Gallien-Krueger 700 plus 2x10 plus 4x10 question

[van_gogh_bass]

Hi Guys - I've never been clear on the whole ohms thing and wanted to ask for advice before hooking up my gear.

I have a GK 700RB head and GK 4x10 cab that I typically hook up with the speakon cable and use this 95% of the time, no worries. I believe the cab is 8 ohm.

I also have a GK backline 2x10 that I bought for smaller gigs to use with the head. I believe this is an 8 ohm cab as well and it uses a 1/4 speaker cable.

I'd like to hook both cabs up to the GK head, essentially giving me a 6x10. Can I safely do this using separate outputs from the back of my amp (a dedicated line to each cabinet from the head - speakon to one, 1/4 to the other)? Or should I "chain" it ( one line from the amp to the 4x10 then to 2x10)?

I just don't want to overload anything - always better to ask. You'd think after 30 years of playing I'd know - I usually just buy a head and cabinet that match and forget about it. But I thought it would be fun to try my gear in a new way. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[B-string]

Either way, no real difference as long as both cabs are 8 ohm. You might not want to use the "Woofer High Cut" but try it both ways.

 

[van_gogh_bass]

Thanks!

 

[basscooker]

also remember you're splitting the signal by the cabs, not the speakers. the 2x10 will get the same power as the 4x10. for example, using a round #, 200 watts out means 100 to each cab. the 2x10 will throw 50 watts at each driver, while the 4x10 will be putting 25 into each. just keep your ears open to what the 2x10 is telling you, if you play loud, and back off a little if you start stressing the 2x10.

 

[BassmanPaul]

I see this as a pointless exercise. If both cabs are 8Ω then the 4x10 will be limited to the output of the 2x10. Around the same volume as the 4x10 by itself.

To mate a 2x10 to a 4x10 successfully, the 2x10 should be twice the impedance of the 4x10. This way each driver in either cabinet will get the same amount of power.

 

[Gearhead17]

The GK Backline 210 paired with the 410RBH (I am assuming the GK 410 is better quality than the backline 210) - seems a bit pointless. They are two different design cabinets and the 410 is not going to get much benefit of the 210 running with it. If they were both RBH cabinets, it would be better, but you would still be limited by the output of the 210 if the ohms are identical.

 

[iualum]

I see this as a pointless exercise. If both cabs are 8Ω then the 4x10 will be limited to the output of the 2x10. Around the same volume as the 4x10 by itself.

To mate a 2x10 to a 4x10 successfully, the 2x10 should be twice the impedance of the 4x10. This way each driver in either cabinet will get the same amount of power.

Yes, exactly right, as many have explained previously . A 210/410, both 8 ohm, is pretty much nonsensical.

 

[ljazz]

I see this as a pointless exercise. If both cabs are 8Ω then the 4x10 will be limited to the output of the 2x10. Around the same volume as the 4x10 by itself.

To mate a 2x10 to a 4x10 successfully, the 2x10 should be twice the impedance of the 4x10. This way each driver in either cabinet will get the same amount of power.

Speaker quality aside, it really isn't pointless. It's still 6 cones moving air, and the amp is now seeing a 4ohm load.

As many GK users have pointed out, running the neo112 and the 212 makes for a mighty loud and killer sounding rig. And without a shred of doubt, it is much louder than running 2x112's.

My fear with the pairing suggested by the OP is that the 210 may not be able to handle it..... but then again, if the OP is already running the cab with the head, it is seeing 320 watts vs. 240 when paired with the 410.

 

[efsimoes]

Hi Guys - I've never been clear on the whole ohms thing and wanted to ask for advice before hooking up my gear.

I have a GK 700RB head and GK 4x10 cab that I typically hook up with the speakon cable and use this 95% of the time, no worries. I believe the cab is 8 ohm.

I also have a GK backline 2x10 that I bought for smaller gigs to use with the head. I believe this is an 8 ohm cab as well and it uses a 1/4 speaker cable.

I'd like to hook both cabs up to the GK head, essentially giving me a 6x10. Can I safely do this using separate outputs from the back of my amp (a dedicated line to each cabinet from the head - speakon to one, 1/4 to the other)? Or should I "chain" it ( one line from the amp to the 4x10 then to 2x10)?

I just don't want to overload anything - always better to ask. You'd think after 30 years of playing I'd know - I usually just buy a head and cabinet that match and forget about it. But I thought it would be fun to try my gear in a new way. Thanks in advance for your help!

I will try to contribute to this thread since I am an electronic engineer. The problem of wiring diferent cabs from the same output is that they have a different impedance vs. Frequecy curve (speakers are not 8 ohms constant).
In practice, this imbalance due to differeces in the impedance curve will act as a filter, where one cab will receive more power in a particular frequency (think of a crossover, but without control of the frequency). I believe it will sound worse than each cab alone (ie.: one cab will speak more lows and the other will speak more highs).
However, if both cabs are rated for that power, chance of damage is negligible. Speakers tend to withstand overloads quite well (but the internal crossover inside the cab may not).
Also, is important to not exceed the amp impedance rating. If your amp is rated 4ohms, then both cabs shall be 8ohms (in parallel - or any combination that results in an impedance higher that 4ohms).

Regards,

EFS