Accugroove - disabling the 4 / 8 ohm switch

[gastric]

IMPORTANT! There's already 1,000 threads on the "AcmeSwitch" or "AccuSwitch" and how it simply does nothing at all. Please post in one of those threads if you want to bash the switch, manufacturer, etc. This is simply about how to disable/remove the switch yourself.

I picked up a used Accugroove El Whappo Jr a few months ago and couldn't be more pleased. My only two complaints were:

* The smallish casters don't roll well over throw rugs or significant changes in flooring depth like large thresholds.
* The 4 / 8 ohm switch seemed like a potential problem from a breakage standpoint during loading due to the fact it uses a very small switch that physically sticks out the back. Note that it doesn't go past the actual cabinet dimensions, but I don't have a cover/case so I had a little worry it'd get broken eventually.

I emailed Accugroove and received the following, prompt reply.

From: Mark@AccuGroove
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: El Whappo Jr with 4/8ohm switch

Hey Chris,

Thanks for investing in a used El Whappo. Welcome to the family & I'm glad you are enjoying it.

You can take the backplate off (6 strews) & remove the red/blue wires via a white quick disconnect that snaps out. It's that simple & it would be a 4 Ohm cab.

When switched to 8, you will not hear any audible difference. It's only to make the amp believe that it's 8 Ohms so you can run multiple cabs & yes it works.

Best regards,
Mark Wright

Manager/Designer/Player
www.AccuGroove.com

After finding the switch accidentally toggled to 8 ohms occasionally due to loading/handling I finally decided to disconnect the switch as Mark suggested and provide some photos as I wasn't able to find any.

Note the red/blue wire pair ONLY runs to the mysterious "black box" which is screwed down to the cabinet off the the left of the jack panel. If the black box was easy to get to I'd have actually pulled it and taken it apart and grabbed some photos of that. But the only way to access is is through the tiny jack panel with all the wires in the way, and it would've been a serious pain in the $#@% to get the box out. And I'm not personally that curious to make the effort.

Picture of my Whappo Jr rear panel



Backside of my Whappo Jr rear panel. Switch in question is the small red switch, wires are the middle pair of blue/red wires. You can simply unplug them.

[rpsands]

I am shocked that they don't remove those things for free

[gastric]

He probably would if I shipped the entire cab or the jack panel back to him. I'm not sure what the build date on this particular cab is, but apparently somewhere between the first revisions which I've seen have a couple trim knobs on the back, and the most recent which simply have a pair of 1/4" and Speakon jacks but nothing else.

Regardless, unscrew 6 screws, unplug a connector, screw in 6 screws, you're done in a few minutes tops. I suppose you could completely pull the switch and plug it if you were so inclined, which I actually thought about.

[seamonkey]

That email can't be real?
"It's only to make the amp believe that it's 8 Ohms so you can run multiple cabs & yes it works."

Is this some kind of joke?

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

That email can't be real?
"It's only to make the amp believe that it's 8 Ohms so you can run multiple cabs & yes it works."

Is this some kind of joke?

Accugroove did try to pass off that they could bypass the laws of physics.

[bobcruz]

Nothing outside the laws of physics is involved. I didn't follow the Accu-switch topic when it first came up but I would imagine the switch engages a big resistor, which would both drop a SS amp's power output plus soak up half of that lower power as heat--not a very useful option but hey, you could plug in more cabinets that way!

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by bobcruz

Nothing outside the laws of physics is involved. I didn't follow the Accu-switch topic when it first came up but I would imagine the switch engages a big resistor, which would both drop a SS amp's power output plus soak up half of that lower power as heat--not a very useful option but hey, you could plug in more cabinets that way!

I'm pretty sure they were trying to make it out to be more than a big old heater element in the back of your cab

[gastric]

There's a TON of threads on the "Acmeswitch" or "accuswitch". I'd rather this not turn into a flame against the switch.

I simply was sharing how to disable it if you were so inclined.

And YES that is the actual email I received from Mark at Accugroove. I did not alter it other than to remove my personal email address in the header.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Is the switch just a SPDT mini toggle?

The two copper wires that connect to the switch, the switch just functions to either connect them or disconnect them. If they are connected in 4 ohm mode, you could just clip them back a bit, twist and solder them together, if the copper wires are disconnected in 4 ohm mode, then just cut them right back so it is always open.

Then you could physically remove the switch. (I'm assuming that is what you are wanting to do, as opposed to just remove functionality).

[seamonkey]

I'm hoping this diverts some attention away from the $2000 cable thread.

[Kindness]

There is no need to remove the switch, it has no effect on the performance of the cabinet.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

That email can't be real?
"It's only to make the amp believe that it's 8 Ohms so you can run multiple cabs & yes it works."

Is this some kind of joke?

A very bad joke. It was revealed a few years ago that the AccuSwitch did not work, and the only thing fooled by it was those who believed it did.

Nothing outside the laws of physics is involved. I didn't follow the Accu-switch topic when it first came up but I would imagine the switch engages a big resistor, which would both drop a SS amp's power output plus soak up half of that lower power as heat--not a very useful option but hey, you could plug in more cabinets that way!

No, it was a capacitor wired in series with one driver, which was bypassed by the switch. When measured with an ohm meter with the capacitor in circuit the meter would read half the DC resistance as when bypassed. But it would have no effect on impedance, which an ohm meter cannot measure anyway. There was much speculation whether AccuGroove could actually not know the difference between DC resistance and AC impedance, or if they were engaged in fraudulent claims. AccuGroove never came clean as to which was the case, which mattered little, as neither option could have been judged acceptable.

[BurningSkies]

But Bill...he couldn't say that it works if it really didn't. Could he?

[Jim C]

OK so the switch was a stupid move.
How about the fact the this cabinet delivers great audio?
Nothing like beating dead horses.... over and over and over again

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by Jim C

OK so the switch was a stupid move.
How about the fact the this cabinet delivers great audio?
Nothing like beating dead horses.... over and over and over again

Not if they're still telling people that it works.

[synaesthesia]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Not if they're still telling people that it works.

+1, as per date of quoted email in OP's first post.

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by gastric

There's a TON of threads on the "Acmeswitch".

The Acme switch was debunked on the AcmeBass website by Andy himself. It was never offered for sale.

Paul

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

The Acme switch was debunked on the AcmeBass website by Andy himself. It was never offered for sale.

Paul

the "acmeswitch" was more of a dig IMHO.

Here is the link to the debunking of 'switch' technology
http://www.acmebass.com/forum/acmeswitch.htm

[wcriley]

There was nothing to debunk about the Acmeswitch. The article Andy wrote on his website was cleary satire.

[Bluesy Soul]

Originally Posted by James Hart

the "acmeswitch" was more of a dig IMHO.

Here is the link to the debunking of 'switch' technology
http://www.acmebass.com/forum/acmeswitch.htm

It was, in fact, a tongue-in-cheek dig. Andy is the guy who took apart an Accugroove and exposed the "magic circuitry".

I know this wasn't the intent of your initial inquiry, OP, and I sincerely hope you enjoy your cabinet; but the response you received from the company was deplorable. This discussion is the legacy Accugroove has forever left for itself. When you attempt to deceive and then perpetuate that deception to the extent that Accugroove apparently has, people should beat your dead horse forever, to warn others that may be unaware. Does the name Dr. Bass ring a bell?