Speaker mismatch...need advice on power rating

[Jodyzuza]

Just picked up a 212 cab that has a 60 watt speaker one side, 30 watt speaker the other side...both are 16 ohms, wired for a total of 8 ohms...

Question is, how many watts is this cab able to handle? Is it determined by the weakest speaker (30watts) or is it a sum total of both speakers, which is 90watts?

I have my 50watt silver jubilee running through it and don't want to blow the speakers!

Thanks

 

[Blueslicks]

Just picked up a 212 cab that has a 60 watt speaker one side, 30 watt speaker the other side...both are 16 ohms, wired for a total of 8 ohms...

Question is, how many watts is this cab able to handle? Is it determined by the weakest speaker (30watts) or is it a sum total of both speakers, which is 90watts?

I have my 50watt silver jubilee running through it and don't want to blow the speakers!

Thanks

Your cab can handle double the lowest wattage speaker. So in your case your cab handles 60 watts. IMO 60 watts should be fine with a 50 watt amp, I do it all the time. However many will tell you different and that you should have at least double your amps power rating in regards to speaker wattage. It also depends on the type of speakers you have in the cab as some are more robust than others. If it is a 60 watt Celestion V30 and a 30 watt Celestion G12H30 I would be fairly confident as those are rated conservatively and handle a good bit more than the labeled rating.

Above all, I would make sure the cab is wired correctly if someone other than you has put the speakers in it.

 

[Jodyzuza]

Your cab can handle double the lowest wattage speaker. So in your case your cab handles 60 watts. IMO 60 watts should be fine with a 50 watt amp, I do it all the time. However many will tell you different and that you should have at least double your amps power rating in regards to speaker wattage. It also depends on the type of speakers you have in the cab as some are more robust than others. If it is a 60 watt Celestion V30 and a 30 watt Celestion G12H30 I would be fairly confident as those are rated conservatively and handle a good bit more than the labeled rating.

Above all, I would make sure the cab is wired correctly if someone other than you has put the speakers in it.

Is it because of how it's wired? I have a 4x12 1960B cab that has 25w greenbacks in it, and the total power handling is 100w...so that would mean it theoretically could only handle 50watts?

 

[Blueslicks]

Is it because of how it's wired? I have a 4x12 1960B cab that has 25w greenbacks in it, and the total power handling is 100w...so that would mean it theoretically could only handle 50watts?

Your 4X12 has 4 25 watt GB's. In it's case the cab can handle quadruple the lowest wattage speaker (because it's a 4 speaker cab).

Since the speakers are all the same in the 4X12 with the lowest wattage being a 25 watt speaker then 4X25 watts = 100 watts handling.

The math is the same depending on the amount of speakers.

Your other cab has only 2 speakers and they are of differing wattage. So, it is double (because it's a 2 speaker cab) the lowest wattage speaker. Since your "lowest wattage" speaker is 30 watts you simply double that for overall power handling which is 60 watts total.

I am telling you to "check" the wiring because you've indicated that there has been a previous owner. The previous owner may have put the speakers in and wired it incorrectly. It is always best to check these things before you plug an amp in.

 

[Jodyzuza]

Your 4X12 has 4 25 watt GB's. In it's case the cab can handle quadruple the lowest wattage speaker (because it's a 4 speaker cab).

Since the speakers are all the same in the 4X12 with the lowest wattage being a 25 watt speaker then 4X25 watts = 100 watts handling.

The math is the same depending on the amount of speakers.

Your other cab has only 2 speakers and they are of differing wattage. So, it is double (because it's a 2 speaker cab) the lowest wattage speaker. Since your "lowest wattage" speaker is 30 watts you simply double that for overall power handling which is 60 watts total.

I am telling you to "check" the wiring because you've indicated that there has been a previous owner. The previous owner may have put the speakers in and wired it incorrectly. It is always best to check these things before you plug an amp in.

Aahhhh...makes sense now! Thanks man...I'm going to check to make sure that's it's 8 ohms with a meter