Does wiring two cabs in series effect the tone?

[Muckaluck]

Hi,

Just wondering about possibilities if I was to buy another Acme flatwound. My current flatwound is 4ohms and I'd buy another 4ohm flatwound.

If I used a special cable to make a series connection to my tube amp at 8ohms, would the sound be affected?

Thanks.

[BassmanPaul]

If there is no crossover in the cabinet it should be fine.

[DavePlaysBass]

Assuming your tube amp has an 8 ohm tap, you should be good. Of course it will sound different because you will be driving two cabs ;-).

With a tube amp the output transformer matches the cabinet load to the tube output section. Theoretically there will be little or no difference driving identical cabs using the "same" speaker wound to different impedance ratings assuming the tube amp has an output transformer tap for the impedance of the speaker load.

It sounds like you have a tube amp that has an 8 ohm tap and a 4 ohm tap but no 2 ohm tap?

[JGR]

I found that speakers wired in parallel are punchier/respond quicker/sound tighter than series/parallel. I think the amp has more control over the speakers in a series configuration.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Muckaluck

Hi,

Just wondering about possibilities if I was to buy another Acme flatwound. My current flatwound is 4ohms and I'd buy another 4ohm flatwound.

If I used a special cable to make a series connection to my tube amp at 8ohms, would the sound be affected?

Thanks.

If you have a 4 ohm tap just run them parallel, it won't be bothered.

[Tim1]

I have done this successfully in the past with both tube and non-tube amps. It makes no difference to the combined impedance whether or not your speakers have a crossover - in series they will become 8 ohms and the tone was unaffected in my case. Remeber that with a tube amp (opposite to solid state)it is safer to run the amp at a lower impedance rather than a higher impedance if you cannot achieve an exact match - as Bill has just stated above.

[Muckaluck]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

If you have a 4 ohm tap just run them parallel, it won't be bothered.

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

Assuming your tube amp has an 8 ohm tap, you should be good. Of course it will sound different because you will be driving two cabs ;-).

With a tube amp the output transformer matches the cabinet load to the tube output section. Theoretically there will be little or no difference driving identical cabs using the "same" speaker wound to different impedance ratings assuming the tube amp has an output transformer tap for the impedance of the speaker load.

It sounds like you have a tube amp that has an 8 ohm tap and a 4 ohm tap but no 2 ohm tap?

Yes, it's for an Orange AD200b. I originally interpreted the rear outputs as being able to accept two 4 ohm cabs. The back of the amp says "4ohm/4ohm/8ohm". From what I understand now, the two 4ohm outputs mean they can only take a 4ohm load either individually or together.

Originally Posted by Tim1

I have done this successfully in the past with both tube and non-tube amps. It makes no difference to the combined impedance whether or not your speakers have a crossover - in series they will become 8 ohms and the tone was unaffected in my case. Remeber that with a tube amp (opposite to solid state)it is safer to run the amp at a lower impedance rather than a higher impedance if you cannot achieve an exact match - as Bill has just stated above.

So I'd be ok to put both 4ohm cabs into each 4ohm output and run the Orange at 2ohms?

PS, thanks for the quick replies!

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by Tim1

It makes no difference to the combined impedance whether or not your speakers have a crossover

I agree that the impedance will be correct BUT crossovers in series can cause cancellations. That is my understanding and, quite honestly, I would like Bill's opinion on the veracity of this.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

I agree that the impedance will be correct BUT crossovers in series can cause cancellations. That is my understanding and, quite honestly, I would like Bill's opinion on the veracity of this.

If the cabs are identical series wiring won't bother them. If they're not some issues could arise.

I originally interpreted the rear outputs as being able to accept two 4 ohm cabs. The back of the amp says "4ohm/4ohm/8ohm". From what I understand now, the two 4ohm outputs mean they can only take a 4ohm load either individually or together.

SS amps almost always state 'Minimum Load X Ohms'. Tube amps should state 'Maximum Load X Ohms', but few do. The Orange manual is bizarre, why it says what it does is incomprehensible as those instructions would be appropriate for an SS map, not tube.