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Would this work? Underpowering cab?

jamersonburton

jamersonburton

Jul 22, 2011
1,090
476
#1
I currently have a Markbass Littlemark 250 blackline head and have been looking for cabs. I found a used GK MBE212 ii. This is rated at 600watts at 4ohms while the markbass is 250watts at 4ohms. Obviously I won't be damaging the cab by any means, but is it going to sound notably underpowered? I don't have a chance to test the cab out until later so I'm just doing some research beforehand.

Used for gigs, avg 100-200 people indoor, bars --> 1 vocal, 1 drummer, 1 guitar, me.

Basses are Matt Freeman pbass and a cheap PJ so no low b trickery going on.
 
#7
Yes, very sure, if you like the tone of that amp ,you can add later a power amp and use it as pre-amp for more power if needed to pair with 2 big cabs (2x410) but with a 212 cab it will work perfectly
I would suggest to pair that amp with 2x 112 cabs like Aguilar SL112 if you can afford or EBS CL112's which are cheaper, also the Hartke Hydrive 112 cabs are great budget cabs and they have 4 -8ohm switch.
 
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#9
That amp will sound OK right up to the point where it runs out of grunt. I'd also bank on it just putting out its advertised 250 watts.

You could have limited headroom but that might not matter. Depends how loud you play.

If you can't be heard, get a 500 watt amp. If you don't play that loud you'll be fine.
 
#10
chris_b said:
I'd also bank on it just putting out its advertised 250 watts.
Click to expand...

As a rule of thumb, you can usually bank on the opposite. An amp's wattage spec isn't meant to identify the amp's wattage ceiling. For a specified load, the rating describes the wattage produced with a particular input signal (as specified) before the amp exceeds a specified THD. Feed an amp a hotter (or wider) than spec'ed input signal or drive it into higher levels of THD, and you can get greater output wattage.
 
#11
Not really such a thing as "underpowering" a cab, so go for it. The one caveat I will add is that some cabs I've played didn't "open up" until they were connected to a larger power source, my fEARful 12/6 being the best example. Still performs great regardless of power, but has a little something extra with a big amp behind it. I think that has less to do with the cab and more to do with the amp having headroom to handle the lower frequency power draw.
 
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#12
strictlybass_ic said:
Not really such a thing as "underpowering" a cab, so go for it. The one caveat I will add is that some cabs I've played didn't "open up" until they were connected to a larger power source, my fEARful 12/6 being the best example. Still performs great regardless of power, but has a little something extra with a big amp behind it. I think that has less to do with the cab and more to do with the amp having headroom to handle the lower frequency power draw.
Click to expand...

Same thing with my 8 ohm Arnopol MAS112 cab. Sounded good with an Aggie TH500. Sounds killer with a GK MB800 in front of it.
 
#13
EastCoastThump said:
As a rule of thumb, you can usually bank on the opposite. An amp's wattage spec isn't meant to identify the amp's wattage ceiling. For a specified load, the rating describes the wattage produced with a particular input signal (as specified) before the amp exceeds a specified THD. Feed an amp a hotter (or wider) than spec'ed input signal or drive it into higher levels of THD, and you can get greater output wattage.
Click to expand...

The input signal level won't change the level of wattage that the amp can produce at a given THD. A different wattage level may sound louder at different frequencies but it isn't higher wattage. Turning up the input isn't going to make an amp capable of higher wattage at the output.

As to running the amp at Higher THD. Sure.... Run it at full clip square wave if you want. The speakers aren't going to like it.
 
#14
Ewo said:
Same thing with my 8 ohm Arnopol MAS112 cab. Sounded good with an Aggie TH500. Sounds killer with a GK MB800 in front of it.
Click to expand...
To be fair, those are both kick ass heads.......Like upgrading from a state beauty queen to a super model. Don't think you could go wrong with either. The only 500W head I felt was lacking with my 12/6 was a PF500. It wasn't bad, just didn't have the headroom of a TH500 or MB500. I'm sure the MB800 would slay......
 
#15
moody said:
The input signal level won't change the level of wattage that the amp can produce at a given THD.
Click to expand...

Good catch: that should read "feed an amp a hotter...input signal and drive it into higher levels of THD..." Just trying to compactly question some folks' mistaken ideas that an amp's rating is some sort of guarantee that the amp can never harm a particular cab.
 
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#18
The HEAD could sound underpowered IF you need more volume at it's full output than you can get with that cab (ie depending on the sensitivity of the cab). If you are playing small coffee houses with acoustic guitars, 250w (or whatever it is at 8 ohms assuming that's what the cab is) is probably plenty. If you are playing arenas with guitarists with full stacks, probably not.

But asking this question would have been better BEFORE you got your head. *** are you going to do about it now (other than get a different head)?
 

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