How Risky is it to Run a 4 ohm Amp at 3 or 3.5 ohms??

[SunnBass]

Steve, the reply I gave you above I was assuming a SS amp. If the amp is tube it’s a whole different ball o’ wax. Running your pair of 6Ω cabs in parallel for 3Ω you can run them from the 4Ω tap. You will stress your amp more but tubes are forgiving.

@SunnBass your reply is accurate for a SS output stage but not for a tube one.

Correct, I was giving a general rule of thumb so to speak.
That's why I mentioned the "special circumstances" part.
But personally, even with tubes I follow the same rule.

 

[BassmanPaul]

But personally, even with tubes I follow the same rule.

That might lead you into trouble if the load gets higher than the tap. It’s always better to match or go lower.

Edit: for tube amps that is. This needs to be stressed unless someone applies it to a SS amp!!

 

[Doner Designs]

Steve, the reply I gave you above I was assuming a SS amp. If the amp is tube it’s a whole different ball o’ wax. Running your pair of 6Ω cabs in parallel for 3Ω you can run them from the 4Ω tap. You will stress your amp more but tubes are forgiving.

@SunnBass your reply is accurate for a SS output stage but not for a tube one.

Cool, thanks, I had no idea that would be ok. Should sound amazing that way, and with six 10's thumpin, probably very loud for 50 watts.

I was thinking that if I got another amp capable of 2 ohms the Ampeg would be the one to go, but if it can handle 3 ohms it could be a good solution. Then I could do either 3 ohms with the Ampeg or 12 with the GK.

 

[Doner Designs]

Steve, the reply I gave you above I was assuming a SS amp. If the amp is tube it’s a whole different ball o’ wax. Running your pair of 6Ω cabs in parallel for 3Ω you can run them from the 4Ω tap. You will stress your amp more but tubes are forgiving.

@SunnBass your reply is accurate for a SS output stage but not for a tube one.

Similarly, with one 6 ohm cab I should run out of the 8 ohm tap?

 

[SunnBass]

That might lead you into trouble if the load gets higher than the tap. It’s always better to match or go lower.

Edit: for tube amps that is. This needs to be stressed unless someone applies it to a SS amp!!

Okay, yes.
My Sunn Model T has a 2,4,8,16 selector and I always match exactly.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Similarly, with one 6 ohm cab I should run out of the 8 ohm tap?

Yes see post #90.

 

[Doner Designs]

Yes see post #90.

Thanks...so much activity its hard to keep track!

 

[BadExample]

Which potato is best for metal?

That would have to be a BBQ potato, still wrapped in metal.

I think you get about 1 volt and 1 milliamp per potato...

So, that would be 1mW. Is that RMS, program or peak? And are those potatoes making tube mWatts, SS or class D? Please advise... that way I can ignore ignore any advice, tell you why you are wrong, get angry, and if my spuds blow up blame everyone else

 

[agedhorse]

Is it enough for a whole set, or even enough for a cover of 'Fishcakes' by Bauhaus?

Is the the requisite "fish & chips" question?

 

[beans-on-toast]

I'm trying to stop myself from working out how many potato batteries you would need to run an SVT for a 2-hour set... there aren't enough potato powered gigs imo.

It might work better if you made a mash out of potatoes, distill the fermented wash, then use the alcohol to run a generator to power the SVT.

How to Make Potato Vodka – Copper Moonshine Still Kits ...

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Is the the requisite "fish & chips" question?

If you don't know the song you won't realise it is essentially a recipe for fishcakes: "you take a fish, and a potato. This is how we make fishcakes"

 

[Doner Designs]

Ended up getting a series speakon cable from these folks. One leg is 3' and the other is 5' to reach from the amp to the lower cab. Very well made and does the trick. Very slick almost one-of-a-kind product offering. I'll post a picture when I get a chance. Application is that I have a pair of 6 ohm cabs, so I'm giving my SS amp (with lots of excess power) a 12 ohm load instead of 3 ohms.

Pro Cables N Sound Power Y Speaker Cables, high quality Y cables for speaker cabs and combo amps

 

[Doner Designs]

If you don't know the song you won't realise it is essentially a recipe for fishcakes: "you take a fish, and a potato. This is how we make fishcakes"

This reminds me of a couple recipes we made for a "food challenge" party. My offerings were tuna smoothies and broccoli pudding.

 

[MarkA]

Ended up getting a series speakon cable from these folks. One leg is 3' and the other is 5' to reach from the amp to the lower cab. Very well made and does the trick. Very slick almost one-of-a-kind product offering. I'll post a picture when I get a chance. Application is that I have a pair of 6 ohm cabs, so I'm giving my SS amp (with lots of excess power) a 12 ohm load instead of 3 ohms.

Pro Cables N Sound Power Y Speaker Cables, high quality Y cables for speaker cabs and combo amps

Cool.

I was worried that this wasn't actually a series-wired cable, until I scrolled down and saw that that was an option (along with speakon connectors). Default is parallel, though -- anyone wanting to order series will have to specifiy it!

EDIT: Scrolling down, there are some cautions on the use of the series-wired cable that you might want to read. Don't know that I understand the reasons for all of them.