Author Topic: Tube amp heat  (Read 1114 times)

Happy Face

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Tube amp heat
« on: September 27, 2014, 02:43:29 PM »
This is a probably a pretty dumb question, and I've asked you guys a few already! But since I am among friends, here's another.

Last night we played a show at a local venue we like. I wanted to use my Orange AD 200 rather than my Terror.  But the stage is a little cramped and I was in a hurry so I figured I'd only bring one 1x15" cab rather than two.

At the end of the night, I noticed the amp felt hotter than usual. When I run two cabs, I've often marveled how cool the head is at the end of the night. I mean, way cooler than the tube amps I used when I was young and handsome.

Is there any chance that running a single 8 ohm load was heating things up versus running the normal 4 ohm load with two cabs?  (I had the single cab on an 8 ohm tap so it wasn't a mismatch issue.)

I'm wondering if something is amiss in the amp. Or was I just driving the head too hard on a hot night?  The volume was pretty low since we have a big PA but I did have the gain up and was digging in pretty good.

Thanks.

The Paranoid  Parent

 

Psycho Bass Guy

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Re: Tube amp heat
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2014, 07:29:05 AM »
Heat is current, and I'll bet by trying to make up the difference in volume you lost to having only one cab with the amp, you just pushed it harder.

Happy Face

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Re: Tube amp heat
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2014, 10:59:20 AM »
Thanks. That makes sense.

Highlander

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Re: Tube amp heat
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2014, 01:50:55 PM »
Great for toast...
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the mojo hobo

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Re: Tube amp heat
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2014, 07:22:29 PM »
Also good for those winter days when the stage is close to the door.