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can I convert a combo into a bass cab?


Peter Train
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Hi

I have an Ashdown Five Fifteen that I've been using for about 3 years and recetly all the fuses on the circuit board blew. When I replaced them they blew again. I have spoken to a local engineer who tells me that it's probably a transformer that's gone and needs replacing and he estimates a total bill of about £50 for the repair. Not a bad price but!.......

I have been considering changing this for a few months now and I plan to buy a Roland CB100 which can drive an external cab as wel as the internal speaker. As the Ashdown would only be worth aboth £80 as a sale item on basschat I wondered if it would be possible to convert the old combo into a cab and run it from my new combo when I get it? Would this give me a better sound?

The Roland needs an external cab with a minimum of 100W capacity at 8 Ohms.

The Ashdown is sold as a 100 watt amp and required and 8 ohm extension cab but on the Ashdown website its only shown as 100w at 4 ohms.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Pete

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Using your existing combo as an ext cab is certainly viable, you just need to ensure that the Ashdown driver is defo 8ohms; I'd assume it's 8ohm as the panel provides connection for an ext cab but I've no idea if the ext socket cuts the signal to the internal speaker... I doubt it but if it was me I'd be whipping the speaker out to double check (easy 10min job). If the Ashdown is an 8ohm driver then yes you can use it with another combo that has an ext socket.

One question; Is the Ashdown speaker wired internally to the amp? If it is you are going to need to fit a socket onto/into your combo casing. Again not a massive job and you only need to be proficient with a drill, screwdriver and soldering iron.

Doubled up with your new combo it will improve the sound (bearing in mind that you are only talking low powered rig here and not some monster rig). Just ask yourself if you can be bothered! :)

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Thanks

This is useful, I think I will try it as the only other option I can see is giving the Ashdown away or throwing it in a skip. This way I might have a reasonable 15" bass cab to use. The speaker is definitly wired into the amp internally but I'm not sure if it's definitly 8 Ohm. I'll have a look inside tomorrow.

Cheers

Pete

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I've taken the combo appart now and the amp and speaker are in 2 separate self contained sections of the cabinet. The Amp has come out alltogether making the case lighter.

When I took the speaker out by removing then grill I founf it was a 150 watt rated 8 ohn ashdown blue line speaker so it should be OK. the wires from the speaker exit through a sealed hole to where the amplifier was. I've ordered a Neutrik jack socket which I think can be mounted on the outside of the case where the amp used to be.

I'll post some photos later once I've set this up and let people know how I've got on.

Pete

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[quote name='Peter Train' post='1073863' date='Dec 31 2010, 05:31 PM']Hi

I have an Ashdown Five Fifteen that I've been using for about 3 years and recetly all the fuses on the circuit board blew. When I replaced them they blew again. I have spoken to a local engineer who tells me that it's probably a transformer that's gone and needs replacing and he estimates a total bill of about £50 for the repair. Not a bad price but!.......

I have been considering changing this for a few months now and I plan to buy a Roland CB100 which can drive an external cab as wel as the internal speaker. As the Ashdown would only be worth aboth £80 as a sale item on basschat I wondered if it would be possible to convert the old combo into a cab and run it from my new combo when I get it? Would this give me a better sound?

[u][i][b]The Roland needs an external cab with a minimum of 100W capacity at 8 Ohms.[/b][/i]
[/u]
The Ashdown is sold as a 100 watt amp and required and 8 ohm extension cab but on the Ashdown website its only shown as 100w at 4 ohms.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Pete[/quote]

I stumbled on this thread by chance and i'm really interested.

As I have a Roland cb100 combo I have been thinking of using an extra external speaker cab, but I too am confused about ohms, the Roland manual says use a cab with a maximum of 8 ohms, but does not specify whether a 4 or 8 ohm external cab would be better in this set up. How do you find out which to use?

Also would adding a 2 x 12 or 1 x 15 external cab of the correct ohmage? produce a louder sound or just a sound with more umph?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated, thanks, Nick.

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[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1082005' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:34 PM']I stumbled on this thread by chance and i'm really interested.

As I have a Roland cb100 combo I have been thinking of using an extra external speaker cab, but I too am confused about ohms, the Roland manual says use a cab with a maximum of 8 ohms, but does not specify whether a 4 or 8 ohm external cab would be better in this set up. How do you find out which to use?

Also would adding a 2 x 12 or 1 x 15 external cab of the correct ohmage? produce a louder sound or just a sound with more umph?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated, thanks, Nick.[/quote]

When the manual says 'max 8ohms' Nick, I'd be fairly confident in saying that means use an 8 or 16ohm cab (or any cab between 8-16... or even over 16 but any of the afore mentioned cabs will be pretty rare) NOT a 4ohm cab.

As to whether you should add a 2x12, 1x15, 2x10, 4x10 etc. that is down to personal preference but all should give you a (little) more volume as I'd have thought your combo will produce the 100w at 4ohms (your 8ohm internal speaker and the 8ohm ext cab giving the 4ohm load). You won't be talking a massive amount of wattage increase, maybe 25w more than the 75w you'd be getting without the ext cab BUT the extra speaker drivers will make it appear louder with a bit more Umph. Just don't expect to suddenly be knocking down walls when you get the extra cab! :)

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[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1082005' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:34 PM']As I have a Roland cb100 combo I have been thinking of using an extra external speaker cab, but I too am confused about ohms, the Roland manual says use a cab with a maximum of 8 ohms, but does not specify whether a 4 or 8 ohm external cab would be better in this set up. How do you find out which to use?[/quote]

As WH says, 4 Ohms is MORE than 8 Ohms. It's weird, but that's how it works.

I'd use an 8 Ohm cab if you wanted an extension. :)

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