I dont mean to be off topic but does anybody know a method to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb forgot the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me
Excellent and informative video. For years I've done the PA side of things and back line has always confused me. With a PA you follow the same guidance for matching the ohms but you use an amplifier that's at least 25% bigger than the speaker cab and always turn the power amp to full. This allows the cab and amp to deal with peaks in signal without clipping. The complete opposite of guitar amps. I've recently found out that guitar amps are designed to be driven hard and the cones are constructed to take it. This video filled in the last gaps. I knew that guitar gear would blow in certain circumstances, now I know when. Thank you.
I got to a lot of tutorials and videos. And I must say that this is by far the best explanation video i've seen. Lots of tutorials stay on the surface and usually show some equations without getting in to actual examples. This lets you with no real response to your actual problem. Thanks a lot
It’s not gonna make an explosion, it’s just gonna make the a super loud pop! But still you don’t want that, thank god I watched this video! I learned so much, Thank you Sam!
I tried that for years but combos rattle and tend to be hard on tubes, trust me…. I really tried to stick to combos but there’s a reason pros don’t use them much outside the studio
@@alexmurphy5289 I was going to buy a combo but I decided that it's much cheaper to upgrade with a separate cabinet. The guy at the music store was visibly pissed that I wanted to return it
It's all about limiting the electrical current from the amp. High impedance means low current, ok for the amp but won't be very loud. Lower impedance means higher current. That's why your amp can blow, the low impedance speaker isn't controlling the current to a safe level, but allowing too much- and high current means maybe enough power to kill your amp. It's more likely to blow a fuse which every amp should have. Or keep the current controlled with the correct impedance speaker or higher.
Hey Dave. If you can read my comment I just left above maybe you can help me. You seem to know exactly what you’re talking about and yeah my hundred whitehead and JCM 900 4X12, isn’t very loud so I’ve already switched back to my 212 solid state. I need help
One thing to be aware of when combining amps into a single cabinet... A year ago I burned one output on a power amp by using that exact Vox amp in the other channel of a stereo cab. I thought it was really strange and started measuring with a multimeter. Apperently the Harley Benton cab I'm using has connected sleeves even in stereo (I guess they saved a few euros on a smaller switch with less poles). This combined with the Vox which apperently sends phase shifted voltage through both tip and sleeve made it so that my stereo power amp, which I've been using for years with this cab with no problems since the sleeve is 0 volts in both ends, got voltage from the Vox through the connected sleeves into its 0 and burned the amp. So from now on I'm always gonna pull out the multimeter to check whatever cab I'm connecting two amps to. If it beeps when you measure the two cables' sleeves, don't do it.
I've been thinking of running my AC30 with a Marshall cab (maybe a 2x12 or maybe a 4x12} but I'm curious if I can do that without blowing it up. Is that possible? I've seen Dean Deleo from STP do it and it's AMAZING sounding but I also don't want to destroy my AC30. LOL!
Can you please repeat how to turn a tube amp into a nuclear weapon? Instrument cable on speaker output it was? Can I destroy the earth when I additionally plug a speaker cable into the instrument jack? And what happens if I plug a second cab into the FX send? Would some kind of paradox appear and end the universe? Thanks.
You forgot running 2 mis-matched cabinets like an 8ohm and 16ohm cab. I think the impedance is 5.3 and you connect the 8ohm out to the 16ohm cab and the 4ohm out to the 8ohm cab. They have those series/parallel impedance boxes now where it eliminates the mismatch problems.
PLEASE HELP 😩 !!! Can I connect my Marshall code 100watt combo amp that only has one cab output at 8ohms to my line6 4x12 cab with two inputs that look like this ... 8ohmsRight---STEREO---8ohmsLeft 🔘 🔘 4ohms mono (Use this Jack only) So is there anyway possible for me to plug my 100watt code combo amp with only the one 8ohm output to this cabinet that has a left and right input ??? Can I use a “Y splitter” ??? PLEASE HELP !!! I WILL TRULY APPRECIATE any assistance I can get ... Thanks ... 🙏GOD BLESS🙏 !!!
5:20 'Never exceed the minimum load.' So if minimum load is 8 ohm, DO NOT plug into 16 ohm slot. Exceed means more than. 16 exceeds 8. So no more than 8ohms. But 'minimum' means at least. So 'never exceed the minimum' means use exactly 8 ohms. No more, no less. Either I am correct, or someone needs to change the wording.
It's okay to run an 8-ohm amp into a 16ohm cab, you just won't get the amp's full power, and it may sound worse, you can't run a 16-ohm amp into an 8-ohm cab, you will nuke your amp. as long as the impedance of your amp is same or lower than the cab, it should not damage anything. Try to keep the same though for the best tone
Yeah, 100%. Everybody is patting this video on the back for clearing everything up, but I'm more confused than ever. If my amp head has a load of 4 ohms and my cabinet is 8 ohms, this video told me that is both good and bad.
5:30 "But always remember the golden rule, never exceed the minimum load stated on the back of an amp." Exceed the minimum? Did he mean go below the minimum? So 8 ohm amp + 16 ohm cab = OK 8 ohm amp + 8 ohm cab = OK 8 ohm amp + 4 ohm cab = Destruction
I spy a Pompeii sticker on the strat matching their colors. 😉 Also, good video. I feel more informed about selecting and connecting amps and cabs than I had anticipated when I first clicked on. Always used combo amps before so this is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.
It's confusing to hear a phrase like "don't exceed the minimum load". Can you please explain? To me it sounds like "don't drive faster than the minimum speed limit." which obviously makes no sense.
I think you missed an opportunity to talk about some cabs allowing you to plug 1 16ohm into another 16ohm and then into a cab to utilize a single 8ohm output on the amp
I got question. I just bought marshall origin 50head and i turn it on without a cab to see if it works in case if doesn't to bring it back to store. So, did i damage my amp by turning it on without cab, because it is valve amp?
If you have a bass amp head that is 1000 watts continuous at 4 ohm and the cab is 1600 watts peak at 8 ohm, will the cabinet blow up if the amp reaches its full volume?
Thanks for a very clear explanation. However what about the effect on the volume - if any - when you connect an extra speaker to e.g. a combo with an internal speaker. Will the sound be bigger, louder? How would you describe the effect? Basically, what's the effect of connecting an extra speaker to the sound?
some fender circuit can handle 4 ohm impedance when you plug and 8 ohm external speaker and the stock speaker is 8 ohm as well.... Example Blues deluxe reissue now on the market... and it's written on the manual.... but still all vintage fender amp can manage...for instance fender tweed deluxe 5e3
I'm so confused. I always thought what you said: that your speakers need to be able to handle more wattage than the amp puts out. But in searching around the internet I've found a dozen or more reputable places that say the opposite, that "It is always recommended to use approximately twice as much amplifier power as the speaker’s power rating." What am I missing?
I think I've parsed it out, but yeah, I feel like this was more phrased poorly: "It's vitally important that you match these impedances, and don't drop below that minimum load." I think he's discussing the CABINET here. The minimum stated load of a cabinet SHOULD NOT BE LOWER than the amplifier. "Always follow the golden rule: Never exceed the minimum load stated on the back of an amp." Now he's discussing the AMPLIFIER. The minimum load of an amplifier SHOULD NOT BE HIGHER than the cabinet. So I THINK -- and from a nine-minute explanation, you'd REALLY THINK THIS WOULD BE CLEARER -- that he means the OHM number on the back of the amp should be lower or the same, but not higher, than the OHM number on the back of the cabinet.
I've heard if your looking for reliability it isn't good to use speakers capable of to high of watts in comparison to the amp. If the amp struggles to fully move the speaker it doesn't move air that would otherwise combat build-up of heat in the voice coil.
I still have one question: I have a 100w solid state transistor amp. On the back it says: "Minimal Impedance 4 Ohms". That would mean that I could also use a 16Ohm speaker cabinet with it, but it will reduce the power output. Would it then be okay when the speaker cabinet has 60-70 Watts, because the higher impedance reduces the power output of the amp?
I'm also wondering about this. My amp is a peavey stereo chorus 212 combo, solid state 130w per side, 260w total. 4ohm minimum load per speaker, it has no switch like the vox one in the video cus its old af. I was thinking about rehousing the head part for easier transport with the option of using house speaker cabs at gigs. Any help appreciated.
@@cyborgcolin update. I tried it out and it worked perfectly. I do not even have difficulties that it the amp is no less loud. But the upgraded speaker is just great! (V30)
Thanks for clarifying, great video! Took me a while to understand that Ohm's law states that the electrical current flowing is inversely proportional to the resistance... so a 4 ohms speaker will put more resistance on your amp than a 16 ohms speaker.... am I the only one to find this confusing? Surely more ohms = more resistance!? Aparently not!
The way I understand it is a lower ohms (resistance) value can put more load onto the amp. A lower ohms value causes more current to flow. If the amp is expecting an 8 ohm load and you only connect a 4 ohm cab then the amp will run too hot and possibly cause damage.
ohm's is a unit of impedance. don't get muddled up with ohm's law (Voltage = current x resistance) and "ohm's" the unit of impedance. impedance is the amount of resistance a component has in the context of AC circuit. When talking about DC circuits you just call it "resistance". think of an amp and cab as a closed circuit. Electrons flow from the power socket, into your amp, then through the speakers, back into the amp and then out of the amp into ground/-ve terminal. The higher the ohms rating of a speaker/component, the more it reduces the flow of electrons. If you use a speaker with an impedance that is too low, then the amount it reduces the flow of electrons is lower, and you will have an increased flow of electrons through the amp, burning out some of the components. (disclaimer: I'm not an electrical engineer - this is how my lay brain understands it)
What’s the best speaker cable ? I have a Victory V40. On the back there are two possibilities 16ohm out, or 2 8ohm holes out. Can I connect just one of the two 8ohms to a 8ohms cab ? If so, which one ? Does it matter ? Those things could really be easier seriously
Thank you before while hooglung there was what type of gable used for head and cabinet they said any instrument cables I knew that had to be wrong then you clarified this I do have a question I have 2 small amp heads the soldanio minni amp head solid state 30 watts I belive and a orange hw tiny terro need cabinet that can do both and a cables..thank you..RocknRollFlat5
I have 2 outputs on the back of my Marshall valvestate, it just says total load must not be less than 4 ohms, there isn't any selector switch, I'm just gonna plug into one and hope for the best!
I emailed Marshall with this situation/question: "I have a Marshall Origin 212 cabinet that I want to pair my DSL1H with. The potential problem is the Origin 212 cabinet has two 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel making it 8 Ohms. I wired it in series making it a 32-Ohm unit. Will this be an issue for the 16-Ohm DSL1 head? Can I use a 32-Ohm cabinet with the 16-Ohm DSL1H?" Marshall's response: "The DSL-1 is a valve amplifier and therefor the Impedance must be correctly matched to avoid damage to the output transformer. I guess the only way you could use the Origin cab safely would be to disconnect one of the speakers. If you need it to be an 8 Ohm cab for other amps, maybe switch one of the speakers so 8 & 16 can be selected? Not what I wanted to hear lol.
Let me get this straight: If I want to use a stereo capable cabinet with 4 Ohms Mono and 8 + 8 Ohms Stereo, my amp should have two 8 Ohms input jacks whilst making sure the amp has a minimum load of 4 Ohms?
Im buying blackstar ID60 and I'm gonna plug it in the bugera 212ts. The cabinet has the power of 160 watts. Can I get the 160 watts out of it using only 4 ohms?
About the 100-watt orange amp thinking I was going to use my speakers , the next morning my conscience said run back down there and buy the original speaker cabinet and keep it together. Now on I'm going to buy the entire units even if I have to save the money to do it
One thing is not exactly clear about the wattage: wouldn't I have to AT LEAST match the wattage of the amp to the one of the cabinet? I thought that using a lower wattage amp on a higher wattage cabinet would stress the amp and, in extreme cases, blow it up. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
The wattage on the cabinet is the amount it can safely handle, and has no bearing on the volume it produces. Why else would Marshall (or any other amp manufacturers) load a 412 with 4 X 75 watt speakers? Marshall have made that cabinet to pair with a 100 watt amp, so you can be comfortable that it's OK.
Plate impedances on a valve amplifier are high, so an output step down transformer is employed, and the transformer secondary is connected to the speakers. The secondary tap for whatever impedance should have a shorting tab to short the secondary when a load is not connected. If the secondary is left open, the amp may be harmed, so for a valve amp, the thought process is the opposite of a transistor amp with a low output impedance emitter-follower or source-follower output device. So to recap.. transistor amp (ohms too low NG) and valve (tube) amp (ohms too high NG). 😮👍👨🏻
Hey, So I have Mesa Term-O-Verb Combo, using the 8ohms slot.( 2x16 ohms Celestion Speakers). I want to add a 4x12 cab, says 8 ohms on cab, do I use the other 8 ohms slot on amp to feed the cab? thanks man
Oh wow so I have literally been doing this all wrong for years... I have the mentioned 1936 2x12 cab and always ran that into the 16Ohm output on my DSL2000 😬 Thanks to your video i now know to connect that to the 8 Ohms output on the amp. But what if I want to run another 2x12 cab along with the 1936 2x12 on the same head? Do I then just run another cable from the 8 Ohms output to an 8 Ohms input on the 2nd cab?
Hello! I'm going to build a small guitar amp (a kit) that delivers up to 7W. My question is what kind of speaker should I use to get all the "juice" from this kind of amp? Thanks!
QUESTION ......... So I have a Peavey Windsor head and a 2x12 cab. The cab is like the Marshall 1936 cab as to where it has the two inputs and a switch to change from 8 Ohm or 16 Ohm. The Windsor head has a switch to change Ohm from 4 - 8 -16. Can I run speaker cables out of both amp outputs into cab? (Trying to get stereo) If so, should the cab and amp be set to 16 Ohm?
What about when you're connecting multiple cabs together (from only one output on the head)? If I am running a cable from a tube head into and 8 ohm cab, and then a cable from that cab into another 8 ohm cab, which output should I connect it to on the head (4, 8, or 16?)
What kind of response would a speaker be if it was a higher wattage than the amplifier output? I understand that the 7 watt out into a 100 watt cabinet is not a big deal, but will it really amplify the signal well or would it be better to use a lower wattage speaker for more dynamic response?
The speakers act as a resistive load, so it is more about the impedance when it comes to driving them. The wattage is a measurement of what it can safely handle. High wattage cab is louder at lower matched impedances. At higher matched impedance it is quieter. At mismatched impedance which is only safe to do with double the impedance on the speaker load i.e. 4ohm amp to 8 ohm load , 8 ohm amp to 16 ohm load quieter with more midrange. I drive 100 watt speaker loads with a 60 watt amp all the time at 8 ohms and it is super loud and responsive. Tube watts are always loud compared to solid state.
Combo amps with a 8 ohm load, (with 4 ohms on the head) = permitted cabinet connection configurations could be 1x8 ohm - 2x8 ohm - or 2x16 ohm cabs ♥️♥️ all configs are 8 ohms 👍🏻 xXx
A very good explanation. This video clears things up and is straight forward except for the annoying blowing up sound effects that are distracting. It would be better without that
Great video, I love all your content. I have a question regarding wattage, some amps allow you to change the wattage, example: from 20w/5w/1w, if I keep it on 1watt is it safe to assume that I can use a 2 watt speaker if it existed? Thank you
Why would you want a 2 watt speaker, and where would you find one? I suppose in theory yes, but I doubt you'll ever have to worry about it. Most guitar speakers will have a rating that will comfortably handle your 20 watt amp at any setting.
@@castleanthrax1833 thanks for the reply. in theory. I guess this is what I meant My amp is too loud, tube amp, built in attenuator allows me to turn it down to 1 watt but it is still too loud, I have a 12” 60 watt speaker, I wish there was a little speaker out there, and “if there were” and the speaker was anything below 20 watts which is my amps standard power can I play it as long as I attenuate my amp down
Funny that the ad underneath this video is for guitar center. I just bought a cab from them, Marshall 1960B 300w. It arrived, and one input wasn't working, the other input worked, but only one speaker was working... I open it up to find out wtf is going on, half the wires were off, and LO! 4 x 50w Eminence speakers inside. Previously, I contacted the GC I purchased it from, and they tried to shirk it off on UPS. SO, let me get this straight,... UPS was shipping this thing and 4x12 75w Celestian speakers just fell out of the cab and 4x12 50w Eminence speakers just fell up into it, while it was being shipped? 🤔 INTERESTING. Messaged a friend who owns a local music store, he said, "when I get junk I can't sell here I send it over to GC." Now I have a 1960A with 4x12 75w Celestians from 1997 and the B with 50w Eminence,... As long as the impedance is correct does that matter? (been playing since '84, but by no means am I a techie)
Hello , thank you for this informative video, according to this, i can plug my ba210 vs ampeg combo to a 280W Peavey 8omh cabinet right with no problem?
I have a Marshall tsl 602 and it has stock 80 watt Marshall wolverines in it. They sound muddy and my amp lacks sparkle, mids. What would be great speakers to bring this amp to life? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks cool video too.
One question: is my amp head safe even if is connected with right ohms and it's a 50w head connected to a 120w cab with the volume all the way down? while the sound is coming the line out to the interface to the DAW?
got a question, if im playing live with an amp head that has a low power 50 watt mode and a high power 100 watt mode and the venue’s speaker is only 75 watt would i still blow it if i put it in 50 watt mode
In the video, you imply that a 100 watt amp at volume “4 power” would be proper power handling for a cabinet with four 75 watt speakers. Or, said another way, that a 100 watt amp at volume 4 produces 300 watts. Understanding that gain and effects pedals can impact the load output, I’m hoping to learn and understand your arithmetic; because, presumably, I can do the same math to make sure I don’t blow anything up when I pair and purchase a new wattage amp and replace its speaker(s), or replace the speaker on what I already have. How does the volume knob boost wattage? I’ve been rediscovering my electric guitar, but doing it in a small apartment with 2 kids. I have dusted off a 20-year-old 50 watt tube amp, and I’m either looking to change out its stock speaker (a Celestion Seventy 80), or to replace with a new lower wattage combo amp or head/cabinet. I also play with a Torpedo Captor X 8 ohm attenuator and virtual cabinet which is AWESOME, but I’d like to have the occasional ability to hear my amp and speakers without the secondary device. There’s a lot of information to absorb, and I’m trying to resolve best options that achieve bedroom level volume without blowing anything up. Make sense? Help!
Did michael bay direct this video?
No doubt lol.
And starring Frankie Muniz
For real, I felt like I was watching a transformers movie!!!
This is why his movies are over budget. He's using Marshall amps for explosions.
@@fredache5015 yeah! Malcolm lives forever!!!
He just said "so you dont blow yourself or MORE IMPORTANTLY your amplifier" haha
love that haha
Priorities...
To be fair I didn't cost 2k lol
What are you about 12/13 years old?
I dont mean to be off topic but does anybody know a method to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me
Excellent and informative video.
For years I've done the PA side of things and back line has always confused me.
With a PA you follow the same guidance for matching the ohms but you use an amplifier that's at least 25% bigger than the speaker cab and always turn the power amp to full. This allows the cab and amp to deal with peaks in signal without clipping. The complete opposite of guitar amps. I've recently found out that guitar amps are designed to be driven hard and the cones are constructed to take it. This video filled in the last gaps. I knew that guitar gear would blow in certain circumstances, now I know when. Thank you.
I got to a lot of tutorials and videos. And I must say that this is by far the best explanation video i've seen. Lots of tutorials stay on the surface and usually show some equations without getting in to actual examples. This lets you with no real response to your actual problem. Thanks a lot
It’s not gonna make an explosion, it’s just gonna make the a super loud pop! But still you don’t want that, thank god I watched this video! I learned so much, Thank you Sam!
alright never mind i’ll just play with my amp turned off. no risk of blowing up.
Save on electricity too.
im just gonna buy a combo amp damn it
I tried that for years but combos rattle and tend to be hard on tubes, trust me…. I really tried to stick to combos but there’s a reason pros don’t use them much outside the studio
@@alexmurphy5289 I was going to buy a combo but I decided that it's much cheaper to upgrade with a separate cabinet. The guy at the music store was visibly pissed that I wanted to return it
hahahaha🤣🤣🤣
He speaks too fast and show imagens too fast
Great job explaining. The explosions were good to show damage the amp could get from wrong not connecting to the right ohms ..
you’re a life saver! both figuratively and literally!
Actually
Excellent information, and a very impressive explosion. Cheers from Canada!
The explosion is the most important part.
Every guitarist should watch this video!
Informative and funny, love it ! I miss that you explained what happens with the impedances when you LINK cabinets, one chained to another.
My mind blew with how simple this is.
been looking for this as need to hook up my amps and cabs after having work and move done around the home
Finally someone explaining this in English, literally. Great video. Made it easy.🤘🏼🍻
It's all about limiting the electrical current from the amp. High impedance means low current, ok for the amp but won't be very loud. Lower impedance means higher current. That's why your amp can blow, the low impedance speaker isn't controlling the current to a safe level, but allowing too much- and high current means maybe enough power to kill your amp. It's more likely to blow a fuse which every amp should have. Or keep the current controlled with the correct impedance speaker or higher.
Hey Dave. If you can read my comment I just left above maybe you can help me. You seem to know exactly what you’re talking about and yeah my hundred whitehead and JCM 900 4X12, isn’t very loud so I’ve already switched back to my 212 solid state. I need help
Perfect crash course, solved all questions I had that Everybody else gives a half answer to
One thing to be aware of when combining amps into a single cabinet... A year ago I burned one output on a power amp by using that exact Vox amp in the other channel of a stereo cab. I thought it was really strange and started measuring with a multimeter. Apperently the Harley Benton cab I'm using has connected sleeves even in stereo (I guess they saved a few euros on a smaller switch with less poles).
This combined with the Vox which apperently sends phase shifted voltage through both tip and sleeve made it so that my stereo power amp, which I've been using for years with this cab with no problems since the sleeve is 0 volts in both ends, got voltage from the Vox through the connected sleeves into its 0 and burned the amp.
So from now on I'm always gonna pull out the multimeter to check whatever cab I'm connecting two amps to. If it beeps when you measure the two cables' sleeves, don't do it.
I've been thinking of running my AC30 with a Marshall cab (maybe a 2x12 or maybe a 4x12} but I'm curious if I can do that without blowing it up. Is that possible? I've seen Dean Deleo from STP do it and it's AMAZING sounding but I also don't want to destroy my AC30. LOL!
@@SimpleManGuitars1973 Hard to say, I don´t know anything about the AC30 specifically.
Good to hear a bit of Thomas Mcrocklin at the start of the video!
Very informative, thanks! I missed the scenario where you connect an extension cabinet to a combo amp... any chance to have a video on this?
Can you please repeat how to turn a tube amp into a nuclear weapon? Instrument cable on speaker output it was? Can I destroy the earth when I additionally plug a speaker cable into the instrument jack? And what happens if I plug a second cab into the FX send? Would some kind of paradox appear and end the universe? Thanks.
Run the cab-out, to the input and dial for ALL the gain.
You just liked your explosion effect… It was awesome!
You forgot running 2 mis-matched cabinets like an 8ohm and 16ohm cab. I think the impedance is 5.3 and you connect the 8ohm out to the 16ohm cab and the 4ohm out to the 8ohm cab. They have those series/parallel impedance boxes now where it eliminates the mismatch problems.
PLEASE HELP 😩 !!!
Can I connect my Marshall code 100watt combo amp that only has one cab output at 8ohms to my line6 4x12 cab with two inputs that look like this ...
8ohmsRight---STEREO---8ohmsLeft
🔘 🔘
4ohms mono
(Use this Jack only) So is there anyway possible for me to plug my 100watt code combo amp with only the one 8ohm output to this cabinet that has a left and right input ???
Can I use a “Y splitter” ??? PLEASE HELP !!!
I WILL TRULY APPRECIATE any assistance I can get ... Thanks ... 🙏GOD BLESS🙏 !!!
5:20 'Never exceed the minimum load.' So if minimum load is 8 ohm, DO NOT plug into 16 ohm slot. Exceed means more than. 16 exceeds 8. So no more than 8ohms. But 'minimum' means at least. So 'never exceed the minimum' means use exactly 8 ohms. No more, no less. Either I am correct, or someone needs to change the wording.
I’m confused too because of that
It's okay to run an 8-ohm amp into a 16ohm cab, you just won't get the amp's full power, and it may sound worse, you can't run a 16-ohm amp into an 8-ohm cab, you will nuke your amp. as long as the impedance of your amp is same or lower than the cab, it should not damage anything. Try to keep the same though for the best tone
dont run a cab with a lower impedance than amp it will proably die
he means exceed minimum load going below or going on the negative side of the y axis.
Yeah, 100%. Everybody is patting this video on the back for clearing everything up, but I'm more confused than ever. If my amp head has a load of 4 ohms and my cabinet is 8 ohms, this video told me that is both good and bad.
5:30 "But always remember the golden rule, never exceed the minimum load stated on the back of an amp."
Exceed the minimum? Did he mean go below the minimum?
So 8 ohm amp + 16 ohm cab = OK
8 ohm amp + 8 ohm cab = OK
8 ohm amp + 4 ohm cab = Destruction
Exceed the minimum, there's definitely something I don't like about that phrase.
SHould ALWAYS exceed minimum load rating ha
Is really how it goes?
@@paginini yeh its Minimum,so ya cant go Below it
Lesser ohms = More power, More explosions
I spy a Pompeii sticker on the strat matching their colors. 😉 Also, good video. I feel more informed about selecting and connecting amps and cabs than I had anticipated when I first clicked on. Always used combo amps before so this is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.
if your really unlucky and get it wrong with the power rating, the Speaker will/can catch fire, happened to my friend, I was there .
Thanks. I had this pretty much figured out but I wanted to make sure I wasn't thinking incorrectly. This cleared it up.
It's confusing to hear a phrase like "don't exceed the minimum load". Can you please explain? To me it sounds like "don't drive faster than the minimum speed limit." which obviously makes no sense.
He explained it. Clearly means 100 watt head needs the speakers to take at least 100 watts..
This is so helpful, although had to relisten, review it a couple times, thank you very much PMT!!
I think you missed an opportunity to talk about some cabs allowing you to plug 1 16ohm into another 16ohm and then into a cab to utilize a single 8ohm output on the amp
I got question. I just bought marshall origin 50head and i turn it on without a cab to see if it works in case if doesn't to bring it back to store. So, did i damage my amp by turning it on without cab, because it is valve amp?
What a show, loved the nuclear animation, good job and thanks!😁
Thanks for the explanation of solid-state amp impedances.
If you have a bass amp head that is 1000 watts continuous at 4 ohm and the cab is 1600 watts peak at 8 ohm, will the cabinet blow up if the amp reaches its full volume?
Thanks man!! That high Hertz with the nuclear bomb, drove my Jack Russel nuts!
Thanks for a very clear explanation. However what about the effect on the volume - if any - when you connect an extra speaker to e.g. a combo with an internal speaker. Will the sound be bigger, louder? How would you describe the effect? Basically, what's the effect of connecting an extra speaker to the sound?
I love the explosion effect !!
Very helpful video, thanks for the upload! :)
Also make sure to look at both sides before crossing or, you guessed it, boom!
Brilliant educational video with great added fun element. Loved it, great work.
This was so helpful.
I'm going to go drop my "new" Peavey CS-400 on my foot again...
some fender circuit can handle 4 ohm impedance when you plug and 8 ohm external speaker and the stock speaker is 8 ohm as well.... Example Blues deluxe reissue now on the market... and it's written on the manual.... but still all vintage fender amp can manage...for instance fender tweed deluxe 5e3
Hey Man, had a blast and thanks But, You can't always get what you want. But i do have the MV50 Clean! Thanks Again brother. Bluesman62 Cheers mate.
I'm so confused. I always thought what you said: that your speakers need to be able to handle more wattage than the amp puts out. But in searching around the internet I've found a dozen or more reputable places that say the opposite, that "It is always recommended to use approximately twice as much amplifier power as the speaker’s power rating." What am I missing?
I think I've parsed it out, but yeah, I feel like this was more phrased poorly:
"It's vitally important that you match these impedances, and don't drop below that minimum load."
I think he's discussing the CABINET here. The minimum stated load of a cabinet SHOULD NOT BE LOWER than the amplifier.
"Always follow the golden rule: Never exceed the minimum load stated on the back of an amp."
Now he's discussing the AMPLIFIER. The minimum load of an amplifier SHOULD NOT BE HIGHER than the cabinet.
So I THINK -- and from a nine-minute explanation, you'd REALLY THINK THIS WOULD BE CLEARER -- that he means the OHM number on the back of the amp should be lower or the same, but not higher, than the OHM number on the back of the cabinet.
I've heard if your looking for reliability it isn't good to use speakers capable of to high of watts in comparison to the amp. If the amp struggles to fully move the speaker it doesn't move air that would otherwise combat build-up of heat in the voice coil.
Interesting
Hmmm
Providing your ohms are matched correctly there's no problem. A 1 watt head will happily work with a 300 watt cabinet.
What about a 150 solid state head going into an Orange PPC212 (16ohm/120w)
My amp is more important than me? 🥺
The amp is resaleble. Your Organs can only be bought once.
If you own a vintage Dumble amp than possibly it is
Still i think enough money maby 8 grand u can buy a vintage dumbell but an organ i dnt know baby 60 gran ha ha
I still have one question: I have a 100w solid state transistor amp. On the back it says: "Minimal Impedance 4 Ohms". That would mean that I could also use a 16Ohm speaker cabinet with it, but it will reduce the power output. Would it then be okay when the speaker cabinet has 60-70 Watts, because the higher impedance reduces the power output of the amp?
I'm also wondering about this. My amp is a peavey stereo chorus 212 combo, solid state 130w per side, 260w total. 4ohm minimum load per speaker, it has no switch like the vox one in the video cus its old af. I was thinking about rehousing the head part for easier transport with the option of using house speaker cabs at gigs. Any help appreciated.
@@cyborgcolin update. I tried it out and it worked perfectly. I do not even have difficulties that it the amp is no less loud. But the upgraded speaker is just great! (V30)
@@benesombrilla thanks a bunch for the reply! Full steam ahead!
Brilliant video, i wish i understood any of it
thoroughly enjoyed those explosions
Thanks for clarifying, great video! Took me a while to understand that Ohm's law states that the electrical current flowing is inversely proportional to the resistance... so a 4 ohms speaker will put more resistance on your amp than a 16 ohms speaker.... am I the only one to find this confusing? Surely more ohms = more resistance!? Aparently not!
No a 16 ohm speaker will have more resistance towards your amp then a 4 ohm speaker. Where did u hear the opposite from?
The way I understand it is a lower ohms (resistance) value can put more load onto the amp. A lower ohms value causes more current to flow. If the amp is expecting an 8 ohm load and you only connect a 4 ohm cab then the amp will run too hot and possibly cause damage.
ohm's is a unit of impedance. don't get muddled up with ohm's law (Voltage = current x resistance) and "ohm's" the unit of impedance. impedance is the amount of resistance a component has in the context of AC circuit. When talking about DC circuits you just call it "resistance". think of an amp and cab as a closed circuit. Electrons flow from the power socket, into your amp, then through the speakers, back into the amp and then out of the amp into ground/-ve terminal. The higher the ohms rating of a speaker/component, the more it reduces the flow of electrons. If you use a speaker with an impedance that is too low, then the amount it reduces the flow of electrons is lower, and you will have an increased flow of electrons through the amp, burning out some of the components. (disclaimer: I'm not an electrical engineer - this is how my lay brain understands it)
Thank you. And beautiful graphics. Cheers.
Extremely helpful video. Thank you so much
nice and clear explanation. thank you sir!
What’s the best speaker cable ?
I have a Victory V40. On the back there are two possibilities 16ohm out, or 2 8ohm holes out. Can I connect just one of the two 8ohms to a 8ohms cab ? If so, which one ? Does it matter ? Those things could really be easier seriously
If you are using one 8 ohm cab, it doesn't matter which one of the 8 ohm holes you plug it into.
Warning to those watching at 3 am in the dark, my life flashed before my eyes watching that intro
I didnt know I needed this but I do LOL
So if I Plug an 8 ohm 100W amp into a 16 ohm 240 Watt Cabinet will I damage anything??? (Solid State Amp)
This was very informative! Thank you!
Thank you before while hooglung there was what type of gable used for head and cabinet they said any instrument cables I knew that had to be wrong then you clarified this I do have a question I have 2 small amp heads the soldanio minni amp head solid state 30 watts I belive and a orange hw tiny terro need cabinet that can do both and a cables..thank you..RocknRollFlat5
Thanks , this was really helpful!
Buy a combo or your amp might catch fire and blow up...got it!
lololololol
Just don't buy a Marshall 🙄
*EVH 5150 combo intensifies*
This video has more explosions than any action movie COMBINED
I have 2 outputs on the back of my Marshall valvestate, it just says total load must not be less than 4 ohms, there isn't any selector switch, I'm just gonna plug into one and hope for the best!
4, 8 or 16 ohms total is fine!
I bought a vintage Vox cab that was in series wiring. Not everyone is going to buy a new cab. Pretty important to tell which is which.
I emailed Marshall with this situation/question: "I have a Marshall Origin 212 cabinet that I want to pair my DSL1H with. The potential problem is the Origin 212 cabinet has two 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel making it 8 Ohms. I wired it in series making it a 32-Ohm unit. Will this be an issue for the 16-Ohm DSL1 head? Can I use a 32-Ohm cabinet with the 16-Ohm DSL1H?"
Marshall's response:
"The DSL-1 is a valve amplifier and therefor the Impedance must be correctly matched to avoid damage to the output transformer.
I guess the only way you could use the Origin cab safely would be to disconnect one of the speakers.
If you need it to be an 8 Ohm cab for other amps, maybe switch one of the speakers so 8 & 16 can be selected?
Not what I wanted to hear lol.
Let me get this straight: If I want to use a stereo capable cabinet with 4 Ohms Mono and 8 + 8 Ohms Stereo, my amp should have two 8 Ohms input jacks whilst making sure the amp has a minimum load of 4 Ohms?
Im buying blackstar ID60 and I'm gonna plug it in the bugera 212ts. The cabinet has the power of 160 watts. Can I get the 160 watts out of it using only 4 ohms?
Excellent video. Thanks!
I’ve been running a very vintage Marshall 1959 head with 4 16 ohm speaker cabs for decades sans issue.
4 ohm amp to 16 ohm speaker?
@@jaceydurland9098 The amp has a selector for 4, 8 and 16. I use 4, 16 ohm cabs which creates a 4 ohm load.
About the 100-watt orange amp thinking I was going to use my speakers , the next morning my conscience said run back down there and buy the original speaker cabinet and keep it together. Now on I'm going to buy the entire units even if I have to save the money to do it
One thing is not exactly clear about the wattage: wouldn't I have to AT LEAST match the wattage of the amp to the one of the cabinet? I thought that using a lower wattage amp on a higher wattage cabinet would stress the amp and, in extreme cases, blow it up. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
The wattage on the cabinet is the amount it can safely handle, and has no bearing on the volume it produces. Why else would Marshall (or any other amp manufacturers) load a 412 with 4 X 75 watt speakers? Marshall have made that cabinet to pair with a 100 watt amp, so you can be comfortable that it's OK.
Plate impedances on a valve amplifier are high, so an output step down transformer is employed, and the transformer secondary is connected to the speakers. The secondary tap for whatever impedance should have a shorting tab to short the secondary when a load is not connected. If the secondary is left open, the amp may be harmed, so for a valve amp, the thought process is the opposite of a transistor amp with a low output impedance emitter-follower or source-follower output device. So to recap.. transistor amp (ohms too low NG) and valve (tube) amp (ohms too high NG).
😮👍👨🏻
How about plugging a 32 ohm cabinet (two 16 ohm speakers wired in series) to a 16 ohm tube amp?
Hey, So I have Mesa Term-O-Verb Combo, using the 8ohms slot.( 2x16 ohms Celestion Speakers).
I want to add a 4x12 cab, says 8 ohms on cab, do I use the other 8 ohms slot on amp to feed the cab?
thanks man
Oh wow so I have literally been doing this all wrong for years... I have the mentioned 1936 2x12 cab and always ran that into the 16Ohm output on my DSL2000 😬 Thanks to your video i now know to connect that to the 8 Ohms output on the amp. But what if I want to run another 2x12 cab along with the 1936 2x12 on the same head? Do I then just run another cable from the 8 Ohms output to an 8 Ohms input on the 2nd cab?
Those effects made my day 😂
Hello! I'm going to build a small guitar amp (a kit) that delivers up to 7W. My question is what kind of speaker should I use to get all the "juice" from this kind of amp? Thanks!
I am not deterred lol. I am proceeding with my 2x12 cabinet project.
QUESTION ......... So I have a Peavey Windsor head and a 2x12 cab. The cab is like the Marshall 1936 cab as to where it has the two inputs and a switch to change from 8 Ohm or 16 Ohm. The Windsor head has a switch to change Ohm from 4 - 8 -16. Can I run speaker cables out of both amp outputs into cab? (Trying to get stereo) If so, should the cab and amp be set to 16 Ohm?
What about when you're connecting multiple cabs together (from only one output on the head)? If I am running a cable from a tube head into and 8 ohm cab, and then a cable from that cab into another 8 ohm cab, which output should I connect it to on the head (4, 8, or 16?)
What kind of response would a speaker be if it was a higher wattage than the amplifier output? I understand that the 7 watt out into a 100 watt cabinet is not a big deal, but will it really amplify the signal well or would it be better to use a lower wattage speaker for more dynamic response?
The speakers act as a resistive load, so it is more about the impedance when it comes to driving them. The wattage is a measurement of what it can safely handle. High wattage cab is louder at lower matched impedances. At higher matched impedance it is quieter. At mismatched impedance which is only safe to do with double the impedance on the speaker load i.e. 4ohm amp to 8 ohm load , 8 ohm amp to 16 ohm load quieter with more midrange. I drive 100 watt speaker loads with a 60 watt amp all the time at 8 ohms and it is super loud and responsive. Tube watts are always loud compared to solid state.
Thanks for the info man!
Combo amps with a 8 ohm load, (with 4 ohms on the head) = permitted cabinet connection configurations could be 1x8 ohm - 2x8 ohm - or 2x16 ohm cabs ♥️♥️ all configs are 8 ohms 👍🏻 xXx
A very good explanation. This video clears things up and is straight forward except for the annoying blowing up sound effects that are distracting. It would be better without that
Great video, I love all your content.
I have a question regarding wattage, some amps allow you to change the wattage, example: from 20w/5w/1w, if I keep it on 1watt is it safe to assume that I can use a 2 watt speaker if it existed? Thank you
Why would you want a 2 watt speaker, and where would you find one? I suppose in theory yes, but I doubt you'll ever have to worry about it. Most guitar speakers will have a rating that will comfortably handle your 20 watt amp at any setting.
@@castleanthrax1833 thanks for the reply.
in theory.
I guess this is what I meant
My amp is too loud, tube amp, built in attenuator allows me to turn it down to 1 watt but it is still too loud, I have a 12” 60 watt speaker, I wish there was a little speaker out there, and “if there were” and the speaker was anything below 20 watts which is my amps standard power can I play it as long as I attenuate my amp down
I feel really stupid watching these 😂 all I know is plug in guitar and play
Best, go to your library, or Uncle Google.
Funny that the ad underneath this video is for guitar center. I just bought a cab from them, Marshall 1960B 300w. It arrived, and one input wasn't working, the other input worked, but only one speaker was working... I open it up to find out wtf is going on, half the wires were off, and LO! 4 x 50w Eminence speakers inside. Previously, I contacted the GC I purchased it from, and they tried to shirk it off on UPS. SO, let me get this straight,... UPS was shipping this thing and 4x12 75w Celestian speakers just fell out of the cab and 4x12 50w Eminence speakers just fell up into it, while it was being shipped? 🤔 INTERESTING. Messaged a friend who owns a local music store, he said, "when I get junk I can't sell here I send it over to GC."
Now I have a 1960A with 4x12 75w Celestians from 1997 and the B with 50w Eminence,... As long as the impedance is correct does that matter? (been playing since '84, but by no means am I a techie)
combo amps are the way to go lol
The amp i want has an option to set thr wattage to 50 or 100. If i set it to 50 watts, would i still need a 100+ watt cab?
Hello , thank you for this informative video, according to this, i can plug my ba210 vs ampeg combo to a 280W Peavey 8omh cabinet right with no problem?
I have a Marshall tsl 602 and it has stock 80 watt Marshall wolverines in it. They sound muddy and my amp lacks sparkle, mids. What would be great speakers to bring this amp to life? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks cool video too.
One question: is my amp head safe even if is connected with right ohms and it's a 50w head connected to a 120w cab with the volume all the way down? while the sound is coming the line out to the interface to the DAW?
So essentially, the power handling and the impedance can't be lower than your head's? In a nutshell?
So, what am I supposed to do if I have two 8 ohm 2x12 cabinets and an amp with minimum impedance of 8 ohms? How should I connect it??
got a question, if im playing live with an amp head that has a low power 50 watt mode and a high power 100 watt mode and the venue’s speaker is only 75 watt would i still blow it if i put it in 50 watt mode
Quick question. What if I only have 8ohms out put for speaker cab and my speaker cab is 16 ohms can I still plug it in without worrying anything.
In the video, you imply that a 100 watt amp at volume “4 power” would be proper power handling for a cabinet with four 75 watt speakers. Or, said another way, that a 100 watt amp at volume 4 produces 300 watts. Understanding that gain and effects pedals can impact the load output, I’m hoping to learn and understand your arithmetic; because, presumably, I can do the same math to make sure I don’t blow anything up when I pair and purchase a new wattage amp and replace its speaker(s), or replace the speaker on what I already have. How does the volume knob boost wattage?
I’ve been rediscovering my electric guitar, but doing it in a small apartment with 2 kids. I have dusted off a 20-year-old 50 watt tube amp, and I’m either looking to change out its stock speaker (a Celestion Seventy 80), or to replace with a new lower wattage combo amp or head/cabinet. I also play with a Torpedo Captor X 8 ohm attenuator and virtual cabinet which is AWESOME, but I’d like to have the occasional ability to hear my amp and speakers without the secondary device.
There’s a lot of information to absorb, and I’m trying to resolve best options that achieve bedroom level volume without blowing anything up.
Make sense? Help!
thanks this really helped a lot