G
ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
So you see that having your impedance selector set incorrectly for the speakers you have connected won't blow the speakers. I apologize for the flippancy of my earlier remarks.
So you see that having your impedance selector set incorrectly for the speakers you have connected won't blow the speakers. I apologize for the flippancy of my earlier remarks.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
hmmmmm.
The power your amp puts out is not the always the same first off. It can vary from '0' when you're not playing anything, to whatever power the amps capable of putting out.
And the ohm selector does not pick a different voltage to get through varying resistances because there is not a constant voltage at the output of an amp. Once again, it can be full output or zero or anything in between. But the voltage output absolutely changes as you change the volume of the amp and is often used as a way to calculate the actual output.
And ggunn is exactly right ...... the ohmage selector is to optimize the output impedance of the amp to the speaker load thus putting out more power.
Having it set differently will lessen output and it will change the tone. Some amps are sensitive to an impedance mismatch and some aren't. My Mesa Blue Angel doesn't really care and sometimes I'll use the 8 ohm tap and sometimes the 4 ohm even though it's still the same speaker because it sounds way different and depending on what I want, I'll choose one or the other.
Some amps are sensitive to that though so I'm not recomending it to anyone else.
The power your amp puts out is not the always the same first off. It can vary from '0' when you're not playing anything, to whatever power the amps capable of putting out.
And the ohm selector does not pick a different voltage to get through varying resistances because there is not a constant voltage at the output of an amp. Once again, it can be full output or zero or anything in between. But the voltage output absolutely changes as you change the volume of the amp and is often used as a way to calculate the actual output.
And ggunn is exactly right ...... the ohmage selector is to optimize the output impedance of the amp to the speaker load thus putting out more power.
Having it set differently will lessen output and it will change the tone. Some amps are sensitive to an impedance mismatch and some aren't. My Mesa Blue Angel doesn't really care and sometimes I'll use the 8 ohm tap and sometimes the 4 ohm even though it's still the same speaker because it sounds way different and depending on what I want, I'll choose one or the other.
Some amps are sensitive to that though so I'm not recomending it to anyone else.
G
Guitarer
New member
Well, my amp was on 4, and my speakers are 8. Had, my amp been on 16, (I think) they would have blown...I'm not 100% on that, but I think I recall my electronics teacher telling me that.
I'm sorry to crowd this forum with my ignorance (If I'm wrong), but what I know always seems to be from reliable sources...Stupid American educational system.
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ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
Either you misunderstood your electronics teacher or what he told you was wrong. Haven't we been through this? The impedance setting on your amp is for optimizing the load on your power tubes and has a minimal effect on the output of the amp to the speakers.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
I'm 100% that they would not have blown.
You're misunderstanding how amps and power ratings work.
As stated above, you're mistaken in your idea that amps put out a constant voltage or a constant power or that the impedance selector picks different voltages for different resistances.
All those things are absolutely completely 100% in error.
If your speakers are 8 and the amp is set on anything other than 8, the amp puts out less power ......... period.
There's no way whatsoever that having your amp set on a different ohmage than the speakers can do anything at all to the speakers period infinity to the end of time!
The only thing that might be hurt is the amp and that's unlikely but possible. Even less likely but still possible is that if you did fry the amp it could take speakers with it. But other than causing a catastrophic amp failure that melts down other equipment along with it, there is no way at all that having an amp set on a mismatched impedance setting will damage speakers.
G
Guitarer
New member
Alright, well thanks for the info and sorry for putting out anything false.
I'm glad this a forum that has some maturity, whereas other places would just be constant flaming.
I'm glad this a forum that has some maturity, whereas other places would just be constant flaming.
G
ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
No harm, no foul.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
And props back atcha for not getting too defensive to learn something.
You helped keep it from flaming by reacting in a mellow way too.
G
goldtopchas
New member
Just had to add my 2 cents... I think a lot of the confusion over impedence and power output comes from what we see listed with power amps. A solid state power amp for P.A. or car audio always lists a higher wattage with the lower impedence speaker application. Such as 100 watts per channel @8 ohms and 180 watts per channel @ 4 ohms etc.... But a tube guitar amp doesn't operate like this. I don't know the exact elec. reasons for this. But tube amps just run more efficiently when ohms are matched. There is no big difference in output. But a serious mismatch WILL eventually cause enough heat to take out your output trans. I always check my cab with a multimeter when changing wiring or speakers, just to make sure I've got things correct. This is important when using someone elses cab. It's surprising how many people don't even know what their cabs impedence is.