4 ohm vs 8 ohm

[Ruuumble]

Recently purchased a GK 1001rb (very happy with that) and am in the process of looking for a cab/s. It brought a question up and I wonder if anyone / some of the scientists / and experience on here could way in.
Would you rather play a 700 watt amp into 4ohm cab and keep volume down for smaller gigs or into an 8 ohm cab turned up? I understand the amp is probably delivering only 350w into the 8 ohms- my question is more specifically about the tone of the amp (if it's different/ does driving a ss amp effect tone like a tube amp does) // feedback control (I would think turned down into 4 ohms would be best-- I have had no fb issues that pro-plat phase sw or where I stand can't cure) // and about multi- cab configurations (an idea I like - have ext cab on other side of stage- although more $$)
If this question has been posed already forgive me - I couldn't find it. I am playing upright bass only ('59 Kay - plain guts- rev solo->fishman pro plat->GK)
I hoping after I get cabs GAS will be satisfied for awhile (though we all know it won't) but at least my gig rig would be good and I can move from there.
FWIW- I appreciate all the posts and info and stuff on here especially the DB side -and from the 'old timers' if I'm allowed to use that term! Lol- anyway- I have learned alot on here....
Appreciate any input -
Thanks again

[TroyK]

If you're only going to use one cab, make it 4 ohms.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by TroyK

If you're only going to use one cab, make it 4 ohms.

Troy is correct because most solid-state power amps will deliver more power into a 4-ohm than into an 8-ohm load. Might as well get the most out of the amp you bought. If anything, the amp will be driven harder into the 4-ohm load as it's called upon to deliver more current. As long as you stay away from overdriving the amp, you should be fine. It's the overdriving under which solid-state and some tube amps can respond very differently. Most DB players don't intentionally overdrive their power amps. That makes meaningless many of the arguments around here about solid-state vs. tubes.

[Ruuumble]

Thanks for the responses - I get that part of it - here's where I was going -
I.e- if I had 4 ohm cab and playing a small gig - would turning down the volume - would this rig sound same / better / worse than having two 8 ohm cabs but only using 1 cab for a small show thereby having almost half power
Maybe the differences are inconsequential- just wondered if amp tone was different w different loads.

Totally agreed on ss v tube - I don't even like tube pre's for DB
Thanks again

[JP Morin]

i'll add that 4 ohms cab are a bit more punchier IMO

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by Ruuumble

I.e- if I had 4 ohm cab and playing a small gig - would turning down the volume - would this rig sound same / better / worse than having two 8 ohm cabs but only using 1 cab for a small show thereby having almost half power
Maybe the differences are inconsequential- just wondered if amp tone was different w different loads.

I would suggest that at low volumes, the differences in sound qualities will be negligible. As volume goes up, you'll get more from your amp with a 4 ohm load.

Now, here's the deal: if you have 2 8 ohm cabs (let's say same configuration, same brand) then you have some flexibility for bringing a small rig to a small gig and both to a big gig. If you are a hoarder, you have a small, but nice 4 ohm cab and two identical 8 ohm cabs, so that you've got all of your basses covered.

Or you have a 1x10 or 1x12 4ohm cab and a 2x10, 2x12, 4x8, 4x10 or something 4 ohm cab for that stadium gig you've got coming up. Depends on how you want to do it.

If your amp is rated down to 4 ohms and you'll spend most of your time with a single cabinet, make it a 4 ohm cab.

Honestly, I've never played anywhere so big with double bass that a good amp into a good 1x12 cabinet couldn't cover it. Electric bass/rock band different story.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Ruuumble

Thanks for the responses - I get that part of it - here's where I was going -
I.e- if I had 4 ohm cab and playing a small gig - would turning down the volume - would this rig sound same / better / worse than having two 8 ohm cabs but only using 1 cab for a small show thereby having almost half power
Maybe the differences are inconsequential- just wondered if amp tone was different w different loads.

Totally agreed on ss v tube - I don't even like tube pre's for DB
Thanks again

All other things being equal, if you are producing the same sound-pressure level, it matters not whether it is produced by the amp feeding an 8-ohm or a 4-ohm load. What will differ is what's called the damping factor but it's really inconsequential with typical solid-state amps and 4- or 8-ohm loads.

Originally Posted by JP Morin

i'll add that 4 ohms cab are a bit more punchier IMO

Your experience really has little or nothing to do with the fact that the cabs were 4 or 8 ohms, per se. It has more to do with the particular characteristics and designs of the cabs to which you were listening.

Originally Posted by TroyK

If your amp is rated down to 4 ohms and you'll spend most of your time with a single cabinet, make it a 4 ohm cab.

+1

[Jason Hollar]

Here's a subjective opinion. I recently fixed up both my SWR cabs with new Eminence BP102s all around. My 2x10 cab was converted from 8 to 4 Ohms and the difference on jazz / upright gigs was instantly noticeable. Much more perceived volume - amp not turned up as much as before, much more low end.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Jason Hollar

Here's a subjective opinion. I recently fixed up both my SWR cabs with new Eminence BP102s all around. My 2x10 cab was converted from 8 to 4 Ohms and the difference on jazz / upright gigs was instantly noticeable. Much more perceived volume - amp not turned up as much as before, much more low end.

The explanation is embedded in your description.

[DBCrocky]

I have a GK1001RB along with an 8 ohm Mesa Boogie 4x10 and an 8-Ohm Avatar NEO 210. This works great, I can use the 210 for small gigs, the 410 for medium, or the whole stack for big stages.

[TroyK]

Welcome, you're lost. Double bassists don't use 4x10 cabinets for small gigs and are very unlikely to use "a stack" for a larger gig.

[Michael Glynn]

All things being equal, a single 4 ohm makes more sense because you will get some more power out of your amp, as everyone seems to agree.

Of course, all things are rarely equal. I would not use impedance as one or my main criteria for picking a cab, unless I was worried about the impedance getting too low. A small difference in sensitivity (anything more than 3dB) will quickly overwhelm the difference in volume you get from the lower impedance. More importantly, a good, clear sound that you are happy with may sound "louder" than an ugly, muddy sound, even if the SPL is higher with the ugly sounding speaker.

[NKUSigEp]

The best thing you can do for yourself now is to disassociate volume and watts. They have little to do with each other.

Originally Posted by Ruuumble

Recently purchased a GK 1001rb (very happy with that) and am in the process of looking for a cab/s. It brought a question up and I wonder if anyone / some of the scientists / and experience on here could way in.
Would you rather play a 700 watt amp into 4ohm cab and keep volume down for smaller gigs or into an 8 ohm cab turned up? I understand the amp is probably delivering only 350w into the 8 ohms- my question is more specifically about the tone of the amp (if it's different/ does driving a ss amp effect tone like a tube amp does) // feedback control (I would think turned down into 4 ohms would be best-- I have had no fb issues that pro-plat phase sw or where I stand can't cure) // and about multi- cab configurations (an idea I like - have ext cab on other side of stage- although more $$)
If this question has been posed already forgive me - I couldn't find it. I am playing upright bass only ('59 Kay - plain guts- rev solo->fishman pro plat->GK)
I hoping after I get cabs GAS will be satisfied for awhile (though we all know it won't) but at least my gig rig would be good and I can move from there.
FWIW- I appreciate all the posts and info and stuff on here especially the DB side -and from the 'old timers' if I'm allowed to use that term! Lol- anyway- I have learned alot on here....
Appreciate any input -
Thanks again

[SteveHeissner]

If you're like most of us bass players, some day in the future you'll get GAS for a second cab to run with that GK head. Then you'll wish you had gone the 8 ohm route.

[SteveHeissner]

By the way, I also own the GK 1001RB head. Excellent choice on your part IMO. I run it through two 212 GK NEO 8 ohm cabs.

[NKUSigEp]

Originally Posted by SteveHeissner

By the way, I also own the GK 1001RB head. Excellent choice on your part IMO. I run it through two 212 GK NEO 8 ohm cabs.

I've got the 700RBII going to an Aguilar GS412 and it's amazing and loud and stuff. If I ever needed more volume, the 1001RBII would definitely be on the list.

[DBCrocky]

My apologies for being a newb.

[HolmeBass]

Originally Posted by Ruuumble

Thanks for the responses - I get that part of it - here's where I was going -
I.e- if I had 4 ohm cab and playing a small gig - would turning down the volume - would this rig sound same / better / worse than having two 8 ohm cabs but only using 1 cab for a small show thereby having almost half power
Maybe the differences are inconsequential- just wondered if amp tone was different w different loads.

Totally agreed on ss v tube - I don't even like tube pre's for DB
Thanks again

I think this is actually a good question. Unfortunately the answer is the good old "it depends". It depends on the actual quietness of this low volume, and on the amp itself.

I definitely noticed that my Eden Metro run at too low of a master volume, usually w/ a 4 ohm load, would not be as "open" or "dynamic" as if I could run at 8 ohms and turn the master volume up some. There is a hump in the volume response on the master volume knob, and it seems it likes to be up to that point or louder. Still, given the usual volumes I played at, it was almost always the case that I'd rather run it at 4 ohms with an additional cabinet, but I play electric bass in rock bands. For really quiet gigs (acoustic guitar only gigs) I brought a much smaller rig altogether - a 1x12 and an Eden micro amp.

So although I get the sense that your money is tight, I'd look for a 4 Ohm cab to use with the GK for loud gigs, and then maybe a Hartke 12" Kickback, used, for the quiet gigs. Those seem to work very well with upright bass and you could probably pick one up for less than $200, so in the long run cheaper than buying two 8 ohm cabinets.

What you give up: 2 8 ohm cabinets would give you *more volume* for really loud gigs than a single 4 ohm, because of the increased number of drivers. But it seems like you would be treading into volumes that are going to give you feedback problems at that point anyway.

[RustyAxe]

From the GK1001rb manual specs:

540W Amplifier 540W @ 8 Ohms
540W @ 4 Ohms
50W Amplifier 50W @ 8 Ohms
50W @ 4 Ohms

Even if this is a misprint, in most amps the difference in output at 4 vs 8 ohms is negligible ... in the order of 1 or 2 db or less. I prefer 8 ohm cabs ... I can use two (making the amp see 4 ohms) when I need to, and one (at 8 ohms) is fine, too. I like the flexibility, and don't seem to be losing anything much to get it. The cabs and speakers you use will have more effect on your volume and tone than will the difference in power output by your amp. Besides, unless you plan to run the volume turned up to 11 these are moot points.

[Ruuumble]

Thanks everyone for the excellent responses- I do this from my phone so can't quote from thread directly-

HolmeBass - as with everything w this art the answers usually are it depends or what does your ear tell ya! That's exactly what appealed to me would be having 2 cabs one for either side of stage, not b/c gigs are so huge but playing in trio thinking of filling out the sound, but your rig was what I was considering - but the extra dollars for two 8 ohm cabs or get the one 4 ohm

and to SteveH's point - GAS will strike again so at least getting an 8 ohm cab at some Point is better than buying any more p/u's/ pre's / or other misc stuff I already have 5 of! Lol

TroyK- I think your right-

So I bought the GK Neo 4x10 4 ohm and man I'm glad I did - excellent cab- really super light- the sound of 4 ohm feels big - direct and natural w alot of headroom - if those subjective terms mean anything- just don't know how much of the tone is due to the cab itself or to the impedance- gotta find an answer -I'll try to find an 8 ohm and report back