Ashdown Superfly question

[squat251]

Just bought an ashdown superfly and was wondering, its 250 out of each of its 2 outputs, so can i plug a y cable in and get 500 out? also since for now all i have is a GK backline 410blx (400w max at 8ohms) what would that 500 be cut down from 4 to 8 ohms. thanks in advance!

[VisualShock]

I wouldn't connect two outputs (from an amp) into the same cab. It's not good practice, but someone more knowledgeable may be able to explain why.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by squat251

Just bought an ashdown superfly and was wondering, its 250 out of each of its 2 outputs, so can i plug a y cable in and get 500 out? also since for now all i have is a GK backline 410blx (400w max at 8ohms) what would that 500 be cut down from 4 to 8 ohms. thanks in advance!

No. It's a complete waste of time anyway, you'd only get an additional 3dB assuming the cab could handle it, and I doubt your cab can take more than 200 watts before reaching its excursion limit. That's only 40 watts more than what each channel can give into 8 ohms, inaudible.
You'd get the best result with minimum cartage with two 4 ohm 2x10s, each running on one channel. It is possible to rewire your 410 to two 210 pairs at 4 ohms each, for maximum headroom from the amp.

[squat251]

i would be very happy to re-wire it to a separate 210 setup, but there is so little info about the speakers in this cab. I'm not sure if they are like say 32 ohm or not. and the back of the speakers isn't a plethora of information. do you have any idea what the rating of the individual speakers is? i know they aren't neos since the magnet is very nearly the same size as the speaker cone its self.

[Bass_Pounder]

You can use a multimeter to check each speaker.


As to your other questions:

NO - absolutley do NOT run two seperate inputs into one cab. Those connections on the back of the cab are wired together. What you would be doing is running the two outputs into each other, blowing up the amp.

A single 8 ohm cab with a Superfly can only be connected to one of the outputs, and will receive around 150 watts.

[squat251]

yeah i just checked the speakers are 32 ohms, so as far as getting 4 ohms im pretty screwed huh?

would getting another 8 ohm cab and plugging it into the other output on the head change the overall impedance to 4 ohms, or would i just have 2 underpowered cabinets?

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by squat251

would getting another 8 ohm cab and plugging it into the other output on the head change the overall impedance to 4 ohms, or would i just have 2 underpowered cabinets?

No to both. There's no such thing as underpowering. But if you want to get all that the amp can deliver (which seldom matters) you need two 4 ohm cabs or four 8 ohm cabs.

[squat251]

so then the outputs arent wired in parallel? I know on orange amps that they are. thats kind of a bummer. and of course by underpowered i simply meant the full 250/ 500 combined.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by squat251

so then the outputs arent wired in parallel?

RTFM.

[squat251]

while i enjoy your enthusiasm, and general quality of advice, i have read the f****** manual and it does not say. the manual is a total of 5 pages and one notes page. its not exactly encyclopedia Britannica.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by squat251

while i enjoy your enthusiasm, and general quality of advice, i have read the f****** manual and it does not say. the manual is a total of 5 pages and one notes page. its not exactly encyclopedia Britannica.

Actually, it does. maybe not expressly, but easy to deduce:

Page 3

OUTPUT
The OUTPUT rotary control sets the level of
signal from the pre-amplifier to both of the
250 Watt power output stages.

Page 4

OUTPUTS
EFFECTS SEND (Jack Socket) Impedance 600 Ohms
Nominal signal level 0dB
D.I. (Balanced XLR) Impedance Balanced 600 Ohms
Signal 20dB
LINE OUT (Jack Socket) Impedance 600 Ohms
Nominal signal level 0dB
2 X SPEAKER (Speakon/Jack) 250 Watts RMS into 4 Ohms

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by squat251

while i enjoy your enthusiasm, and general quality of advice, i have read the f****** manual and it does not say.

Mine does.

[squat251]

how do you surmise whether or not that means they are in parallel or not? other than mentioning that they exist and are 4 ohms at 250 watts a piece where does that fit into my question?

[squat251]

really? it says if the outputs are wired in parallel? because i have read the available online manual (the parts about output are kindly quoted by pounder) and MINE does not.
sorry for the double post, i posted the first one and then noticed the second comment

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by squat251

how do you surmise whether or not that means they are in parallel or not? other than mentioning that they exist and are 4 ohms at 250 watts a piece where does that fit into my question?

OUTPUT
The OUTPUT rotary control sets the level of
signal from the pre-amplifier to both of the
250 Watt power output stages.
There are two independent 250w/4ohm power amps.

[squat251]

this i know, but are the JACKS wired together parallel? if not, then getting another cab will be pointless and my question is moot.

let me put this a little differently since my question is not clear enough for an acceptable answer. (my fault)

I have one 8 ohm cabinet, the amp has 2 output jacks that are 4 ohms each. if i get another 8 ohm cabinet will plugging them both in to the amp drop the impedence to 4 ohms total. i have been made aware in the past that orange amps had this functionality the way it was achieved was via the jacks being wired together in parallel. i am wondering if anyone is familiar with this ashdown amp enough to tell me if its the case here as well.

[Bitterdale]

Since there are two independent amps, then the jacks are assuredly not parallel.

You can drop one side to 4 ohms if one of your cabinets has parallel inputs. Just run from the amp to cab#1. Then cab#1 to cab#2.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by squat251

this i know, but are the JACKS wired together parallel? if not, then getting another cab will be pointless and my question is moot.

let me put this a little differently since my question is not clear enough for an acceptable answer. (my fault)

I have one 8 ohm cabinet, the amp has 2 output jacks that are 4 ohms each. if i get another 8 ohm cabinet will plugging them both in to the amp drop the impedence to 4 ohms total. i have been made aware in the past that orange amps had this functionality the way it was achieved was via the jacks being wired together in parallel. i am wondering if anyone is familiar with this ashdown amp enough to tell me if its the case here as well.

Adding a second 8 ohm cab will lower the load down to 4 ohms - ONLY IF YOU "DAISY CHAIN" THE TWO CABS TOGETHER OFF OF *ONE* OF THE AMPS OUTPUTS. This will give you a 4 ohm load on one channel, and NO LOAD on the other channel.

Plugging in a second 8 ohm cab to the heads other output will only give you each cab running at around 150 watts each.

Therefore, either way you do it, using two 8 ohm cabs with head will only allow you access to 250 watts, nothing more, no matter how you connect them.

Also, once you gain a little more knowledge/insight into how amps operate and the terminology used, it would be plain to see that your amp is two SEPERATE 250 watt amps (much like a stereo power amp), and that the outputs are NOT paralleled. The highlighted areas of text that I quoted from the manual tell you that.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

Therefore, either way you do it, using two 8 ohm cabs with head will only allow you access to 250 watts, nothing more, no matter how you connect them.

320 actually, as each power amp is rated for 160 into 8 ohms. Not that it matters, as watts are meaningless anyway, another fact that the OP needs to become aware of.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

320 actually, as each power amp is rated for 160 into 8 ohms. Not that it matters, as watts are meaningless anyway, another fact that the OP needs to become aware of.

Thanks for the correction - ben a while since I ditched my Superfly