How to Bridge my Carvin DCM1000 Power amp

[LazyZombie]

I've been dinking around with my DCM1000, just doesn't seem to push enough power, I get overpowered by everyone at practice. I was wondering how to Bridge it properly, and how much of a difference it will make?

I don't really know much about it, other than people say Banana plugs. Though on the back of mine there is a bridge speakon output, would I need a 4 pole connector? And how exactly does that work.

Sorry, I'm pretty novice when it comes to this stuff. Any help would be appreciated!

[Stinsok]

I have one that powers monitors. Keeping in mind your ohm load, just plug your 2 pole speakon connector in and daisy chain from there.

[LazyZombie]

Just seems so weak for 1000 watts. Perhaps I just need to upgrade.

[Jools4001]

Typically, you need a 4 pole speakon with the cable wired to the +1 and +2 terminals at the amp end and wired to the +1/-1 terminals at the cab end (I use a two pole speakon for this so that the different styles of connector denote which is the cab end).

Then you'll need to configure the amp to put it in bridge mode. I'm not familiar with the Carvin so read the manual first.

It may be that for this particular amp you do need banana plugs because the speakon output may not be wired for bridging, but effectively you need to wire your cab across both positive terminals

Edit: Just saw your bit about it having a bridge speakon so just wire the cable as described

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by LazyZombie

Just seems so weak for 1000 watts. Perhaps I just need to upgrade.

Thats because you only get 1,000 watts from either running both channels at 2 ohms each, or running bridged into a 4 ohm load.

You need to read the manual

[Blues Bass 2]

Originally Posted by Jools4001

Typically, you need a 4 pole speakon with the cable wired to the +1 and +2 terminals at the amp end and wired to the +1/-1 terminals at the cab end (I use a two pole speakon for this so that the different styles of connector denote which is the cab end).

Then you'll need to configure the amp to put it in bridge mode. I'm not familiar with the Carvin so read the manual first.

It may be that for this particular amp you do need banana plugs because the speakon output may not be wired for bridging, but effectively you need to wire your cab across both positive terminals

Edit: Just saw your bit about it having a bridge speakon so just wire the cable as described

Most amps this is right ^ but not with the Carvin . The Carvin is wired so a standard wired speakon[+1 and -1] will work without mods . Just plug the speakon into the bridged output and change the switch on the back to bridge mode , then you are ready . Just don't go below 4 ohms and you should be good . The amp will put out a lot of power that way so just listen for any breakup in your speakers when getting loud . If you do hear some just back off on the volume a little . Those are great amps .

[Quackhead]

Maybe it's your speaker cabinet(s) that are the weak link. 1,000 watts should be plenty of power.

[Foz]

Originally Posted by Quackhead

Maybe it's your speaker cabinet(s) that are the weak link. 1,000 watts should be plenty of power.

Maybe it will be when he swaps jacks and flips the switch - until then he aint got 1k watts, cause he aint bridged it yet.

[LazyZombie]

Maybe, I'm using an Avatar B410Neo 4 ohm.


I'm also running it through an Ampeg SVP Pro. maybe that could be it as well?

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by LazyZombie

Maybe, I'm using an Avatar B410Neo 4 ohm.

Which when hooked up to one channel, gets 325 watts

[Blues Bass 2]

Originally Posted by LazyZombie

Maybe, I'm using an Avatar B410Neo 4 ohm.


I'm also running it through an Ampeg SVP Pro. maybe that could be it as well?

Like Bass Pounder says , you have only been using 325 watts . Bridge it and you will use the full power of your amp . Just move your speakon to the center bridge output and push the switch to bridge mode and you'll be good . It's for sure not your preamp . Try it bridged and then get back to us . No sense just yapping about it on here without trying it first .

[LazyZombie]

If what people said earlier was true. I had it set up properly earlier.(Speakon in the middle, bridge button depressed) I've been borrowing my friends Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ and that thing just blows this carvin set up out of the water.

I'm thinking about just selling my current rig. It sounds good, but it's like I'm not even there in a practice room.


(or perhaps it's broken in some manner.)

[Bass_Pounder]

Or you are not sending enough signal from your preamp into the Carvin

[randyg]

Sounds like somethings wrong to me. I use an Ampeg SVP-CL pre into a DCM1500 and an Avatar 4-10 neo and volume is not a problem. I have never run the poweramp over half volume and have used it in some very loud bands. Don't be afraid to crank the gain and master on the preamp , some of the Ampegs don't have a very strong signal. I run both close to 3:00. I would not think the 1500 would be that much louder than the 1000

[randyg]

My Avatar is also an 8 ohm , so the amp is not even running at 1500 watts.

[LazyZombie]

The peak seems to flash on pretty low settings, I got up to about 3 O clock but not that much of a sound difference. Maybe I'm just going deaf.

[Foz]

summin' aint right.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Have you tried each channel seperately? I ask because I had the same experience with a peavey poweramp and it turns out one of the channels was dead so when bridged I was getting only 1/2 power.

Also, what cab are you using? Cab efficiency and the amount drivers it has has alot to do with volume.

The last thing is to make sure you are giving her enough juice to fully drive it.

[LazyZombie]

Hrmm, looks like the second channel isn't working... sigh. Now if I caught that when i bought it three years ago.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by LazyZombie

Hrmm, looks like the second channel isn't working... sigh. Now if I caught that when i bought it three years ago.

Do you have it unbridged, AND set to parallel (both channels work off of channel 1 input) ?