allihts Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I have two cabs, both of which are different impedances. If I connect them together the load is still high enough for my head (above 4 ohms). Are there any sonic or mechanical disadvantages/negative side effects to connecting both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 The cab with the higher ohm rating will get less power to drive the speakers. So that cab will sound quieter than the other cab. That may or may not be what you want! As long as you don't drop below the amps minimum rating the amp will be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Give us some specifics about cabs (and their impedances) and the amp head you are using and we should be able to give you a definitive answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plankspanker Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I have an 8 ohm 1x15 (400W) and a 2x10 (175W) that was originally 4 ohms but I re-wired the drivers in series so now it's 16. If I use the both together that's nominally 5.3 ohms and two thirds of the power will go through the 15 and one third through the 2x10. I drive them with a Trace AH350X (quite an unusual amp) which has a full range B channel the same as an AH250 pus a separate 150W high-pass (250Hz plus) A channel output. If both cabs are on the B channel, flat out, the 15 gets just over 160W and the 2x10 just over 80W. It sounds damned good! Usually though, I leave the 2x10 on A and the 1x15 on B - sounds really, really excellent. I've been thinking about obtaining a Trace 2x10, converting that to 16 and using the two 2x10's on B and put the 1x15 on A. More stuff to carry though! So long as you stay above the amps minimum load and the power to each driver is proportionate I can't see what the problem is with this but no doubt the purists will throw their hands up in horror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 mis matched cabs are not a problem if the load is within the amps rating. It just sounds less even. Shouldn't do any harm but is not the 'accepted' method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fitzmaurice Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 [quote name='plankspanker' post='1181464' date='Mar 29 2011, 04:34 PM']...I can't see what the problem is with this but no doubt the purists will throw their hands up in horror.[/quote]Not the ones with a clue. Your setup is preferable to having them both 8 ohms, where the 175 watt rating of the 210 would be the weak link in the chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allihts Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 Laney RB9 head, 300W minimum 4 ohms. 4x10 cab, 8 ohms + 1x10 cab, 16 ohms. I was going to have the small one facing me as a monitor and the big one facing the audience at a gig I'm doing where the bass isn't going through the PA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='allihts' post='1182482' date='Mar 30 2011, 05:20 PM']Laney RB9 head, 300W minimum 4 ohms. 4x10 cab, 8 ohms + 1x10 cab, 16 ohms. I was going to have the small one facing me as a monitor and the big one facing the audience at a gig I'm doing where the bass isn't going through the PA.[/quote] That'll be fine. Only problem I can see is that you might end up drowning the rest of the backline by having the 1x10" facing back at yourself. I'd be more inclined to face it outwards towards the audience and make sure I was standing in front of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1182508' date='Mar 30 2011, 05:48 PM']That'll be fine. Only problem I can see is that you might end up drowning the rest of the backline by having the 1x10" facing back at yourself. I'd be more inclined to face it outwards towards the audience and make sure I was standing in front of it.[/quote] I love your tag line and this thread will prove it :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73Jazz Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 (edited) This may help, though it is german it is easy enough even if you do not understand the language [url="http://ampservice.de/impcalc.php"]http://ampservice.de/impcalc.php[/url] it will calculate what you are looking for, if you have difficulties to understand, just let me know as i have just recognized..you can switch the language:) Edited March 30, 2011 by 73Jazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='Blademan_98' post='1182569' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:50 PM']I love your tag line and this thread will prove it :-)[/quote] Don't I know it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plankspanker Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='1181650' date='Mar 29 2011, 11:20 PM']Not the ones with a clue. Your setup is preferable to having them both 8 ohms, where the 175 watt rating of the 210 would be the weak link in the chain.[/quote] I'm glad you think so, Bill. I often see your posts on TB over the other side of the pond and always read them with interest. If I put my ear 6" from the cabs then clearly one is a fair bit louder than the other but even from just a couple of feet it just appears to be a single sound source. A modest appreciation of the laws of physics sprinkled with a bit of commonsense is the way to go, I think - I try to avoid dogma! OP - you should be fine so long as the single 10 is rated for at least 100W rms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allihts Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='73Jazz' post='1182571' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:52 PM']This may help, though it is german it is easy enough even if you do not understand the language[/quote] As luck would have it my german is pretty good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougie Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 "and a 2x10 (175W) that was originally 4 ohms but I re-wired the drivers in series so now it's 16" am i misreading this?,shouldnt it be 8 ohms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plankspanker Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='dougie' post='1182824' date='Mar 30 2011, 10:39 PM']"and a 2x10 (175W) that was originally 4 ohms but I re-wired the drivers in series so now it's 16" am i misreading this?,shouldnt it be 8 ohms?[/quote] No, it's 16 ohms now. It's just a Peavey 2x10 175W and 4 ohms because the two 8 ohm drivers were wired in parallel. Now, after two minutes with a soldering iron they are in series, 8+8 = 16. The best part is that I bought this cab for only about £40 as it had no output but was cosmetically really good. It turned out to be a faulty crossover - I don't use crossovers or horns anyway - so out they came and voila a really punchy, clean-sounding cab that sounds great on the A channel of the amp or if I put it in the B channel along with the 1x15. Incidentally, I also bought the 1x15 (Ashdown ABM) for a knockdown price (you might've guessed by now I'm a skinflint) coz the original Blueline driver had seized solid. I bought a new Eminence 400W driver (I think about £70) and it is a better cab now than when it was built. Two good cabs for an outlay of only about £160 - can't be bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougie Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='plankspanker' post='1182851' date='Mar 30 2011, 11:08 PM']No, it's 16 ohms now. It's just a Peavey 2x10 175W and 4 ohms because the two 8 ohm drivers were wired in parallel. Now, after two minutes with a soldering iron they are in series, 8+8 = 16. The best part is that I bought this cab for only about £40 as it had no output but was cosmetically really good. It turned out to be a faulty crossover - I don't use crossovers or horns anyway - so out they came and voila a really punchy, clean-sounding cab that sounds great on the A channel of the amp or if I put it in the B channel along with the 1x15. Incidentally, I also bought the 1x15 (Ashdown ABM) for a knockdown price (you might've guessed by now I'm a skinflint) coz the original Blueline driver had seized solid. I bought a new Eminence 400W driver (I think about £70) and it is a better cab now than when it was built. Two good cabs for an outlay of only about £160 - can't be bad![/quote] Nice end result i agree,good to hear a happy ending:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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