Speaker power handling question

newi123

I recently bought a fender red knob twin. It out puts 100w or 25w in hi or low power mode into to Fender design speakers, 8ohm each wired in series, so 16ohm total load.

I have a couple of celestions I`d like to try in the amp - an 8ohm Creamback and an 8ohm Greenback. I believe the power handling is 75w and 30w respectively. Given the total power handling is 105w, are they safe to use, or should they be a minimum of 50w each? Ie, does each speaker wired in series have to be able to handle 1/2 the total power?

Thanks in advance!

ICBM

newi123 said:

I have a couple of celestions I`d like to try in the amp - an 8ohm Creamback and an 8ohm Greenback. I believe the power handling is 75w and 30w respectively. Given the total power handling is 105w

No! The total power handling is twice the lowest-rated speaker, *not* the sum of the two ratings. A Greenback (G12M-25) is a 25W speaker, so the total rating is 50W.

Safe to run in the 25W mode but not in the 100W mode if you're turning it up beyond obviously low volume.

newi123 said:

Ie, does each speaker wired in series have to be able to handle 1/2 the total power?

Yes. It doesn't matter if the speakers are in series or parallel, if they're the same impedance then each will always receive half the total power.

But… my experience: don't bother anyway. Those Fender blue label 'special design' speakers with the vented magnets are fantastic, and one of the main reasons these amps sound so good and so powerful. They're some of the very best speakers ever made by Eminence, in fact. So good that I purposely buy the cheaper solid-state models which came with them (eg the Stage 112) purely for the speakers.

newi123

Ok - thanks for all the info - appreciated!

ThePrettyDamned

@ICBM

Have you seen this? It's broken, which makes me think he could consider parting it out, if you got in touch?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Stage-185-Amplifier-/281523299888?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418c18a630

I'm assuming that's the speaker, anyway, looks like it's got the funny porty venty bit in. 

newi123

I bought my amp from Chandler`s, and they also had a Pro 185, fully working, discounted to £125 just before Christmas.............

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

@ICBM

Have you seen this? It's broken, which makes me think he could consider parting it out, if you got in touch?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Stage-185-Amplifier-/281523299888?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418c18a630

I'm assuming that's the speaker, anyway, looks like it's got the funny porty venty bit in. 

Yes, that's the right speaker, but I wouldn't pay as much as £100 for a non-working one… they turn up a lot cheaper than that. He's nowhere near me and it's cash on collection only too.

£125 in full working order is OK, they usually go for up to about £150. A huge amount of amp for the money, they're extremely loud and clear and take pedals well, but not rare or valuable.

I use the speakers for things like Hotrods with blown speakers, they upgrade any Fender amp...

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

@ICBM

Have you seen this? It's broken, which makes me think he could consider parting it out, if you got in touch?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Stage-185-Amplifier-/281523299888?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418c18a630

I'm assuming that's the speaker, anyway, looks like it's got the funny porty venty bit in. 

Yes, that's the right speaker, but I wouldn't pay as much as £100 for a non-working one… they turn up a lot cheaper than that. He's nowhere near me and it's cash on collection only too.

£125 in full working order is OK, they usually go for up to about £150. A huge amount of amp for the money, they're extremely loud and clear and take pedals well, but not rare or valuable.

I use the speakers for things like Hotrods with blown speakers, they upgrade any Fender amp...

I might shoot him a message and ask if he'd consider posting the speaker. 

Sounds like not though however, thanks for the tip.  I'll keep my eyes peeled for one