Power amp and cab wattage question

Discuss the stuff that makes your ears bleed.

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

Post Reply
Basket Case
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2932
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:06 am
Location: Whangarei
Has liked: 49 times
Been liked: 108 times

Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by Basket Case »

Hey guys,

I've just bought a Matrix GT1000FX power amp to use with the Kemper into a Mesa Recto 2x12. The Matrix puts out 300W per channel @ 8 Ohms. If I just run through one channel am I likely to cause any damage to the 120W cab?

User avatar
Olderama
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7007
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:04 pm
Has liked: 971 times
Been liked: 876 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by Olderama »

As long as you don't dime it it should be ok
:mental:

User avatar
sirvill
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3166
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:54 pm
Location: Wellington
Has liked: 115 times
Been liked: 241 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by sirvill »

Could do if you crank it up extremely loud. I'd increase volume incrementally and look for tell-tale signs of "speaker no be happy".

But if its not on max then you'll be fine. In fact in the bass/audio world often people go for a more powerful amplifier so that its got heaps of headroom.

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by Danger Mouse »

sirvill wrote:In fact in the bass/audio world often people go for a more powerful amplifier so that its got heaps of headroom.
And also because it is almost always cheaper to replace/repair speakers than amps.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

Basket Case
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2932
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:06 am
Location: Whangarei
Has liked: 49 times
Been liked: 108 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by Basket Case »

Thanks guys,

If it's just a simple matter of how much volume is going through the speakers, regardless of the power of the amp, I can't imagine ever getting loud enough to kill two Vintage 30s!

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by godgrinder »

You'd be deaf before your blow the speakers. At home volume you're probably just pumping about 1-5 watts into your speakers.
Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

Basket Case
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2932
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:06 am
Location: Whangarei
Has liked: 49 times
Been liked: 108 times

Re: Power amp and cab wattage question

Post by Basket Case »

godgrinder wrote:You'd be deaf before your blow the speakers. At home volume you're probably just pumping about 1-5 watts into your speakers.
I plan to play gigs with it un-mic'd, but still, I think my bandmates would be throwing me off the stage before I got to speaker-destroying levels!

Post Reply