Trace Wattage, I Know, Old Topic, But...

[Count Bassie]

I've got a kind of prog-ish doom style original band, I play bass. I'm in process of getting a Mk IV head cleaned up and installed in a plywood sleeve I made, and I'm thinking about running it into an Ampeg PR410HLF cab, 600w @4 ohms. 

The Mk IV is rated at 250w, 4 ohms. In my experience, Trace heads seem to deliver more than that. I'm thinking this'll be loud as Godzilla with a stubbed toe in a mix with two loud guitars and big drums, playing some melodically complex bass lines.

Can I get witness?

Edited Friday at 16:36 by Count Bassie

[Stub Mandrel]

Not really. The issue is that Trace power ratings are honest continuous RMS ratings so what a 250W Trace is rated at would be described as 1000W by less scrupulous manufacturers.

 

Bear in mind 2,500W is only twice as loud as 500W, other things being equal.

[thodrik]

If that amp and cab isn’t loud enough then your band is too loud, even if it is a doom band.

 

It should be plenty loud and then some.

[Count Bassie]

Thank you guys. 

 

[Count Bassie]

On 06/06/2025 at 13:24, Stub Mandrel said:

Not really. The issue is that Trace power ratings are honest continuous RMS ratings so what a 250W Trace is rated at would be described as 1000W by less scrupulous manufacturers.

 

Bear in mind 2,500W is only twice as loud as 500W, other things being equal.

This about honest ratings hits the mark. My tech friend says similar about how power is now rated at 1k, which isn't really honest low end. It requires more power to reproduce low end, so you get higher, impressive numbers.