4 or 8 ohms?

[elwaupo]

I've been looking at SWR 2x10 cabinets lately to replace my Carvin 4x10, and I noticed that SWRs come with either 4 or 8 ohm ratings. Which would be the better choice?

[kesslari]

If you're only going to use one of them, a 4 ohm cab will see more power from most amps.
If you plan on using two (at least some of the time) get them in 8 ohm - the two of them together will be 4 ohms.
Whereas two 4 ohm cabs together will be a 2 ohm load, and most amps can't deal with that. Some can, but it limits your choices in amps.

[jmattbassplaya]

^Pretty much that.

[babebambi]

which amp?

[JimmyM]

8 if you want two, and 8 if you want one, too. unless you're using a very low power amp, you'll likely have more wattage than a single 210 can take anyway.

[woody357]

If you are going to use a 2x10 cabinet then get it in a 8 ohm load, you may not need the added air movement right now, but there may come a time you may want to add another cabinet. It will be a lot easier to add another 8 ohm or even a 4x10 4 ohm if your head can handle a 2 ohm load.

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

8 if you want two, and 8 if you want one, too. unless you're using a very low power amp, you'll likely have more wattage than a single 210 can take anyway.

Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would make a 4ohm 2x10....

[Nicolay3535]

Originally Posted by jeff arddun

Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would make a 4ohm 2x10....

Cause if you want a portable rig like my carvin bx500 and want all 500w to be used you need a 4 ohm cab to get it out of it. And a 2x10 makes for a really portable rig and my avatar 2x10
Cab handles the 500 watts very well!

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by Nicolay3535

Cause if you want a portable rig like my carvin bx500 and want all 500w to be used you need a 4 ohm cab to get it out of it. And a 2x10 makes for a really portable rig and my avatar 2x10
Cab handles the 500 watts very well!

You dime a 500w amp into a 2x10?
wow...ok, I stand corrected....ish

[kosmicwizard]

Originally Posted by elwaupo

I've been looking at SWR 2x10 cabinets lately to replace my Carvin 4x10, and I noticed that SWRs come with either 4 or 8 ohm ratings. Which would be the better choice?

probably the 8 ohm version. Most heads have a 4 ohm capability and that will allow you to expand in the future, also you won't be able to hear the difference between a 4 or 8 ohm cab with the same amount of drivers in it. Cheers.

[Sav'nBass]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

8 if you want two, and 8 if you want one, too. unless you're using a very low power amp, you'll likely have more wattage than a single 210 can take anyway.

Originally Posted by woody357

If you are going to use a 2x10 cabinet then get it in a 8 ohm load, you may not need the added air movement right now, but there may come a time you may want to add another cabinet. It will be a lot easier to add another 8 ohm or even a 4x10 4 ohm if your head can handle a 2 ohm load.

I agree... Unless you have money to burn you want to make your rig as versatile as possible, which means making it somewhat flexible in terms of what you can add to it. An 8 ohm cab wll give you more future options..

Originally Posted by Nicolay3535

Cause if you want a portable rig like my carvin bx500 and want all 500w to be used you need a 4 ohm cab to get it out of it. And a 2x10 makes for a really portable rig and my avatar 2x10
Cab handles the 500 watts very well!

From my understanding though it isn't watts but speaker area that has a more pronounced impact on volume etc..

I have two 2x12 cabs.. one is a Schroeder 1212L tat is 4 ohms tat I have at home and bring on gigs.. the other is a Avatar 8 ohm B212 that I leave at my church... To be honest there isn't much difference...I got the 4 ohm Schro first.. and truth be told had I known then what I know now I would have gotten a 8 ohm cab...

[elwaupo]

I'm using a Carvin R600 III amp with a 4x10 8ohm cabinet & 2x10 4ohm cabinet when needed. I also have a 1x15 4ohm cabinet, but I like the sound of the 4x10. These are all Carvin cabinets.

[JimmyM]

no 210 on the market with the possible exception of basson or acme can take 500w. and even they i don't think could take 500w.

[woody357]

Originally Posted by Nicolay3535

Cause if you want a portable rig like my carvin bx500 and want all 500w to be used you need a 4 ohm cab to get it out of it. And a 2x10 makes for a really portable rig and my avatar 2x10
Cab handles the 500 watts very well!

I can understand wanting portability, but 500 watts into a 2x10 may be loud, but IMHO will not sound as good as a 2x10 with a 1x15 or a 4x10 cabinet. If you need that kind of power then I’d suggest more speakers(Neo).

[phillipkregg]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

8 if you want two, and 8 if you want one, too. unless you're using a very low power amp, you'll likely have more wattage than a single 210 can take anyway.

That's true, but we may want to define "very low power" here.

For instance, I have a Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 that I can run into a 4 ohm Avatar 2x10. This will allow me to push 300 watts into the cab if I need to - which is more power than I will ever need at most of my gigs.

Now if I run that same amp through my 8 ohm Avatar, than I will only have 175 watts available to push through the cab - in which case I'd have problems hearing myself at some gigs.

I don't consider the Shuttle 3.0 to be very low wattage, but if it's paired with an 8 Ohm cab, than it might be - depending on your situation.

To OP: if you can, try to get an amp head that will give you at least 500 watts into 8 ohms - like a Shuttle 9.0 or a Hartke LH1000. That will give you lots of wiggle room.

[JimmyM]

i wouldn't call the shuttle 3 very low power, but it's low power enough to where it would be n/a to what i was talking about.

[AwkwardLoudness]

I'm using a Carvin R600 III amp with a 4x10 8ohm cabinet & 2x10 4ohm cabinet when needed. I also have a 1x15 4ohm cabinet, but I like the sound of the 4x10. These are all Carvin cabinets.

If that amp runs stable at 2 ohms (I know at least some of the other Carvin amps do), then you can run a pair of 4 ohm cabs. With a 2 ohm capable amp, I say get the 4Ω 2x10 and still have the option for an additional 2x10 later on.

Originally Posted by jeff arddun

You dime a 500w amp into a 2x10?
wow...ok, I stand corrected....ish

An Acme B2 2x10 could take 500 watts like a champ, but that's an exception among 2x10s.

[arkainzeye]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

no 210 on the market with the possible exception of basson or acme can take 500w. and even they i don't think could take 500w.

http://www.carvinguitars.com/bassamp...sscabinets.php

[BassmanPaul]

When I was buying my Acme B2 2x10s I had already decided to use them with a stereo power amp: Carvin DCM1000. As this amp, and in fact most stereo power amps on the market, is 2Ω capable I went with a 4Ω impedance. I've never regretted that decision. I own four B2s ATM and I could drive all four with that amp.

The thing that many folk don't consider when buying amps or cabinets is that they have to work together. Another is that most bass amps, for some unknown reason, can only go down to 4Ω. in this they are falling behind the PA world and what players actually want.

[BigOldHarry]

I always choose 8 ohm cabs. ALWAYS - and particularly with a 2x10, since you are very likely to pair it with another cab.

This notion that you just MUST have 4 ohm cabs to be as "loud" as possible is silly beyond reason.