Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

[NJW]

Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab without blowing up the cab? (Eg. 44w ehx magnum 44 into a 25w cab)?

[jeremy]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

welcome to the forum!

why dont you just keep the volume down on the 44 mag? but yes, you could use an attentuator

[DankStar]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

how do ya like the magnum (does it sound/feel like a traditionall guitar power amp)?

[NJW]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

I am planning to get one soon, although I don’t actually possess one yet. I hope it will. I’ve only ever owned combos, so I’m relatively inexperienced with this kind of stuff, sorry.

[NJW]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

Thanks! So if I just don’t crank it (which I don’t generally do anyway), it won’t blow up? I can probably manage that until I have the money to get a higher wattage cab (I like some of the stuff I’ve seen from EarCandy). Thanks again for the advice and for the welcome!

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

Technically yes, it will be fine if you keep it low. However I still don't recommend it.

[speed2dirt]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

Most attenuators are made for tube amps and specify in the manual not for use on solid state devices. The EHX 44 is SS and would fall in that category. SS runs clean and doesn't change tone with volume until it runs out of power, so there would be no point with an attenuator in that setup. Yes, running the volume lower will allow the speaker to work within its tolerances and not blow up. If you were planning to run this with a tube amp, an attenuator does indeed drop the output wattage incrementally and thus would also work with high powered head into a low watt cab.

[VinceT]

Re: Can I use an attenuator to plug a high-wattage power amp into a low-wattage cab?

The main thing to watch for is that the attenuators impedance matches the amp output requirements (8Ohm, 16Ohm, etc.) otherwise you can damage the output transformer of the head.

As for the cab, speakers can be overloaded before they completely crap out (as I understand it, part of the mythology around Celestion Blues in a Vox AC30 is that they’re underrated for the power output, for example) but as Kamanda, I wouldn’t make a habit of it.


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