Need amp help, I couldnt find the answer in stickies

[pan1k]

Say if have a 100 watt amp, and I use a 2x12 cab.

Does each speaker get 100 watts each or is the 100 watts divided in half for each speaker (=50 watts)?

Also, how does ohms affect tone / volume.
Example: 2 identical cabs, one is 4ohms, other is 8ohms.

I'm starting my exploration into the perfect speaker cab
Currently looking at Aggies Sls and Baer's ML series.

[JimmyM]

Divides it into half for each speaker. However, the extra driver will create a significant volume boost. I forget how much but it's pretty significant.

Impedance (ohms) doesn't affect tone in the least to my ears.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by pan1k

Say if have a 100 watt amp, and I use a 2x12 cab.

Does each speaker get 100 watts each or is the 100 watts divided in half for each speaker (=50 watts)?

Also, how does ohms affect tone / volume.
Example: 2 identical cabs, one is 4ohms, other is 8ohms.

I'm starting my exploration into the perfect speaker cab
Currently looking at Aggies Sls and Baer's ML series.

1) Each speaker will receive half the power sent to the 212 cab.
2) The 4 ohm cab will receive more of the available power than the 8 ohm cab (when used together) as the 4 ohm cab provides less impedance to voltage/current flow than the 8 ohm. Sound would be the same on identical cabs regardless of the speakers impedance (ohms).

[bongomania]

People sometimes talk about a 4 ohm cab sounding "punchier" than an 8 ohm one, but the actual difference is the amount of wattage the amp puts out into each load! Of course 500W sounds "punchier" than 300W (for example). And it's tricky to compare because two identical 8 ohm cabs would not sound the same as one 4 ohm of the same model, because of having twice the speakers.

IOW, ohms are not a tone factor.

[pan1k]

Originally Posted by bongomania

People sometimes talk about a 4 ohm cab sounding "punchier" than an 8 ohm one, but the actual difference is the amount of wattage the amp puts out into each load! Of course 500W sounds "punchier" than 300W (for example). And it's tricky to compare because two identical 8 ohm cabs would not sound the same as one 4 ohm of the same model, because of having twice the speakers.

IOW, ohms are not a tone factor.

Thanks for the insight

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by B-string

1) Each speaker will receive half the power sent to the 212 cab.
2) The 4 ohm cab will receive more of the available power than the 8 ohm cab (when used together) as the 4 ohm cab provides less impedance to voltage/current flow than the 8 ohm. Sound would be the same on identical cabs regardless of the speakers impedance (ohms).

BString,
When I contacted John Dong at Euphonic Audio about redoing the two 8" Drivers in my EA VL 208 so the cabinet would be run at 4 ohm load vs a 8 ohm load, John said " you can certainly do that, but the cabinet will sound significantly sound darker". I didn't do it because a VL 208 at 8 ohms was fine. Since John's a PHD in sound engineering I deferred to his expertise. So, take it for what it's worth, I guess, with a grain of salt.

Ric

[mikezimmerman]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

BString,
When I contacted John Dong at Euphonic Audio about redoing the two 8" Drivers in my EA VL 208 so the cabinet would be run at 4 ohm load vs a 8 ohm load, John said " you can certainly do that, but the cabinet will sound significantly sound darker". I didn't do it because a VL 208 at 8 ohms was fine. Since John's a PHD in sound engineering I deferred to his expertise. So, take it for what it's worth, I guess, with a grain of salt.

Ric

Ric,

I think the cause of what John Dong was referring to is that you're lowering the impedence of the two 8-inch drivers, but not changing the crossover or the smaller drivers used for the higher frequencies. So, the 8's will be getting a larger share of the power than they were before, and the high frequency drivers less. That might make the overall tonal balance darker than it was before--not the overall impedance of the cab, but the fact that you're putting 4-ohm drivers in a cab set up for 8-ohm drivers.

Mike

[pan1k]

I love the convo. Tbers Bass nerding out is awesome. Thanks for all the feedback gentlemen. I will definately take these points into consideration when selecting a cab.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

BString,
When I contacted John Dong at Euphonic Audio about redoing the two 8" Drivers in my EA VL 208 so the cabinet would be run at 4 ohm load vs a 8 ohm load, John said " you can certainly do that, but the cabinet will sound significantly sound darker". I didn't do it because a VL 208 at 8 ohms was fine. Since John's a PHD in sound engineering I deferred to his expertise. So, take it for what it's worth, I guess, with a grain of salt.

Ric

Below is why he said this.

Originally Posted by mikezimmerman

Ric,

I think the cause of what John Dong was referring to is that you're lowering the impedence of the two 8-inch drivers, but not changing the crossover or the smaller drivers used for the higher frequencies. So, the 8's will be getting a larger share of the power than they were before, and the high frequency drivers less. That might make the overall tonal balance darker than it was before--not the overall impedance of the cab, but the fact that you're putting 4-ohm drivers in a cab set up for 8-ohm drivers.

Mike

You got it Mike. The lows will overpower the other drivers, additionally if the woofers have a high pass filter in the crossover.....the crossover point will be badly skewed.