Connect 2 speaker cables from 1 HEAD to 1 CAB?

[Jesús David]

Hello!

I have a question regarding my PF500 head and my PF210 cabinet.

I always run my setup like the standard "connect one single 1/4 speaker cable from the HEAD to the CABINET".

The PF210 CAB has 2 inputs, and the PF500 HEAD has 2 outputs.
Would it be possible to connect 2 speaker cables into the 2 inputs of the cabinet in order to obtain more volume?

Would this damage either the cab or the head?

HEAD: 300w @ 8ohm, 500w @ 4ohm
CABINET: 400w @ 8ohm

Thanks!

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Hello!

I have a question regarding my PF500 head and my PF210 cabinet.

I always run my setup like the standard "connect one single 1/4 speaker cable from the HEAD to the CABINET".

The PF210 CAB has 2 inputs, and the PF500 HEAD has 2 outputs.
Would it be possible to connect 2 speaker cables into the 2 inputs of the cabinet in order to obtain more volume?

Would this damage either the cab or the head?

HEAD: 300w @ 8ohm, 500w @ 4ohm
CABINET: 400w @ 8ohm

Thanks!

If I understand, you want to connect one amp output to one speaker input?
And you want to connect the second amp output to the second speaker input?
And this is all using just the one amp and the one cab?
Then NO! It won't hurt anything *NORMALLY but it also will not do anything different than if you used just one cable from the amp to the cab.
The two amp outputs are wired in parallel and so are the two speaker inputs.
*The DANGER in doing this is if one of the cables was wired backwards from the other, you would short your amp's output. You'd get no sound and may damage the amp.

 

[Jesús David]

If I understand, you want to connect one amp output to one speaker input?
And you want to connect the second amp output to the second speaker input?
And this is all using just the one amp and the one cab?
Then NO! It won't hurt anything *NORMALLY but it also will not do anything different than if you used just one cable from the amp to the cab.
The two amp outputs are wired in parallel and so are the two speaker inputs.
*The DANGER in doing this is if one of the cables was wired backwards from the other, you would short your amp's output. You'd get no sound and may damage the amp.

Yes this is exactly what I mean. Great reply! Thanks!

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Yes this is exactly what I mean. Great reply! Thanks!

Thanks. I should have further illustrated by saying:
There are two amp outputs so you can feed two cabs.
There are two speaker inputs so you could feed two cabs if your amp only had one output.
In that case, you wire amp to cab 1 and then link from cab 1's second Jack to cab 2.
Regardless it is all wired in parallel no natter how you string the cables.
If you want more volume you can add a second cab (being sure both cabs are 8 ohms each) this will allow your amp to supply it's full power output (500 w @ 4 Ohms / 250 to each cab) and will also give you more volume due to the added speakers.

 

[JMacBass65]

Go ahead and try it and report back to us.

Yeah - actually, don't do that. Bad things will happen. I'm sure smarter people than me can chime in hear and say what those things are and why.

But, just don't do it.

 

[BadExample]

There would be no advantage. The 2nd amp output and the 2nd connector on the cab are both there for the same reason. They are for adding an additional cab in parallel/daisy chain. Even for daisy chain, you should read and understand the manual or ask before doing it or even before buying an additional cab for this purpose.

 

[lz4005]

Yeah - actually, don't do that. Bad things will happen.

OGB is right.

99% of the time nothing will happen. It will be exactly the same as using one cable.

1% of the time you'll fry your amp.

 

[DavC]

it is a waste of a good speaker cable ...

plus ... most amp manuals have pictures of proper possible hook-ups ...

this would only begin to work if each speaker was only wired to 1 jack on the cab ... but that would open up another can of worms regarding individual speaker ohms ratings versus the amp's ohm minimum rating ..??

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

it is a waste of a good speaker cable ...

You are correct sir!

That being said, and only under some extremely weird circumstances, would two cables between one (non-bi-amp) head and one cab be needed.

-edit- between one... cab, not one cable. Dang spell fixers.

Let's suppose your normal speaker cable failed, and you didn't have a spare.
And we all know that neither of these things could happen at the same time... yeah right!
But suppose it did and the only spare cables you had were instrument cables. You know, bass to amp cables.
The cable used to connect speakers to amps is of a larger gauge (bigger, fatter, larger diameter in each conductor).
Instrument cable, in order to be more flexible, and because it carries virtually no power uses smaller size conductors.
When you put two identical cables in parallel, you double the current (and power handling) capability.
If two instrument cables in parallel allowed for the proper handling of amp power, then that would get you by in an emergency while the roadie heads out in search of something more suitable.
WARNING - Professional technician on closed coursed. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

 

[pbass74]

Hello!

I have a question regarding my PF500 head and my PF210 cabinet.

I always run my setup like the standard "connect one single 1/4 speaker cable from the HEAD to the CABINET".

The PF210 CAB has 2 inputs, and the PF500 HEAD has 2 outputs.
Would it be possible to connect 2 speaker cables into the 2 inputs of the cabinet in order to obtain more volume?

Would this damage either the cab or the head?

HEAD: 300w @ 8ohm, 500w @ 4ohm
CABINET: 400w @ 8ohm

Thanks!

You are smart man! Always ask before trying something like this since the results could be costly. You got some very helpful answers.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

You are smart man! Always ask before trying something like this since the results could be costly. You got some very helpful answers.

Yes! Very smart. He must have stayed at the right motel last night?

-edit- AAAKKK! My idiot spell checker changed right to fight in the above.
Fight Motel? The only rule of Fight Motel is to not stay at Fight Motel.

 

[ddnidd1]

It will accomplish absolutely nothing other than a waste of cable, as has been stated.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Speaking of hotel references.

 

[BassmanPaul]

My rules are that you use one speaker cable per cabinet and use SpeakOns exclusively.

 

[BadExample]

No reason not to follow Cur Paul's rule even with both outputs plugged and adding a 3rd or 4th cab. Speakons are just too easy to work with.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Hello!

I have a question regarding my PF500 head and my PF210 cabinet.

I always run my setup like the standard "connect one single 1/4 speaker cable from the HEAD to the CABINET".

The PF210 CAB has 2 inputs, and the PF500 HEAD has 2 outputs.
Would it be possible to connect 2 speaker cables into the 2 inputs of the cabinet in order to obtain more volume?

Would this damage either the cab or the head?

HEAD: 300w @ 8ohm, 500w @ 4ohm
CABINET: 400w @ 8ohm

Thanks!

With some amps, especially dual power block amps where different power sections are feeding separate channels you can really damage your amp if you do this. Your Ampeg is a single power block amp and the manual tells you how to hook up additional cabinets with them, but mentions nothing about running two cables into one cab. Doing so will either do nothing at all, since it won't change the ohms load the amp sees, or it may ruin you amp. it's not going to make you louder or deliver more power to the one cabinet. To be safe, don't do it.!

If you really want to give it a try, contact an Ampeg tech first or at least try their customer service department.

 

[Jesús David]

To everyone who answered, thanks!! This is my very first thread, and I literally thought no one was gonna answer my question. Haha! I'll play it safe, besides I'm more than happy with the volume I'm getting from my rig. Thanks again!

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

To everyone who answered, thanks!! This is my very first thread, and I literally thought no one was gonna answer my question. Haha! I'll play it safe, besides I'm more than happy with the volume I'm getting from my rig. Thanks again!

Hey! We're glad you stopped by. Welcome. Check in any time.
And for one final motel reference, We'll leave the light on for you.

 

[abarson]

I was going to do a RTFM on you, but after reading it I can understand why it might be poorly worded. Other vendors do a better job of documentation, illustrating the speaker wiring combinations supported. But as a rule of thumb, there should never be more than one cable between the head and a cabinet, regardless of make and model. The PF series supports connecting two separate cabinets, or you could daisy chain them, depending on total load.

 

[BadExample]

To everyone who answered, thanks!! This is my very first thread, and I literally thought no one was gonna answer my question. Haha! I'll play it safe, besides I'm more than happy with the volume I'm getting from my rig. Thanks again!

Welcome to TB Jesús! I guess it should be welcome to thread starting Usually the problem isn't no answer; it's pages and pages of answers and you end up in the TB self-help/support group for a few months of therapy! And it's not a trivial question, certainly one best asked before trying something with cabling on the high power side of your amp! TB is full of people willing to help anyone at any level, even me! The bad example!