i'll apologise first! ohms confusion

[elbasst@rdo]

i have a 4 ohm minimum rated head and two 4 ohm cabs am i right in thinking if i connect each cab to a different output on the amp (is this parallel?) it will give me a 2 ohm load? but if i connect the two cabs together with a lead and then connect them to one output on the amp (series?) itll give me an 8 ohm load?

im more than confused about this

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by elbasst@rdo

i have a 4 ohm minimum rated head and two 4 ohm cabs am i right in thinking if i connect each cab to a different output on the amp (is this parallel?) it will give me a 2 ohm load? but if i connect the two cabs together with a lead and then connect them to one output on the amp (series?) itll give me an 8 ohm load?

im more than confused about this

Wrong..............

Both ways of connecting the cabs are parallel, and will result in a 2 ohm load.

To connect your cabs in series, you need a specially made cable.

[nobodysfool]

If you connect 2 - 4 ohm cabinets together daisy chain style, you will still get a 2 ohm load. the only way you could use 2 cabinets together like that would be to wire them internally in series.

You didn't say what cabinets they are, or what they're loaded with. Let's assume you have 2 - 2x10's, at 4 ohms for each cabinet. They probably have 2 - 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel which would give you 4 ohms. If you wire them in series, the cabinet would be 16 ohms, and two cabinets wired that way, and daisy chained to an amp, would be an 8 ohm load, total. If you want a 4 ohm load to the amp, it's going to be 1 speaker cabinet of what you have now, or get 2 - 8 ohm cabinets, which daisy chained together will give a 4 ohm load.

[Exploiter8]

Would this be an option?

http://www.bayoucables.com/series-pa...ptor-p-64.html

X8

[nobodysfool]

Originally Posted by Exploiter8

Would this be an option?

http://www.bayoucables.com/series-pa...ptor-p-64.html

X8

That would work....

[elbasst@rdo]

so how would that series parallel adapter box be wired up inside? surely its just 3 jacks wired in a loop? like this


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../seriesbox.jpg

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by elbasst@rdo

so how would that series parallel adapter box be wired up inside? surely its just 3 jacks wired in a loop? like this


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../seriesbox.jpg

That is pretty much it............


What you also need to realize though is that if one of your cabs goes down (stops working), they will BOTH stop working.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

That is pretty much it............


What you also need to realize though is that if one of your cabs goes down (stops working), they will BOTH stop working.

Not dangerous to a SS amp, but could be very serious with a tube amp (just for reference).

[BassmanPaul]

There is also the thought that is the cabinets are not identical there could be some interaction between the crossovers.

Paul

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by B-string

Not dangerous to a SS amp, but could be very serious with a tube amp (just for reference).

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

There is also the thought that is the cabinets are not identical there could be some interaction between the crossovers.

Paul

BOTH excellent points, and exactly why running cabs in series is not the "norm". It should only be done when using matching cabs, and with an amp that does not require a continuous load (most tube amps).