Amp questions (connections and clipping)

[JMM]

Hi, I've just bought an Orange Bass Terror and an SP210 but I'm not sure how to wire them up. Both the amp and the cab have two connectors on the back. From the diagram in the manual, it looks like there should be two cables used (one from the amp to the speaker and another one from the other speaker connector back to the other amp connector). On Youtube however, I've only seen one cable used to connect the amp and cab.

1) Do I need one or two wires?

2) If I add another cab, how do I then wire that one in?

3) How do I tell when the amp in clipping? (I'm after quite a dirty sound, can I safely do this by turning the gain up?)

[icastle]

One cable from the back of the amp going to one socket on the back of the cab is what you need.

If you add another cab you have some options:

Either run another cable from the second socket on the back of the amp to a socket on the cab.

OR

Connect the second cable from the spare socket on the back of the original cab and plug the other end into the new cab.

[JMM]

Thanks very much for the reply.

Is it better to wire a second cab to the original cab or to the amp, or doesn't it make any difference?

[icastle]

Two schools of thought on that one.

In electronic terms, it makes no difference.

If you 'daisy chain' (feed one cab from the previous one) should the lead from the amp to the first cab fail, you'll lose all output to both cabs.

If you run seperate cables from each cab up to the amp head, if one cable fails the other cab will continue working.

[Mr. Foxen]

As for the clipping, because of the use of valves with too much gain in it as standard, it will be clipping in the preamp most of the way round the gain dial, to clip the power amp, you'll hear your cab farting out before then, just need to listen for the wrong distortion.

[JMM]

icastle: Thanks, I'll wire it to the second amp outlet when I get it then.

Mr. Foxen: Thanks, I know what you mean by the cab farting, so I'll listen out for that.