Bridging an Ashdown Little Giant 1000

[jimcroisdale]

Hi All,

As you may know, the LG1000 has 2x 500w 4ohm power amps. There was a thread a little while ago about this unit and someone suggested that the power amp outputs could be combined to give 1000w into 8 ohms.

As I'm looking at a Barefaced Big Baby cab, this is of great interest to me, as the BB is an 8ohm cab with relatively low sensitivity, so the big watts would come in handy.

So, can it be done? If so, is there a specially made cable that I could buy that would do it, or is it more complicated than that?

Cheers,

Jim

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

So, can it be done?

No. In order to bridge the input to one of the power amps must be inverted.

[parapentep70]

I'd kindly ask Alex to wire the Big Baby one speaker to each speak-on (without connecting them in parallel). This simple customization is done on a simple manual soldering. Zero cost, simple, foolprof operation with your LG1000 and standard cables, usable with other heads (if they have just one connector you can use a custom cable) so... perfect. Why not?

[parapentep70]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

No. In order to bridge the input to one of the power amps must be inverted.

I guess that it cannot be done due to both sides (both power modules) being already bridged. It's usually the main reason because splitting the signal to operate in bridge mode is very cheap and simple. I am not sure it is the case with this specific amplifier.

[jimcroisdale]

Originally Posted by parapentep70

I'd kindly ask Alex to wire the Big Baby one speaker to each speak-on (without connecting them in parallel). This simple customization is done on a simple manual soldering. Zero cost, simple, foolprof operation with your LG1000 and standard cables, usable with other heads (if they have just one connector you can use a custom cable) so... perfect. Why not?

The Big baby is a 12/6/T type cab so it really couldn't be wired this way i think.

[parapentep70]

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

The Big baby is a 12/6/T type cab so it really couldn't be wired this way i think.

Oooooops! I saw 1000W and I thought it was the Dubster or Big Twin. Sorry for the silly comment.

[jimcroisdale]

No worries!

Not looking good for the LG1000 really.

It's a shame - they crop up quite cheap on eBay.

I have the same problem with my Trace Elliot RAH600SMX - lovely amp, but with 2x unbridgeable 300w 4ohm outputs it just doesn't seem compatible with a lot of modern single-cab solutions.

What would you guys recommend? It would have to be something that can pump 300w+ into 8ohms, I guess. Doesn't have to be fancy but would like something light. Tone is going to come from a Sansamp VT pedal anyway....

Cheers,

Jim

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

It would have to be something that can pump 300w+ into 8ohms, I guess.

The LG1000 does, 320w into 8 ohms to be exact. If that's not loud enough you don't need more power, you need a second cab.

[jimcroisdale]

Ok, assuming that is sufficient watts into the Big Baby to get close to its maximum output, this could work.

The second amp output could be used to run an additional Big Baby sub, as funds allow?

Jim

[alexclaber]

Personally I wouldn't touch any of the older Ashdown lightweight heads... I'd try a lightweight power amp like a Crown XTi 1000.

[jimcroisdale]

Time to sell some gear I think.....

And as you say, that would give me more flexibility for the future.

I would like to get a second Big Baby to make a nice PA system, and I suppose the Crown could be used in stereo to power the two, or I could add another Crown and run the 2 in bridge mode for maximum devastation.

I'm smiling just thinking about it - I could use my little Schroeder cab and MAG300 as a stage monitor, and also run the DI output from the VT Bass into the PA......

Am I wrong here, or is that going to be pretty devastating?

[Prase]

Ashdown Little Giant 1000 1000-wats-8Ohm
I do not know English (all pres google translate)
especially not connect it paralel!!!!!

[Prase]