Get it?
So: Send (from head) > power amp > speakers. Therefore the power amp's requirements for speaker load must be observed- not the head's requirements.
(I was pulled away for a few minutes, so I don't know if this has been answered before I posted, possibly making all this verbiage redundant...)
So: Send (from head) > power amp > speakers. Therefore the power amp's requirements for speaker load must be observed- not the head's requirements.
(I was pulled away for a few minutes, so I don't know if this has been answered before I posted, possibly making all this verbiage redundant...)
this question tells me that sorry, you don't have the faintest idea what a power amp actually does, and you'll likely blow up your gear if you try any of this yourself.
get someone who actually knows this stuff to show you how to hook it up.
the one rule that might keep you out of trouble is this: speaker outs only go to speakers!
Hi.
This.
Additionally, when You get someone to connect them for you, make sure that they explain the wiring thoroughly and also make sure that you understand how and why it's connected as it is. The reason behind this is that it's extremely rare that all the cords will be connected forever. At some point in time someone will remove some and then You're back at square one.
While internet is a great place to get solid information from, it's also a place which can lead to: "Oh, so You had THAT set-up, well in that case you're SOL".
It's much easier face to face. NOT that it's a foolproof method either.
Regards
Sam
this question tells me that sorry, you don't have the faintest idea what a power amp actually does, and you'll likely blow up your gear if you try any of this yourself.
get someone who actually knows this stuff to show you how to hook it up.
the one rule that might keep you out of trouble is this: speaker outs only go to speakers!
This.
Additionally, when You get someone to connect them for you, make sure that they explain the wiring thoroughly and also make sure that you understand how and why it's connected as it is. The reason behind this is that it's extremely rare that all the cords will be connected forever. At some point in time someone will remove some and then You're back at square one.
While internet is a great place to get solid information from, it's also a place which can lead to: "Oh, so You had THAT set-up, well in that case you're SOL".
It's much easier face to face. NOT that it's a foolproof method either.
Regards
Sam
The guys who posted previously have a point. But if you're going to attempt it yourself, you are going to need to take your time. Do not hurry or jump ahead on this. Read this here slowly, and picture it. Then go look at your head, power amp and cables.
Lay it all out visually before you plug stuff in. Make sure all the power is off to everything- in fact keep it all un-plugged from the wall outlet as you go through this. Double-check everything before you connect it all to power.
It may seem over-the-top, but a little overkill might save you here.
Your speaker cabs are going to be connected from the power amp. No speakers are coming from you head. This is important!
You're going to plug your bass into the head. That's easy, so let's get it over with...
Now connect a patch cable (not a speaker cable, but a shielded guitar/instrument type cable, a short one) from the Effects Send... or Line-Out jack... on the back panel of your head to the Input on your power amp's back panel. Do Not use the Peaker Out jacks on the head to connect to the power amp. Be sure of this or you will lose your gear.
Your head is now connected to your power amp.
Connect your speakers from the Speaker Out jacks on the power amp... to the speaker cabs.
No speakers are connected to the head, only to the power amp.
You now have a chain of signal from your bass, through your head, to your power amp. The chain ends with the speaker cabs.
After you're done and you consider what you have, it will begin to come off as very simple. But don't screw it up!!
Make sure all the "Power" switches on everything is in the "Off" position. Then plug your gear into the wall outlet.
Here's the order of turning your equipment "On":
1) Bass head ("Pre amp").
2) Power amp.
Here's the order of turning your equipment "Off":
1) Power amp.
2) Bass head ("Pre amp").
Now that I've written all this, go over to this page and read. Again, you're not in a hurry. The two best reasons I know to not hurry are 1) there's a power tool in your hand, and 2) you're hooking up electrical instrument gear.
Post back and tell us you didn't blow yourself up!
Dude, we just don't want to see you get hurt or lose your amp.
yeah go read a bunch of the amp FAQs to get yer head straight (no pun intended)
but....
a head is a preamp and a poweramp all in one. Generally if you want to use a poweramp as well it means your head isn't powerful enough or won't run enough cabs for you.
like they said, you need a head that has a line out and/or a post eq effects send jack. Some heads have a headphone out jack you can use as a line out (e.g., eden). Sometimes a head will have an XLR DI out that is hot enough to run a poweramp that has an XLR input.
If you use a head with a headphone out jack as the only "line out" to a poweramp then the master volume of the head will be part of the volume control to the poweramp. In all the other cases the master volume will have no effect on the signal going into the poweramp.
like they also said, DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUT OF YOUR HEAD INTO THE INPUT OF THE POWER AMP AND DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUT OF THE POWERAMP INTO THE HEAD.
your head has a 4 ohm minimum requirement, so you can only use one 8 ohm cab, two 8 ohm cabs or one 4 ohm cab with it out of it's own speaker jacks.
A poweramp will have its own rating that will not interact in any way with the wattage or impedance requirements of your head.
So, you can run a line out or post eq effects send to a poweramp, use the gain and eq on your head, leave the master volume of your head alone, plug nothing into the speaker out jacks of your head, and plug your speakers into the speaker outs of the poweramp. the input gain knobs on the poweramp will act as master volumes for each side (more or less). If you have a ton of cabs you can plug other cabs into your head's speaker outs and use the master volume of the head to control their volume (don't do this if you're using a headphone out jack on the head as a line out).
AND, DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUTS OF THE HEAD AND THE POWERAMP INTO THE SAME SPEAKER - DONT PLUG BOTH SIDES OF THE POWERAMP's SPEAKER OUTS INTO THE SAME SPEAKER EITHER.
now go read a bunch of the faqs..........
but....
a head is a preamp and a poweramp all in one. Generally if you want to use a poweramp as well it means your head isn't powerful enough or won't run enough cabs for you.
like they said, you need a head that has a line out and/or a post eq effects send jack. Some heads have a headphone out jack you can use as a line out (e.g., eden). Sometimes a head will have an XLR DI out that is hot enough to run a poweramp that has an XLR input.
If you use a head with a headphone out jack as the only "line out" to a poweramp then the master volume of the head will be part of the volume control to the poweramp. In all the other cases the master volume will have no effect on the signal going into the poweramp.
like they also said, DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUT OF YOUR HEAD INTO THE INPUT OF THE POWER AMP AND DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUT OF THE POWERAMP INTO THE HEAD.
your head has a 4 ohm minimum requirement, so you can only use one 8 ohm cab, two 8 ohm cabs or one 4 ohm cab with it out of it's own speaker jacks.
A poweramp will have its own rating that will not interact in any way with the wattage or impedance requirements of your head.
So, you can run a line out or post eq effects send to a poweramp, use the gain and eq on your head, leave the master volume of your head alone, plug nothing into the speaker out jacks of your head, and plug your speakers into the speaker outs of the poweramp. the input gain knobs on the poweramp will act as master volumes for each side (more or less). If you have a ton of cabs you can plug other cabs into your head's speaker outs and use the master volume of the head to control their volume (don't do this if you're using a headphone out jack on the head as a line out).
AND, DONT PLUG THE SPEAKER OUTS OF THE HEAD AND THE POWERAMP INTO THE SAME SPEAKER - DONT PLUG BOTH SIDES OF THE POWERAMP's SPEAKER OUTS INTO THE SAME SPEAKER EITHER.
now go read a bunch of the faqs..........
...So, you can run a line out or post eq effects send to a poweramp, use the gain and eq on your head, leave the master volume of your head alone, plug nothing into the speaker out jacks of your head, and plug your speakers into the speaker outs of the poweramp. the input gain knobs on the poweramp will act as master volumes for each side (more or less). If you have a ton of cabs you can plug other cabs into your head's speaker outs and use the master volume of the head to control their volume (don't do this if you're using a headphone out jack on the head as a line out)...
...now go read a bunch of the faqs..........
Just to help isolate pieces of info.
I will read the amp FAQs
I will read the amp FAQs
I will read the amp FAQs...
Coming from someone who has needed to read the amp FAQs...
This is OK for a solid state head, but you should never, never, never, never run a tube head without a load attached.
This is in the FAQs (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=555241) but I thought it worth repeating here.
I don't know why you keep telling the OP NOT to plug any speakers into his Superfly head ?
He certainly CAN run cabs off of the Superfly AND off of the power amp.
More than likely he does not have enough power from the Superfly (hence the need for the power amp) and will only use the power amp, but if the OP has enough cabs, there is no reason he cannot run cabs off of both.
I think the point many of us are making is to make sure he understands the signal-flow employed here. It sounds like he doesn't quite have his ducks in a row in this regard and that can be a problem. It's not that he can't do that, but we're all just kind of policing it! No offenses meant, but no presumptions are being made either.
What if he were to write back saying he'd toasted his amp? Then we'd maybe feel a little remiss...
EDIT: We didn't say that (I don't think)- just that he can't go to another power amp from the Superfly's speaker-out.
