Getting 4 ohm wattage out of a 8 ohm cab?

[Kwesi]

Ok, before I get blasted for posting a question that might have already been posed, I have no idea what to search for to bring those topics up .

Ok so I've got two cabs currently a Hartke HyDrive HX410 and a modified 210. I love the sound that both produce but I have yet to take the 410 on a gig and I'm worried about it not being loud enough by itself. My band is 5-8 people depending on who is available and I don't want to be drowned out. Is there anyway to "trick" my head into thinking that it's working with a 4 ohm load?

I really want to hold onto these cabs because they sound great but I don't want to have to take both on every gig to be loud enough. I hope I'm not asking for too much, lol.

[NoGraveConcern]

No you can't and it wouldn't make an appreciable difference even if you could bend ohms law.

[KJung]

Nope.

[4-string]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Ok, before I get blasted for posting a question that might have already been posed, I have no idea what to search for to bring those topics up .

Ok so I've got two cabs currently a Hartke HyDrive HX410 and a modified 210. I love the sound that both produce but I have yet to take the 410 on a gig and I'm worried about it not being loud enough by itself. My band is 5-8 people depending on who is available and I don't want to be drowned out. Is there anyway to "trick" my head into thinking that it's working with a 4 ohm load?

I really want to hold onto these cabs because they sound great but I don't want to have to take both on every gig to be loud enough. I hope I'm not asking for too much, lol.

IME and IMO, the higher wattage delivered from ss amps into a 4 Ohms vs an 8 Ohms load is extremely overrated when it comes to how loud it'll be. It's just not important, or at least I have personally never experienced any significant difference.

Others might (and will) disagree of course.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by 4-string

IME and IMO, the higher wattage delivered from ss amps into a 4 Ohms vs an 8 Ohms load is extremely overrated when it comes to how loud it'll be. It's just not important, or at least I have personally never experienced any significant difference.

Others might (and will) disagree of course.

Very much disagree IF you are talking about a moderate power solid state amp and a large cab that can handle the extra power. If that large cab is also on the low end of the SPL continuum, it can make a HUGE difference... not so much in overwhelming volume difference, but in the nature and volume of the low end (more full, less compressed, more db's down low).

The difference between a head running into power amp limiting at 300 watts at 8ohms and cruising along at 500 watts at 4ohms can be HUGE in a live setting.

With a little 210 or 112.... +1 to your point, since those cabs can be driven to full output with relavitely low wattage.

[ryansalmond]

Out of curiosity, what if he plugged a quarter inch end piece with no cable attached to it into the second output?

[TylerE]

Wouldn't have any effect, unless the tip touched something metal, in which case you might shock yourself or let the magic smoke out...

[BigOldHarry]

Ohhhhhhhhmmmmmmm.....

I can't get any of my cabs to do that... and I have 4 and 8 ohms...

I have to get into lotus position for that...

[KJung]

Originally Posted by TylerE

Wouldn't have any effect, unless the tip touched something metal, in which case you might shock yourself or let the magic smoke out...

[Kwesi]

Fudge... Well I've got a gig this friday so I'll take both just in case. I'm hoping that the 410 is enough by itself. Just when I thought I had it all figured out

EDIT: Would it be possible to add a switch mechanism that changes the cabs resistance between 4 and 8 ohms? I've seen it on some other cabs but it comes as stock feature on those.

[4-string]

Originally Posted by KJung

Very much disagree IF you are talking about a moderate power solid state amp and a large cab that can handle the extra power. If that large cab is also on the low end of the SPL continuum, it can make a HUGE difference... not so much in overwhelming volume difference, but in the nature and volume of the low end (more full, less compressed, more db's down low).

The difference between a head running into power amp limiting at 300 watts at 8ohms and cruising along at 500 watts at 4ohms can be HUGE in a live setting.

Maybe, but in that situation you need a more powerful amp, not a 4 Ohm cab.

That being said, 300w used to be plenty of power, even for an 8x10 or a full stack.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Fudge... Well I've got a gig this friday so I'll take both just in case. I'm hoping that the 410 is enough by itself. Just when I thought I had it all figured out

EDIT: Would it be possible to add a switch mechanism that changes the cabs resistance between 4 and 8 ohms? I've seen it on some other cabs but it comes as stock feature on those.

Unless you are using cabs that are loaded with specially made dual voice coil drivers, you cannot make a 4 ohm cab 8 ohms or vice versa.

[Bmorefoozler]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Fudge... Well I've got a gig this friday so I'll take both just in case. I'm hoping that the 410 is enough by itself. Just when I thought I had it all figured out

EDIT: Would it be possible to add a switch mechanism that changes the cabs resistance between 4 and 8 ohms? I've seen it on some other cabs but it comes as stock feature on those.

You can probably do that in a 4x cab, but you probably won't like the results. With an 8 ohm 4x10 your other choices would likely be 32 or 2 ohms, not 4...

4 and 8 are really not transitionable in that manner...

Hartke appears to be putting out a Dual Voice Coil type 1x12 speaker in some manner that would have a 4/8 ohm switch.

Dual Voice coil's in car audio work more like seperate speakers, in this execution I was told they are Either/Or voice coils...

[KJung]

Originally Posted by 4-string

Maybe, but in that situation you need a more powerful amp, not a 4 Ohm cab.

That being said, 300w used to be plenty of power, even for an 8x10 or a full stack.

Same thing.... a 4ohm cab will give you a more powerful amp for lot less money, since 8 versus 4 is usually a 'no cost' option.

And, as one who was there 'back in the day', all the fond memories of Acoustics, SVT's, etc. is IMO at least somewhat unwarranted. Yes, a 300 watt SVT can get STUPID loud IF you really push it.. but many don't like the snarl and grind and distortion. Run clean... it... sounds... like... a 300 watt amp! And, if you've recently played a Sunn Colleseum or Acoustic 370 head (I have), you will realize that the volume from those amps came from a very attenuated low end combined with a very dirty, distorted midrange response.

Things are MUCH better these days. Unfortunately, many, through either ignorance or just changing around gear, end up with cabs that are not optimum for getting the most of the heads that they own.

IMO and a lot of IME.

[BassmanPaul]

Kwesi, what are the impedances of your 4x10 and 2x10??

Paul

[megadan]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Fudge... Well I've got a gig this friday so I'll take both just in case. I'm hoping that the 410 is enough by itself. Just when I thought I had it all figured out

EDIT: Would it be possible to add a switch mechanism that changes the cabs resistance between 4 and 8 ohms? I've seen it on some other cabs but it comes as stock feature on those.

No. That switch was a scam and a marketing failure. There's no way to change physics.

[Stumbo]

What ohms are the individual speakers of the 4x10? Since the cabinet is dual chambered, can the 4 tens be internally rewired to be two 8ohm cabs with separate outputs?

[Bmorefoozler]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

What ohms are the individual speakers of the 4x10? Since the cabinet is dual chambered, can the 4 tens be internally rewired to be two 8ohm cabs with separate outputs?

Not unless it were already a 4 ohm cab...

[PSPookie]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Ok, before I get blasted for posting a question that might have already been posed, I have no idea what to search for to bring those topics up .

Ok so I've got two cabs currently a Hartke HyDrive HX410 and a modified 210. I love the sound that both produce but I have yet to take the 410 on a gig and I'm worried about it not being loud enough by itself. My band is 5-8 people depending on who is available and I don't want to be drowned out. Is there anyway to "trick" my head into thinking that it's working with a 4 ohm load?

I really want to hold onto these cabs because they sound great but I don't want to have to take both on every gig to be loud enough. I hope I'm not asking for too much, lol.

I'm guessing that the 410 and the 210 are 8 ohms each. This means that the 210 is getting as much power as the 410. Depending upon the efficiencies of the two cabs, you might actually be louder with just the 410 than with both cabs.

[Rick Auricchio]

Since the OP has never actually rehearsed in a gig-volume situation with the band, this will be his first experiment. Since he can't predict the band's volume, we certainly can't.

There is an advantage to actually trying a dry-run in advance, so you know what you're up against.