if i run my cab into the fx return by accident (mark IV B) and then turn the standby to on..does that hurt the amp? did that right before sound check at my gig the other night and realized after 5 seconds when no sound came out at all..quickly put it in the right spot (8 ohm speaker jack) then played the gig..worked/sounded great as usual..just wondering if that can cause damage. thanks.
question about damaging amps
- Thread starter Fronzil
- Start date
Help Support The Boogie Board:
plugging a cab into the effects return, in itself, shouldn't hurt anything. but, not having a speaker cab (load) plugged into one of the speaker outputs can. Mesa's are pretty tough and you didn't do it very long, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. just never do that again! 
If it works, there should be no damage.
I do it sometimes because I'm always unplugging the chassis, flipping it over, soldering something, flipping it back over and then trying it out again. So far it's only happened a few times in the last 10 years with me, but.....
I have seen 1st hand what running an amp without a cab can do though.
I recently purchased a Dual Rectifier head that had the exact same thing done to it. Some one had borrowed it and plugged the cab into the FX Loop instead of the Speaker jack.
It took me hours to repair. In the end, the amp was good as new or maybe even better after a cap job. It could have been much worse. I bought a Legacy head years ago that had the same problems and the thing was completely toasted! Beyond repair.
You should be fine, but like Kiff said, don't make it a habit!
I do it sometimes because I'm always unplugging the chassis, flipping it over, soldering something, flipping it back over and then trying it out again. So far it's only happened a few times in the last 10 years with me, but.....
I have seen 1st hand what running an amp without a cab can do though.
I recently purchased a Dual Rectifier head that had the exact same thing done to it. Some one had borrowed it and plugged the cab into the FX Loop instead of the Speaker jack.
It took me hours to repair. In the end, the amp was good as new or maybe even better after a cap job. It could have been much worse. I bought a Legacy head years ago that had the same problems and the thing was completely toasted! Beyond repair.
You should be fine, but like Kiff said, don't make it a habit!
Similar threads
