Watts and Ohms

[werbo1]

First off i used the search feature to try to find answers and didn't find them. Second if you used the search feature just to tell me to use it, u wasted your time.

The Question: Basically i want to know what Ohms and Watts are equal to. I know (think) more watts = a louder amp. Oh, I'm talking about Combo amps. So if i have a combo amp would i have to worry about ohms and watts??

Second Question: What is a safe "knob" to turn the volume to without blowing the amp? I'm pretty sure playing your loudest will blow it. Also can some1 explain to me the whole process of a preamp (head), and speaker?

Edit: Also, how do i know how many ohms i'm putting through the amp and how do i know how many watts i can put through say a speaker with X ohms.

When it comes to this stuff i really neveer bothered to learn it when i started playing. I guess now is the time to clean up my knowledge. Thanks in Advance

 

[billfitzmaurice]

more watts = a louder amp.

Not true. Watts measure power but they don't measure loudness, which is measured in decibels. How loud an amp will play is determined by the combination of the amp power in watts and the speaker sensitivity quantified by dB per watt, as well as the speaker frequency response. Watts by themselves tell you virtually nothing.

What is a safe "knob" to turn the volume to without blowing the amp? I'm pretty sure playing your loudest will blow it. Also can some1 explain to me the whole process of a preamp (head), and speaker?

Distortion will usually tell you it's a good idea to turn down from whatever setting you're at.

the whole process of a preamp (head), and speaker?

I don't know what you mean.

how do i know how many ohms i'm putting through the amp and how do i know how many watts i can put through say a speaker with X ohms.

You don't put any ohms through an amp. Ohms is the measurement of a speakers impedance. The impedance of a speaker does not tell you how much power it can be run with; the wattage rating does.

i really neveer bothered to learn it when i started playing. I guess now is the time to clean up my knowledge

That's a common symptom. You don't need an engineering degree to be a competent musician, but you should at least have a basic idea of how your equipment works. Read a book on the subject; there are dozens out there.

 

[IvanMike]

ohms post