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cabs?

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(@wishiwasthebest)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 76
Topic starter  

I have a 120 watt Peavey triple x head. I have a 4x12 cab, 4 celestion 30s

I am however going to purchase a 2x12 to use at home, that way i can transport the head back and forth from band practice, and if I go jam with other people, i can take the 2x12 (my car wont hold a 4x12, but thats the price you pay to have an 84 z28 :))

question is, do the speakers in the cabinent (2x12) need to equal 120 watts? what will the effect of undershooting or overshooting the wattage be ??

Also, the triple x head is ohm switchable to 4, 8, 16. My 4x12 is 8 ohms. What should i get the 2x12 in the case i want to plug both the 4x12 and 2x12 together?

thank you!

RIP Dimebag


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

If the cab cannot handle the output of the amp you'll be blowing stuff up. If it can handle more then 120W nothing bad is going to happen.


   
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(@slothrob)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 472
 

I believe that, in general, you will also tend to get more speaker distortion as you aproach or exceed the wattage of a speaker, while a speaker with a wattage rating well in excess of your needs will tend to more accurately reproduce the sounds coming from your amp, excepting when a speaker is designed (intentionally or otherwise) to distort early. Sometimes you want speaker distortion, somtimes you don't. Turn the amp up high enough and splat goes the speaker, though.


   
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(@wes-inman)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

The Celestion Vintage 30 (great speaker by the way) is rated at 60 watts handling power.

Celestion Vintage 30 Speaker

So, your 4 X 12 cab is probably advertised as 4 X 60W or 240W handling power. And this is about right for a 120W head.

Identical speakers share the load. Right now, each of your Celestion 30's are getting 30 watts from the amp.

You could run your amp into a single speaker rated only 10 watts without harm provided you do not crank your amp.

And just the opposite, you can damage a speaker rated 200 watts with a 5 watt amplifier if the amp is clipped. Now, this applies more to PA speakers than guitar speakers, as guitar speakers are designed to handle distortion. But even still, guitar speakers can be damaged by receiving a clipped signal from an amp.

But I would try to go over 120 watts with your 2 X 12. Perhaps two 100 watt speakers. You could probably even go with two 75 watt speakers for 150W handling power. I wouldn't go below this.

You should check out Avatar. They make great cabs (I own one) for a very reasonable price. They will custom design your cab to your specifications. They have a wide variety of speakers available.

Avatar Speakers

Sorry for the plug, but they make good cabs for a great price. I would recommend them to anyone.

As for ohms, your amp can handle a 4 ohm load. Two 8 ohm cabs in parallel makes for a 4 ohm load. Your amp will be at it's best performance at this load, so I would get an 8 ohm cab.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@wishiwasthebest)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 76
Topic starter  

double posted...attempting to fix to no avail!

RIP Dimebag


   
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(@wishiwasthebest)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 76
Topic starter  

thanks for the replies, great help!

and i know of avatar, thats where my first cab is from :) :), and I agree fully with you, dave is great!

Ok, so now I am off to pick some speakers, which I am dumbfounded, part of me says get the same speakers, so when I am at home tweaking knobs and things, it will sound more like the full set up. Then the other side says get different speakers, that way when they are paired up the results are great.... but then that kinda brings back to the problem I had originally!

Recomendation of speakers? 2 speakers...

thanks!

g12 75?? hella tone 60s?

RIP Dimebag


   
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(@terminator)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 276
 

I'd get the 60's if i were you they give a nice vintage tone.

Thanks,
Leo

"No pain No gain!"- The Scorpions


   
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(@wes-inman)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

Choices, choices, what will I do?? :D

I would get different speakers, if only to hear the difference. But that's me.

I kinda lean toward those G12T-75s. Great scooped mids. Nice Marshall tone. But again, that's me, I love the tone of Marshalls.

The G12T-75s are also rated 75 watts, so they can handle a little more power than the Helltones. But the Helltones should be fine unless you really crank your amp to the extreme.

It will not matter when you run both cabs off the amp. Then each speaker will get 120 divided by 6, which equals... 20 watts to each speaker. Very safe for the Helltones.

Let us know what you get and how you like them.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@wishiwasthebest)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 76
Topic starter  

i am going to go with the 75's, when i get it in ill post a review! :)

RIP Dimebag


   
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