I'm thinking about buying a Sunn Coliseum, could use some advice.

[thedvinecomedy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sunn-Coliesum-Bass-Amp-1973-Used_W0QQitemZ230029816301QQihZ013QQcategoryZ121159QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This amp is 700 solidstate watts, is this going to be loud enough to compete well with full stacks?? My guitar player plays a Blue Matamp. I have an Ampeg SVT 3-Pro right now with an 8x10 cab. The Sunn doesn't seem like it would be loud enough. Maybe i'm underestimating it's power. What do you think?

[EdBass]

I see what the seller posted, and Coliseums are pretty strong for vintage transistor gear, but even at 2 ohms it won't get anywhere near 700 watts. Not even half of that. You would be better off to stick with your Ampeg if for some reason you feel the need for 120db on stage.

[rick.heil]

Maybe the seller is making the all-too-common mistake of looking at watts of AC power instead of watts of output power.


If you want the 120db (I've run concerts that loud, earplugs are mandatory and you feel the music instead of hearing it!), then maybe go for a coliseum slave too?  Then you could have two amps, which would look WAY cool next to guitarists with stacks.

[feel the sunn]

the coliseum can handle two 4 ohm 8x10 cabs.  i don't think you would have any problems being heard with that setup.  if you're worried about being heard better through a p.a. get a good DI box to send a direct signal to the board.

[n!k]

There's that Coliseum Slave on eBay right now too. I believe with that you can get up to 880 watts (if I remember the manual) but do you honestly need that for stage volume? Soundmen will hate you!

[Mike B.]

the coliseum can handle two 4 ohm 8x10 cabs.  i don't think you would have any problems being heard with that setup.  if you're worried about being heard better through a p.a. get a good DI box to send a direct signal to the board.

Ditto!

Mike

[thedvinecomedy]

Thanks for the help guys, this forum is awesome. Now I think i'm remembering how ohm's work. This coliseum head only runs at 2 ohm's. So I would need either a 2 ohm cabinet of somekind or two 4 ohm cabinet's to run it correctly. Since I don't really feel like buying another 8x10 cab (haha), does anyone know of another powerful vintage sunn head that will be compatible with a 4 ohm ampeg 8x10?

[rick.heil]

Hmmm....this is a solid state amp, so you might be able to get away with 4 ohms...I dunno, that would be something one of the admins could tell you for sure.


There's also the option of rewiring the cab to 2 ohms...not sure if thats possible, my brain doesn't want to do math right now :-p

[JoeArthur]

2 ohms is the minimum load for a coliseum.   Minimum doesn't imply correct.  It will work fine with a 4 ohm cabinet.  Yes, the output power will be reduced by about 65% of whatever the 2 ohm rating is, but that would be less than 3 db and most people won't hear the difference.  If you want volume, forget power and ohmage and go for more efficiency in your speakers - way more bang for the buck.

The 880 is the 880 because that is the rating of the coliseum in "peak watts".  Peak watts can be determined by whatever means the manufacturer wants to use.  I've seen several 25 watts (RMS) being advertised as 4-500 watt amps.

Even RMS is not standardized, but it is the closest we have between manufacturers. The primary difference between manufacturers is the distortion level at which they use to measure the RMS output.

The test is easy... it is either loud enough or it ain't.  If it ain't, go for more effecient speakers... or look for a 10X more powerful amp and hope you don't blow out your existing speakers using it.

[thedvinecomedy]

I still can't tell what the difference is between the regular coliseum bass and the coliseum 880. Is the 880 much more superior?

[n!k]

The 880 has a built in sustain / distortion circuit that is footswitch operable. I don't know of any other differences.

[ryanowens]

So if the 880 has the sustain/distortion is a lack of reverb what seperates it from the Coliseum Lead?

[n!k]

So if the 880 has the sustain/distortion is a lack of reverb what seperates it from the Coliseum Lead?

The Lead has 2 separate channels (footswitch selectable) and is tuned to guitar frequencies (not as low as a head tuned to bass frequencies)

[ryanowens]

Speaking of footswitch, despite being a label for the switch on the back of my Coliseum Lead there is no port and inside the amp itself shows nothing either.  I believe the date inside said it was from 2/16/76 if'n that helps any reason why it would have no switch but the backplate claims it does.