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More Power?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by banjo5, Apr 23, 2012.

  1. Apr 23, 2012 #1
    banjo5

    banjo5

    Dec 8, 2009
    Cincinnati
    If Tim Taylor played bass.....

    My cab is a Schroeder 21012L. This weekend, on an outdoor gig I tried 2 new (used) amp heads. An SWR 750X and an SVT-5 Pro. Both heads crush! I think I actually like the SWR tone a little better, but here's the problem. I don't think the 750X is enough power for my band. My guitar player plays through a 30 watt Z-Wreck and a 50 watt Germino. Th eSWR is 750 watts into 4. I had the gain up about 2:00 and the master up aroung 3:00. Still had no distortion or clipping, but I had to be deep into that amps power output capability. The SVT (1100 watts into 4) did better. But I still had her up around the 2:00 mark. Here's the question....
    Do I need more cab to get more volume? I hate to have to get rid of my Schroeder to get a pair 8 ohm cabs. Not to mention lugging both of them them around.
     
  2. Apr 23, 2012 #2
    CL400Peavey

    CL400Peavey

    Nov 7, 2011
    Grand Rapids Michigan
    Try one inside. Playing out side will eat your volume.
     
  3. Apr 23, 2012 #3
    BurningSkies

    BurningSkies CRAZY BALDHEAD

    Feb 20, 2005
    Syracuse NY
    Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
    Yes. Wattage is only one part of the equation to having volume. You can only put so much power into a cab before you reach it's limits and it stops being louder...and you're in the place where you're just causing damage.

    More speakers=added speaker area AND more displacement=more volume. It also ends up giving you more clean headroom.
     
  4. Apr 23, 2012 #4
    RickenBoogie

    RickenBoogie

    Jul 22, 2007
    Dallas, TX
    If more volume is the goal, more speakers is the answer.
     
  5. Apr 23, 2012 #5
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Ya, throwing power at that cab is pointless without more speaker area. The heads may sound better to you and you can use those heads with that cab, but all you're going to do is blow the cab if you try to get more volume out of it.
     
  6. Apr 23, 2012 #6
    Joe Louvar

    Joe Louvar

    Jun 6, 2011
    Santa Rosa, CA USA
    +1. Get two incidental 8 ohm cabinets that you like. I know that’s not what you wanted to read - but ~
     
  7. Apr 23, 2012 #7
    StraightSix

    StraightSix

    Nov 23, 2011
    Doubling driver displacement offers the same increase in volume as quadrupling your power output.
     
  8. Apr 23, 2012 #8
    banjo5

    banjo5

    Dec 8, 2009
    Cincinnati
    That's kind of the "rule of thumb" formula I was looking for. So, based on that (I understand it's not an exact science formula becaused volume is "perceived") if I used 2 4 ohm cabs in series, although the effective power to the cabs would be cut in half, the volume would be doubled. Right?
     
  9. Apr 23, 2012 #9
    CL400Peavey

    CL400Peavey

    Nov 7, 2011
    Grand Rapids Michigan
    No, there isn't much gain in doing that if any.
     
  10. Apr 23, 2012 #10
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Ya dude, CL400 is right. What you gain in speaker area you lose in wattage, so there's no real gain to be had volume-wise.