Can you use a combo speaker as an extension cab?

[Defo]

Seems a daft question but do speakons work either way in this respect?

Edited September 22, 2012 by Defo

[brensabre79]

Its two questions really, with two answers...

You can use the speaker half of a combo as a speaker, as in bypassing the amp part. You cannot however plug the speakon output of your amp into the speakon output of your combo and expect it to work.

You need to isolate the speaker of your combo from the amp of your combo basically. If you're not sure how to do this I would avoid it as making a mistake could cost you both your amp and combo.

Some combos are simply a speaker cabinet with an amp bolted on top and actually have a wire coming out of the speaker part going in to the amp (or technically the other way around) - usually with a jack or just hardwired. If this is the case then, assuming you have the right connectors, you can plug the wire coming from the speaker part of your combo into your separate amp instead of the combo amp.

[xgsjx]

^^^
Like he says. My combo is in essence just a LMII attached to a 2x10 cab & there's a short cable hardwired to the speakers with a 1/4" jack that's plugged into the amp.
If I wanted to use a different amp, I'd need a lead with a female jack on the end that's going to the "cab".

[flyfisher]

I can also confirm the above. The speaker in my Ampeg combo plugs into the rear of the amp with a 1/4inch jack, so the amp and speaker can be completely disconnected. In such cases, both the amp and the speaker can be used completely independently - albeit both in the same box - though, as pointed out above, a suitable adapter/cable would be required.

But, if a combo doesn't have this sort of arrangement, trying to use it as an extension cab could end up with the the outputs of both amplifiers being connected together, which is generally a bad thing and would probably lead to damaged amps (unless specifically designed for such applications, which a combo amp almost certainly won't be).

Certainly not a daft question.

[Defo]

Many thanks folks. My Trace has a lead coming from the speaker to the amp head which plugs in to the head with a standard jack lead, I will try and find a suitable adapter

[flyfisher]

This is the sort of thing you need:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/metal-1-4-mono-coupler-44076

[shizznit]

I used to do the same thing with my old Trace combo. I used to unplug the speaker cable, attach a female/female jack adapter and plug it into an EA iAmp 500 to it as I could handle the low mids a lot better than the Trace.

[Defo]

Hi folks, just an update. Got a Speakon to Jack connector for the TH500 and a Female to Female jack connector for the Trace and bingo it works fine. I now have a 15" extension cab if I need it as well as the combo and TH500/SL112. Thanks for your help

[0175westwood29]

Or you could just take a line out from one combo/amp into the power amp of the second combo? That way you just need on extra lead?

Andy