8x10 Vs two 4x10

Bobbybdazzler · #1 02-17-2013, 01:30 AM

This may be a silly question but do two 4x10 cabs give you the same SPL, tone or the Mojo of an 8x10? I have looked up the specs of say an Ashdown 4x10 = 103db and their 8x10 = 109db. Also people say that as a quad box has the 2 of its drivers stacked vertically it has bad dispersal yet an 8x10 can fill a room/stadium. I would love to hear the maths and since of the two options and from anybody who has had personal experience with the two set ups. I am also considering two 6x10 cabs and a ladder.

gumtownbassman · #2 02-17-2013, 01:44 AM

I have just brought a Marshall VBC810 (8x10) cab and it is quite different to my MBC410's in many ways.
First the 810 is easier to move around having wheels and handels both ends, i can just wheel it to the car and push it over on it's side and slide it in on the back seat, where the 4x10"s needs to be picked up and carried at an awkward position in front and wrestled into the car.
This particular 8x10 is sealed in 2x10 chambers, where the 4x10's are ported, giving the 810 a very tight bottom end. but it has no tweeter/horn and requires a bit of EQ tweaking for more top end (to my liking).

Not sure on the SPL side of things, my 410's each speaker is rated at 150w RMS, where each 810 speaker is rated at 75 watts rms.
The difference between your 103dB and 109dB is twice as loud, probably because of the double amount of speakers in the 810.

bongomania · #3 02-17-2013, 01:50 AM

Many 8x10 cabs are in fact two 4x10's wrapped together. That is, it contains two equal chambers, each with 4 10's.

Mike in Chicago · #4 02-17-2013, 04:10 AM

The good thing about 2 4x10s...if you get two 8 ohm cabs...you can take one or both and run them together to make 4 ohm. Thats what I do. My 4x10s (Ampeg SVT Classic) are 8's at 500W apiece. I think a 8x10 SVT is 800W.

And like what I saw here re: putting your cabinets on a stand..."the best stand for a 4x10 is another 4x10"

sstbo · #5 02-17-2013, 04:25 AM

I find 8x10's en 4x10's to sound quite different (at least for the Eden's and Aguilar's I've tried). Personally I like the sound of 4x10's a bit more. Plus I like the portability.

Go with whatever fits in your car. If you can fit two 6x10's and a ladder, definitely go with that!

blastjv · #6 02-17-2013, 05:57 AM

There are too many other variables involved. If you had two 410's that were exactly the same dimensions as half of a particular 810 with the same speakers and everything, then yes, they would sound the same as he 810. However, I don't think there are any 410's that are made to be exactly the same as half of an 810, so you are always comparing apples and oranges (and tricking yourself into thinking that the 'should' sound the same.

-JV

mystic38 · #7 02-17-2013, 06:23 AM

I think you may be overthinking this.. the Ashdown 8*10 are identical to stacking 2 Ashdown 4*10.. and so you would get identical mojo, looks, tone and identical SPL.. note that the SPL spec for the 8*10 is 6dB more than one 4*10, and so identical to two 4*10

Bobbybdazzler · #8 02-17-2013, 02:27 PM

Thanks for everyone's input and to sum up, If two 4x10's give you a tone you are happy with an 8x10 will not give you anything extra except for that look of someone who is not stuffing around. I wonder if I could fit two 8x10's in my car???

christw · #9 02-17-2013, 02:36 PM

If all else were the same with the cabs, two 410's at 103 db@1w should be equivalent to a single 810 at 106 db@1w. Unless they changed the drivers and/or design, the 810's specs may well be inflated.

NewstedsProdigy · #10 02-17-2013, 02:40 PM

The guitarist from my band (who is very old and wise) says that having the drivers in the same physical space makes them interact and push the air between them. So 2x 4x10's wont be as loud as an 8x10

gumtownbassman · #11 02-17-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewstedsProdigy

The guitarist from my band (who is very old and wise) says that having the drivers in the same physical space makes them interact and push the air between them. So 2x 4x10's wont be as loud as an 8x10

Not entirely true, most 4x10's and 8x10 don't all share the same air space within the cabinet, there are many other more importaint factors to determine the 'loudness" such as driver efficiency.

blastjv · #12 02-18-2013, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobbybdazzler

Thanks for everyone's input and to sum up, If two 4x10's give you a tone you are happy with an 8x10 will not give you anything extra except for that look of someone who is not stuffing around. I wonder if I could fit two 8x10's in my car???

No. All else being equal, the 810 will give you more volume.

bongomania · #13 02-18-2013, 06:04 AM

You misread. He said TWO 4x10's.

blastjv · #14 02-18-2013, 06:25 AM

D'oh!!!

i_got_a_mohawk · #15 02-18-2013, 06:45 AM

If the cabs were the same (as others have mentioned 410s and 810s from the same manufacturer can be different, beyond size and speaker count) I'd take an 810 over 2x410s any day. So much easier to move around, tilt and roll, all done in one journey. Handles on the back so you aren't twisting around or battering your knuckles on tight doorways.