Two 4x10' Vs one 8 x 10

richtea · #1 05-25-2010, 04:40 AM

This is somthing that has been bugging me for years, in the mid 80's I used a TE 8x10 with a Gp7 preamp and an AX500 all in one w/proof flight case ( not the most practical "combo" in the world). But GREAT sound.
I have since tried to replicate that sound with more practical rigs, and so far failed. As you may have picked up from the 80's reference I aint 19 any more and I find it more convenient to travel without a road crew (heavy bar bills and too much cursing)

So in this quest I have just tried my genz neo pack 3.5 with two genz 4X10's in a comparitive test with a behringer 8x10 In my opinion the behringer walks all over the genz cabs, ( even the sales man went quiet) and for about half of the price of just one of the genz cabs, I dont think any one is going to tell me that the genz speakers are inferior to the behringer ones.
So now to the question, why does an 8x10 sound different to two 4x10's & has any one else noticed this or do i need my ears tested & if there is a specific reason is there any way to make Two 4x10's behave like an 8x10. Anybody?

lowfreq33 · #2 05-25-2010, 04:45 AM

8x10's usually (AFAIK) are divided into 4 separate internal compartments, so in a way they behave like 4 2x10's. This should yield a tighter sound with a slightly higher resonant frequency than 2 4x10's, which are usually one large space inside.

billfitzmaurice · #3 05-25-2010, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

8x10's usually (AFAIK) are divided into 4 separate internal compartments, so in a way they behave like 4 2x10's. This should yield a tighter sound with a slightly higher resonant frequency than 2 4x10's, which are usually one large space inside.

The resonant frequency of the two examples will be the same. The only advantage to separate compartments lies in the bracing it gives to the cabinet walls.

richtea · #4 05-25-2010, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

The resonant frequency of the two examples will be the same. The only advantage to separate compartments lies in the bracing it gives to the cabinet walls.

so what youre telling me is that the major sound difference is probably in my imagination, which is very possible, (or perhaps i just like the sound of cheap drivers). I think I was hoping that it was somthing to to do with the way that the seperate drivers were wired in order to arrive at the desired rating. Thanks for the input, I will stop drawing plans wiring schemes to cut my two 4X10s in half

Bob C · #5 05-25-2010, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

8x10's usually (AFAIK) are divided into 4 separate internal compartments, so in a way they behave like 4 2x10's.

This is a good explaination, but I don't know that it's necessarily true. I would guess there are a variety of 8X10 cabinet designs. I've only owned one 8X10, but never looked inside

aledeville · #6 05-25-2010, 08:30 AM

Ampeg does it like that. 4 compartments and not ported.
But they are not the only company that makes 810s. Very common is also a 2x410.
Look here: http://www.musik-schmidt.de/images/p...Box-OG8922.jpg

wetzelman1 · #7 05-25-2010, 08:44 AM

I'd tend to think it's more about the drivers than the enclosure. Different speakers can sound completely different, their size doesn't really mean much. As far as cabinet designs go, the biggest difference is if the cabs are ported or sealed, as that effects the sound immensely.

somegeezer · #8 05-25-2010, 08:48 AM

I don't think they really do sound different. You get 2 of the same style. 2 410s and a single 810. Test them. At a music shop or something. Testing 2 completely different products is bound to get you a sound difference. I think the only major difference is the protability and the fact you can just take a 410 if it's a smaller gig.

kesslari · #9 05-25-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somegeezer

I don't think they really do sound different. You get 2 of the same style. 2 410s and a single 810. Test them. At a music shop or something. Testing 2 completely different products is bound to get you a sound difference. I think the only major difference is the protability and the fact you can just take a 410 if it's a smaller gig.

This. You can't compare Genz with Behringer while comparing 2 410s with one 810 - except to know that you like a Behringer 810 better than 2 GB 410's (of the model you tried).

Find a pair of Behringer 410's to compare with the Behringer 810 (or Ampeg to Ampeg or whatever) and you'd really have an answer for your question.

canadian*eh · #10 05-25-2010, 02:38 PM

I my Self Run 2 swr 410 cabs and they sound great. I am not sure how much different the swr 810 would sound seeing that it is split into 2 410 cabs it should not be much different. Now when it come to power handling my 2 410's together handle 1500 watts RMS (one being the Goliath III and one the Goliath IV 700 and 800 watts) where as the 810 cab is only rated at 1200 watts. I dont know why they do it that way but i kinda like the fact that i have a lil bit more power handling capability with the 2 410's that the 1 810... not that it should make much of a difference...but i know i sure have been a lil bit curious about why they do that? Maybe some one can answer that as well!! All I know is that my 2 410's stack kick like a mule and have tons of bottom end.... I love them!!

Tracebassplayer · #11 04-11-2011, 04:20 AM

Most of the 8x10 cabs I've used were wired for 2 channels of 4x10 or mono 8x10 like the 1088H and 1084H Trace Elliot cabs are wired as 2 4x10 @ 8 ohms ea (channels 1 & 2) or MONO 8x10 at 4 ohm one channel (Bi-amp?). The BFC 4x10H /1x15 is wired 3 way and only the AH1000 can run them on one neutronic cable but they can be rewired to suit.

Bassmec · #12 04-11-2011, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richtea

This is somthing that has been bugging me for years, in the mid 80's I used a TE 8x10 with a Gp7 preamp and an AX500 all in one w/proof flight case ( not the most practical "combo" in the world). But GREAT sound.
I have since tried to replicate that sound with more practical rigs, and so far failed. As you may have picked up from the 80's reference I aint 19 any more and I find it more convenient to travel without a road crew (heavy bar bills and too much cursing)

So in this quest I have just tried my genz neo pack 3.5 with two genz 4X10's in a comparitive test with a behringer 8x10 In my opinion the behringer walks all over the genz cabs, ( even the sales man went quiet) and for about half of the price of just one of the genz cabs, I dont think any one is going to tell me that the genz speakers are inferior to the behringer ones.
So now to the question, why does an 8x10 sound different to two 4x10's & has any one else noticed this or do i need my ears tested & if there is a specific reason is there any way to make Two 4x10's behave like an 8x10. Anybody?

Forgetting for a moment what it says on the wooden cabinet unless of course its C 17 century and made by someone like Chippendale.
You have expressed a liking for the Celestion BG-50 10" loudspeaker made in foxhall rd Ipswich.
It seems that you are less convinced by the products of the Happy Cherry Blossom rice paper products & industrial supply Co Sichuan province.
Assuming you want to own 8 Celestion BG-50 again, as to how many you have in each box as long as the boxes add up to the same internal volume as the original Trace Elliot Sarcophagus and are stacked in a similar format.
You would get very much the same result however you divide them up.

billfitzmaurice · #13 04-11-2011, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richtea

why does an 8x10 sound different to two 4x10's

If the drivers are identical, the net cabinet size and, in the case of vented cabs the tuning, are also identical then the result will be identical. If they don't sound the same then those factors are not the same. In short, the same reason why every 8x10 doesn't sound the same, and why every 4x10 doesn't sound the same.