hooking up two cabs... help wanted

[nicholas1671]

Okay, so I want to run my bass out of two cabs, ideally using one as a sort of preamp... The cabs are matching acoustic 810's (4 ohms each). The one head is 160 watts an can output either 2 or 4 ohms ( it also has a preamp out on it), and the other head is an acoustic b600H (600 watts, matches the cab).
anybody have any suggestions on the best way to rig these pizzas together?

thanks for the help!

[DiabolusInMusic]

Do you want to run two cabinets, two amps or two complete rigs?

I am thinking you want to do amps, but if you want to run two cabs and your head is capable of 2 ohms and you have 2 four ohm cabinets, so the 160 watt can run both heads at 2 ohms. The acoustic is probably rated for 600w @ 4 ohms, it probably cannot handle 2 ohms and it would kill the amp.

If you want to run a stereo rig you need something to split the signal, when I did it I used my Boss Flanger or Synth. There is also bi-amping but I don't know how the first thing about that, somebody will though.

[A-train]

You have 2 options, either split the signal from the bass using a DI or signal splitter box or...Try this VERY carefully....check and see if one of the heads has an effects loop and plug from the send of one to the return of the other, bypassing the tone controls of the second amp and just using the power section. I say try this carefully because you want to be sure your going from send on one fx loop to return on the other amps fx loop. The amp that your sending from will control both amps tone but the 2nd amps volume knob will effect the 2nd amps volume.

[RickenBoogie]

The OP is worded in a confusing way. Please explain exactly what it is you wish to accomplish. You have 2 complete rigs as it is, and knowing the minimum impedance of both amps is critical, as are any IN and OUT jacks either amp has.

[basscooker]

Definately find out for sure what the MINIMUM ohms that the 600 watt amp will run at. diabolus is right, do not hook up both cabs to that amp, unless you confirm it will safely operate a 2 ohm load. i recommend against using the line-out of one amp into the regular instrument input of another. the effects return or (if it doesn't have one) maybe a jack labeled "power amp in" would be the safer way to do it. you don't want to put too hot of a signal into the second amp.

[Vince Klortho]

The Acoustic B600H can put out 600W into 2 ohms. Do you really need to use another amp with it ? That amp should be getting it done with two cabinets.

[Oobly]

The manual for the B600H quotes that it is rated for 450W into 4 ohms, 600W into 2 ohms. So just hook up both cabs to it.

Not sure what you're getting at with the "sort of preamp" part, but you won't gain anything from using the 160W amp unless you really like the preamp it has a lot more than the one in the B600H. In that case you can plug the preamp out into the effects return of the B600H, both cabs connected to the B600H, no cab connected to the 160W. So the signal goes: Bass into 160W preamp into B600H effects return into both 810's.