Stack help!

[AJ88]

Hi everyone,

I could really do with some help with an amp and cab set up.

I am currently in a 4 piece classic rock covers band with both guitarists using black star 60w amps and a drummer who plays very loud! I'm currently using a Harte hydrive 115 250w combo and even on full whack, I'm barely being heard even in practices. After a couple of hours the amp is really warm because, I presume, I'm pushing it too hard.

I'm looking at an amp head with two cabs, a 1x15 and a 4x10, in the following

Ampeg portaflex with pf800 amp
Hartke hydrive with either the lh1000 or ha5500
GK CX with MB800, or
Ashdown with ABM600

Price wise they are all pretty similar, would rather spend more now than spend a bit less now and in 12/18 months want an upgrade. Band does a couple of gigs a month and looking at doing a couple of smaller festivals in the summer. I play an Ibanez SR1600.

What are people's opinions on these set ups? Are these too much/not enough? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Alec

[colgraff]

You'll get better advice from others shortly, but my two penneth worth is to check what the minimum number of ohms you can get the resistance down to. So an 800w head at 4 ohms is not the same if it is running at 8 ohms.
My head lets me go down to 2 ohms so I have two 4 ohm speakers. It has masses of power, but was a bit wimpy at 4 ohms.

Edited January 15, 2016 by colgraff

[AJ88]

All the power ratings appear to be at 4ohms, ashdown 600w, GK and ampeg 800w, and hartke either 1100w or 500w depending on the amp I went for

[Lozz196]

I`d look at two of the same cab - that way you can use one for rehearsals/small gigs, then stack it out for the larger ones, with no need to re-eq. Getting a great sound from a great cab, then in effect doubling it by adding in the same cab again is a great experience. And what is more classic rock than eight ten-inch speakers?

All of the brands mentioned will do rock very well, but if you already like Hartke, the Hydrive cabs are very nice. The LH is also meant to be a good, no-frills amp, with plenty of power.

[BluRay]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1452846944' post='2953958']
I`d look at two of the same cab - that way you can use one for rehearsals/small gigs, then stack it out for the larger ones, with no need to re-eq. Getting a great sound from a great cab, then in effect doubling it by adding in the same cab again is a great experience. And what is more classic rock than eight ten-inch speakers?

[/quote]

+1, If you need two cabs, go two of the same. Hardly anyone buys 410+115 any more, as the technology and production methods mean that you don't need to have different sized speakers, and a lot of folk here will cite various disadvantages of mix and match. Also, depending how much you have to move your gear, shifting an average sized 410 can be a chore - especially if you don't have help. After loads of (expensive) trial and error, I've settled on 2x210 - which is damn loud, looks cool and easy to carry.

[Dan Dare]

BluRay's advice good. Keep it modular. I do like 15s, though, but I'm old skool. I use a 2x10 + 1x15, with an extra 1x15 for large stages/silly volumes. Most important is to use sufficient amplifier power. I use an add on/slave power amp for the additional cabs. Means the rig isn't straining.

[mrtcat]

Barefaced big twin 2 and a GK mb800 fusion.
You'll demolish the pub before you run out of volume.

[Norris]

I played through an LH1000 a couple of times into a Hartke 4x10 + 1x15. I wasn't impressed tbh. On the following gigs I used my little Fender Rumble 500 v3 combo instead, which did a much better job imho