Ampeg 2x15 folded horn specs?

[jordy_on_bass]

Managed to get my hands on an Ampeg 2x15 folded horn speaker cab recently, 70's issue I am pretty sure. Got it for an absolute steal of a price from the previous owner - only 200 bucks! It just needed a little bit of restoration work to make it look as good as new.
My issue is this - the specs that he gave me for the cab and the specs that I have found (very hard to find any at that) are conflicting.
It seems that it is 4 ohm @ 400 watts according to specs I have found online, yet its previous owner has stated that it is an 8 ohm cab. Personally, I believe the old owner has it wrong, but I want to make sure of it before I go and plug this monster in.
Thank you for any and all expert advice!!
Jordan

[4-stringB]

Yo dude, I've been a long time fan of old gear. It would be a good thing to open up the cab and take the speakers out, both to check the type of speakers (ohms and type, to research the performance parameters) and it would be a good time to refurb the cab itself. Check for loose joints that need re-gluing, wiring, handles tightened, wheels greased, etc...My mid 60's PV horns are still going strong, although they need re-speakering every 5 years or so

[Bassmec]

My old V4B Cab came stock with a pair of Altec 421 drivers 8 ohms each I think up to 200 loud tube watts a pair would be safe.

[billfitzmaurice]

Pull the grille and remove an access panel, if the drivers are the original Altecs there should be labels on the magnet covers w/model and impedance.

[jordy_on_bass]

4-stringB, I have refurbished the cab, its been re-vinyled and looks brand new again. Unfortunately it is still at my old location, hoping to have it brought to me in the next couple of weeks.

Bassmec, I took off the access panels a while ago, I am oretty sure it has altec speakers in it. Also, with 2 x 8 ohm speakers, doesnt it effectively become a 4 ohm cab? Or is it when you run 2 x 8 ohm speaker cabs, they require being run through the 4 ohm input on a head unit. I'm not exactly the most tech-savvy person when it comes to this stuff, I used to have my old bass tech sort all my stuff out for me if I had no idea what was going on (which was obviously quite often lol)

Cheers,
Jordan

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by jordy_on_bass

4-stringB, I have refurbished the cab, its been re-vinyled and looks brand new again. Unfortunately it is still at my old location, hoping to have it brought to me in the next couple of weeks.

Bassmec, I took off the access panels a while ago, I am oretty sure it has altec speakers in it. Also, with 2 x 8 ohm speakers, doesnt it effectively become a 4 ohm cab? Or is it when you run 2 x 8 ohm speaker cabs, they require being run through the 4 ohm input on a head unit. I'm not exactly the most tech-savvy person when it comes to this stuff, I used to have my old bass tech sort all my stuff out for me if I had no idea what was going on (which was obviously quite often lol)

Cheers,
Jordan

Normally it would be wired in parallel so it would be 4 ohms but someone might have rewired the cab series for 16 ohms, I would check to make sure.
I still use a pair of the old Alnico 418 Series 11 in old metal badge Ampeg 115 cabs every day.
They sound great mate! Last forever if you don't cook them.

[chadds]

Bought one of these when they were new. It looked almost twice as deep as an Acoustic 360. Paired it with a Sunn 2000s head. The rubber front feet came off every five minutes so I bolted a one by across under the front like the 360 had. Rarely used it by itself. Most often with an SVT cab with a Marshall Major head and a Leslie 147. I know. Those were the days.

[NKBassman]

Can you post some pics? I want to see if it's the same as a mysterious ampeg cab I used to have, and now regret selling.

[jordy_on_bass]

Bassmec,
So if it is wired in parallel (which I am guessing it is), this behemoth is supposed to be plugged into a 4 ohm input on the head unit...right?

NKBassman, will do as soon as I get it to my current location. It is about 4 feet tall and 2 feet x 2 feet as far as width and depth go, speakers are hidden in a wooden enclosure and weighs a bloody tonne (152lbs/70 kilograms).

Sorry to be a pain in the ass with what probably seems like stupid questions!
Cheers, Jordan

[jordy_on_bass]

NKbassman, here is a pic of it from before its restoration, the head unit was just a crappy sawn off combo head which I have discarded, so ignore that. And also ignore my ugly mug lol

Cheers,
Jordan

[Bassmec]

If its stock its 4 ohms, you can just use a multi-meter set to ohms, if its been rewired in series it will read about 10 1/2 odd ohms dc resistance which is what 16 ohms impedance measures like on a multi-meter.
Pro rata 4 ohms impedance will measure about 3 ohms resistance.
If you have a tube amplifier with a four ohms output socket
or switch defining the impedance of the output socket at 4 ohms.
Having now ascertained the actual nominal impedance of the cabinet using science and technology as 4 ohms.
A quality speaker cable may be carefully fitted and the bellowing beast that was the Ampeg V4B folded horn cab shall once again rumble forth its mighty din.
If you have a transistor amp and the socket actually says 4 ohms minimum then assuming the cab wiring is not a dead short then however the two speakers are actually wired
it will still work safely. the only thing is it will have somewhere in the region of 25% of the output if its been rewired series and almost no bass output at all if the speakers are wired out of phase (series or parallel) you always need to check these simple things because people have a tendency to fiddle with wiring in old cabinets I have found.
Prove everything assume nothing!.

[NKBassman]

Yeah, looks about as deep as mine was. It was a great sounding cab and I'm sorry I sold it, but it was just too big. It took up nearly half of the available footprint space in the tour van when laying on its side. Half the time I ended up using my 4x10 instead just because I didn't want to move it around. Sold it to a friend though, and he might still have it. Maybe I could borrow it for a gig again some time

[No Malarky]

jordy on bass:
I have a 1973 V4B head and folded horn cab - all original.
If your cab is all original, then it is 4 ohm rated, 200 watts max.
A killer snag on your behalf, nice going and feed it well!

[jordy_on_bass]

I will do a bit more digging on its history from the previous owner, I doubt he would have had it re-wired in series and its owner before that lent it to Duff Mckagan from guns n roses when they came to australia, so I highly doubt its been re-wired in series. Always best to be on the safe side though!
Might need to look at getting a 2x10 as well, give the rig a bit more top end. No doubt I will be bugging you guys with more questions then!! Hahaha

Thanks heaps guys,
Jordan

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by jordy_on_bass

I will do a bit more digging on its history from the previous owner, I doubt he would have had it re-wired in series and its owner before that lent it to Duff Mckagan from guns n roses when they came to australia, so I highly doubt its been re-wired in series. Always best to be on the safe side though!
Might need to look at getting a 2x10 as well, give the rig a bit more top end. No doubt I will be bugging you guys with more questions then!! Hahaha

Thanks heaps guys,
Jordan

I always thought that it would have been great with one of those old trace elliot bright box cabs.
I think that the V4B is probably a bit too efficient to pair with a 4 ohm 2 x 10 that is tuned to try to make all the bass a 2 x 10 can. So I would find an efficient mid forward Eden or something loud like that.
You will probably do better with a purpose built 4 X 6 mid cab and some kind of simple high pass filter.
What amp are you using!

[Bmorefoozler]

Originally Posted by Bassmec

I always thought that it would have been great with one of those old trace elliot bright box cabs.
I think that the V4B is probably a bit too efficient to pair with a 4 ohm 2 x 10 that is tuned to try to make all the bass a 2 x 10 can. So I would find an efficient mid forward Eden or something loud like that.
You will probably do better with a purpose built 4 X 6 mid cab and some kind of simple high pass filter.
What amp are you using!

Done correctly you would still have a single 4 ohm load... Hartke made a Birght box as well... 405xl or something or other... (4x 5"s).

[jordy_on_bass]

Bassmec,
That I am still in the market for. Was thinking one of the warwick profet series, but may look into getting an ampeg head unit if I can find one for the right price, probably the B1R, dont want to over power the cab. Used to have the profet 5.1 and was pretty happy with it. Due to a mortgage, loans and a wife who likes to spend my pay check, I don't have an unlimited budget so I am looking for what would be best value.
Any suggestions for a matching head for just the cab alone would be much appreciated!

Cheers,
Jordan

[Bassmec]

I think you need to find a holden wasp 200.

[jordy_on_bass]

Bassmec,
Was looking at the Harke HA2500, its tube pumping out 250 watts and was thinking it may be better suited to my setup...
I think the Ampeg B1R is a SS state amp, and may not be that well suited to pump out the really dirty bass tone that I want. The tone I desire is one similar to Adam duce's live tone, I know he uses ampeg SVT classic and his bass sounds like pure evil lol. Wish I had the cash for it, but unfortunately I dont.

Cheers,
Jordan