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Amp and cab problems

D

Darkmessiahnz

Aug 1, 2011
9
0
#1
Hey guys. I have a Warwick Terminator, but I am not sure what amp I need to power it. It sounded great on the old amp, but I'm pretty the ohms were wrong or what not. Yeah no idea what I'm talking about.

Can anyone please tell me what I should be looking for if I want to run a Warwick Terminator. Please keep inmind I'mnot an amp expert.

Cheers

- 2x15" Eminence Custom Speakers band-pass system = 600 watts RMS
- 2x10" Eminence Custom Speakers + HF horn with attenuator in separate chamber = 400 watts RMS
- Frequency response (-3dB) 45 - 15k
- Low Frequency (-10dB) 35 Hz
- Sensitivity (1W/*1M) 99 dB
- MAX SPL 125 dB
- X-over (horn high pass) 4, 5 kHz
- 10s high pass 300Hz
- Switches for biamp/*fullrange mode
- Impedance switch.
- Vented Cabinet
- Weight: 130 lbs. /* 59 kg
- D: 37.2 x 23.8 x 19 in., 945 x 605 x 485 mm (HxWxD)

I know there has been another thread on this, but I'm still confused.
 
#2
Kind of a weird setup. As I understand it the 2x15 section can be switched from 4 to 16 ohms by use of a switch (so they have two 8 ohm 15" drivers which can be switched from connected in parallel to series), and the 4x10 section is 8 ohms.

The cab can be run with both sections powered by separate amplifiers (or halves of a poweramp or stereo amp) or full range, and i guess in full range mode you can plug a mono amp into it and switch the impedance from 3 to 6 ohms (actually this would be 2.67 or 5.33, but close enough). It also says is that in full range mode a 300 hz filter stops frequencies under 300 hz from going to the tens - so i assume in biamp mode this filter is not active.

I wouldn't run this with the 2x15 section running at 16 ohms as it will probably have very quiet lows if you do this - ditto for running it full range on the 6 ohm setting. This means that if you want to use a mono amplifier with it (which I would probably do), you want to use one that is stable down to 2 ohms. (Those that are only stable down to 4 ohms mean that - it's not ok to run them just a teensy bit under 4 ohms).

Otherwise, you need a stereo head or poweramp (with a preamp as well) to run it. My first gut level thought would be to not use a head or preamp with a crossover, and just send full range signals to both halves (but you want to set the switch on the cab to biamp when you do this as it just separates the inputs to each half of the cab). However, 300 Hz is a really odd place for a crossover when using tens - they won't be working very hard and it seems like a waste - there is a possibility that they put very wimpy tens into this cab and that is why they put in a filter when using it full range. That said, they could have found that the tens interfered with the fifteens when both had the full signal from 300 hz down, so using a head or preamp with a crossover running into a poweramp might be the wiser choice.

Running this thing full range with the switch on 3 ohms will have 2/3 of the power going to the fifteens and 1/3 going to the tens, running it on 6 ohms would do the reverse. Amps don't rate power at those impedances so I would use 4 and 2 as ballparks in terms of how much power an amp will put out into it. Like I said, I'd use a the switch on 3 ohms, so I'd use a 2 ohm stable head and be careful, but in theory it should be able to handle 900 watts at that point (in theory mind you).

Running it in biamp look at the wattage ratings of a stereo amp for 8 and 4 ohms. Good chance that an amp that can put out 600 watts into 4 ohms per side can put out somewhere near 400 watts into 8 ohms per side, and remember that it's OK for one side of an amp to be run at 4 ohms and the other at 8 ohms. I can't imagine needing 400 watts going to those tens over 300 hz while the fifteens only get 600, but keep in mind that you can set the crossover point on the amp/preamp wherever you want - although I would check with Warwick to find out where they recommend you set it. (ten bucks says they say 300 hz). :D

Try a used GK 800RB. Use it in biamp mode.
 
#3
An amp that is stable at 2ohms or something with a 2channel (stereo) poweramp in it. It's advertised as switchable 3/6 ohms. That's because the 10's section is a constant 8ohms and the 15's section is switchable 4 or 16. The 10's + the lows set to 4ohms works out to 2.67...what they're calling 3. The 10's + the lows set to 16 works out to 5.33.....what they're calling 6.


More info in this ad than from warwick.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#6
Ivanmike's answer in your other thread is much more thorough. Easiest thing would be to plig in fullrange at the 3ohm setting with a regular basshead that's safe to 2ohms and eqing for sound as you normally would. Greater control could be had with a biampable bass head or pre+crossover+power setup.
 
#10
Ahhh crap I posted twice.

BTW I think I am beginning to understand it. I think I could probably import something from the US, but it needs to have a voltage switch to 230 V, I believe ( I live in New Zealand) Can anyone confirm that? Plus does anyone know if there's any that have this feature. I thnk some ampeg ones do.

Also if I used a voltage switch, would I have to change the fuse or anything?
 
#12
Most amps can be converted - a good tech should be able to do it, although when they are shipped to various countries the manufacturer does this in the first place.

What amps are available in NZ? Are any 2 ohms stable and mono? Likewise, are there any stereo amps with a crossover in them available to you? (Almost 100% of stereo amps are 4 ohms stable per side, which is all you need if you decide to go the biamp route).
 
#13
A lot of newer equipment (and some older stuff even) are made with a switch setting or some other user friendly way of setting it for 120/240 voltage. Cheaper to make it that way everywhere than making separate runs of amps specifically for sale in various countries.

Feature to look for if ordering from the US.
 
#14
Cheers I'll have a look now.

This is what I currently have, but I don't think I can run it without damaging the cab(Or amp) plus the amp overheats hugely on this cab, til the point where it stops working unless you cool it.

LaneyRBH800
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

PS yes it is that Terminator you posted. Also regarding the amps available in New Zealand, well there aren't that many but here are some
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#15
Your Laney is a combo right? It says 8ohm min. for the ext. speaker, you'll cook it running it into that warwick cab. As for your other link, almost none of those amps are 2ohm amps save for maybe the abm900 as it has 2 poweramps in it. You may be better off selling that cab and getting a pair of 8ohm cabs and a regular bass head. Or just an 8ohm ext. cab to use with your Laney if that's enough for you. I'm not familair with that amp. That big warwick is an odd duck. It requires a 2ohm head or something that can be biamped into 2 separate power amps.
 
#16
Ahhh I see. Naaa my Laney is just the head, or do you mean preamp/poweramp?

Also I've found a GK800rb. Are you sure that would work though? I believe it has one amp at 300w 4 ohm and the other at 100w 8 ohm. That wouldn't be enough would it?
 
#17
You could use an 800rb if you always used the biamp feature and didn't just plug in "full range". Set the low portion of the cab to 4ohms and plug into the low out on the amp. Connect the mid/high portion to the 100watt high amp.

You could use 4ohm bass heads full range if you set the low portion of the cab to 16ohms but that doesn't make much sense to me. You'd lose a lot of available power to push lows and would end up dragging around one big, heavy and very midrangey cabinet. I think your laney is 4ohms min. So if you use it, set the low portion of the cab to 16ohms and use eq to bend the sound back into shape as best you can. Playing it with the cabs lows at the 4ohm setting would explain it getting hot. (total cab = 2.67 then).
 
#19
That doesn't matter. Just bring your cab and your bass to check out the head or make sure there's a return policy if ordering so you can see if it gets the volume you need with a tone you like without having to crank the amp for all it's worth. 100 watts can push mids/highs fairly loud. The low section will likely be reaching it's mechanical limit about the time the amp runs out of gas. The power rating just tells you what it takes to burn the coils, not when the speaker is actually moving too far.
 

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