50 watt head into a single V30 speaker?

[AvantGuardian]

I'm putting together a new rig at the moment and I'm planning to run a Mesa DC-5 50 watt head into a Port City 1x12 OS Cab loaded with a Celestion V30. I know the V30 is rated at 60 watts. Am I at risk of blowing the speaker with this setup? Obviously 50 watts < 60 watts, but I know tube amps can run at considerably more than their rated wattage when cranked. I plan to play loud enough to jam with a full band and maybe do some small gigs, but I don't need earth shattering volume.

I've read that you don't want to cut it too close, but at the same time, I see 50 watt tube combos with a single V30 (the Engl Raider combo is 100 watts into a single V30, wtf?). I already have the V30 loaded cab, but I'm wondering if I should put in a higher wattage speaker before I start running the DC-5 into it. Any advice?

[scottro202]

I'd say go for it. Unless you're running at 10 24/7/365, I wouldn't worry.

Doesn't the DC5 combo have a 60 watt speaker in it?

[djpharoah]

If you run you're amp at full 50W you'll be more worried about the cops coming over, bleeding from the ears and being totally deaf than worrying about a speaker.

The V30 should work however it'll start breaking up a lot quicker as the highest rated value is 60W. If you're playing anything heavier and depending on your volume, you might like a cleaner speaker that doesn't affect your tone as much. IE: one with a higher wattage rating.

If you're into celestions G12k-85/100, CL-80s or even Eminence speakers offer a great variety.

[SargeantVomit]

I wouldn't be worried about it.

[Benzesp]

It should be fine. 60watts RMS,which is what v30's are, in short is a mean (sort of like an average) of the speakers power handling capability. I don't see why you'd be in trouble. You'll be pushing the hell out of that v30, it might not sound too great at high volume.

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by scottro202

I'd say go for it. Unless you're running at 10 24/7/365, I wouldn't worry.

Doesn't the DC5 combo have a 60 watt speaker in it?

Pretty sure those came with the C90 Black Shadow speakers, which I believe are 90 watts, but I could be wrong.

Originally Posted by djpharoah

If you run you're amp at full 50W you'll be more worried about the cops coming over, bleeding from the ears and being totally deaf than worrying about a speaker.

The V30 should work however it'll start breaking up a lot quicker as the highest rated value is 60W. If you're playing anything heavier and depending on your volume, you might like a cleaner speaker that doesn't affect your tone as much. IE: one with a higher wattage rating.

If you're into celestions G12k-85/100, CL-80s or even Eminence speakers offer a great variety.

Yeah, you have a good point. I run my Tremoverb at 50 watts and still never turn it up past 1/4 of the way even at gigs.

Originally Posted by SargeantVomit

I wouldn't be worried about it.

Thanks, I guess I don't really need to worry about it. With the projection of the Port City cab I don't think I'll need to crank the DC-5 up too high even with a full band.

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by Benzesp

It should be fine. 60watts RMS,which is what v30's are, is short is a mean (sort of like an average) of the speakers power handling capability. I don't see why you'd be in trouble. You'll be pushing the hell out of that v30, it might not sound too great at high volume.

Yeah, we'll see what it sounds like when the DC-5 gets here (hopefully tomorrow). If the speaker breaks up too early I may swap it out for something higher wattage.

[TemjinStrife]

As long as you're not cranking the .... out of the power section you should be okay. I'd recommend putting the cab on an amp stand though so it's pointing at your head if you need to compete with a full band.

[Cheesebuiscut]

Eminence tonkerlite is 125w speaker thats g12k100-like (the tonker is supposed to be = to g12k100 and the tonkerlite is the brighter version of that)

and as a + it only weighs 4 lbs (Neodymium )

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by TemjinStrife

As long as you're not cranking the .... out of the power section you should be okay. I'd recommend putting the cab on an amp stand though so it's pointing at your head if you need to compete with a full band.

Yeah, that's a good call. The Port City cab does a pretty good job projecting sound upwards, but lifting it up on a stand would be even better. I used to gig/practice with a 1x12 combo and I still have the stand that I put it on. But if the cab is on a tiltback stand, where do I put the head?

Originally Posted by Cheesebuiscut

Eminence tonkerlite is 125w speaker thats g12k100-like (the tonker is supposed to be = to g12k100 and the tonkerlite is the brighter version of that)

and as a + it only weighs 4 lbs (Neodymium )

Sounds cool, I'll look into it if I end up wanting to replace the V30.

[TemjinStrife]

Originally Posted by AvantGuardian

Yeah, that's a good call. The Port City cab does a pretty good job projecting sound upwards, but lifting it up on a stand would be even better. I used to gig/practice with a 1x12 combo and I still have the stand that I put it on. But if the cab is on a tiltback stand, where do I put the head?

Two options come to mind immediately. You can put the head on the floor, or you can put a piece of plywood behind the cab that sticks out past the top of the cab so that the head rests on top of the cab with the back against the plywood.

Also, my personal recommendation for high-wattage 12" speakers is the classic EVM12L. 200W power handling and a very "powerful" sound, if that makes sense. No cone breakup, just clean, relatively even reproduction with a teeny bit of high end smoothing at lower volumes. Heavy as hell though.

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by TemjinStrife

Two options come to mind immediately. You can put the head on the floor, or you can put a piece of plywood behind the cab that sticks out past the top of the cab so that the head rests on top of the cab with the back against the plywood.

Also, my personal recommendation for high-wattage 12" speakers is the classic EVM12L. 200W power handling and a very "powerful" sound, if that makes sense. No cone breakup, just clean, relatively even reproduction with a teeny bit of high end smoothing at lower volumes. Heavy as hell though.

Yeah, now that I think about it, I can slide the head under the cab between the legs of the stand so I don't accidentally trip over it. Assuming I don't have to get down on the floor and tweak it too much, that should be fine.

I've heard really good things about the EVM12L. I was actually looking to get one of the old Mesa Thiele 1x12 cabs with the EVM12L before I decided on the Port City. The cab is pretty light now with the V30, so I don't think an extra 5-10 pounds would kill me if I go for the EV. We'll see how the V30 holds up first. The DC-5 is out for delivery right now but I'm not sure if the UPS guy will just leave it on my porch. If not, I have to wait til Monday.

[AvantGuardian]

Well, just as an update, I got the DC-5 today, and man, this thing is LOUD when the master is turned up to like 3. In a couple weeks I'll be jamming with drums and another guitar, so we'll see how the setup holds up. I'm guessing I won't really be at risk of blowing the speaker, so I think the V30 will stand. I think I may have found the ultimate compromise in portability/big sound with the DC-5 + Port City 1x12 oversize cab. Good riddance 100 lb Tremoverb combo!

[BabUShka]

A crancked 50w tube amp can give twice as much effect(W) as listed

[onefingersweep]

Yes you can easily blow that speaker with that amp. With easily I don't mean that you can't use it just that you can blow it if you want to, with ease.

[slayerrulesyo]

Well if OP is saying it's loud at 3, then I don't think he's gotta worry. :]

[xtrustisyoursx]

not quite on topic, but as a DC-5 owner, I highly recommend you do the volume pot mod. It's like the easiest mod of all time and actually makes the bottom third of the volume knob taper usable.

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by xtrustisyoursx

not quite on topic, but as a DC-5 owner, I highly recommend you do the volume pot mod. It's like the easiest mod of all time and actually makes the bottom third of the volume knob taper usable.

Yeah, I've heard that the volume pot mod is really popular. I think I'll probably give it a shot pretty soon because it is REALLY touchy at low volumes. Probably going to get some sort of attenuator as well so I can actually play this thing at home.

[xtrustisyoursx]

It's super easy. You just take the amp out of the chassis and disconnect the cap that is soldered to the tabs on the volume pot. If you desolder it or snip it carefully, it's totally reversible (though I don't know why you'd want to reverse it). Before the mod, the volume would go from useless to OMG EARS ARE BLEEDING with a hair of movement, but after the mod it's a much more linear sweep.

[TemjinStrife]

Another possibility is to snag one of the Boogafunk Thiele cabs. They run around $550 with EVM12L installed, and the cab is designed specifically around the EVM12L in a guitar application.

[AvantGuardian]

Originally Posted by TemjinStrife

Another possibility is to snag one of the Boogafunk Thiele cabs. They run around $550 with EVM12L installed, and the cab is designed specifically around the EVM12L in a guitar application.

Yeah, I was thinking about one of these but I went with the Port City oversize cab instead. I'd probably sooner change out the speaker in that cab than get a Thiele. Probably won't happen though since the rig sounds pretty damn loud (and quite good) around 2 or 3, which I'm thinking isn't putting my V30 in any danger.