Speaker question

[Ethan]

In an attempt to downsize my guitar rig some years ago, I ended up selling my Marshall 4x12 cab and getting a small, class-A 20 w head and a matching 2x12 cabinet with some of Mojo's British Vintage series speakers in it-a 25w and a 30w. My main head before this rig was a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (100w), which I actually still really love and have been a lot more able to reach "my sound" with than the 20w guy, for whatever reason. My question is, I'm thinking about using the Mesa and the aforementioned 2x12 cab for a gig this weekend-what's the over-under on me blowing a speaker in the cab? I don't plan on playing too loud, everything's mic'ed and in an iso closet. Thanks in advance!

[G Man]

I would think if you keep it below noon on the vol. dial, you should be fine.

I've been wrong before.

[Bobby Marshall]

What ohm rating is the cabinet? Mesa heads usually have at least 2 speaker outputs one 8 ohm and one 4 ohm. 2 16 ohm speakers combine to be 8 ohms. 2 8 ohm speakers combine to 4 ohms.

[Jakeboy]

Keep the volume low and you should be fine...take a backup, though.

[bubs_42]

Low volume, but I'll say my Mesa used to eat up my 2x12 with Greenbacks for a snack.

[Ethan]

Thanks guys....I just have two gigs to get thru, hopefully they will hold up. Maybe I'll replace one of the speakers in the near future to get up to the appropriate handling.

[bubs_42]

Your still only as strong as your weakest link. Having a 25 watt and a 75 watt speaker does not make 100 watts.

[Jakeboy]

Bubs is right. Keep it low on the dial as each speaker will get half of the amp's output. Take a backup.

[geoff_hartwell]

Curious about the phrase "every things mic'd up and in an ISO closet"... Could you elaborate? Everybody's amps/cabs are offstage somewhere? Bass too? Sounds elaborate but cool, what's the band where are the gigs?

If the cabs are generally not part of the stage look, could you just use a Red Box or Palmer and go direct?

[Ethan]

Guitars run like this and bass goes direct and everyone is on IEMs. It's a church I play at...most of the "modern" churches try and keep stage volume to a minimum. I made it thru with my speakers intact, but I think I see a more powerful pair in my near future....I missed the tone of my Mesa! Geoff I think I would try something like that except for the fact that most of my work these days, at this place and everywhere else, is from playing bass...guitar gigs for me are rare anymore. I have to be honest though, the newer ADA Cab Simulator piqued my interest after I read that studio great Michael Thompson does almost all of his tracking thru one now. Thanks everyone for the advice!