About Power Handling - Hartke HyDrive HX112 Manual Del Usario

About Power Handling

About Power Handling
There is a lot of discussion around speaker cabinet power handling and choosing the
correct amplifier. While any speaker system can be damaged by either over powering
or under powering it, the style of playing can assist you in the decision of how much
power your amplifier needs. When using an amplifier with too little power, there is a
tendency to push the amplifier into overload (excessive clipping). This will generate
enough distortion to overheat and burn the voice coil. If you are using an amplifier
that produces a lot of power, you can damage the speaker by running the amp to the
maximum and pushing the speaker beyond it physical limits.
The most important point to consider is how the power is used in order to ensure the
speaker is presented with a clean signal, and then choose an amplifier that delivers
adequate power for your style of playing without exceeding the cabinet's maximum
power handling during normal usage. If your amp has an on-board compressor or lim-
iter, we recommend you use it to protect the speaker. If the sound is getting distorted
you're probably starting to damage the speaker. While it is okay to have extra power
for added headroom, simply adding power will not necessarily increase your volume
significantly. Adding more speakers will usually have a greater impact on your overall
level.
The good news is that Hartke Hydrive cabinets are very efficient and they run well with
amplifiers that have lower power. Plus, each model carries a high power handling rat-
ing, making them ideal with more powerful heads. The Hydrive cabinets will work well
with the Hartke HA3500, HA5500, LH500, LH1000, and Kilo.
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