Ohm question: will this rig work?

[Apiazza388]

I get horrifically confused about ohms and such. I currently own an SWR Workingman's 4004 head with a matching 4x10t cabinet and I am that close to buying an ampeg SVT15e to put underneath it all. I want to gradually upgrade my entire rig to all ampeg so this is phase 1. I just want to figure out if this current rig system will work and not damage anything.

would be running both cabs (both are 8 ohms) out of the 4004 head.

the power output specs for the 4004 head are:

400 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohms
260 Watts RMS @ 8 Ohms
(Minimum Impedance 4 Ohms)

will it work?

[charlie monroe]

Yes, you can do this. The load would split evenly, and each cab would receive half of the amplifier's output.

If you are going to upgrade to all Ampeg gear, I think a lot of people around here would suggest buying a 4x10 instead of that 15. There can be cancellation issues or something with some mixtures of driver size. Some others say no big deal, but here is my take.

The 4x10 is going to be louder than the 1x15. When you pick up your Ampeg head eventually, you'll be able to push more than the single 15 you bought.

[BassmanPaul]

Never mix a 4x10 with a single cone cabinet. Do a search, this topic comes up almost every other day!

[Hopkins]

It will work. But if it were me, I would the cab you want and later when you replace the SWR buy an identical cab. 2 115s or 2 410s. Mixing cabs (not just driver size) is kinda hit and miss. Two same cabs will always work together perfectly.

[RickenBoogie]

+1 matched cabs, ...always. The 410/15 pairing is poo.

[dog1]

Yeah. Only marketing guys in sales meetings will tell you to mix a 410 and a 115.

[bass10bfb]

Totally agree with what everyone has said thus far. Yes it will work at 4 ohms since you would be using two 8 ohm cabinets.
I actually owned that model of head and two Workingman cabs (one 4x10 and one 1x15). I used it for quite a while because I had nothing else. But it did not sound good. Fast forward a few years and I got Ampeg gear (same setup with two mis-matched cabs). Hated it. Just like these guys have said, you are much better off with either two 1x15's or two 4x10's (I prefer 10's because I have always gotten tighter bass and better response with 10's over any bigger speaker). It took me a while to learn about the mis-matching cabs, but I did not have any idea about Talkbass back then either!!! I only play thru matched size cabs now. I would recommend that to everyone who would listen!!!