Ashdown and Ohms - anyone know how they work?

[The Dark Lord]

I have a MiBass 550. It's great. But there's something I don't know about it - and the manual doesn't say.

It has two separate jack/speakon outputs on the back. Lookie here:

[attachment=157328:back.jpg]

Does that mean it has two separate 275 watts each of which must be run no lower than 8 Ohms (like the Ashdown Superfly used to). Or is it a single 550 watt amp which, when you attach separate 8 Ohm cabs via those two separate outputs .... it becomes 4 Ohm somehow?

Or could I indeed use one of the outputs and daisy chain two 8 Ohm cabs to it - and would that give 4 Ohms?

Or could I use 1 x 4 Ohm Cab?

I really haven't a clue but would like to have more of one.

Edited March 11, 2014 by The Dark Lord

[badboy1984]

First those jack/XLR is speakon with jack i take it.

I always have the impression that the amp runs 550watt in 4ohms. The 2 speaker connection means each one connects to a cab that that is 8ohm or lower like 16ohm etc.

I would imagine you can just plug a 4ohm cab into one of the connection and it still works fine.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1394552332' post='2392585']
First those jack/XLR is speakon with jack i take it.


[/quote]
Yep. Sorry. Corrected.

[StraightSix]

As far as I can see, you can either run one or two 8ohm cabs (the amp sees 4ohms with two cabs) or a single 4ohm cab.

[flyfisher]

It's not a stereo amp so it won't have two channels of 275W each, just one channel of 550W into a 4 ohm load.

The two speaker sockets are just a convenience for connecting two 8 ohm cabs to give a 4 ohm load and extract the maximum 550W power. Use a single 4 ohm cab for the same power or a single 8 ohm cab for something around 2/3rds power (366W) - but don't quote me on that figure because it can vary quite a bit.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1394553186' post='2392596']
It's not a stereo amp so it won't have two channels of 275W each, just one channel of 550W into a 4 ohm load.

[/quote]

The Superfly wasn't a stereo amp either - but did have two separate 25 watt power amps - also with two such outputs. That's why I'm slightly curious as to have this one works.

[xgsjx]

The back panel does make for confusing reading & there's not much on the web. I'd get an amp that I could rely on.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1394555093' post='2392632']
The Superfly wasn't a stereo amp either - but did have two separate 25 watt power amps - also with two such outputs. That's why I'm slightly curious as to have this one works.
[/quote]

Hmm. Fair enough. Strange arrangement to force someone to have two cabs for max output. If they are going in for such things then it's a shame the manuals are not clearer.

[tauzero]

If you compare the specs of the MiBass 550 and the Superfly, the MiBass says it's 550W output while the Superfly says it's 2 x 250W. I think it's reasonable to deduce that the MiBass has a single power module.

[gjones]

I use a single 4 ohm speaker cab with mine for the full 550 watts. Or if I wanted I could use both speakons, to connect two 8 ohm cabs in parallel, which would also bring the impedance down to 4 ohms and allow me to utilise the full 550 watts.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1394586812' post='2393129']
I use a single 4 ohm speaker cab with mine for the full 550 watts. Or if I wanted I could use both speakons, to connect two 8 ohm cabs in parallel, which would also bring the impedance down to 4 ohms and allow me to utilise the full 550 watts.
[/quote]
That really depends on what cab you're using & if it knows what to do with that "full 550" watts.

[yorks5stringer]

Why not just give Ashdown a ring or email them?

[Merton]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1394610300' post='2393179']

That really depends on what cab you're using & if it knows what to do with that "full 550" watts.
[/quote]