HELP - Cabinet Power Handling Question.....

[rlord1974]

So, maybe someone can clear this up for me.

As per the Matchless website, their ES212 cab includes a "customized" Celestion G12M Greenback and "customized" Celestion G12H30: http://www.matchlessamplifiers.com/212.html

It also states the power handling capacity of the cabinet as being 60 watts.

I assume the "customized" G12M is in fact a 25 watt Greenback, as you can buy the Matchless labelled Celestion separately on their website, and it shows it as being a G12M-25: http://www.matchlessamplifiers.com/buy-stuff.html)

So, this is where the confusion exists: if the cab has a 25 watt Greenback and a 30 watt G12H30, how can its power handling capacity be 60 watts? Isn't it actually 50 watts (i.e., two times the power handling capacity of the lowest wattage speaker in the cabinet)?

Thoughts?

 

[rlord1974]

Anybody?

 

[freaksho]

yes if it truly is a 25W GB then the cab is 50W rated by conventional standards. but speaker ratings are inexact and different makers do it differently. so it's futile to worry about whether your cab is 50W or 60W. there is really no difference.

i'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that the reason you ask this question is that you want to use this cab with a 30W amp?

 

[rlord1974]

Not too far out on a limb! ;+)

I'm wondering if it is safe to use this speaker combo with a cathode biased amp rated at 35 watts?

I have to assume it is, as Matchless pairs their 35 watt heads with their ES212 cab loaded with these drivers......

 

[BoogieEngineer]

I share the same thought as the OP. I asked Jim at Scumback about mixing lower wattage speakers with higher ones in the same cab, and he told me the higher ones will operate at just the power of the lowest one, i.e if you mixed a 25W with three 65W's in a 4x12 then the power handling would be only 100W max. Push it further and the 25W would blow.

 

[freaksho]

Not too far out on a limb! ;+)

I'm wondering if it is safe to use this speaker combo with a cathode biased amp rated at 35 watts?

I have to assume it is, as Matchless pairs their 35 watt heads with their ES212 cab loaded with these drivers......

yeah you should be perfectly fine. for one, i really doubt you'll be diming your amp too often, right? i mean even a 35W tube amp cranked will be louder than most situations will allow (you're not playing big outdoor events are you?). and second, Celestion is known to rate their speakers realistically, iow they rate them for tube amps knowing full well the rated power will often be exceeded. but if you're still worried then just call Matchless and ask them if they think that cab is ok with that amp. also there is a Celestion employee who posts here regularly who you can ask (sorry i can't remember his name right now).

 

[Scumback Speakers]

I'm wondering if it is safe to use this speaker combo with a cathode biased amp rated at 35 watts?

Based on what you're saying you should be good to go. Always get twice (200%) of your rated power for an amp for speaker power handling. 55w is probably more than enough for a 35w amp, even cranked and hit with an overdrive pedal.