Anyone run only one side of a stereo power amp?

[Filter500]

I'm thinking about going rack, but in my current setup I'd only be using one power amp channel. I'm looking at something like a VHT 2/50/2, although both channels aren't completely independent. If I run only one channel, will it hurt the tubes over time to leave the other channel in standby whenever I use the amp? Do I risk something like "cathode poisoning", or is that an exaggeration? Would it be better to pull the tubes from the channel I don't use? Thanks in advance...

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Some amps that don't have independent standby switches can run one channel only. Check with the manufacturer. I know Mesa power amps are OK as long as no signal is going through the unused channel. Find a Marshall 9100/9200, they have truly independent sides.

 

[Ancient Alien]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

 

[Filter500]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

Don't assume anything, check the wiring. If it is wired mono, having two jacks will make a stereo conversion only take about 5-10 minutes.

 

[Ancient Alien]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

NO!
That is a series jack.
You would need to re-wire the speakers to the jacks as individual speakers.
Just take the back plate off, and wire one speaker to each jack.
Then just plug one side into each.

 

[Filter500]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

NO!
That is a series jack.
You would need to re-wire the speakers to the jacks as individual speakers.
Just take the back plate off, and wire one speaker to each jack.
Then just plug one side into each.

Ahh, okay. What would the advantage be of doing this vs. pulling the tubes for one channel?

 

[Ancient Alien]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

NO!
That is a series jack.
You would need to re-wire the speakers to the jacks as individual speakers.
Just take the back plate off, and wire one speaker to each jack.
Then just plug one side into each.

Ahh, okay. What would the advantage be of doing this vs. pulling the tubes for one channel?

The amp will work the way it was designed.

 

[Filter500]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

NO!
That is a series jack.
You would need to re-wire the speakers to the jacks as individual speakers.
Just take the back plate off, and wire one speaker to each jack.
Then just plug one side into each.

Ahh, okay. What would the advantage be of doing this vs. pulling the tubes for one channel?

The amp will work the way it was designed.

Am I sacrificing speaker headroom by running 100 watts into a 100 watt cab?

 

[Ancient Alien]

You can run only one side.
The tubes will wear out after time on the one side, and the other side would be like new.
I'd suggest just using the MONO in on the VHT and running it into stereo input on the back of the cabinet if available.
If the cabinet does not have that, it is a very easy mod to do to any cabinet.

My cabinet is a 2x12 fatbottom, which has two inputs, but no special switch for stereo operation. My guess has always been that for stereo, I would plug each channel into each jack, with the impedence for each being 16ohms instead of the 8ohm load in mono.

NO!
That is a series jack.
You would need to re-wire the speakers to the jacks as individual speakers.
Just take the back plate off, and wire one speaker to each jack.
Then just plug one side into each.

Ahh, okay. What would the advantage be of doing this vs. pulling the tubes for one channel?

The amp will work the way it was designed.

Am I sacrificing speaker headroom by running 100 watts into a 100 watt cab?

I would think not.
The P50E speakers are also a little under rated at 50 watts.
If you can actually sit in the room with that power amp and speakers cranked, you better get to the ear doctor
Gigging volume with that setup will be about 25-30 watts on the loud side.

 

[Filter500]

Well, I ask because right now when I push them, they break up pretty easily and lose definition. I figured though that I might have the master set lower running a higher wattage, but I've also heard the difference between 50 and 100 watts is only 3db, but the speakers may receive it differently than my ears.

I actually have two fatbottom cabs right now, so I would be able to test to the 2/50/2 running into both vs. only running one channel. I'm using the other cab for a single rec, and I'm not sure I want to get rid of that head and go recto preamp.

 

[reverymike]

I run one side of my HH V800, but it's mosfet, so I don't think it matters.