Mixing Speaker Wattages?

[NLD09]

I've got a fender blues deville 410, and I managed to blow out all 4 speakers. To reduce cost, weight, and possibly a bit of excessive volume I plan to wire only 2 new speakers in.

My question: Will mixing wattages between the speakers have any affect on the amp, or sound?

Its a 60 watt amp. Let's say i'm using a 70 watt and 100 watt speaker.

 

[bagman67]

I'm not an electroncis genius, but I do know you need to worry about matching the impedance for the speakers with the amp's output. See:  http://www.kbapps.com/tubeamptips.html

As for wattage, I see the folks at Sweetwater have answered that question - try the second link down.

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=matching+speaker+wattages+to+amplifiers

Peace

Bagman

 

[NLD09]

yeahh that link doesn't help at all. I asked about mixing wattages, not matching wattages. In my example i was using two speakers totally 170 watts which is nearly triple the overall wattage of the 60 watt amp. I'm asking if mixing the 70 and 100 watt speakers would have any affect on the amp or the sound.

as far as impedance I realize that with an 8 ohm amp I would need to wire two 16 ohm speakers in parallel or two 4 ohm speakers in series.

 

[bagman67]

Ah, I see your point.  I wasn't thinking in terms of different wattages in the same cab - forgive me for misunderstanding the question.  Sorry about that.

Now, an answer I can claim full confidence in:

I don't know. 

Anyone else?

Bagman

 

[ocguy106]

The wattage of a speaker is it's ability to operate within that range. It just means the speaker can handle that much power. As long as you don't exceed the wattage of the lowest speaker in your chain then you are fine.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Mixing wattages is fine.  Bogners Ubercab is done this way.  Two 75's and two 60's.  Generally when doing the calculation of how much total wattage the cab can handle you take the smallest wattage speaker and times that by the number of speakers total.  So in your case it would be rated at 140 Watts.

The impedance is important with tube amp power sections.  The Fender DeVille has 4 - 8 ohm speakers.  I can't seem to locate the wiring of the speakers, but it looks like it is at 8 ohms from the manual.  To do this with two speakers, you need 2 - 16 Ohm speakers in parallel or two 4 ohm speakers in series.  Figure out the amps ohm load requirements and match them, otherwise the transformer will take it in the shorts.
Patrick

 

[Mor Paul]

Mixing wattages is fine.  Bogners Ubercab is done this way.  Two 75's and two 60's.  Generally when doing the calculation of how much total wattage the cab can handle you take the smallest wattage speaker and times that by the number of speakers total.  So in your case it would be rated at 140 Watts.

The impedance is important with tube amp power sections.  The Fender DeVille has 4 - 8 ohm speakers.  I can't seem to locate the wiring of the speakers, but it looks like it is at 8 ohms from the manual.  To do this with two speakers, you need 2 - 16 Ohm speakers in parallel or two 4 ohm speakers in series.  Figure out the amps ohm load requirements and match them, otherwise the transformer will take it in the shorts.
Patrick

Patrick, quick, hit 1000 posts!

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Assuming your speakers are the correct impedance and the same value, using 2 will split the value equally.  In other words, a 60 watt amp should power (2) 30 watt speakers or (4) 15 watt speakers.

 

[jackthehack]

What did you manage to blow out all 4 speakers on a Blues DeVille?

 

[bagman67]

What did you manage to blow out all 4 speakers on a Blues DeVille?

Yeah, I was gonna ask that, too, but I got caught up in my not-on-point research.

 

[NLD09]

I honestly don't know what I did.