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Post subject: Bandmaster VM /cabinet question
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:24 am
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For practice purposes (low volume and small space), I want to use a single 12" speaker cabinet which I think is 4 ohms whereas the usual configuration for this amp is 2 twelve inch speakers. Will the use of the single 12" speaker damage the tubes of the amp? Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Bandmaster VM /cabinet question
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:34 am
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Hi dcarney,

No problem with one, two or even four speakers as long as the total impedance and wattage is reasonably close to the amp. In the case of Fender 12 inch speakers, the total impedance for two, usually wired in parallel is 4 ohms. If your external 1x12 is 4 ohms, that is a match. You can also safely use an 8 ohm ext cab if you want without worry of any damage. A tube amp can handle an impedance mismatch of 2 to 1 easily. For example, an 8 ohm amp can easily and safely run a 4, 8, or 16 ohm speaker with no problem. Sometimes this mismatch can even create a more desirable sound than when matched. The number of speakers doesn't matter, just ohms and watts totals.

Typically, the watts rating of the speaker should not be exceeded by the amp, so for the most part don't use a 10 watt speaker on a 40 watt amp.

The schematic that I have shows two speaker jacks, if only the main jack is used the 8 ohm tap on the output is selected and if both jacks are used the 4 ohm tap is selected. Do you have a 2x12 combo or what?

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Post subject: Re: Bandmaster VM /cabinet question
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:57 am
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Thank you for the advice. Turns out my 12" speaker is 16 ohms and not 4. But as I read your response, running the Bandmaster VM through the 16 ohm single speaker should not be a problem. I usually run the Bandmaster VM for gigs through an old Bandmaster cabinet which now has two 12" Jensen neo's in it and which sounds good to me. However, the smaller cabinet is easier to deal with for practice purposes and enables me to use the same Bandmaster head at band practice sessions that I use for gigs. In turn, using the same amp head enables me to play with the tone, pedals, etc with some expectation of repeating the good and avoiding the bad when at a gig. I have tried this a couple of times now in the recent past and it seemed to work out but I do not want to harm the tubes in the amp by using the wrong speaker. Sounds like I will be ok. Thanks again.


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Post subject: Re: Bandmaster VM /cabinet question
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:50 pm
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I have read somewere brfore that it could hurt the amp if you mismatche the head impedance with the Cab impedance.... i have a bassman Black face and it goes 4 Ohms but i have a 8 Ohms cab on it... it hasn't burn jet (and i hope it remains like that) but it worry me a little that i migth be killing the head! with the 8 Ohmms cab! :?: :(


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Post subject: Re: Bandmaster VM /cabinet question
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:19 am
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I just use this.
http://taweber.powweb.com/store/zmatch.htm
It will let you run just about any cab with your amps. It comes in a 50 and 100 watt version. You can lose power and tone with a mismatch. Some people like it, I don't. You can mismatch 2 to 1 but it doesn't always sound good. A correct match is usually better and that's my advice. :wink:

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