itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) I have the above 10" combo. Great little thing, sounds great, loud and has served me well. I've just bought an extension Mibass 8ohm 250w cab to run with it. Whilst the extension was on its way, I did a bit of reading up. Turns out according to what other owners say about their contact with Ashdown that, some of the combo units were shipped with 250w 4ohm drivers instead of the correct 8ohm. Sure enough, I've checked mine and it's 4ohm! So now I can't use the extension for the purpose I bought it and there is also the fact that I'm running a 400w head into a single 10" 250w driver at 4ohm. It has served me well but I'm now feeling a bit reluctant to carry on using the combo in case I blow the driver. Either way, it looks like I'm knackered! I've emailed Ashdown and they confirmed that some had 4ohm. I cant understand why the unit was ever shipped with this driver in the first place? Edited March 29, 2018 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) If it is a great little thing that sounds great and has served you well, the knowledge that it has a 4ohm driver presumably won't change that. Send the extension cab back for a refund and continue to enjoy your combo, is my advice. IMHO, YMMV, and so on. Edited September 12, 2018 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 I think the speaker will be ok. But will the amp be ok? My understanding is that one 8ohm and one 4ohm in parallel will present 2.7ohm to the amp, and that this is below the minimum allowed (which is 4ohm). Therefore you might do damage to the amp, which you wouldn't know about until it's too late. I hope someone will correct me if I have not understood this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, discreet said: You won't blow the driver if you use your ears, which obviously you have. Which is why it hasn't blown yet. You'd certainly hear something amiss if it were anywhere near going bang and hurtling across the room. And if it is a great little thing that sounds great and has served you well, the knowledge that it has a 4ohm driver presumably won't change that. Send the extension cab back for a refund and continue to enjoy your combo, is my advice. IMHO, YMMV, and so on. Unfortunately, the extension is secondhand and therefore can't go back. I've put the combo up for sale a couple of times but withdrawn it when I came to my senses! I'd just like the extra cab going to push a bit more air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Ah sorry, I think I misread the question, which was about the internal speaker not the extension... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 4 minutes ago, jrixn1 said: I think the speaker will be ok. But will the amp be ok? My understanding is that one 8ohm and one 4ohm in parallel will present 2.7ohm to the amp, and that this is below the minimum allowed (which is 4ohm). Therefore you might do damage to the amp, which you wouldn't know about until it's too late. I hope someone will correct me if I have not understood this. You are right, I can't use the extension. I could use the head alone with the extension but that puts me in my original position... no extension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 What are the specs for the extension cab just out of interest? Is it another 10" driver? What size is the box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 44 minutes ago, discreet said: What are the specs for the extension cab just out of interest? Is it another 10" driver? What size is the box? It's the matching cab for the combo. Mibass 10" 250W 8ohm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 See if Ashdown will send you an 8 ohm speaker for you're combo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, artisan said: See if Ashdown will send you an 8 ohm speaker for you're combo Thanks for that. I've emailed them and explained the problem. Hopefully, they will be kind enough to rectify their mistake. Edited February 23, 2018 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 You could get the extension cab to be connected up in series to your combo speaker (cabling mods needed, but not difficult nor costly...). You would then have your two cabs, with the amp seeing a reduced load, so maybe happier. Any mileage..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, Dad3353 said: You could get the extension cab to be connected up in series to your combo speaker (cabling mods needed, but not difficult nor costly...). You would then have your two cabs, with the amp seeing a reduced load, so maybe happier. Any mileage..? Now then, I have a serialiser box made by OBBM. I'll message him and ask if that will do the trick! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Ashdown have sent a reply to my question to them - - Q) Why was the combo ever shipped with a 250w 4ohm driver? I can't get full power from the combo as a standalone and I can't use an extension to get it. Please advise. Ashdowns reply from Guy Morel - A) You are still getting the full power out of the amp.. It only means you cannot use an extension cabinet with it.. Have Ashdown just fobbed me off or am I missing something? I've replied again saying its a 250w driver so how can I use it to its full potential etc but am awaiting reply. He also seems to imply that I can get 400w rms through a 250w driver without causing damage to it too? Whatever he is saying, it sounds to me like I'm being fobbed off! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I can see no point whatsoever in sticking a 4ohm driver in that combo. Even if it was 400w driver, the size of the box would render it pointless. Was it advertised as a 4ohm variant? If not, I'd be pushing them for a replacement driver. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) 58 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: I can see no point whatsoever in sticking a 4ohm driver in that combo. Even if it was 400w driver, the size of the box would render it pointless. Was it advertised as a 4ohm variant? If not, I'd be pushing them for a replacement driver. I've done a bit of research and it seems some were sent out in error. There's a few posts round Talkbass etc and from what I've read Ashdown were at a loss as to why some were shipped with a 250w 4ohm driver. Some posts have said that Ashdown did send a replacement. It was advertised as a combo that can be used with an extension from what I've read. Edited February 27, 2018 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottastopbuyinggear Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Regardless of the fact that the extension cab is second hand you appear to have bought a combo with an output for an extension speaker, and the matching extension speaker, so it's entirely reasonable to expect that they will work together. In this instance, unless the combo was sold with a clear disclaimer that the extension output could never be used then I think it would be reasonable to ask Ashdown to give you a replacement 8 ohm driver for the combo. They seem to have a great reputation on here for customer service, and having seen itsmedunc's post just pop up it seems this is their error which they've rectified in previous cases, so I think it's well worth going back to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 6 minutes ago, itsmedunc said: I've done a bit of research and it seems some were sent out in error. There's a few posts round Talkbass etc and from what I've read Ashdown were at a loss as to why some were shipped with a 250w 4ohm driver. Some posts have said that Ashdown did send a replacement. It was advertised as a combo that can be used with an extension from what I've read. Yep.. in that case, I'd be knocking on their door again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 6 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Yep.. in that case, I'd be knocking on their door again. 8 minutes ago, Gottastopbuyinggear said: Regardless of the fact that the extension cab is second hand you appear to have bought a combo with an output for an extension speaker, and the matching extension speaker, so it's entirely reasonable to expect that they will work together. In this instance, unless the combo was sold with a clear disclaimer that the extension output could never be used then I think it would be reasonable to ask Ashdown to give you a replacement 8 ohm driver for the combo. They seem to have a great reputation on here for customer service, and having seen itsmedunc's post just pop up it seems this is their error which they've rectified in previous cases, so I think it's well worth going back to them. Thanks for the advice lads. I've emailed them and if, I get no joy with their reply, I'll give them a call. Never a dull moment in the "Bass" world! 😐 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 If I read the info right the extension speaker would be used instead of the native combo speaker? So you use the combo for small stages/rehearsal but the amp could drive a 8x10 at larger venues? The mi-bass extension cab would be used with the stand alone mi-bass top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 9 minutes ago, Bolo said: If I read the info right the extension speaker would be used instead of the native combo speaker? So you use the combo for small stages/rehearsal but the amp could drive a 8x10 at larger venues? The mi-bass extension cab would be used with the stand alone mi-bass top. if compatible, I had planned to use the combo with the 8ohm extension speaker. As the combo has a 4ohm native driver, I cannot use an a extension cab without changing the native driver to an 8ohm. The amp on its own could run any 4ohm or 8ohm cab/cabs but that's not what I wanted to do. I have another 2 Ashdown 8ohm cabs I could use with the head but wanted to have a compact and lightweight rig. Seems odd that Ashdown would put a 250w 4ohm driver into this combo? The configurations just don't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 If the combo can deliver its full 400 W with its current 4 Ohm 250 W driver, isn't that potentially problematic, even without considering the extension cab aspect..? The combo driver needs to be compatible with the amp, surely..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Dad3353 said: If the combo can deliver its full 400 W with its current 4 Ohm 250 W driver, isn't that potentially problematic, even without considering the extension cab aspect..? The combo driver needs to be compatible with the amp, surely..? Exactly! The combo has an incompatible driver that it was fitted with originally. I can't see Ashdown deliberately selling the combo with this particular driver but on a few forums (including BC) some owners found that some were shipped with the wrong drivers. I just need someone from Ashdown to agree that it was a mistake on their behalf and be kind enough to rectify it. Edited February 27, 2018 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 12 hours ago, itsmedunc said: Ashdown have sent a reply to my question to them - - Q) Why was the combo ever shipped with a 250w 4ohm driver? I can't get full power from the combo as a standalone and I can't use an extension to get it. Please advise. Ashdowns reply from Guy Morel - A) You are still getting the full power out of the amp.. It only means you cannot use an extension cabinet with it.. Have Ashdown just fobbed me off or am I missing something? I've replied again saying its a 250w driver so how can I use it to its full potential etc but am awaiting reply. He also seems to imply that I can get 400w rms through a 250w driver without causing damage to it too? Whatever he is saying, it sounds to me like I'm being fobbed off! I agree with your sentiment... that's a very poor response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrasho Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) On 23/02/2018 at 14:37, artisan said: See if Ashdown will send you an 8 ohm speaker for you're combo This for me. They might even admit as an error! Was the amp sold as an 8ohm speaker? Oops... Should've kept reading the thread. I'd definitely be questioning them further... And if you're adamant you want to use it with an ext cab, I'd probably just buy the 8ohm speaker if it came to it. Edited February 28, 2018 by Elfrasho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 On 28 February 2018 at 07:59, Elfrasho said: This for me. They might even admit as an error! Was the amp sold as an 8ohm speaker? Oops... Should've kept reading the thread. I'd definitely be questioning them further... And if you're adamant you want to use it with an ext cab, I'd probably just buy the 8ohm speaker if it came to it. Spoke with Ashdown today. Lots of facts and figures but the upshot is - They say it is the right speaker? Apparently, the first lot had no extension capability as they made it as a standalone with the 4ohm. Then it became apparent that customers wanted an extension and so they added an output and started producing the Mibass extension cabs. I believe this is where the problem has arisen. If what they say is right, then my combo should not then have a 4ohm, it's been fitted in error. The head has an extension out and then should be 8ohm. Still they say it's the right driver. So, they've offered me an Emminence Beta 10 250w 8ohm for about £30 plus vat, plus shipping. I've swapped drivers from the extension to the combo as they are exactly the same apart from the ohms. Looks like, either buy another driver or sell the cab then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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