1x15 cab for guitar?

[chamelious]

So im thinking of adding a cab to my Ashdown fallen angel 2x12 60w combo, has anyone tried adding a 1x15 cab instead of a 2x12? Also will adding a cab actually increase volume? (I have to play with the amp on full volume, thought it'd be louder...)

 

[hungovermorning]

1 x 15s were actually pretty standard for the guitar in the mid 60s. I've always really liked the sound of a single 15 for guitar, see the Ampeg Gemini II for a good example of this.

I also used to run an amp in bridged mono (two cabs like you're talking about). It's not necessarily louder, but it's fuller as each cab emphasizes different frequencies.

 

[Oancient1]

same here ... used a bassman cab as a second cab with my 4x10 superreverb. gave it a nice bottom.

 

[mcmetal]

60 watts is 60 watts.adding another cab will make a fuller sound but won't make it louder.also it's gonna split the power between the two cabs so you're only gonna be pushing @ 30 watts per cab and won't be driving either of them as hard.just make sure that whatever cab you use that your ohms match up and your not overworking your amp.you can fry an amp real quick this way by pushing say a 4 ohm cab with a 8 ohm amp.you can always slave the signal out to another amp if you need more volume.

 

[chamelious]

60 watts is 60 watts.adding another cab will make a fuller sound but won't make it louder.also it's gonna split the power between the two cabs so you're only gonna be pushing @ 30 watts per cab and won't be driving either of them as hard.just make sure that whatever cab you use that your ohms match up and your not overworking your amp.you can fry an amp real quick this way by pushing say a 4 ohm cab with a 8 ohm amp.you can always slave the signal out to another amp if you need more volume.

Is this the case? I always thought in bridged mono mode, you could output the same 60w to two cabs at once.

 

[Oancient1]

Is this the case? I always thought in bridged mono mode, you could output the same 60w to two cabs at once.

Nope, the output of your amp is rated at 60W into a load of 4, 8, or 16 ohms, and a selector switch is provided to match the output impedance of the amp to the load to ensure maximum power transfer. If you connect a second cabinet, its impedance should be 8 ohms (same the combination of the current 2x12), and the selector switch should be set to 4 ohms as specified in the manual.

 

[NRS]

Your results may vary

Even if your amp can handle it, it might not improve your sound.

I've tried all sorts of combinations of different sizes and brands of speakers over the years in effort to enhance my guitar sound (some that have worked and some that haven't). The tricky thing with guitar speakers is that most of them are usually designed to produce their own unique characteristic and frequency response which may or may not compliment other speakers your trying to mix them with.

My personal best results have always been to keep any add on speakers the same (as long as they are good speakers to begin with) and work on enhancing tone elsewhere in the signal chain.

Perhaps though, theres an Ashdown blog out there where others have reported their experimental add on success, or find out what speakers are in your amp and go on a similar blog that talks about those model speakes.

Whatever you decide, my advice is "try before you buy" if possible!

 

[ocnor]

So im thinking of adding a cab to my Ashdown fallen angel 2x12 60w combo, has anyone tried adding a 1x15 cab instead of a 2x12? Also will adding a cab actually increase volume? (I have to play with the amp on full volume, thought it'd be louder...)

If you have to play with a 60 watt amp on full volume, either you are stone deaf or your amp is broken. That amount of wattage with 2 speakers rated at 98 spl [sensitivity] will produce around 120db. The threshold of pain is about 130db.

 

[hungovermorning]

If you have to play with a 60 watt amp on full volume, either you are stone deaf or your amp is broken. That amount of wattage with 2 speakers rated at 98 spl [sensitivity] will produce around 120db. The threshold of pain is about 130db.

60 solid state watts and 60 real watts are two different animals. For a ear-blowing example see the Sound City 50 plus. How 2 EL34s are so loud I'll never know.

 

[ocnor]

60 solid state watts and 60 real watts are two different animals. For a ear-blowing example see the Sound City 50 plus. How 2 EL34s are so loud I'll never know.

A watt is a watt. There is no difference between a solid state watt and a tube watt.

 

[hungovermorning]

A watt is a watt. There is no difference between a solid state watt and a tube watt.

Solid state watts are tested with a sine wave instead of the resistance met with a speaker. The output transformer in a tube amp remedies this situation.

 

[chamelious]

Well then perhaps something is broken? As im certainly not deaf and it needs to be on full to be heard above a drum kit.

 

[mcmetal]

I doubt anything is broken it just takes a certain level to get above the drums.I used to play through a 50 watt galien kruger 250ml hooked to a cab and had a lot of trouble hearing myself over the drums.If you have a pa then mic the amp and you're set.Otherwise maybe get the drummer to muffle his kit a tad but if you really like your amp sound maybe slave the signal to another amp.I'm guessing this is only an issue during practice.Playing live you can always put a tad of yourself in the monitor.

 

[chamelious]

Cool. Well its not an issue as such as it is just loud enough at practise. Got a ts7 on the way, gonna see what that does as a bit of a boost.

 

[ocnor]

I doubt anything is broken it just takes a certain level to get above the drums.I used to play through a 50 watt galien kruger 250ml hooked to a cab and had a lot of trouble hearing myself over the drums.If you have a pa then mic the amp and you're set.Otherwise maybe get the drummer to muffle his kit a tad but if you really like your amp sound maybe slave the signal to another amp.I'm guessing this is only an issue during practice.Playing live you can always put a tad of yourself in the monitor.

The Gallien Krueger 250ML is an 100 watt amp. It puts out 50 watts per side in stereo. I used to gig with one in the 80's and had no problem keeping up with the drummer using only the internal speakers. I've also used a 40 watt Marshall valvestate and never needed to turn up past 4 on the volume knob. And that was with a drummer that played so loud that he didn't need to be mic'd. An amp with 60 watts and 2x12 speakers should be loud enough to flap your ears like a flag. If not then it's broken.

 

[chamelious]

In what sense could it be broken? It appears to work correctly in all other ways...

 

[Tadpui]

A watt is a watt. There is no difference between a solid state watt and a tube watt.

I'm sure that this is true at a fundamental level. But when you put a 50-watt solid-state amp up against a 50-watt tube amp, the tube amp's perceived volume is WAY louder than the solid-state amp's percieved volume. It's a really noticable difference.

 

[soundchaser59]

I'm sure that this is true at a fundamental level. But when you put a 50-watt solid-state amp up against a 50-watt tube amp, the tube amp's perceived volume is WAY louder than the solid-state amp's percieved volume. It's a really noticable difference.

I thought that a 50 watt solid state amp can never put out more than 50 watts, not even "instantaneous peaks."

But tube amp during some "instantaneous peaks" will put out much more than 50 watts.

I was told tube amps, like speakers, are rated at about half of their true peak capability. and it is the instantaneous peaks and attacks that can make the tube amp seem much louder than any solid state amp.

I have a 30 watt Mesa, and I stand 5 feet from the drummer. If I turn my amp up past about 20% volume (or 9 o'clock), then it's too loud for everyone else on stage, but it's perfect for me and the drummer. If I run it thru the 15 inch Blue Dog, then I cant stand in front of it at that setting.

 

[chamelious]

I thought that a 50 watt solid state amp can never put out more than 50 watts, not even "instantaneous peaks."

But tube amp during some "instantaneous peaks" will put out much more than 50 watts.

I was told tube amps, like speakers, are rated at about half of their true peak capability. and it is the instantaneous peaks and attacks that can make the tube amp seem much louder than any solid state amp.

I have a 30 watt Mesa, and I stand 5 feet from the drummer. If I turn my amp up past about 20% volume (or 9 o'clock), then it's too loud for everyone else on stage, but it's perfect for me and the drummer. If I run it thru the 15 inch Blue Dog, then I cant stand in front of it at that setting.

Hmm it certainly sounds like mine should be louder then but i wonder whats wrong.

 

[Dani Pace]

I have to ask, are you talking about 60 watts "peak" or 60 watts "RMS?" An amp with a RMS rating will be much louder than an amp with the equivalent peak rating. It could also be your speakers, some are more efficient (sound louder) than others. I'm not familiar with the amp you are using but I use a Fender (evil) Twin with switchable output, I can run 100 watts (so far I haven't needed too) or 25 watts. So far the 25 watt setting, with volumes set to around 3 or 4 is louder than any drummer I've played with.