Soledad Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Currently using a Fender Super Champ xd which has a nice Celestion Greenback 10 in (8 ohm). The one thing about the Champ I don't use or particularly like is the amp modelling on ch2 so I leave it set on 4 which is their model of a Fender blackface clean. But i'd like to get into the drive region without blowing the walls out (it's alarmingly loud for a 15 watt - that's valve amps for you!). having a look around ebay there are a few 16 ohm 10" speakers for sale (probably from multi-speaker cabs) and I can't think of any reason not to. If I put a 16 ohm into the Champ it should knock 3dB off and get to overdrive at significantly lower sound levels...? Anyone tried this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 2 hours ago, Soledad said: ...Anyone tried this? I wouldn't recommend doing this; valve amps are a bit different to solid state, notably in their output construction. The valves drive their load (the speaker...) through a transformer, to convert volts to amps, and rely on the correct impedance to work properly (this means to not go up in smoke...). Most high-power valve amps have a multi-tapped transformer, to allow for different speaker/cab loads; it's important to respect this when connecting cabs. Your Fender doesn't have this type of transformer, and would only be comfortable (that's to say : safe...) with an 8 Ohm load. It's possible to unplug the built-in speaker and connect another cab, but it must be an 8 Ohm cab. You may change the speaker, but only for an 8 Ohm one. You should not use the amp with no speaker connected; valve amps do not like to run unloaded; the output transformer would probably 'fry'. What solutions, then..? I've a 'budget' solution and a slightly less 'budget' one. In the old days, we used 50 or 100 W amp heads, often with 4x12 cabs. These tended to be excruciatingly loud if cranked to get 'that' tone; far too loud for the safety of our ears. We would lay the cab flat on a carpeted floor; this absorbed the worst of the row. Try that, then, with your combo and see if the resulting sound is what you're after. The more technical solution is to use a 'power soak'. This is a dummy load which respects the needs of the amp, but absorbs some of the power, leaving less for the speaker. Some are fixed, others variable, and so act a bit like a volume control, whilst respecting the 'cooking' of the output valves. Here's the Thomann range; that's the 'correct' way to tame a valve amp with no risk of generating 'magic smoke'. It is important, nevertheless, to respect the impedance requirements of the amp, and only use an 8 Ohm soak. Hope this helps. Douglas Thomann Power Soaks ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 OK, I am more used to SS and hybrid bass amps, that's where the idea came from. I've seen the power soaks somewhere - I'll investigate. Many thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randythoades Posted March 14, 2023 Share Posted March 14, 2023 Also, just something to bear in mind: I had the champ XD and swapped out the speaker (to an Eminence Legend) and within days replaced the original speaker. The problem with modelling type amps is that by their nature, they need a relatively bland clear speaker in order to give a wider range of tones put out by the preamp. So I think it is purely the modeeling putting out the drive rather than the speaker, it is designed to cope with the various tones, both very clean and very distorted, and wouldn't be great if it distorted quickly. Mine stayed clean pretty much up to max, which I preferred. I agree with Dad3353, you could try a power soak pedal/solution between the power amp and the speaker,, or you could just spend the time on the Fender FUSE software and create your own amp models to over ride the ones you don't like with just versions of the patch you do like but with different gain levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 14, 2023 Share Posted March 14, 2023 1 hour ago, randythoades said: Also, just something to bear in mind: I had the champ XD and swapped out the speaker (to an Eminence Legend) and within days replaced the original speaker. The problem with modelling type amps is that by their nature, they need a relatively bland clear speaker in order to give a wider range of tones put out by the preamp. So I think it is purely the modeeling putting out the drive rather than the speaker, it is designed to cope with the various tones, both very clean and very distorted, and wouldn't be great if it distorted quickly. Mine stayed clean pretty much up to max, which I preferred. I agree with Dad3353, you could try a power soak pedal/solution between the power amp and the speaker,, or you could just spend the time on the Fender FUSE software and create your own amp models to over ride the ones you don't like with just versions of the patch you do like but with different gain levels. Tried a Jensen speaker in my Super Champ, with the same outcome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
