Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

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AaronRS95
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Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

Post by AaronRS95 » Fri Aug 05, 2016 11:48 pm

Will the 1970s Peavey 215 (not 215D) handle 500W if I use appropriate speakers?

(I'm asking because I'm quite interested in the Orange Terror Bass 500W head)

byacey
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Re: Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

Post by byacey » Sat Aug 06, 2016 1:04 pm

You can put pretty much any speaker capable of 500w into any cabinet, but it may not sound particularily good.

The speaker should be selected according to the t/s parameters and matched to the cabinet volume and port tuning to achieve maximum efficiency and output.

Depending on the type of music you are playing, a 500w amp may only average around 150 watts average while playing, so I wouldn't be overly fixated on matching the speaker to the amps power rating.

Edit: Being 1978 vintage, it's entirely possible the cabinet wasn't even tuned. In those days, often manufacturers would just build a convenient sized cabinet and throw any readily available speaker into it.

AaronRS95
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Re: Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

Post by AaronRS95 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:33 am

byacey wrote:You can put pretty much any speaker capable of 500w into any cabinet, but it may not sound particularily good.

The speaker should be selected according to the t/s parameters and matched to the cabinet volume and port tuning to achieve maximum efficiency and output.

Depending on the type of music you are playing, a 500w amp may only average around 150 watts average while playing, so I wouldn't be overly fixated on matching the speaker to the amps power rating.

Edit: Being 1978 vintage, it's entirely possible the cabinet wasn't even tuned. In those days, often manufacturers would just build a convenient sized cabinet and throw any readily available speaker into it.
Thanks for the info!

The cabinet is the model which has ports in the middle of the cabinet-face, between the two speakers' holes.
I've not been able to find much information regarding 2-15 cabinet tuning from the '70s, etc.

Just to be more specific, I'm looking at the Peavey 1502-8 BW speakers with either an Orange Terror 500W head or a Peavey VB-2 225W head.

Oren Hudson
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Re: Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

Post by Oren Hudson » Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:50 pm

Pretty much what byacey said on the cab with reference to tuning. Some technology involved, but not as much as some newer stuff. With that being said, that doesn't mean that it can't be a good (subjective) sounding cab. I have 2 of those cabs from that time period. Both have the BW 1502-8's like you mention. I usually power them with the matching Peavey Mark IV head. Individually, they both sound great. Together, a bass monster! I don't have personal knowledge about the Orange head, but understand that they are quality built. Earlier BW's were a minimum 250 watts each. Newer ones did 300, so either way, the power ability should be there. I'll quote a very knowledgeable former bandmate's comment that "you can't have too much power." Over the years, I pretty much agree with that. Your ears will tell you when you're using too much of it. :D
you can't have too much bass

pawleep
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Re: Will a 1978 Peavey 215 Enclosure handle a 500W amp? (Enclosure, not speakers, or does it matter?)

Post by pawleep » Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:33 am

how do i tell what year mine is?
mfg loc-03 JBK18 ser# 00-05362555

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