mixing cabs?

[steve]

I'm considering upgrading my head (thinking SVT PRO3), and I was wondering about cabs. I have a Hartke 2.5XL and a 115XL, and was trying to work out if I could use the 2.5XL or the 115XL with either a 410XL or 4.5XL.

The 410/4.5 is 400W at 8ohm and the 2.5/115 is 200W at 8ohm, giving me 600W at 4ohm, which I assume is enough headroom.

[i]but[/i] will the output from the amp be distributed at 50/50 between cabs ie at high output levels (for arguments sake, say 420W), will the 2.5/115 be exposed to 210W?

I'd be grateful for some opinions/advice, cheers


[size=1]edited to reword the question[/size]

Edited November 22, 2007 by steve

[Musky]

You've got it in one - the amps output will be split equally between cabs.

[steve]

cheers mate

[51m0n]

Just to put a small damper on that. Just because the output electrically from the amp will be evenly distributed doesn't mean the output volume will be evenly distributed between two cabs.

That is a function of the cab sensitivity measured in dB per watt at a specific distance from the cab.

If cab A has a 103db/W @1m sensitivity and cab B has a 100db/W @ 1m sensitivity then A is twice as loud as B!

If the distances are different then you into the inverse square law to try and even it up, which is more trouble than its worth IMO!

Of course I fully expect somewhere with more knowledge to come in here at this point and show up any flaws in what I just said

[steve]

[quote name='51m0n' post='95023' date='Nov 27 2007, 12:45 PM']Just to put a small damper on that. Just because the output electrically from the amp will be evenly distributed doesn't mean the output volume will be evenly distributed between two cabs.

That is a function of the cab sensitivity measured in dB per watt at a specific distance from the cab.

If cab A has a 103db/W @1m sensitivity and cab B has a 100db/W @ 1m sensitivity then A is twice as loud as B!

If the distances are different then you into the inverse square law to try and even it up, which is more trouble than its worth IMO!

Of course I fully expect somewhere with more knowledge to come in here at this point and show up any flaws in what I just said [/quote]

thanks for that, I (sort of) get what you mean, and it [i]has[/i] gone some way to clarify my original question, but I'll have to mull it over a bit for it to sink in..

[bassbloke]

Get a second 2.5XLand stick rubber feet on the side of each cab and stack them end up to give you a 4 vertical driver arrangement. These will have pleny of oomph, you'll get a better sense of air being shifted behind you and you'll have a much lighter and more portale rig tat still delivers. Trust me.

[51m0n]

[quote name='bassbloke' post='97914' date='Dec 3 2007, 07:42 AM']Get a second 2.5XLand stick rubber feet on the side of each cab and stack them end up to give you a 4 vertical driver arrangement. These will have pleny of oomph, you'll get a better sense of air being shifted behind you and you'll have a much lighter and more portale rig tat still delivers. Trust me.[/quote]


Could he not just turn his existing 2.5 on its end and have it higher up to achieve the same result??

[steve]

[quote name='bassbloke' post='97914' date='Dec 3 2007, 07:42 AM']Get a second 2.5XLand stick rubber feet on the side of each cab and stack them end up to give you a 4 vertical driver arrangement. These will have pleny of oomph, you'll get a better sense of air being shifted behind you and you'll have a much lighter and more portale rig tat still delivers. Trust me.[/quote]

hmmmm, thats an interesting idea, when I use the 2.5 on it's own I always stand it on its side. i read about that on the BFM forums, but can't remember why I need to do it.

I still have concerns about using 2 200W rated cabs with a 450W rated amp. I know i'm not going to be running it at full power but I don't want to run any risk of blowing a speaker.

[steve]

[quote name='51m0n' post='97969' date='Dec 3 2007, 10:02 AM']Could he not just turn his existing 2.5 on its end and have it higher up to achieve the same result??[/quote]

I've just re-read this, I assume you mean in conjunction with the 1x15? I'll try that next week at practice (when my svt3 pro should have arrived).