• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Overloading an Amp?

A

accidentprone13

Dec 29, 2009
55
0
north carolina
#1
I play bass in a drum/bass sludge metal duo, and I use a lot of pedals, but especially a lot of overdrive, reverb and pitch shifter. I'm using a Hartke HA2500 head with one 4x10 right now (I know it's not good for sludge, but I'm making the best with what I have right now) and the overdrive makes the bass sound like it is just way too much for the head. I posted about this a while back thinking I had blown a speaker, but now I know it's definitely just overloading the head.

The HA2500 runs at 175 watts with only one 4x10 plugged in, if I added a second cabinet it would run at 250 watts at 4 ohms. Would that be enough power to handle a really gritty overdrive? Or am I just out of luck until I can find the money to get a new rig?

:help:
 
#2
Adding another cab is well proven to get you more bass for little extra money.

When you say you're sure you're overloading the head I presume when you unplug all your pedals the amp plays clean ok?

That would mean you're overdriving the amp with all your pedals. When this happens your signal clips in a non musical way. Or your overdrive pedal could be making unpleasant noise.

The other way to "overload" it is putting too many cabs on it and overheating it.

"Really gritty overdrive" is independent of the volume and number of cabs. The volume with the amount of low end you want mostly determines how well the rig does it. If you chop out some low end and have no tweeter to worry about the one cab will go stupid loud until it eventually melts the coils. It wouldn't surprise me if you did that already but you you say you haven't so I guess it's a tough one.
 
#3
I think you will be fine, but consider that a 175w SS head can put out over twice that in peaks (350w peak) and your cab likely takes around 400w before fartout would start. So it's possible to blow it, but you should be able to get some crank going before that point. But as always, remember the golden rule for cabs...if it sounds like it's going to explode, it probably will.
 
#4
JimmyM said:
I think you will be fine, but consider that a 175w SS head can put out over twice that in peaks (350w peak) and your cab likely takes around 400w before fartout would start. So it's possible to blow it, but you should be able to get some crank going before that point. But as always, remember the golden rule for cabs...if it sounds like it's going to explode, it probably will.
Click to expand...

Solid advice there at the end! haha.

Downunderwonder said:
Adding another cab is well proven to get you more bass for little extra money.

When you say you're sure you're overloading the head I presume when you unplug all your pedals the amp plays clean ok?

That would mean you're overdriving the amp with all your pedals. When this happens your signal clips in a non musical way. Or your overdrive pedal could be making unpleasant noise.

The other way to "overload" it is putting too many cabs on it and overheating it.

"Really gritty overdrive" is independent of the volume and number of cabs. The volume with the amount of low end you want mostly determines how well the rig does it. If you chop out some low end and have no tweeter to worry about the one cab will go stupid loud until it eventually melts the coils. It wouldn't surprise me if you did that already but you you say you haven't so I guess it's a tough one.
Click to expand...

The clean signal is fine, just checked it yesterday. I really don't think anything is blown or melted, but how would I tell if the coils were melted?
 
#5
The obvious clue is they stop working.

If you notice it gets quieter back off!

If you've stopped playing and they don't make nasty sounds you probably got away with it.

The 9v battery test will show if one stopped working altogether. You can gently push the cones in to feel for scraping on suspicious ones.
 
#9
JimmyM said:
I think you will be fine, but consider that a 175w SS head can put out over twice that in peaks (350w peak) and your cab likely takes around 400w before fartout would start. So it's possible to blow it, but you should be able to get some crank going before that point. But as always, remember the golden rule for cabs...if it sounds like it's going to explode, it probably will.
Click to expand...

Most of the time this assumption is of theoretical nature.

Feeding the amp with "overdrive" signals permanent all along the time I'd point out that the output power of amp cant be higher then 1/3 to 1/2 of the rated power. But if the output power is gained/mastered to higher RMS values probably the cooling system runs eventually into protecting mode due of to much heating losses.


Whereas some random clipping content of signals at "full power" is unsuitable to overload the cooling system of any amps.
 
#11
There's good advice all through this thread. Gonna try backing off the pedals and seeing what that does. I'm also getting a second 4x10 while I'm hope, so hopefully that helps.

However, I am really worried about messing up the cooling system. I don't want to melt the insides and have no idea how to check that haha. Also how I would I go about disconnecting the tweeter?

Thanks everyone, you've all been a huge help.
 
#20
ThisBass said:
That's misunderstanding theoretical nature, or physics.
But never ever anybody did the prove.
Audible clipping kills your sound but not the woofers.
But non audible clipping kills your sound as well, depending on your choice/fashion of listening.
Click to expand...
Sorry mate, I know English isn't your first language, but you never seem to really make a point.

At issue is whether or not a solid state amp will roughly double its power output, 1.4x its rail voltage briefly under a sudden spike of input. I'm told they do, you say they don't.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back