How much guitar + looper signal can my AC30c2 handle?

[DrainBamage]

I like to run my looper in to my ac30c2 with greenbacks. I play usually with master and gain on 7 while im looping so I can bust out some lead. Obviously their is a lot signal running through my amp. Once I start doing lead and especially when I join in with rhythm a huge increase in guitar signal is present. Much more than the amp ever produces with just one guitar.

Can my ac30 handle this no problem at this vol or should I be concerned about damaging my speakers?

 

[Cirrus]

The greenbacks can handle 50 watts together, the ac30 is rated for 30. Even if you turn it right up and hit it with volume boosts, the speakers will cope. The ac30 probably doesn't put out enough bass to damage the speakers even if you played a bass heavy effect through it. You will probably wear the valves out quicker, but that's why they made those replaceable.

Also, for what it's worth a lot of AC30 users enjoy boosting the signal into the amp. I've happily boosted the signal +30db into the input if the resulting distortion worked for what I was trying to do.

 

[antbosca]

I agree the speakers in this rig are probably not the weak link, but I would listen for some power crashing. If the output of the amp seems to diminish when you hit it really hard, then you are pushing the transformers past their comfort zone. I've noticed this while playing a loop and a lead through my Rivera R30.

 

[DrainBamage]

Also, for what it's worth a lot of AC30 users enjoy boosting the signal into the amp. I've happily boosted the signal +30db into the input if the resulting distortion worked for what I was trying to do.

Thats alot of boost. I dont think id want to come near close to that. But thats probably whats happening with my looper.

The way I figured it my amps probably pushing at least 40 watts around 7 on the vols. The greenbacks handle 50 watts. But essentially it seems like im doubling my signal, so I could potentially be around 80 watts if thats how it works.

So I am a little worried about the speakers but now antbosca's post dose have me worried about the transformers..

Maybe Ill just continue doing lead over the loopers rhythem track and stay away form doubling up on the rhythem

 

[Cirrus]

What way did you figure it to get 40 Watts? Maybe if it's totally cranked and the valves are very strong. 80 watts? No, that'll never come out of an ac30. It's up to you of course but I honestly don't think you've got anything to worry about. If you add signal beyond what the amp can cleanly produce it'll just get compressed and distorted, it won't output more than it can.

 

[DrainBamage]

What way did you figure it to get 40 Watts? Maybe if it's totally cranked and the valves are very strong. 80 watts? No, that'll never come out of an ac30. It's up to you of course but I honestly don't think you've got anything to worry about. If you add signal beyond what the amp can cleanly produce it'll just get compressed and distorted, it won't output more than it can.

The amps rated 30 clean watts. Once it starts clipping you can normally expect 1.5 x the clean watts full tilt. I assume 40, 45 watts is reasonable for a pushed ac30.

When I play rhythem over rhythem on the looper, the signal is boosted by a few dbs, maybe 3dbs or more and supposedly 3 more dbs is double the wattage. Not really sure if thats how you can estimate watts this way with a looper signal but it seems very plausible.

You would have to try running a looper through a dimmed amp to understand my concerns.

 

[Rena Rune]

I would say the AC30 puts out a lot more than 30 Watts peak. But I think you have to go significantly over the wattage rating of speakers to damage them.

 

[cestjoel]

Celestion tends to under rate their speakers. A 25 watt greenback has a rating closer to 30-35 watts. Your speakers are good even IF you did get 80 watts out of the ac30.

 

[michael.e]

Nevermind that I blew a 100 watt alnico Fane with a '73 JMP50 and an OD. I am not sure how you are not getting frequency cancellations when running a looper and then playing leads AND running the amp hard. Better to have the looper running to something else. It does not have to be wattage alone that can fry speakers. Pummel those Greenies with a loud AC30 and a fuzzbox for a spell.

 

[Rena Rune]

Also, I don't know if anyone's pointing it out, but you're going to have to have the gain pretty low for the looper to sound remotely right, so the question is probably irrelevant anyway. Unless you're purposely using it for a big "wall of sound" thing.

 

[Cirrus]

The amps rated 30 clean watts. Once it starts clipping you can normally expect 1.5 x the clean watts full tilt. I assume 40, 45 watts is reasonable for a pushed ac30.

When I play rhythem over rhythem on the looper, the signal is boosted by a few dbs, maybe 3dbs or more and supposedly 3 more dbs is double the wattage. Not really sure if thats how you can estimate watts this way with a looper signal but it seems very plausible.

You would have to try running a looper through a dimmed amp to understand my concerns.

Maybe if it was a big open sounding amp you could squeeze a lot more power out of it. but ac30s tend to be very compressed when overdriven and that's because they're running out of power. If you've got the amp overdriving in the power section then that's the most wattage it can put out, no matter how much you boost the signal, or what you use to boost the signal - you'll just get a more distorted sound with the same output power. If when you are playing and you start using the looper you get a noticeable volume increase then it means you weren't running the amp at its limits anyway, so again you don't need to worry about somehow putting out enough to damage a speaker pair that can take 50 watts.

I've been using my ac30 for a few years now for practice, recording and gigs and frequently run it totally dimed with boosts, loopers, you name it. I understand your concerns. I'm not totally sure how much more clear I can be though. The only thing that'll happen is that your valves wear out faster, and you might go deaf. These are loud amps.

Nevermind that I blew a 100 watt alnico Fane with a '73 JMP50 and an OD. I am not sure how you are not getting frequency cancellations when running a looper and then playing leads AND running the amp hard. Better to have the looper running to something else. It does not have to be wattage alone that can fry speakers. Pummel those Greenies with a loud AC30 and a fuzzbox for a spell.

JMP's are well under rated and pass through a lot more bass. What do you mean "Frequency cancellations?" And I agree - if the ac30 is actually overdriving and you're running a few seperate guitar lines into it at the same time, it's going to sound very mushy and hard to seperate out the various parts.