Ashdown Studio 15 better deal than Fender Rumble 200?

[RG55]

Right now, the Ashdown Studio 15 is about 30% cheaper than the Rumble 200; it's also about 30% lighter and it is 300W rms into 8ohm, vs 200w into 4ohm ( but only 140ohm into the 8 ohm speaker, need to add a cab for 200w).

Curiously, while the Rumble can add another cab, but the Ashdown cannot -- I'm very puzzled:
Is the speaker 4ohm -- in which case why would they quote the amp power into 8ohm?...
Or is the speaker 8ohm -- in which case, why can't we add another speaker? Is it an amp that cannot go below 8ohm?

[TheGreek]

...and Ashdown have amazing Customer service - you can contact them here as well as by phone/email/twitter/etc.

[RG55]

16 hours ago, TheGreek said:

...and Ashdown have amazing Customer service - you can contact them here as well as by phone/email/twitter/etc.

That's good to know.

Does anyone have any insights regarding the amp/speaker conundrum?

[RG55]

There's no comparison on youtube between the Ashdown Studio 15 and the Fender Rumble 200, there are few sound clips of the AS15 and -- somewhat surprisingly -- also few of the FR200.

However, there's a Thomann video that compares, among others the AS12 and FR100.



It would seem that the AS12 is not as loud as the FR100 (although the volume knobs aren't quite in the same position), which may mean that the Ashdown speakers have a lower sensitivity (and neither can keep up with a drummer unless mic'ed).

However, the AS15 is 300W vs the 140W of the FR200, which should make up for a 3db eventual difference in speaker's sensitivity.
Vs the AS12, the AS15 should be more than 4dB louder, so can probably keep up with a drummer.