Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

What can my speakers handle?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • What can my speakers handle?

    OK, right now my rig is running like this:

    Various guitars tuned to C
    VHT Valvulator line buffer/power supply
    Ibanez TS-9
    Electro Harmonix Octave Multiplexer
    ADA MP-1
    bbe Sonic Maximizer
    VHT 2150
    Mesa Boogie Halfback 4X12 with 90W Celestions on top, 200W EV's in the bottom

    OK, now when I play sometimes I turn the "blend" knob on the Octave Multiplexor up high, which gives me 100%(I don't know if "wet" is the right word here) of the two octaves below what I am playing. So when I hit my low C string, it gives me a blend of the two lower octaves of C, one of which would be where a bass guitar tuned to C would be if it were accompanying me, and then another an octave below even that. It makes for a really earth shaking organic sort of organ-like tone, which I really love. The only concern I have is that I'm gonna blow something up. On the other hand, the VHT is a REALLY powerful power amp, and I NEVER have to turn it up past half way, and my speaker cabinet is rated at a collective 580W, which is way more power than even the VHT can dish out. I know people have used 4X12's and VHT 2150's in bass rigs before, but I'm going an octave BELOW that, so that is my only concern. Any comments?
    [img]/images/graemlins/band.gif[/img]

  • #2
    Re: What can my speakers handle?

    well, it may flub a bit with those extra low C's. i am pretty sure you won't blow the speakers, it's just a matter of how tight you want it. if it flubs or distorts on the low end, just try the wet signal ratio at 80% and see if it tightens up.
    GEAR:

    some guitars...WITH STRINGS!!!! most of them have those sticks like on guitar hero....AWESOME!!!!

    some amps...they have some glowing bottle like things in them...i think my amps do that modelling thing....COOL, huh?!?!?!

    and finally....

    i have those little plastic "chips" used to hit the strings...WHOA!!!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: What can my speakers handle?

      At 100% you can hear it breathing, and of course it isn't too tight sounding, but the drone is what I like about it.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: What can my speakers handle?

        The EV's will take it, but the Celestions are gonna go.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: What can my speakers handle?

          When you are talking about notes that low, all wattage ratings on speakers are out the window.

          Matt

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: What can my speakers handle?

            what Matt said. You're dealing with speaker excursion. I'd recommend getting a bass cab and put some crossovers on your guitar cab... there's a reason why bass players don't crank it up through guitar cabs.

            Pete

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: What can my speakers handle?

              I've never heard of it done, but you may try getting a crossover going to a bass amplifier. I'd seperate the signals at about 50hz on down to the bass amp, and anything above 50hz going to a guitar amp. That way, you could have a good, clean signal, keep your sound, and have even more flexibilty on your mixing.

              Or... If you have a lower budget than that, you might try building a custom cabinet. You'd still need a crossover to make it work right. I'd put in two high wattage speakers with a frequency range of somewhere around 50-60hz up to about the 15khz region, then throw in some lower frequency speakers (from about 20hz up to 50-60hz). You'll still need a crossover to make it work though.

              HTH

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: What can my speakers handle?

                btw, cut and pasted from a deja.com search:

                Message 4 in threadFrom: Steve Manes ([email protected])
                Subject: Re: Blowin' Guitar amps.. (was re:12" vs 15")  
                View this article onlyNewsgroups: rec.music.makers.bass
                Date: 1993-10-06 13:37:35 PST

                Alex Gottschalk ([email protected]) wrote:
                : In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Sanjay
                : Srivastava) said:
                : >
                : > Be careful about driving bass through a guitar cabinet. Most guitar
                : >speakers aren't built to handle the low frequencies of a bass, and there's a
                : >good chance you'll blow your speakers or at least damage your cones if you
                : >try it.
                : I have never blown out a guitar cabinet by playing bass through it, and I
                : have never met anyone who has. I'm not flaming you or anything, I just have
                : never heard of this happening (although I have heard that it *can* happen).
                : Has anyone ever blown a guitar amp by playing a bass through it?

                Me. Twice, as a matter of fact. Back in the Dark Ages, before ten-inch
                speakers were available in off-the-rack bass amps, my favorite "bass" amp
                for small, coffee house-type clubs was the Fender Super Reverb. I didn't
                actually own one because I knew I would fry it but when I got a gig in the
                pit of an off-Broadway show and our amps were supplied by a rental outfit, I
                asked for the Super. I blew the speakers out on two of them before the
                company refused to give me another one.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: What can my speakers handle?

                  Happened here too, mostly practice amps though. We have blown one in our Jazz band though. It was a Crate GX series, that was probably the problem right there!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: What can my speakers handle?

                    I should have took a pic of this but oh well. Back about maybe 8 years ago, damn I am getting old, we put a mic on the bass drum of my drummers rig and completely shattered the paper in a 400 watt rms woofer which was probably 800 peak. It was done with one side of a 300 Watt amp so basicly 150 watts.

                    Matt

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X