50/50--Running One Side Only?

[Holzar88]

I joined the Mesa/Boogie club this year for Christmas with the acquisition of a nice, clean 50/50 power amp.

Here's my question (did a search, couldn't find an answer): Do I have to run a cab on both sides? Or can I run one side and keep the volume all the way down on the unused side. I've read things on various boards that answer the question both ways. Thought I'd post on this board and see what y'all have to say. I currently run the Rocktron I've been using in that way, and it hasn't been a problem.

Thanks for your input ahead of time.

 

[straitouttahell]

I joined the Mesa/Boogie club this year for Christmas with the acquisition of a nice, clean 50/50 power amp.

Here's my question (did a search, couldn't find an answer): Do I have to run a cab on both sides?

I think it's written on the manual. It was on the 20/20 manual.

It's always best to plug a load on each output of your poweramp, however, if that is not possible you can connect a single cab of proper wattage and impedance on one channel and leave the other unloaded. All you have to do is to unplug the signal from the input of the unused channel, turn the output volume of the unused channel to zero and turn the presence to the maximum.

If you do so, nothing serious should happen to your poweramp. I did that dozens of time when I had a Mesa 20/20, no damage occurred.

If you run the poweramp like that very often, it is a smart idea to swap the channels from time to time, to keep the same amount of tube wearout on the two channels.

 

[RJ2213]

I joined the Mesa/Boogie club this year for Christmas with the acquisition of a nice, clean 50/50 power amp.

Here's my question (did a search, couldn't find an answer): Do I have to run a cab on both sides?

I think it's written on the manual. It was on the 20/20 manual.

It's always best to plug a load on each output of your poweramp, however, if that is not possible you can connect a single cab of proper wattage and impedance on one channel and leave the other unloaded. All you have to do is to unplug the signal from the input of the unused channel, turn the output volume of the unused channel to zero and turn the presence to the maximum.

If you do so, nothing serious should happen to your poweramp. I did that dozens of time when I had a Mesa 20/20, no damage occurred.

If you run the poweramp like that very often, it is a smart idea to swap the channels from time to time, to keep the same amount of tube wearout on the two channels.

thats how i was running my 2:90 for the past month while i waited to afford new tubes for one channel. luckily i bought a full JJ retube kit and finished retubing it about 20mins ago, cant wait to plug in and crank up. but yeah, volume minimum with presence at max is was the manual for the 2:90 says also.

 

[JohnP]

Hi,
The same applies to the 50/50 - just turn down that side and have nothing connected to it - a very handy feature!

(of course the real solution is to have a mono/stereo cab so you can use a mono head or stereo power amp and have max power anytiem you like :wink: )

Cheers
John

 

[CudBucket]

Hi,
The same applies to the 50/50 - just turn down that side and have nothing connected to it - a very handy feature!

(of course the real solution is to have a mono/stereo cab so you can use a mono head or stereo power amp and have max power anytiem you like :wink: )

Cheers
John

+1

I've got a 50/50 and use one side. I verified that you can run it with no inputs attached to one side and the output at zero when I called Mesa.

 

[Holzar88]

Thanks for the input, gentlemen!

I picked up the 50/50 from Guitar Center tonight. Talked them down to $350, and used gift cards from Christmas to pay for most of it. Amazingly, I got $130 in trade credit for my Rocktron Velocity 100--$30 more than I bought it for on eBay. Go figure. And get out of the store before they realize their error. Another $60 for an MXR Phase 100 pedal a friend gave me that I never used (the one time I tried, it was just too muddy live).

I have a sick baby I'm taking care of at home tonight, but hope to hook it up tomorrow and see what it sounds like with my ADA MP-1 and Rockron Intellifex into a mono Avatar 212. I'll let y'all know what I think, but, obviously, I'm expected it to be a significant step up from the Rocktron.

Thanks again.