"SAFE MISMATCH" of cabs/solo 50 head

[cellardweller]

I have an old 4x12 Peavey cab, and a relatively new 2x12 Avatar cab.

The Peavey 4x12 can be run as a 2x12 @ 8 ohms, or using all 4 speakers at 16 ohms.

I have effectively been using 2-2x12 cabs for quite some time now.
The manual labels the usage of an 8 ohm and a 16 ohm cabinet as a "SAFE MISMATCH".

What could I expect performance-wise and tonal-wise from such a mismatch?

Thanks in advance.
CD

 

[Billy Hiwatt]

Your tone will not suffer from a safe mismatch. I do the same
thing all the time, using a 16 ohm cab into an 8 ohm Lonestar
head. No problems, sounds great. I doubt anyone could discern
with the blindfold test any differnce between a perfect match
and a safe mismatch.

 

[cellardweller]

I guess the only way to really find out is to try it.
I wonder if the extra 2-12" speakers will even be noticable enough though to justify the mismatch (if in fact it is audibly detectable in the slightest degree.....)

I recently ran into a bit of extra money (how often does that happen?) so was seriously considering getting another avatar 2x12, which would then be a "match".
I'll probably go ahead and order one anyway though, being as the old peavey has seen better days :lol: , being 10+ years old and having been mistreated/loaned out/neglected over the years....

 

[cellardweller]

Just wondering if anyone else has any postive/negative experiences...

Amp running noticably hotter, accelerated tube degradation, degradation of tone...

Eh?

 

[Flashpoint]

As far as tonal differences, that's purely subjective.

Running your amp's 8-ohm output into a 16-ohm load will NOT damage or degrade your equipment in any way. The only way you'll damage your amp with an impedence mismatch is if you run a load with a lower impedence than your amp is rated for (e.g. 8-ohm output into 4-ohm load).

I use my Stiletto's 4-ohm output into an 8-ohm 4x12 cabinet. To me, it sounds better. I notice a pretty significant difference between using the 4-ohm or 8-ohm outputs into this cab. The 8-ohm/8-ohm match has a very full sound with a lot of low end. The 4-ohm/8-ohm mismatch allows me to hit that "sweet spot" at volume levels more suitable to my living room :lol: