Can pedals damage my head or cab?

[enuenu]

After going without pedals for a while I now have a collection as follows;
Fuzz War by Death by Audio
OD9 Pro+ by Maxon
Wahzoo Wah by Voodoo Lab
Para EQ with Boost by Empress Effects

I have been playing around putting a few of these in series and at times get some really weird sounds, some of which I worry may damage my head or in particular my cab. The Para EQ can boost certain frequencies, the Fuzz War adds some really strong fuzz and the OD9 can push things pretty hard too. It can all create some extreme frequencies and sound wave shapes I think.

Could I damage my DR head or Recto 4 x 12 cab by creating extreme tones with these pedals? If my ears tell me things are sounding a bit too "synth like", should I worry and back off the settings or can the head and cab handle whatever these pedals can throw at them? I once read about a guy screwing his bass cab by putting too much low frequency boom through it somehow.

 

[94Tremoverb]

Really extreme low frequencies can damage speakers. Octavers and resonant filters can both put out lows beyond what the speakers can handle - some combinations of the fuzz and EQ might get into this sort of range too - although that cab will take more than double the maximum rated power output of the amp, and even more than when the amp is fully distorted. Amp damage is less likely but could happen if you get some extreme boosts that pushed the power section into saturation in non-intended frequencies and overload something - it's not completely impossible, although it's really not very likely because the preamp is itself capable of overloading the power section, and any well-designed amp won't fail when you do that. Turning down the output level below the point of power stage overdrive should keep it safe no matter what.

You're actually more likely to blow bass amp speakers doing this sort of thing - most bass amps aren't expected to be used overdriven, so their designers usually make the speaker rating closer to that of the amp. There's even a theory among bass players and amp makers that's more like PA theory, where they make the speakers intentionally underpowered compared to the amp - which does work, as long as you don't overdrive anything. As soon as you do, the speakers are probably toast. I play bass with fuzz, octaver and filter too .

 

[enuenu]

..some combinations of the fuzz and EQ might get into this sort of range too -

It was this combination that caused me to post. My ears went "oh oh, is this hurting the speakers?"

..Turning down the output level below the point of power stage overdrive should keep it safe no matter what.

Do you mean turning down the output control on the pedal? I have found that boosting the guitar's signal using the OD0 Pro+ or Para EQ (or both :evil: ) works to deflub some high gain tones, a useful function. Maybe I should be careful when doing this?

 

[94Tremoverb]

No, the Output Level on the amp. As long as you make sure the power section isn't being overdriven, there's no risk - you can't damage preamp tubes or their circuitry with too much signal, since they don't generate any significant power levels. The only way you can even damage the power section is if the signal makes the amp go into a sustained oscillation at frequencies it's not designed to handle, which can cause too much power to end up in components that aren't rated for it. If it's not driven fully, that won't happen.

I love that exploding-analog-synth solo tone too . You may want to try a ZVex Fuzz Factory...