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Thread: 125 watts into 400 watt cabinet

  1. #1
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    Default 125 watts into 400 watt cabinet

    Hey everyone, I am upgrading my bass rig to a lighter and more powerful configuration. I am looking at buying a cab that is rated 400 watts at 8 ohms and has a piezo tweeter. I would use my existing amp head until I can upgrade it. My current amp head delivers 125 watts at 8 ohms.
    Will running such little power into this new cab hurt anything (as long as I don't drive the amp wide open and cause it to clip)? I have read that the piezo tweeters are more sensitive to power issues than the woofer.
    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    O.K. Musiclover. You now owe me 2 Advil extra strength.

    The following two threads may help:
    http://www.bcae1.com/2ltlpwr.htm
    https://www.avforums.com/threads/how...peakers.47762/

    On the other hand they may just confuse. The bottom line is that the simple answer to your question IMO is no. But with a couple of caveats. Do not try to fill a large venue with your new rig, because according to the second thread, this may cause issues with the tweeter, and be cautious as well with boosting of the bass and low mids of your amp. As Ed Freidland pointed out it is possible to blow a 400 watt cab with a 200 watt amp.

    What cab were you looking at, if I may ask?

    Brian

  3. #3
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    As Brian noted, no, there is no issue with driving a cab with an amp with less power than the cab's rating. Even a matched amp will be running at less than the cab's rated power if you are running the amp at less than full power.

    Heavily boosting the bass will significantly increase the power called for to push those lows out, even if the amp isn't running flat out.

    Does that cab have a tweeter level control? My Eden cabs do and I can dial back the tweeters to whatever level I want.
    ___________________________________
    Steinberger NXT5 EUB, MTD 535 Fretless, Tobias Killer B6, 72 Fender Precision
    Eden WT500, WTX1000N & WP100, QSC PL230
    Eden D410XLT, D410XST, 215, Fender Bassman 10

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    Quote Originally Posted by brian_primrose View Post
    O.K. Musiclover. You now owe me 2 Advil extra strength.

    What cab were you looking at, if I may ask?

    Brian
    Brian,

    Thank you so much for those great links! I think I owe you a bottle of Advil (ha ha).

    I haven't completely decided on the cabinet but here are the the ones in the current running:

    Markbass Traveler 102P Rear-Ported Compact 2x10 Bass Speaker Cabinet (piezo tweeter)
    Markbass New York 121 1x12 Bass Cabinet (piezo tweeter)
    Gallien-Krueger Neo 115-III 1x15 Bass Speaker Cabinet (horn tweeter)
    Markbass Traveler 151P Rear-Ported Compact 1x15 Bass Speaker Cabinet (no tweeter)

    I am looking at cabinets that weigh around 40 pounds or less. I currently have a 1x15 that weighs 69 pounds and would like something easier on the back. At the moment, I am leaning towards an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (250 watts at 8 ohms/500 watts at 4 ohms) to eventually drive the cabinet. But that too is not set in stone. They have a Tone Hammer 350 (175 @ 8 / 350 @4 as well). I don't plan on buying the cabinet and the amp head at the same time, but don't want to damage the cab in the mean time. My current rig was a matched set that has the 125 watt head with a 200 watt cab.
    Last edited by MusicLover; 03-14-2016 at 08:36 PM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by TobiasMan View Post

    Does that cab have a tweeter level control? My Eden cabs do and I can dial back the tweeters to whatever level I want.
    Thanks TobiasMan!

    Out of my current list of cabinets, the all except the Mark Bass 1x15 (which does not have a tweeter) have tweeter controls.
    So by turning down the tweeter, you can protect it?

  6. #6
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    Hi Musiclover.

    I have a Markbass combo and reallylike the sound. FYI, in another forum, some of the members comented on disconecting the tweeter in the Markbass 12's and improving the sound, to their ears anyway.

    I have not tried a Barefaced cab but a recent review in Bassplayer was ++++ positive.

    Nicki, here on the Row loves her Bergantinos, but again I have never tried one, and at the price in Canada, would be looking used.

    Brian

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    Yes, there generally is something like an attenuator in the tweeter control that absorbs/diverts/reduces the power to the tweeter itself relative to the power going to the woofer.

    That is the main reason that I never turn the tweeter entirely off on my Eden cabs, because the attenuator cannot absorb all of the power directed to the tweeter and will burn itself out. If I want the tweeter entirely off (and I don't) I would disconnect the wire to the tweeter control.
    ___________________________________
    Steinberger NXT5 EUB, MTD 535 Fretless, Tobias Killer B6, 72 Fender Precision
    Eden WT500, WTX1000N & WP100, QSC PL230
    Eden D410XLT, D410XST, 215, Fender Bassman 10

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by brian_primrose View Post
    Hi Musiclover.

    I have a Markbass combo and reallylike the sound. FYI, in another forum, some of the members comented on disconecting the tweeter in the Markbass 12's and improving the sound, to their ears anyway.

    I have not tried a Barefaced cab but a recent review in Bassplayer was ++++ positive.

    Nicki, here on the Row loves her Bergantinos, but again I have never tried one, and at the price in Canada, would be looking used.

    Brian
    Thanks Brian!

    I appreciate it.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by TobiasMan View Post
    Yes, there generally is something like an attenuator in the tweeter control that absorbs/diverts/reduces the power to the tweeter itself relative to the power going to the woofer.

    That is the main reason that I never turn the tweeter entirely off on my Eden cabs, because the attenuator cannot absorb all of the power directed to the tweeter and will burn itself out. If I want the tweeter entirely off (and I don't) I would disconnect the wire to the tweeter control.
    Thanks TobiasMan!

    That is good to know.

  10. #10
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    I just thought I would share with you guys what I wound up buying.

    I ran across a used Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and a pair of Aguilar SL 112 cabinets. I was able to grab the head and one of the cabinets, but I didn't act quick enough to get both cabinets. I wasn't sure I wanted two of the same cabinet and I really didn't need that much volume right now (and I didn't want to spend the extra money right now). Someone else bought the other cab within a few hours while I debated the purchase.

    The person who previously owned the gear took good care of it. The head came with a padded Aguilar bag and the cabinet came with a padded cover.
    I really like the sound of this new rig.

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