The Short Answer

With a Torpedo Captor or Captor X, you can use an amplifier rated for more than 100W; however, a degree of caution is required specifically in ensuing the output volume of the companion amp is low enough. 

The Longer Answer

All our Torpedo products are specified for a specific power rating (measured in Watts). This means that the internal loadbox can dissipate up-to this amount of power (assuming proper ventilation) - for example, a Torpedo Captor X is rated at 100W and can therefore dissipate anything from 0 to 100 Watts. 

If more power is fed into the Torpedo device, it will overheat and engage a protection mode. You will be warned about this by means of a visual indication, a volume drop and/or a muting of the sound depending on the Torpedo product in use. In order to prevent the Torpedo device entering the overheating protection mode, it is vital to feed it no more than its rated power.

Here is how to do that:

1. Every amplifier is rated for a certain amount of Watts. This means that the amplifier is capable of outputting this much power. However, this does not mean that the amplifier actually outputs this much power in every situation; i.e. a 150 Watts amplifier does not output 150 Watts of power as soon as it is turned on. The output power is related to the actual output volume of the amplifier, which is dependant on multiple variables (i.e. the amount of distortion, the EQ settings, even the output level of the guitar), but is mostly controlled by the Volume or Master Volume control. So, if you dial in an output volume of your amplifier low enough - no matter how powerful it is - you can ensure its actual output is less than the maximum rating of the amplifier.
   
2. Of course, it is almost impossible to know what the actual output power of your amplifier is in any particular situation. To add further complexity, the amplifier's power output is in no way proportional to the Volume control - for example, when the Master Volume is set to 50% (12 o'clock), the output power is never half the rated power of the amplifier as it can be 10%, 90% or even the maximum power the amplifier is capable of delivering!
   
3. It is also important to note, some tube amps - mostly vintage or vintage-inspired - can output more power than advertised. This is because the power rating is measured when the amp is played clean. However, when dialling in a distorted tone, the amp can output more power. In this case, the actual power output can usually increase up to 1.5x the rated power. For example, it is not uncommon to see a rated 100W vintage non-master volume and/or single channel tube amp outputting up to 150W when cranked to the max. As a general rule, if the amp has 4 output tubes (typically 4 x 6L6 or 4 x EL34), it can probably output more than 100W when playing a distorted tone at high volume. Therefore, you should keep this in mind when playing such amps on a 100W load box, like the Captor X.
   
4. Interestingly, a 120W amplifier is not that much more powerful than a 100W amplifier. These additional 20 Watts are likely to be present only when you play the amp loud. At moderate settings, it will probably output less than 100W. Therefore, you are probably safe using a 120W amp with any Torpedo product rated for 100W or more, but keep these limitations in mind and always proceed with caution.
   

Our Top Tips:

1. Generally speaking, a good starting point is to keep all the settings of your amp the same as when you are using it on a physical speaker cabinet.
   
2. If you have any doubt, don't hesitate to ask the manufacturer of your amp about its actual output power in your particular situation.
   
3. When using your amplifier with a Torpedo Captor/Captor X for the first time, monitor both the amplifier and the Torpedo device. Ask yourself:
   
1. Does the amplifier sound OK?
   
2. Do the output tubes of your amplifier heat-up more than usual?
   
3. Do they turn red?
   
4. Is the air flowing-out of the Torpedo really hot?
   
4. If anything seems wrong, don't insist, and lower the volume of your amplifier!