Carvin R1000 bridge question.

Floyd Eye · #1 11-22-2011, 07:29 PM

I don't know how many of you may be familiar with this amp, but I need to know whether I should hook one 8 ohm cab to each "Bridge only" jack or if I should hook one up to one "Bridge only" jack and daisy chain the other. Or does it matter? I have read 2 different manuals. One says daisy chain and the other doesn't specify.

will33 · #2 11-22-2011, 08:09 PM

I don't remember if my 600 had one bridging jack or two. It really shouldn't matter which way you hook it up because they should be in parallel. Maybe just plug into one and chain the cabs until you find out for sure.

Floyd Eye · #3 11-22-2011, 08:15 PM

Thanks Will. My brain tells me that an 8 ohm cab to each jack or 2 8 ohm cabs daisy chained to one jack will still equal a 4 ohm load and therefore would be safe to bridge with this amp, but I really don't want to fry it.

billfitzmaurice · #4 11-22-2011, 08:19 PM

To be safe just run one cab on each channel, do not bridge at all.

Floyd Eye · #5 11-22-2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

To be safe just run one cab on each channel, do not bridge at all.

The only problem with that is that it will only give me 500 watts that way.

billfitzmaurice · #6 11-22-2011, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

The only problem with that is that it will only give me 500 watts that way.

More watts doesn't necessarily mean higher output. And bridging isn't about delivering more power into a low impedance load, it's about delivering higher voltage swing into a high impedance load.

Floyd Eye · #7 11-22-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

More watts doesn't necessarily mean higher output. And bridging isn't about delivering more power into a low impedance load, it's about delivering higher voltage swing into a high impedance load.

I guess I don't understand Bill. The amp says to get maximum output bridge into a 4 ohm load. Will this not give me higher output?

Hopkins · #8 11-22-2011, 08:54 PM

I had that same amp. I would usually agree with Billfitsmaurice but in your case I would run bridged. That amp sounded terrible biamped. You can run two 8 ohm cabs out of the back of the amp or daisy chained. Either way its the same result.

Floyd Eye · #9 11-23-2011, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I had that same amp. I would usually agree with Billfitsmaurice but in your case I would run bridged. That amp sounded terrible biamped. You can run two 8 ohm cabs out of the back of the amp or daisy chained. Either way its the same result.

Well to be honest, until a few days ago I had a 4x10 and a 1x18 running with this amp and I did bi-amp it. I wasn't unhappy with how it sounded.
The conventional wisdom around here though is that two 4x10s is a better setup. That advice, coupled with the fact that I can now have a 4 ohm load and bridge the amp is why I bought the 2nd 4x10. I am hoping for more clean headroom. It's hard to tell if I got it in my living room. I will know tonight when I get it over to the rehearsal studio and run it with a full band.

billfitzmaurice · #10 11-23-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I had that same amp. I would usually agree with Billfitsmaurice but in your case I would run bridged. That amp sounded terrible biamped. You can run two 8 ohm cabs out of the back of the amp or daisy chained. Either way its the same result.

I didn't say to bi-amp. You're right, bi-amping makes no sense with cabs that aren't designed for it. I said to run dual mono.

Quote:

I guess I don't understand Bill. The amp says to get maximum output bridge into a 4 ohm load. Will this not give me higher output?

You have to understand that watts aren't pertinent. Oddly enough even some manufacturers don't seem to understand this fact. Your speakers are driven by a voltage source. Once their maximum linear voltage capacity is reached additional voltage applied won't give any additional output. It will create additional driver killing heat.
Assuming accurate specs your Carvin will put out 42 volts per channel into 8 ohms, which is enough to drive most speakers to full output. Bridged it will put out 63 volts, which is enough to toast most speakers. If your speakers are comfortable with more than 42 volts then by all means bridge. The problem lies in the knowing, since no speaker manufacturers tell you what voltage their cabs require for full output.

will33 · #11 11-23-2011, 08:05 AM

If you're just looking for some headroom in the amp, I'd say bridge it. Just understand if you use up your new found headroom, ie: run it up to full capacity in bridge mode, you may be risking damage.

Tin Cadillac · #12 11-23-2011, 08:24 AM

I recently got a Carvin R1010 with the R1000 integrated into it. Still struggling with getting a good sound out of it myself. To answer your question (as has been stated already), using both of the "Bridge Only" jacks will provide a parallel load (two 8 ohm cabinets = 4 ohm load) so ohms law for parallel circuits apply (r1 x r2 / r1 + r2 = rL). If you daisy chain your cabinets together and use one of the jacks, you will have the same effect. Just make certain that your total output load is not less than 4 ohms!

And let me know if you are able to get a really good tone out of it!

EDIT: I have come to the conclusion that the amp is happier the closer you get it to its minimum impedence. I have run a single channel into the 2 x 10 combo cabinet and daisy-chained my 8-ohm Ampeg 4 x 10 resulting in a final output impedence of 2.6 ohms and this significantly increased the headroom and no more "farting" speakers! Either that or it was the added speakers providing added power handling (figure 200W RMS per speaker = 1200 W RMS).

Hopkins · #13 11-23-2011, 10:23 AM

Bill, from what I remember about that amp when I had it, you could either bridge it or bi amp. I dont remember being able to run it mono. But that was some time ago, so I could be wrong. I do however, remember that It sounded bad if it wasn't bridged.

billfitzmaurice · #14 11-23-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopkins

Bill, from what I remember about that amp when I had it, you could either bridge it or bi amp. I dont remember being able to run it mono.

That would make it an odd duck, and if true I can see why it wouldn't work well unless bridged. Another explanation of course would be that it's over-spec'd, and can't actually deliver the voltage swing that it supposedly should. I have an old Stewart PA amp that I run bridged for just that reason. It's rated 50w/ch., but even bridged will barely deliver 10v before clipping.

Floyd Eye · #15 11-23-2011, 11:24 AM

You can run it full range without bridging it. Which is what I may end up doing.

I get great tone out of it. Of course I don't use the preamp that's in it, I use an RBI

Bridging it at 2.6? ohms resulted in the head getting very hot, very quickly. This amp is happier at 4 ohms.

BassmanPaul · #16 11-23-2011, 11:28 AM

All my Carvin amps have a parallel switch and just one bridge speakon. Only one that didn't was my DCM1204 which is a four power amp unit.

Floyd Eye · #17 11-23-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

All my Carvin amps have a parallel switch an just one bridge speakon. Only one that didn't was my DCM1204 which is a four power amp unit.

Yeah, this amp is pretty old. I really haven't messed with changing anything since I got it. According to the manual, you can run a 2 ohm load into each channel and get 500w per channel. So I guess in theory I could run 4 8 ohm cabs in each channel.

Zabbo1978 · #18 11-23-2011, 11:58 AM

I have this same amp. I have gotten good results running dual mono or bi-amp into my R210-T and 18" cabs (both Carvin 4 ohms). I've never needed to bridge it.

Floyd Eye · #19 11-23-2011, 12:03 PM

I have two 8 ohm Carvin 4x10s. Running dual mono will give me 500 watts. I'll have to see tonight at rehearsal if this will be enough. I was just playing it earlier with th amp bridged and it sounds good and is loud, but if I play a note on the E string and hold it, it gets very loud as it sustains. Weird. I'm not so sure I need to bridge it either, but my band is very loud and I may need to. We'll see.

will33 · #20 11-23-2011, 12:31 PM

Bridged at 4ohms is it's 1000 watts. Dual mono at 8ohms each is what, 200something each? You probably won't notice much if any volume increase but the headroom might be nice from bridging it. Meaning not having to run it up close to clipping to get the needed volume.

You mention your E blooms out on the sustain. Are you using the compressor at all? If you have it set low, it will kind of tamp down the front of the note but then release and let the rest boom out like that.

If not, it may be some voltage sag thing catching up with itself or just the changing harmonics the string is putting out as it rings longer. I have experienced that same thing with some rigs but not to the extent that it's bothersome.