Connecting Stack with only one Jack?

[Mr Antt]

Hi there.

I've just bought two cabs, each of which only has the one 1/4 inch jack on them. Now, if I want to connect these to a head, do I need a head with two Speakon jacks? I've chekced the FAQ, but I can't seem to find anything.

All help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Anthony.

[Avezzano]

In case the head only has one output, a simple Y cable will do (signal split in two). You might have a speakon output and a standard 1/4 jack: then use both.

[Mr Antt]

Originally Posted by Avezzano

In case the head only has one output, a simple Y cable will do (signal split in two). You might have a speakon output and a standard 1/4 jack: then use both.

Genius! I thought about it, but I didn't think they really existed. Thought they'd be something I made up. How silly..

Thanks a lot, another problem solved!

Anthony.

[Joe Louvar]

Just make sure the speaker impedance matches the amp first and a Y cable will.

[Mr Antt]

Let me get this right then.. If I have two 8ohm speakers, in parallel they make 4ohms? So If i get a 4ohm head, and use a Y cable, will I still get the full power? It will it cancel down to 8ohms?

[Bardley]

Originally Posted by Mr Antt

Let me get this right then.. If I have two 8ohm speakers, in parallel they make 4ohms? So If i get a 4ohm head, and use a Y cable, will I still get the full power? It will it cancel down to 8ohms?

That should work.

[Mr Antt]

Originally Posted by Bardley

That should work.

That's alright then. I just needed to know before I went ahead and bought a head, that I couldn't then use properly.

Didn't particularly want to modify the cabs either.

Thanks, Anthony.

[Savage_Dreams]

how many modern amps really only have one speaker jack though? just wondering, the only amp i ever even had with one jack was such a low power amp you wouldnt even want to try to connect two cabs to it.

[Joe Louvar]

Yes, that will work. Two 8ohm speakers in parallel is 4ohms. If the amp output impedance is 4 ohms you can connect two 8ohm cabinets to it with a Y cable (Y cable is parallel).

[Avezzano]

how many modern amps really only have one speaker jack though?

Markbass Little Mark II (and most probably III, too) has one speakon and one 1/4 jack outputs...

[ulynch]

Originally Posted by Savage_Dreams

how many modern amps really only have one speaker jack though? just wondering, the only amp i ever even had with one jack was such a low power amp you wouldnt even want to try to connect two cabs to it.

I recently acquired an Ampeg B4R. It has quarter and banana output jacks for each amp channel, but to run bridged mono (1000W RMS), you join the two banana jacks, so all you have is one output cable. My cabs don't have a parallel out jack, so I've been wondering how I was going to run my two cabs ith the amp bridged. This answers it for me.

Now I just need to find a banana to dual speakon y-cable.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by Mr Antt

Let me get this right then.. If I have two 8ohm speakers, in parallel they make 4ohms? So If i get a 4ohm head, and use a Y cable, will I still get the full power? It will it cancel down to 8ohms?

You could also install a second jack in one of the speaker cabs.

Two eight ohm cabs run by a y-cord will get 4 ohms.

Maybe one of the speaker gurus will chime in if there's a downside to this?

Be sure that the y-cable is the same wire thickness as your regular speaker cables. Don't use an instrument/recording device y-cable.

[Joe Louvar]

Originally Posted by ulynch

Now I just need to find a banana to dual speakon y-cable.

lol - time to search the internet. have fun with your new stack.

[Mr Antt]

There are some things I know, like same speaker cable, etc.. Just had no idea how I'd connect them both.. I feel so stupid.

All part of the learning process I suppose.

Anthony.