Best wait to pair up two cabs.

[epic!]

Just took delivery of a second darkglass 212 cab. Going to run my mesa subway 800 through both. The head has two outputs, the cabs have one input and one output. What’s the best way to pair them? Use both the outputs from the head (one into each cab) or one speaker cable from the head into one cab with the second cable running from the cabs output into the other cabs input. Thanks.

 

[Pulverizor]

There's no difference either way.
If you've got two short speaker cables: daisy chain, if you have one short and one long speaker cable use both amp outputs.
I find shorter cables easier to store/transport.
And allow me to forward some advice from someone far more knowledgeable than I'll ever be, use cables with actual Neutrik brand connectors!

 

[agedhorse]

Be sure to set the amp to 2 ohm mode first.

 

[bigtone23]

Yep, parallel speaker connections are the same whether daisy chaining the cabs or speaker outs on the head.
Just make sure the amp can handle the low impedance. Also, +1 on using speakon connectors and at least 14 gauge cable with these low impedances.

 

[agedhorse]

For a <6’ cable even at 800 watts/2 ohms, 14 or 16 gauge is plenty fine.

 

[epic!]

Thanks everyone. Head can go to 2 ohms (one of the reasons I bought it). Also have 14 gauge cables. It should sound pretty mean!

 

[micguy]

In theory, running one cable from each output on the amp to each cabinet gives you an advantage over daisy chaining - less resistance/power loss in the cabling. In practice, that advantage is tiny - you won't hear a difference

If both cables are long enough to do that, you can do that, and feel superior, because you did it the "right" way. If the cables aren't long enough, don't worry about it; it'll be fine daisy chained.

 

[nnnnnn]

If you run both cables from the amp and one cable randomly fails mid song you'll still have sound via the other. (OK, so it's pretty unlikely to happen, I admit it.)

 

[agedhorse]

If you run both cables from the amp and one cable randomly fails mid song you'll still have sound via the other. (OK, so it's pretty unlikely to happen, I admit it.)

If one cable shorts, it doesn’t matter how it’s wired, no sound and a possible smoking amp.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

2 x 95db sensitivity cabinets with 800 watts available = need volume discipline or earplugs….

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

In theory, running one cable from each output on the amp to each cabinet gives you an advantage over daisy chaining - less resistance/power loss in the cabling. In practice, that advantage is tiny - you won't hear a difference

If both cables are long enough to do that, you can do that, and feel superior, because you did it the "right" way. If the cables aren't long enough, don't worry about it; it'll be fine daisy chained.

This... Plus you are less likely to lose output if connecting both cabs directly to the amp.