Minimum 4 Ohm Load Head? 4 Ohm Cab?

[MarMar]

What are the rules with minimum ohm loads and cabs? Could we please do a refresher course on this? What are the do's and don'ts of combining heads and cabs as far as ohms and loads go? As a side question, can you use a higher watt head on a lower watt cab, or will that damage the head or cab?

For example, I use a 300 watt GK Backline 600 head with a minimum 4 ohm load on a 4x10 Avatar cab that is 4 ohms. How could I add to my rig if I ever decided I wanted to?

Furthermore, how could I use my same head to power a smaller, lighter rig that is just as loud as what I'm using now?

 

[abarson]

There's a whole sticky on the subject.

Do not try to add additional speakers to your current rig. Your G-K will likely be damaged with a load lower than 4 ohms. Your current Avatar is 4 ohms, so you can't add more cabinets.
Most people use a single or a pair of 8 ohms cabinets so as to not go below the minimum load.

 

[mmbongo]

If your amp cannot go below 4 ohms, and your cabinet is 4 ohms, then you cannot add any cabinets.

 

[chris_b]

You only have 3 options. You can connect 1 x 4 ohm cab, 1 x 8 ohm cab, or 2 x 8 ohm cabs.

If you really need to upgrade your rig I'd start with the cab. Then the amp, then you could add a second cab.

There are many solutions and mine was to buy amp that goes to 2.67 ohms. I'd normally run a 4 ohm 212, or an 8 ohm 112 for smaller gigs, and I could put both together if I needed extra.