rainus5 Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Hi everyone. I'm newon this forum, and looking for some advice.... I'm currently using an Ampeg SVT450H head with a SVT410HLF cab. It's perfectly adequate for most of the smaller gigs, but now and again we play some slightly bigger places and I push it to the limits. It would be really good if I could have another cabinet which I could add-in for the bigger gigs, to move some more air... However I have no idea if this is possible as I know very little about matching up impedances, power ratings etc. The cabinet has 2 speakons, but does this mean I can add another cab? And if so, what can I add? Grateful for any advice you guys can provide. Thanks in advance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 [quote name='rainus5' post='808294' date='Apr 16 2010, 12:31 PM']Hi everyone. I'm newon this forum, and looking for some advice.... I'm currently using an Ampeg SVT450H head with a SVT410HLF cab. It's perfectly adequate for most of the smaller gigs, but now and again we play some slightly bigger places and I push it to the limits. It would be really good if I could have another cabinet which I could add-in for the bigger gigs, to move some more air... However I have no idea if this is possible as I know very little about matching up impedances, power ratings etc. The cabinet has 2 speakons, but does this mean I can add another cab? And if so, what can I add? Grateful for any advice you guys can provide. Thanks in advance....[/quote] The Speakons are in Parallel so you can connect your head to one and the other cab to the other. Assuming that your current cab is 8 ohms and the minimum load for the SVT is 4 ohms then you can add any cab providing it's 8 ohms. If you like the sound you get at the moment then add another the same. A lot of people would add a 15 under it but it won't necesarily go any lower than your 4x10 and the end result may sound considerably different to the sound you get now. Only you can decide if you like it or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainus5 Posted April 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 16, 2010 [quote name='AndyMartin' post='808330' date='Apr 16 2010, 12:51 PM']The Speakons are in Parallel so you can connect your head to one and the other cab to the other. Assuming that your current cab is 8 ohms and the minimum load for the SVT is 4 ohms then you can add any cab providing it's 8 ohms. If you like the sound you get at the moment then add another the same. A lot of people would add a 15 under it but it won't necesarily go any lower than your 4x10 and the end result may sound considerably different to the sound you get now. Only you can decide if you like it or not[/quote] Hi Andy. Thanks for the quick reply. My cab is 4 ohms. Since you assumed its 8 ohms, does this change what you are suggesting? For info, the SVT450 head delivers 450W RMS @ 4 ohms , and 275W RMS @ 8 ohms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 (edited) [quote name='rainus5' post='808343' date='Apr 16 2010, 01:03 PM']My cab is 4 ohms.[/quote] Ah Unfortunately that means if you you added another cab it would create a minimum load for the amp of less than 4 ohms and the magic smoke would escape from your amp. Unless you want to replace your present cab with one rated at 8 ohms you are stuck with the single cab. Edit I'm assuming that the SVT450 will not run at less than 4 ohms. Some Ampegs will. Maybe someone will correct me on that Edited April 16, 2010 by AndyMartin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Pretty sure the SVT450 is a 4 ohm min load. If you add another cab to compliment your 410hlf-you will indeed be like aladdin, surrounded by smoke! An 8ohm cab plus a four brings the load to about 2.6 ohms-well below 4 and not at all safe. and two 4ohm cabs will bring the load to 2ohms-again not the amps min load. best bet would be to get rid of the 410HLF and buy a pair of 410HE´s they are 8 ohm cabs and sound pretty good. Or either an SVT610HLF Or 8x10 With the last two, you´ll never need a second cab Most of the Ampeg tube stuff goes down to 2 ohms, as do the 4 PRO and 2 PRO (maybe the 5PRO?). A few SS Ampegs do too. My b500dr head does anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainus5 Posted April 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 16, 2010 Thanks both.... Now I understand the importance of matching up the impedance. Should have remembered ohm's law from physics class at school, but that we 20 years ago What put me off going for a 6 x 10 or 8 x 10 is the physical size... My band is displaced across Aberdeenshire, so we all usually have to drive ourselves to gigs. Trying to get an Ampeg wardrobe into a 2-door Ford Focus is not fun - but I think I could have managed the 4 x 10 plus an extra cabinet.... Anyway at least I know that I need to think of something else. Perhaps a crude idea would be to buy an Ampeg BA300, and slave into it. But I have no idea how (bad) that would sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 [quote name='rainus5' post='808408' date='Apr 16 2010, 01:59 PM']Perhaps a crude idea would be to buy an Ampeg BA300, and slave into it. But I have no idea how (bad) that would sound.[/quote] ...AWFUL! Dont do that mate, whatever you do. If you are going down the Ampeg combo route, try to track down a B2 or B3 combo-both have speaker outs (again, you'd have to check the impedance for them). But I wouldn't recommend doing that-you'll have problems with line levels etc. Honestly, the 450 through an SVT HLF should be plenty loud-you're getting the max output from the amp-and its compact enough to transport. You can always DI for decent sized gigs anyway, so you'll have no hassle being heard (or felt-its an AMPEG!!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainus5 Posted April 17, 2010 Author Share Posted April 17, 2010 Sorry, my last comment about slaving into a combo was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.... Thanks for your advice guys. If nothing else, you've saved me cooking my amp!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 [quote name='rainus5' post='809340' date='Apr 17 2010, 12:32 PM']Sorry, my last comment about slaving into a combo was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.... Thanks for your advice guys. If nothing else, you've saved me cooking my amp!!![/quote] Ah, sorry, wasn´t picking up on that-was fairly tired at that stage Best of luck with t And let us know what u decide to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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