8ohm vs 4 ohm cabs

landa · #1 04-01-2010, 01:00 AM

Hello boyz,

Any of you can give me some advice about whats best 8 or 4 ohm cabs?? & what sounds best!

Many amps are louder at 4ohm especially if you connect two cabs.... how about 8ohm?

e.g. the new SVT-7Pro, @ 8ohm is 600watts. Will it sound good with a Neo 15" cab wich is 575watts 8ohm....

I am looking at various amps, and many of them are like 500watts @ 4ohm..

suggestions please.

Sartori · #2 04-01-2010, 01:10 AM

Solid state amps put out more power at 4 ohms than at 8 ohms, true.

As far as I know, there isn't much inherent difference in sound between 8 ohm and 4 ohm cabs.

The SVT-7Pro might go well with that cab. Would probably go even better with two of them, though.

JimmyM · #3 04-01-2010, 01:13 AM

that is such a huge encompassing question that it'll be tough to answer anything definitively. but a couple things you should know:

---the extra wattage you get by running at 4 ohms will up your volume a little but not nearly as much as you think it would, since it takes like 10x the wattage to double your volume.

---if you're going to run a lot of wattage, don't run a small single speaker cab with the intention of blasting at full volume because you will blow it, even if the company claims it will handle it.

---if you do use a small cab, use an 8 ohm cab because you will definitely want to buy another one at some point. everyone always does.

comrade73 · #4 04-01-2010, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

that is such a huge encompassing question that it'll be tough to answer anything definitively. but a couple things you should know:

---the extra wattage you get by running at 4 ohms will up your volume a little but not nearly as much as you think it would, since it takes like 10x the wattage to double your volume.

---if you're going to run a lot of wattage, don't run a small single speaker cab with the intention of blasting at full volume because you will blow it, even if the company claims it will handle it.

---if you do use a small cab, use an 8 ohm cab because you will definitely want to buy another one at some point. everyone always does.

I'm no expert, but that's the impression I get also. That it's better to get an 8 ohm cab because you will want to run a 2nd 8 ohm cab at some point.

Correct me if I have this wrong.....2x 8 ohm cabs will run your amp @ 4 ohms which most amps can handle, but 2x 4 ohm cabs will require an amp running @ 2 ohms, which most amps cannot handle...?

JimmyM · #5 04-01-2010, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comrade73

I'm no expert, but that's the impression I get also. That it's better to get an 8 ohm cab because you will want to run a 2nd 8 ohm cab at some point.

Correct me if I have this wrong.....2x 8 ohm cabs will run your amp @ 4 ohms which most amps can handle, but 2x 4 ohm cabs will require an amp running @ 2 ohms, which most amps cannot handle...?

that's right. on both counts.

landa · #6 04-01-2010, 02:11 AM

Cheers guys!!!! great help....... I'll stick to 8 than, cannot afford to buy two cabs for now, and maybe Santa will get the other one....

I always wanted 1 4x10 and 1 1x15....

Sartori · #7 04-01-2010, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

that is such a huge encompassing question that it'll be tough to answer anything definitively. but a couple things you should know:

---the extra wattage you get by running at 4 ohms will up your volume a little but not nearly as much as you think it would, since it takes like 10x the wattage to double your volume.

---if you're going to run a lot of wattage, don't run a small single speaker cab with the intention of blasting at full volume because you will blow it, even if the company claims it will handle it.

---if you do use a small cab, use an 8 ohm cab because you will definitely want to buy another one at some point. everyone always does.

True, true.

The best way to get more volume, after all, is to get more speakers.

JimmyM · #8 04-01-2010, 02:14 AM

a little extra unsolicited advice...a 410 is well over twice as loud as any 115 and can go as low or lower. so you're better off getting two 410's or two 115's but not one of each.

Sartori · #9 04-01-2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landa

Cheers guys!!!! great help....... I'll stick to 8 than, cannot afford to buy two cabs for now, and maybe Santa will get the other one....

I always wanted 1 4x10 and 1 1x15....

Eh, a 4x10 has nearly twice the speaker area of a 1x15. If you're going to mix and match, I've always thought it makes more sense to pair a 2x10 with a 1x15, since their speaker areas are more similar.

Or you could just get a second 1x15. If you like the first 1x15 a lot and think it's a very good sound but just want to be louder, that might be the way to go. Same sound, but more of it.

landa · #10 04-01-2010, 02:35 AM

hhhhmmm so 2x10 + 1x15 you guys think is better???

I was always told that 1x15 helps for ends and 4x10 or 2x10 helps for the mids....

Thinking of it.... 2x10 + 1x15 seems to make more sense to me now as well...

bradjonesbass · #11 04-01-2010, 02:37 AM

I love the 2x10/1x15 combination. I remember back when it seemed everybody was pairing a 15 and a 4x10, but I always prefer the sound of 10s alone except for a smaller rig when it's nice to pair them with a 15.

bradjonesbass · #12 04-01-2010, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landa

hhhhmmm so 2x10 + 1x15 you guys think is better???

I was always told that 1x15 helps for ends and 4x10 or 2x10 helps for the mids....

Thinking of it.... 2x10 + 1x15 seems to make more sense to me now as well...

no. the 4x10 cabinet will (usually) put out better bottom end than the 15. More paper pushing more air.

JimmyM · #13 04-01-2010, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landa

hhhhmmm so 2x10 + 1x15 you guys think is better???

I was always told that 1x15 helps for ends and 4x10 or 2x10 helps for the mids....

Thinking of it.... 2x10 + 1x15 seems to make more sense to me now as well...

mixing cabs based on the size of the speakers is what you call "engineering by looks." you can't tell anything about speakers based on their size.

landa · #14 04-01-2010, 02:52 AM

I'm confused now.....

so 4x10 should have more low ends?

JimmyM · #15 04-01-2010, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landa

I'm confused now.....

so 4x10 should have more low ends?

many do, some don't. it all depends on the design of the cab.

it can get confusing, but the easiest way to sort it out if you don't know much about it is to not have any preconceptions in your mind about sizes of speakers in the cabs, and judge each cab you try on its own merits.

JimmyM · #16 04-01-2010, 03:06 AM

btw, you have a good band. saw a couple of your youtube vids.

landa · #17 04-01-2010, 03:07 AM

Thats my issue.... here where I live we do not have so much choice (to try out and stuff)

So most of the time we end up buying stuff blindly

that Y i am trying to do my homework before hand....

Sartori · #18 04-01-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landa

hhhhmmm so 2x10 + 1x15 you guys think is better???

I was always told that 1x15 helps for ends and 4x10 or 2x10 helps for the mids....

Thinking of it.... 2x10 + 1x15 seems to make more sense to me now as well...

Doesn't always work like that. Some cabs sound good together. Some don't.

My 15" cab supposedly goes down lower than my 2x10. But I only play in standard tuning and don't EQ in much low end, so it doesn't make a difference. My 15" cab is actually much more middy, while my 2x10 smooths the sound out a little bit.

Many 4x10's go lower than many 1x15's. It doesn't really depend that much on speaker size these days.

Lots of people here really don't like mixed-cab rigs, too, so keep that in mind. You'll get a lot of suggestions to add another of the same 15" cab, which is a good idea, actually.