Ampeg BA-115 as speaker cab, what speaker replacement?

[justindlc]

I recently bought an Ampeg BA-115 combo for $60. The seller let me know the amp was fried, but I figured I could try to use it as a second cab which I've been keeping an eye out for -- my volume is fine at practice but we haven't gigged yet and it'd be nice to have the extra speaker, I think.

I asked in advance what speaker was in it, and he said he had replaced the stock speaker with one that's 400 watts and 8 ohms.

Well, surprise surprise, it's still in fact the stock SLM Electronics Acoustic Lab speaker, rated 100 watts (or maybe 150?) and 4 ohms. That's not going to work because my current setup is an Eden E300 head (4-8 ohms) into a stock Ampeg Portaflex 115he cab (400 watts, 8 ohms), and I know you're not supposed to mix an 8 ohm cab with a 4 ohm cab. The seller lived an hour's drive away so I don't want to drive back, and I doubt he'd take it back anyway. So I have questions:

1. Does it even make sense to combine a ported cab like this with my current closed cab? Sitting the ba-115 cab on top of the 115he? I've read that getting matching cabs is ideal, just thought I'd give this a shot.
2. If it makes sense to use the second cab, what speaker should I throw in there? Is there a good all-around 15" speaker for ported cabs that costs below $200 (because if it's more than that I'll just wait and get another used Portaflex cab). I don't need a tweeter, I keep my current one off.

Thanks for any advice. Kind of disappointed but maybe I can get this to work, or try to resell it off and just save up for a matching cab.

 

[Redbrangus]

Personally, I'd try to resell the BA-115 and save my money for a second Portaflex cab. Finding an appropriate replacement driver isn't an impossible task, but even with a replacement speaker, that cab isn't likely to play all that well with your existing setup.

 

[96tbird]

As they keep saying here, it’s usually not a good idea to run two different cabs together, especially one ported and one sealed. Plus your port tuning will be wrong for a 8 ohm replacement driver unless you run it through a software program to find the right driver for your box.

Ported mixed with sealed may be ok. You’d have to try it when you get a new driver for the combo box. Not easy to predict. Having said that, I first had a pf-115he, then found a used pf-115lf so cheap I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve stacked them up together and never had any problems. Difficult to predict what yours would do. Best just to look for another “he” cab to pair.

 

[justindlc]

As they keep saying here, it’s usually not a good idea to run two different cabs together, especially one ported and one sealed. Plus your port tuning will be wrong for a 8 ohm replacement driver unless you run it through a software program to find the right driver for your box.

Ported mixed with sealed may be ok. You’d have to try it when you get a new driver for the combo box. Not easy to predict. Having said that, I first had a pf-115he, then found a used pf-115lf so cheap I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve stacked them up together and never had any problems. Difficult to predict what yours would do. Best just to look for another “he” cab to pair.

Thanks that's what I thought, too many variables trying to get this to work.

 

[agedhorse]

More trouble than it’s worth imo.

 

[justindlc]

Update the guy is willing to refund so I'm going that route. Thanks for your thoughts! Helpful info here.

 

[agedhorse]

Update the guy is willing to refund so I'm going that route. Thanks for your thoughts! Helpful info here.

Good choice IMO.