Hey Acme owners!

I think you'd need 1200 W for the B4W alone! Seriously, the Acmes love power. My experience is that 500 W for a B-2 is a good place to start. Fortunately, big power amps are cheap.

I may add a B-4W to my pair of Low B-2s some day. But I have enough power to do justice to that setup, even with my "B" rack.

BTW, I asked Andy Lewis of Acme if he would consider building a 2 ohm B-4W, and he said he would, but only for the subwoofer model.

 

I've got a regular Low B-4 (4 ohm) and I'm pushing it with a Peavey DPC 1400X (1400 watts @ 4ohms bridged). This thing moves more air then my previous set-up with two 10's and an 18 (400x400 watts bi-amped)!!! I think you might be pleasently surprised by just ONE Acme cabinet. If you've got the dough I would get a regular Low B-4 (8ohm) and mate it with a Low B-2W (8ohm)[a 4ohm load combined]. You would need about 1500-2000 watts of power but this would be one SWEEEEEEEEEET rig!!!!!

 

I come from a different school of thought, but it's just me. If you do have an Acme cabinet(either B2 or B4) just one will really do! There's something about having the least amount to lug around and the maxium kick butt sound to turn people's heads. I played in some clubs in NYC that hold anywhere from 150 to 300 using a B2 and had no problems. Actually people were surprised that such a small cabinet can compete with 8X10 SVT's with a rig that barely comes to my waist. The only real drawback is they need so much power. I use a Stewart World 1.2 bridged (1200 watts) and I figure I use maybe 600 watts of it(gain on amp about 10 o'clock)and the sound is; lets say...sweet!
You just have to hear them to believe them...

 

Maybe you should start with the B4. It's a stand-alone cab (the B4W is not), and might be all you need. You already have enough power for it.

Besides, with the B4's mid and tweeter attenuated (or the lamp/fuse removed), it's essentially a B4W. Best of both worlds. More versatile. More expensive, though.

Like Chucko, I'm using two B2s. One just isn't loud enough for me, so you're on the right track with the B4(W) if you gotta be LOUD. And the B4(W) should be easier (than a B2) to match, volume-wise, with a "high-range" cab if you felt you needed to add on.

If you get a B4 or B4W, I don't think you'd need a B2. You'd already have the lows covered, and a single B2 probably wouldn't add enough mids/highs to keep up with it's big brother.

 

I would recommend going with two B-2's (8 ohm each): easier to tote & more versatile (just take what you need-one cab for smaller gigs/two for larger).

Also recommend getting a versatile preamp to get the most tones out of the cabs (maybe an Ampeg SVP-Pro).

P.S. This type setup is going to sound way different than your redhead.

 

EXACTLY!

I was going to pontificate about the 8ohm B2 pair, but cost-wise it's up there in Accugroove territory. And Chris seemed pretty set on the 410.

A pair of B2s also gives you an "extra" midrange speaker & tweeter, which somewhat offsets the alleged lack of mids/highs that some have reported with a single Acme cab.

 

i LOVE Acme cabs!

but like the other guys said, just get the B-4, and you'd be more than happy.

yet, i'd get the full range cab, cause it'd MORE than suffice any gig by itself. for now, you could just run the preamp out of the SWR Redhead, and into the 1200 watt power amp, and into the B-4 cab.

also, its one of the lighter 4x10's out there, before there was an "ultralight" series. 78 lbs. is very nice compared to the usual 98-100 lbs. 4x10's usually weigh in at.

 

I'm sorry but I could never buy anything made by Acme. Look at all the defective products they sold to Wile E. Coyote. He never did catch that Road Runner, no matter what he bought! Plus, they always seemed to failright when he needed them the most! No sir, no Acme products for me....