expand TC electronic rig

[viciousvit]

Hiyaa, I have been using this site for years, and it has always answered all of my questions, except one. I have a Tc electronic bg250-115. I have been wondering, is it possible to hook up a tc electronic 2x10 cabinet through the xlr out with a xlr to 1/4 speaker cable? I believe they're both 4 ohms/

 

[synterx]

Nope.

 

[Scottkarch]

No. The XLR out is a low power line level out made for sending a signal to a mixing board for recording or through a PA. By design it's a trickle of power.. closer to what comes out of your bass than what comes out of a speaker output. That amplifier has 1 4 ohm speaker in it with no way to add another. common with many combo amps.

Your options are really getting a second amp, splitting your bass signal and running through two separate amps, or possibly getting a second amp and running that XLR out into the input of a second amp... I don't recommend either because of complexity. It sound like you either need to get a combo that has a second speaker output, or sell that and get a separate amp and either one bigger cab, or two cabinets. I have one of the first gen 115s and find it quite loud. I'm often told to turn down so they can have more control through the PA.

 

[pica]

I'm looking at getting a 115. Does the 115 have a second speaker output, or doesn't it need it?

 

[Scottkarch]

I'm looking at getting a 115. Does the 115 have a second speaker output, or doesn't it need it?

The BG250 115 does not have speaker output for an external cab. The only BG250 with an external speaker output is the 208. As far as need? I find it pretty loud. I have a pretty loud drummer and I never have problems playing loud enough. Middle aged classic rock cover band. PA support at all but the smallest spaces and the DI out gets you out through the PA well.

The only thing I added recently was a stand to lift and kick back the amp and I can hear myself better.

I do wish more combos had external speaker outputs. It's partly so the amp you sell can run at full power.. Since the only usual way to allow for an external speaker jack is to sell the amp with a higher impedance speaker. Most people do not add external cabinets, so most people will be spending money on an amp that they are not getting the full power out of unless they add an extra cabinet.. part of is is probably to push people towards head/cab units where they get to make a profit on both units.. My hunch is that combos offer less profit than separate units.. so part of it is money..
Varying amounts of those things if what I'm guessing.

But to answer your question again. No The BG250 115 does not have an external speaker output and I find it plenty loud for practice and all my gigs. ( small bars with no PA and large bars with PA support )

 

[drpepper]

...Since the only usual way to allow for an external speaker jack is to sell the amp with a higher impedance speaker. Most people do not add external cabinets, so most people will be spending money on an amp that they are not getting the full power out of unless they add an extra cabinet.

I think that's one of the more interesting parts of this question of extension cab support, but I really like to know what percentage of all combo buyers (with models that support an ext cab) actually go on to add an extension cabinet.

I assume that the great majority do not, and if that's true, it makes a lot of sense, from a manufacturer's perspective, to make the design decision to go without.

Personally, I can't imagine deciding to buy a combo with the fully intention of adding an extension cab...I'd go with separates.