Orange Micro Dark into combo?

[Mad Max]

So I have a Marshall AVT50 1x12 combo. Can I unhook the speaker cab and hook it up to an Orange Micro Dark? The impedence of the Marshall is 4ohms and the Orange is 8ohms. The manual for the Marshall says you can hook up an extension cab as long as its 8 or 16 ohms. Does that mean the speaker in the combo is 8ohms? Wattage shouldn't be a problem as the Marshall is 50watts and the Orange is 20. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[BenPerkins]

So I have a Marshall AVT50 1x12 combo. Can I unhook the speaker cab and hook it up to an Orange Micro Dark? The impedence of the Marshall is 4ohms and the Orange is 8ohms. The manual for the Marshall says you can hook up an extension cab as long as its 8 or 16 ohms. Does that mean the speaker in the combo is 8ohms? Wattage shouldn't be a problem as the Marshall is 50watts and the Orange is 20. Any advice would be appreciated.

My guess would be that the speaker is hard-wired to the amp. Unless if you can clearly see that it’s connected via 1/4” cable, then probably not?

 

[Animal]

The output impedance of the AVT50 appears to be 4 ohms.

Ideally the amp output impedance should be the same as the speaker load: 4 ohms > 4 ohms, 8 ohms > 8 ohms, 16 ohms > 16 ohms etc.

The AVT50 manual states plugging into a 8 or 16 ohm speaker cab as a safe mismatch as the amp output impedance is lower than the speaker load: 4 ohms > 8 ohms or 4 ohms > 16 ohms etc.

An unsafe mismatch is the opposite scenario of the amp output being a higher impedance than the speaker load: 8 ohms > 4 ohms, 16 ohms > 8 ohms etc.

Just because the AVT50 output jack states min 4 ohm load does not necessarily mean that the speaker in the combo is 4 ohms. The only 100% to know for sure is to remove the back baffle and see if there is an ohm rating on the speaker.

If the speaker is indeed 4 ohms then it should not be a safe mismatch for the 8 ohm speaker out jack on the Orange Micro Dark.

 

[Animal]

My guess would be that the speaker is hard-wired to the amp. Unless if you can clearly see that it’s connected via 1/4” cable, then probably not?

Going by google image search, the combo speaker is hooked up to the red Loudspeaker output jack shown in the diagram.

 

[BenPerkins]

Sounds good, good luck OP

 

[Securb]

Use this rule of thumb when thinking about amps, speakers, and ohms. If you were pouring water from one glass to another the glass receiving the water (cab) would have to be the same size or bigger than the glass pouring the water (amp). For example, if you pour 4 oz (ohms) into an 8 oz (ohm) glass you are fine. If you pour 16 oz (ohm) into an 8 oz (ohm) glass it will spill over and that is when you run into problems and possibly damage your amp. The cab should be equal or bigger in ohms to the amp.

 

[Mad Max]

Use this rule of thumb when thinking about amps, speakers, and ohms. If you were pouring water from one glass to another the glass receiving the water (cab) would have to be the same size or bigger than the glass pouring the water (amp). For example, if you pour 4 oz (ohms) into an 8 oz (ohm) glass you are fine. If you pour 16 oz (ohm) into an 8 oz (ohm) glass it will spill over and that is when you run into problems and possibly damage your amp. The cab should be equal or bigger in ohms to the amp.

Thanks for responding. It really makes it less confusing, thinking about it that way. Thanks to everyone else for the suggestions, also.

 

[Mad Max]

Well, I opened up the back of it. It has a Eminence/Fender yellow label speaker in it(obviously not the stock speaker). The speaker is 8 ohms. It has a real reverb tank too. Would the original speaker have been 4 ohms? Do I technically have a 25 watt amp now?

 

[Securb]

Looks like you are in business. I think you are going to like the tone.

 

[Mad Max]

I ended up going a different route. That Orange Micro Dark just didn't have the punch I expected when I tried it. They had one of these used, I plugged it into the same cabinet, and it sounded 10 times better for only $100 more. I have it plugged in via a D'Addario female/female 1/4 inch adapter into the cabinet of the AVT50. I matched impedance, the speaker is 8 ohms and its plugged into the 8 ohm outlet of the DSL15. So far, so good.

 

[jmh151]

A few times I just took the effects send of my micro dark and plugged it into the effects return of my EVH 5150 III and got killer Mesa Boogie Dual Rec tones