Sunn Coliseum Slave

[bassdie]

So here's the deal. My band recently downsized from two guitars to one so we're trying to beef our sound up with just one guitarist. I (bass) currently run an Orange AD200 into an Emperor 2x15 and our guitarist runs an Orange Thunderverb 100 into an old Ampeg V4 Cabinet.

Enter the Colisuem slave we bought a while back with intentions of using it for a PA. Our new idea is to slave (or preamp out) my guitarists Orange Rockerverb 100 to the slave.

So my basic question is what impedance will work with this thing? Also will a standard 4x12 be enough or are we looking at a fridge/2x15 situation here?

Our other thought is to run a V4 instead of the slave.

PS: yes we are a sludge/doom band.

 

[will33]

Guitarist has 2 amps, a Rockerverb and a Thunderverb?

FYI, tube amps need a load (speaker) on them. Don't just run one with no speaker attached, only using it as a preamp.

Guitarist could easily slave one to the other with a cab on each.

You could do the same, slaving your Orange to the Sunn plus another cab.


I'm glad I'm not in a doom band.

 

[nashvillebill]

That Coliseum should run into a 4 ohm load fine, I would not run it into a 2 ohm load. (Of course it will work ok with an 8 ohm load)

It's a very old amp and should have its electrolytic caps replaced--basic service for a 40 year old amp.

 

[scowboy]

Get your 70's and very early 80's John Entwistle on man!

 

[1960jbass]

I thought Sunn amps went all the way down to 2 ohms. My old Concert Bass ran down to 2 ohms.

 

[tjh]

I had the silver face Colliseum bass head in the early 70's, and that ran @ 2 ohms no problem ... would the slave amp be different?

 

[Slade N]

my Coliseum ran 2 ohm no sweat, all night...would think the slave would too

 

[nashvillebill]

They claim the Concert and Coliseum would run 2 ohms, but looking at the heat sinking on those amps, 2 ohms is really tempting fate IMHO. There isn't adequate heat sinking. In the case of the Concert, the Lead and Bass are similar; they're running 4 output transistors, 2N3055's.

Asking them to supply enough current to handle 2 ohms is really running those devices out of their Safe Operating Area with such poor heat sinking, IMHO. A lot of folks got away with it but that's really pushing the envelope for those devices.

 

[will33]

I used to get away with doing lots of things I wasn't supposed to do, but I would defer to nashvillebill on the 2 ohm thing. He's a real actual tech and that's a 40 year old amp.

 

[Slevage]

I've got an AB Precedent 1100 that I don't use any more. Used to use one side @4 ohms for FOH subs and the other side for 4 paralleled monitors (2 ohm load).

I've had it on Connecticut CL a few times for $200. No bites. Still for sale.

 

[waltdogg]

Maybe when those amps were brand new they could handle a 2 ohm load, but after 40 years of use and maybe some abuse they can't handle the 2 ohm load anymore. Not saying they ever really could; you find burnt out Sunns and Acoustics all the time that were run on 2 ohms or less. With one of your tube amps plugged into an appropriate speaker load and the Slave connected to a 4 ohm speaker load, run the pre-amp out jack from your Orange to the Sunn's power-amp or line-in jack. Standby your tube amp and power up the Slave. Your cab choice will simply be whatever sounds best augmenting your or your guitar player's current speaker cabinet. Since the Slave is stable at 4 ohms and solid state you'll need a 4 ohm speaker load to get as close to full power as possible out of the Slave. This could mean using just one 4 ohm cab or up to four 16 ohm cabs; ridiculous? Yes, but hey if you can, why not? And it's definitely better than just the one, maybe two cabs you're connecting to with some of the Orange 100 watt guitar heads that are 8 ohms minimum.