Cab Ohm conversion

[Phaidrus]

Dear fellow TBers, is it possible to convert a 2x12 Markbass New York 122 4Ohm cab to 8Ohm?
If so, how? Perhaps by wiring it differently? Thanks in advance for your input.

Edit: Just called Markbass and have been informed that such conversion would require new drivers.

 

[agedhorse]

Correct, new drivers would be necessary.

It would probably be less expensive to sell what you have and buy what you want.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Why do you need an 8 vs 4 ohm cab? Some amps can be operated with an impedance mismatch, it depends on the amp.

You likely have two eight ohm speakers connected in parallel to yield 4 ohms in there now.

 

[Phaidrus]

Correct, new drivers would be necessary.

It would probably be less expensive to sell what you have and buy what you want.

@beans-on-toast

Thanks for replying.

In fact, it's someone considering buying my cab who is asking, he wants to pair it with another 8Ohm 2x12 cab.

I'm very happy with the 2x12 cab, I'd sell it only to finance a new 4x10, just to try a different flavor.

 

[Phaidrus]

Correct, new drivers would be necessary.

It would probably be less expensive to sell what you have and buy what you want.

Out of curiosity, what should be the impedance of each driver in a 2x12 8Ohm cab?

 

[beans-on-toast]

They could be 4 ohms if connected in series, or 16 ohms each if connected in parallel.

With two speakers of the same impedance connected in parallel, divide the impedance of one of the speakers by two. With a serial connected pair, add the two impedances.

 

[Phaidrus]

They could be 4 ohms if connected in series, or 16 ohms each if connected in parallel.

With two speakers of the same impedance connected in parallel, divide the impedance of one of the speakers by two. With a serial connected pair, add the two impedances.

Thanks for replying and excuse my ignorance - how does it work out in case of a 4x10 4Ohm cab?

 

[Redbrangus]

Thanks for replying and excuse my ignorance - how does it work out in case of a 4x10 4Ohm cab?

Either of two methods - both referred to as 'series/parallel':

A parallel connection of two pairs of series-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω+4Ω=8Ω; 8Ω/2=4Ω)

Or

A series connection of two pairs of parallel-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω/2=2Ω; 2Ω+2Ω=4Ω)

 

[Phaidrus]

Either of two methods - both referred to as 'series/parallel':

A parallel connection of two pairs of series-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω+4Ω=8Ω; 8Ω/2=4Ω)

Or

A series connection of two pairs of parallel-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω/2=2Ω; 2Ω+2Ω=4Ω)

Gracias

 

[Redbrangus]

De nada.

 

[Stewie]

My Ampeg 410 had 4 32 ohm speakers, all wired in parallel. Thus an 8 Ohm cabinet, but so dang heavy that it is thankfully, long gone.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Either of two methods - both referred to as 'series/parallel':

A parallel connection of two pairs of series-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω+4Ω=8Ω; 8Ω/2=4Ω)

Or

A series connection of two pairs of parallel-connected 4-ohm drivers (4Ω/2=2Ω; 2Ω+2Ω=4Ω)

or four 16 ohm speaker connected in parallel is 4 ohms.

 

[Redbrangus]

Oh yeah. The easy way.

 

[vvvmmm]

My Ampeg 410 had 4 32 ohm speakers, all wired in parallel. Thus an 8 Ohm cabinet, but so dang heavy that it is thankfully, long gone.

Yeah, but if ya loaded two of them and then connected 'em in parallel ...

... you could easily get a double hernia first.

 

[themickster]

Dear fellow TBers, is it possible to convert a 2x12 Markbass New York 122 4Ohm cab to 8Ohm?
If so, how? Perhaps by wiring it differently? Thanks in advance for your input.

Edit: Just called Markbass and have been informed that such conversion would require new drivers.

You could get your drivers wound at 8 ohms, but selling what you have and buying an 8 ohm would be less hassle.

 

[agedhorse]

You could get your drivers wound at 8 ohms, but selling what you have and buying an 8 ohm would be less hassle.

This would involve reconing the drivers (provided the factory parts are available). Probably more cost than it's worth.

 

[Phaidrus]

So I sold my trusty 4Ohm 2x12 cab today (the buyer may change the drivers and convert it to 8Ohm) and ordered the 4Ohm Markbass Standard 104HR. Looking froward to it, if only because I have no cab to play till it arrives, most probably at the beginning of next week. Never had a 4x10 before, neither have I ever had a cab with such potent low end. See what happens!

 

[themickster]

This would involve reconing the drivers (provided the factory parts are available). Probably more cost than it's worth.

That's what I was thinking

 

[GreyBeard]

Sounds like it has a pr of 8ohm speakers wired in parallel. Your only other option would be to rewire them in series which would make 16 ohms. No option for 8 ohms