T
tarkken
New member
Dave,
Can you please clarify upon the dangers and necessities of matching the impedance with power attenuators, cabs, etc?
Amongst a number of Friedmans, I'm currently using a BE100 (fairly new version - early 2015 I think) - love it. I used to run the front master hotter (around 5-7), controlling overall volume on the loop return on the back. After recent experimentation, I find the amp much more open and responsive running the back return from 3/4 to full, and controlling the front volume. It's beautiful, but it gets loud quickly...
Currently running 2 speaker cabs: a 4x12 wired 16 ohm, and a 2x12 top also wired 16 ohm. I send two speaker cables to the cabs, and the head is selected at 8 ohm impedance for that setup.
I'm very interested in the Radial Headload product, especially after loving their JDX direct box. Only thing with their Headload attenuator is that you need to pick an impedance, something important to think thru at $900/shot. They come in 4 ohm, 8 ohm, and 16 ohm versions.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... ad&index=1
Obviously with my main 2 cab setup, I'd think I should obtain an 8 ohm version of the attenuator, running two 16 ohm cabinets - yes?
That said, and perfect world, sometimes I wouldn't mind running a single cabinet, assumed at 16 ohms. Having an 8 ohm attenuator would then take me out of spec...
Main question and quest for wisdom (for this product or others
Is there a catch-all impedance version of this or any attenuator that I could safely run with the BE100 in both scenarios? Same question for Pink Taco and Naked heads which I also own.
Could I get a 16 ohm version of the attenuator for single cab use, and also safely run it using the two 16ohm cabinet scenario above (which should have presumably be 8 ohms). Or, can I reverse the thinking: would an 8 ohm version of the attenuator be better for the two cab use, and could that 8 ohm attenuator be safe with a single 16 ohm cabinet?
I obviously don't want to damage either amp or attenuator.
Not sure if this is a question for both you and Radial? I'm also very interested in the Two Notes live unit, and that appears dedicated to an 8 ohm output, yielding a similar question and scenario here...
Ultimately, I simply want to know what would be very harmful (if not disasterous) to the heads, maximizing the gear investment and not having multiple attenuator 'load' versions if at all possible.
As a final scenario, since this model BE100 doesn't have a half-power switch, so I sometimes I pull the two outer tubes (EL34 position 1, and position 4 looking left to right), halving the impedance, and running the head at 4 ohms with the same two 16 ohm cabinets. I saw a comment from you that suggested you could still run it at 8 ohms safely, and it was up to the user on the sound you'd like the best(?). I would probably keep all 4 tubes in for the power attenuator scenarios, of course, please feel free to comment on all combinations and best/safest uses, especially if it assisted in matching impedances, etc.
Thanks again so very much for your fantastic assistance and wisdom.
Can you please clarify upon the dangers and necessities of matching the impedance with power attenuators, cabs, etc?
Amongst a number of Friedmans, I'm currently using a BE100 (fairly new version - early 2015 I think) - love it. I used to run the front master hotter (around 5-7), controlling overall volume on the loop return on the back. After recent experimentation, I find the amp much more open and responsive running the back return from 3/4 to full, and controlling the front volume. It's beautiful, but it gets loud quickly...
Currently running 2 speaker cabs: a 4x12 wired 16 ohm, and a 2x12 top also wired 16 ohm. I send two speaker cables to the cabs, and the head is selected at 8 ohm impedance for that setup.
I'm very interested in the Radial Headload product, especially after loving their JDX direct box. Only thing with their Headload attenuator is that you need to pick an impedance, something important to think thru at $900/shot. They come in 4 ohm, 8 ohm, and 16 ohm versions.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... ad&index=1
Obviously with my main 2 cab setup, I'd think I should obtain an 8 ohm version of the attenuator, running two 16 ohm cabinets - yes?
That said, and perfect world, sometimes I wouldn't mind running a single cabinet, assumed at 16 ohms. Having an 8 ohm attenuator would then take me out of spec...
Main question and quest for wisdom (for this product or others
Is there a catch-all impedance version of this or any attenuator that I could safely run with the BE100 in both scenarios? Same question for Pink Taco and Naked heads which I also own.
Could I get a 16 ohm version of the attenuator for single cab use, and also safely run it using the two 16ohm cabinet scenario above (which should have presumably be 8 ohms). Or, can I reverse the thinking: would an 8 ohm version of the attenuator be better for the two cab use, and could that 8 ohm attenuator be safe with a single 16 ohm cabinet?
I obviously don't want to damage either amp or attenuator.
Not sure if this is a question for both you and Radial? I'm also very interested in the Two Notes live unit, and that appears dedicated to an 8 ohm output, yielding a similar question and scenario here...
Ultimately, I simply want to know what would be very harmful (if not disasterous) to the heads, maximizing the gear investment and not having multiple attenuator 'load' versions if at all possible.
As a final scenario, since this model BE100 doesn't have a half-power switch, so I sometimes I pull the two outer tubes (EL34 position 1, and position 4 looking left to right), halving the impedance, and running the head at 4 ohms with the same two 16 ohm cabinets. I saw a comment from you that suggested you could still run it at 8 ohms safely, and it was up to the user on the sound you'd like the best(?). I would probably keep all 4 tubes in for the power attenuator scenarios, of course, please feel free to comment on all combinations and best/safest uses, especially if it assisted in matching impedances, etc.
Thanks again so very much for your fantastic assistance and wisdom.