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Best way to use 3 cabs

Rea

Rea

Dec 10, 2014
488
104
Brooklyn
#1
Hi-

Here is the config i want to use:

2 X 112 cabs(mine are rates 8ohm)
1 X 210 cab (mine's rated 8ohm)

At the moment the head im using does 4ohm minimum, so all three are no go as is.

Whats the different workarounds?

-Parallel/series action?

-2 ohm amp?(this one is also not ideal as i get 2.67ohm from all 3... i heard that might "confuse" the amp..?)

- change the homage of the 210 from 8 to 4ohm and use the 3 for a total of 2 ohm...?

- 2 channel amp--- is there an amp where each channel can individually choose between 4 or 8 ohm without affecting the ohm rating of the other channel?

Thanks for the advice!
 
#5
You 8ohm 2x10 cannot be 4 ohms with those speakers. It would need different speakers.

Why are you trying to use 3 cabinets?

Your better off selling one or two and buying a cabinet is the appropriate size.

Do you like your cabinets so much is worth always taking multiple trips on load-in/load-out?

Do you hate your current amp that much?
 
#7
Rea said:
Hi-

Here is the config i want to use:

2 X 112 cabs(mine are rates 8ohm)
1 X 210 cab (mine's rated 8ohm)

At the moment the head im using does 4ohm minimum, so all three are no go as is.

Whats the different workarounds?

-Parallel/series action?
Click to expand...
And cut wattage? I don't think so! That makes adding the third cab a lateral move.

-2 ohm amp?(this one is also not ideal as i get 2.67ohm from all 3... i heard that might "confuse" the amp..?)
Click to expand...
Won't confuse the amp at all as long as it's 2 ohm capable, but would result in a volume imbalance between the two 112's and the single 210. Stuff like that I find very irritating.

- change the homage of the 210 from 8 to 4ohm and use the 3 for a total of 2 ohm...?
Click to expand...
Ohmage. And yes, TB ninnies, "ohmage" is a word. Unless your cab specifically says you can change it between 8 and 4 ohms (I believe Hartke makes one you can do this with), you can't change it to 4 ohms. However, it would be a little closer to ideal since there wouldn't be as much of a volume imbalance.

- 2 channel amp--- is there an amp where each channel can individually choose between 4 or 8 ohm without affecting the ohm rating of the other channel?
Click to expand...
Yes, this is an option.

Personally, I'd use either the two 112's or the 210 by themselves. I don't like how mismatched rigs sound, and there seems to be a fair amount of hoop jumping needed for you to make a rig like that work as it stands now.
 
#8
This is how it evolved:

First i had this GS112 that sounds very sweet but lacked mid punch for my taste. So i was looking to add another cab and on a hunch went for a GS210, which did exactly what i wanted- added that mid punch and amazing presence i lacked.

Then out of curiosity i brought in another GS112 to compare the 2 pair options- 2x112 or 210+112.

So as i thought originally i was right, the 210 paired with the 112 is amazing and the 2x112 OTOH is a beautiful, warm augmentation of the single 112, but without a change in character really(what a surprise)... it does have amazing warmth though which i feel is a tiny bit lacking in the, otherwise amazing, 112+210 combi.

So now im pretty sure that 2x112+210 is my rig. Only question is how to achieve that.
Im getting to the realization that 2 completely separate amps are the way to go.

The reason im not going for the Schreoder kindda mixed cab, or even a 212 cab is that i need modularity.
 
#9
Rea said:
So now im pretty sure that 2x112+210 is my rig. Only question is how to achieve that.
Im getting to the realization that 2 completely separate amps are the way to go.

The reason im not going for the Schreoder kindda mixed cab, or even a 212 cab is that i need modularity.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with modularity. And I would totally agree that two separate amps are the way to go for what you want. You could do it with a 2-channel amp, but for best results, it's best that each side has its own preamp, and most 2-ch amps share the preamp.
 
#12
Rea said:
...2 ohm amp?(this one is also not ideal as i get 2.67ohm from all 3... i heard that might "confuse" the amp...
Click to expand...

A 2 ohm capable amp works perfectly with 2.67 ohm loads. Your informant is confused/misinformed.

Rea said:
...2 channel amp--- is there an amp where each channel can individually choose between 4 or 8 ohm without affecting the ohm rating of the other channel?
Click to expand...

All 2 channel amps allow 4 or 8 ohm loads independently on each channel. Many will even handle 2 ohms independent of the other channel.

Are you stacking it all vertically? Accounting for the EQ differences between cabs could be done with a 2 channel power amp and a pair of preamps. Personally, I have found these kind of rigs rarely are worth the bother. Why not get a pair of 212's and call it a day?
 
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#15
Mixing Speakers!?.
image.jpg


In my multiple roles, as a clairvoyant I can forsee a great deal of criticism occurring in this thread in the near future but as I am also the "Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla" I can absolve you of all sin for a small consideration.:-)
As long as you stack all cabs vertically and use a two channel amp with seperate Eq and volume for each cab type.
 
#18
BTW- Once and for all PLEASE lets not go there again.

And BTW, I spoke to Dave from Aguilar, he said that mixing cabs is totally cool, common and works great more often then not, and that the only "Scientific" caveat is the difference in speaker sensitivity, but if you don't get a phase cancellation then your all good and all the "rules" makes him lough...
Thats from the designer himself who do this for a living, and who's gear most "don't mix" gurus use to begin with..

My comment: Phase cancellation is basic eq, for people who know how eq works... so even if it creates a certain phase cancellation, if you like that curve then its like using an eq- dont you use an eq..?

.

Can we put an end to this stupid debate? Im not here for that, im here for something else.
 
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#20
I build a speaker series patch box just for this problem. It will allow you to use three or four 8 ohm speaker cabinets and it puts an 8 ohm load on the amp - that is an example- it could be 4 ohm cabs or a mixture. It uses the same method as wiring individual drivers/speakers within a speaker cabinet except it is wiring the Speaker CABINETS in series. its a very simple box and I am trying to sell them on local craigslist- but no one understands what they are I guess. I use them all the time for my bands PA system. Perfect for using (4) 8 ohm monitors on the single 4 ohm minimum monitor out on an powered mixer amp.
If you all think I can sell them here I will. its not really profitable- i sell them for $35. and parts cost me nearly 20 bucks
 

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