16 ohm 6505 combo into 4 ohm Cab?

[ghostmutt]

So this is a noob question, but so far the internet has given me plenty of evidence for both sides of this argument:

Can I run a 6505 212 (16 or 8 ohm, the manual lists both?) into a 4 ohm 4x12 Krank Cab?


Found this exact question on Yahoo which gave one answer
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110710224454AArFkxc

While this forums says the opposite:
http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37029

So who is right?

 

[Empathy]

High impedance output into low impedance input = Big no-no.
Low impedance output into high impedance input = Fine.

Forum wizards correct me if I'm wrong. Never had problems with such applications.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Rewire the cab, there is no way a 412 should be 4 ohms.

Simply put, 8 or 16 ohm out into a 4 ohm load is a big no-no, that is if you hate your power tubes and love replacing them all the time, want to OT to overheat and like your tone to sound like shit.

 

[bryan_kilco]

The way I always understood, it's like this:

You can put your car in neutral and floor it = No speaker hooked up to amp

You can safely fit 8 people into a car built to fit 16 = 8 ohm setting on amp to 16 ohm rated cab

You can't fit 16 people into a car built for 8 = 16ohm amp into 8 ohm rated cab.

 

[Empathy]

You can put your car in neutral and floor it = No speaker hooked up to amp

If you want it to explode on you in less than 3 seconds, sure. You WILL destroy your amp doing this.

 

[bryan_kilco]

If you want it to explode on you in less than 3 seconds, sure. You WILL destroy your amp doing this.

See, I must have gotten lucky then.

Back when I had NO clue that not having a speaker connected was bad news, I ran my Mesa Mark IV recording out into the line in of my computer....for maybe a few hours at a time, multiple times. Thing still works. Did the same with a Peavey Transtube many times as well, but one day, that one did die on me while doing this.

At practice about 2 weeks ago, I set up my rig...plugged amp into power conditioner, flipped conditioner to ON, and while moving my amp back and forth from show/jam spot, the POWER and STANDBY buttons somehow both got switched on....so the amp was on for a few seconds before I realized it and I hadn't connected my speaker cable yet. Still works.

 

[Joelegend]

Rewire the cab, there is no way a 412 should be 4 ohms.

Krankenstein SST cabs, are only 4 Ohm, got one like that also, they are actually made for the solid state krank amps.

 

[JeffTD]

Can you comfortably fit 16 people into a 4-passenger car?

 

[Trevoire520]

I wouldnt mind a definitive answer to this aswell. To be safe I ALWAYS hook up the amp and cab at the same ohmage, but I have heard the car analogy before.
I'd NEVER switch on a valve amp without a load connected. Not even on standby (which I see so many bands doing at gigs)

 

[JeffTD]

The amp is safe without a load as long as it's in standby. You're fine going uphill (4 into 8, although I wouldn't stretch 4 into 16), but it's best to match it up exactly.

Note that mismatching impedance can affect the tone/response of the amp, usually negatively.

 

[oskob]

Sorry if I hijack, but why are there difference ohms in the first place? Is there any difference between a 4 ohm amp with a 4 ohm cap and a 16 ohm amp and a 16 ohm cab?

 

[JakeAC5253]

Sorry if I hijack, but why are there difference ohms in the first place? Is there any difference between a 4 ohm amp with a 4 ohm cap and a 16 ohm amp and a 16 ohm cab?

Convenience and tradition mostly. If everyone could agree what cabinet impedance and wiring config to use, then amps would have a single output impedance. The other thing is that when you start hooking up more than one cabinet at a time, you need to change the impedance on the head to compensate.

 

[ghostmutt]

Krankenstein SST cabs, are only 4 Ohm, got one like that also, they are actually made for the solid state krank amps.

Ah i see. Took this photo of the back. 4 ohms parallel = 2 ohms right?

So whats the best option apart from rewiring the cab, a hot plate?