SWR Basic 350 not lound enough

[Axtman]

I have been gigging with an older (discontinued) SWR Basic 350 (red face model). My cabinet is a Epifani 310. I can't find the specs for the older SWR model but assume it to be 350W for 4 ohms. My cabinet is 5.3 ohms (three 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel). Anyhow my SWR limit light is going on and staying on. I can hear the some distortion in my sound when playing loud parts. So I am thinking of using a GK 1001RBII next time.

 

[snyderz]

Kewl.

 

[EricJ]

I think three 8 ohm speakers in parallel is 2.7 ohms. Three 16 ohm speakers would give 5.3 ohms. So if they're really 8 ohm speakers, maybe that's the problem.

 

[Axtman]

EricJ you are correct! I did a quick calc and 5.3 works out to be two 8 ohm speakers in series (16 ohms) then in parallel with a single 8 ohm speaker.

 

[EricJ]

Yeah but the thing is really 5.3 ohms, so dumb idea!

 

[Jim Carr]

Quick fixes:

Put the cab on a stand.
Add compression and boost the input signal a lot.
Be sure the preamp gain is as high as possible.
Don't use the enhance (suque knob), and keep the bass at noon or lower.
Boost Mids.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

Quick fixes:

Put the cab on a stand.
Add compression and boost the input signal a lot.
Be sure the preamp gain is as high as possible.
Don't use the enhance (suque knob), and keep the bass at noon or lower.
Boost Mids.

What HE said. I used to own a 350 head and liked it's sound a lot, but it didn't have much headroom. Follow the above advice and if it's still not loud enough, well, enjoy your hearing now.

 

[Axtman]

EricJ,

Why do you think it is a dumb idea?

 

[LeonD]

How do you have the eq set up? If you major boost the bass or low mids, you'll use up all your headroom.

Also, do you have the gain set to where the red light starts to light?

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Yeah but the thing is really 5.3 ohms, so dumb idea!

There is no way that cab is under 4 ohms - Epi couldn't sell it like that.

I think the problem is more likely that his amp is old and is doing what old amps sometimes do...

 

[Myth_103]

I've never had any luck with SWR heads giving me enough headroom. Unless you just love the sound, I'd suggest getting another amp. Their cabinets are quite nice, though.

 

[waleross]

Time for Ampeg !!!

 

[Jaco who?]

Epi UL310's have three 16Ω B&C's in parallel. Two 8Ω in series with another parallel 8Ω would result in one driver working harder than the rest, not an ideal scenario, although one notorious "custom" (Dr. Bass, cough cough) cab maker does it that way.

I never get why people go from one power extreme to the other; a GK 700RBII @ (wild a** guess alert) around 430 watts would be plenty for that cab. You'll hear a different kind of distortion (fart fart fart) with the 1001 RBII.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I've never had any luck with SWR heads giving me enough headroom. Unless you just love the sound, I'd suggest getting another amp. Their cabinets are quite nice, though.

The Basic 350 *is* a very nice sounding head. I had one for a few years, but I too found that it didn't have enough output for my needs. I sold it, bought an SM900 and wasn't happy with that either (and it didn't sound as good, to me at least!).

I ended up with an Ashdown ABM500. Still have it, still love it.

 

[Axtman]

Thanks guys for all your replies.

Hey I just realized that I inadvertently invented a new word in the title of my post.

So from now on a "loud sound" will be known as a "lound"!

 

[Burlington]

What is your EQ like on the head?

 

[groove pump]

If the tone in that SWR head is what you want, consider running its signal to a stronger power amp if you're just looking for extra horsepower. Small rig/large rig options if you have a power amp at your disposal.

 

[nostatic]

The Basic 350 *is* a very nice sounding head. I had one for a few years, but I too found that it didn't have enough output for my needs. I sold it, bought an SM900 and wasn't happy with that either (and it didn't sound as good, to me at least!).

I ended up with an Ashdown ABM500. Still have it, still love it.

You should have never sold the Sunn setup...

 

[rpatter]

Have you tried replacing the tube? What you're describing sounds a lot like the way my silver face 350 would behave when it needed to be re-tubed.

Ralf