How not to kill backline speakers?

    I am thinking about travelling with a KPA (power rack) and plugging into backline guitar cabinets that the venues offer. Very often this will be 4/12 cabinets with enough power-handling to go with the 600 Watts from the KPA‘s amp. But what if there is only a small combo amp with a single 50 Watt speaker or even weaker? Is there a technically reliable way of guessing how much I can turn up the output volume before destroying the speaker? I once had the similar problem with the Bad Cat Unleash killing a cute, innocent 25 Watt Jensen P12R in the heat of a gig.

    www.audiosemantics.de
    I have been away for quite a while. A few years ago I sold my KPA and since then played my own small tube amp with a Bad Cat Unleash. Now I am back because the DI-profile that I made from my amp sounds very much convincing to me.

    Edited once, last by fretboardminer ().

    Quote from fretboardminer

    Is there a technically reliable way of guessing how much I can turn up the output volume before destroying the speaker? I once had the similar problem with the Bad Cat Unleash killing a cute, innocent 25 Watt Jensen P12R in the heat of a gig.

    There's no technically reliable way of guessing, other than the wattage a speaker can deal with.
    That said, I can get band- volume loud with my Powerhead and my1x12 Greenback equipped cab (25 W).
    Do you require to play very loud?

    Normally the volume of a single 25W speaker is enough for me, but I also have some bands that go really loud into the Keiji Haino, Peter Brötzmann region of volume.


    Can I divide the control dial into "fractions" of the wattage? That is how I do now with the BadCat Unleash: Unleash has 100W/8Ohms so when I connect a 50 Watt speaker I only go until noon. So far this always was a good guide. That said: noon in maximum, normally I am way lower than that!


    Except the afore mentioned occasion where I killed the Jensen P12R. That was a gig with a larger Freejazz ensemble with many saxes, another electric guitar and electric bass-guitar in a large venue without PA. So it was not really "really" loud in terms of Rockmusic, but just a deadly bit louder than I usually play. It was a 25W Jensen with the 100W Unleash poweramp so I started with the volume dial on 9 o clock (one quater) and in the middle of the gig I dared to go to 10:30 (one third), which was too much.


    I am just a bit worried because wit 600W the KPA has so much more power than my Unleash now. I don‘want to destroy a rented speaker...

    www.audiosemantics.de
    I have been away for quite a while. A few years ago I sold my KPA and since then played my own small tube amp with a Bad Cat Unleash. Now I am back because the DI-profile that I made from my amp sounds very much convincing to me.

    Yes, this is very much what I was looking for! I think 300W should be more than enough for my needs. Thanks for the link!


    It is a bit pricey but thats ok if it saves trouble with blown speakers. And hey, after all it seems to be really sturdy:
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    www.audiosemantics.de
    I have been away for quite a while. A few years ago I sold my KPA and since then played my own small tube amp with a Bad Cat Unleash. Now I am back because the DI-profile that I made from my amp sounds very much convincing to me.

    It's a little pricey, true. But as far as I understand the description it's also capable of limiting the input so the poweramp output doesn't exceed a specific max wattage!? If you plan to get one of these, it would be great if you could report here about pros, cons, how it works for you. :)


    Cheers
    Martin