I have a gk 1001rb but I also have a 4ohm avatar and this head only goes down to 4ohm max. So if I want to add another cab or two what is the cheapest way to do so?
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How can I get my amp down to 2 ohms?
- Thread starter waytoodeep03
- Start date
Unless the goal is to see fireworks, don't run your amp at 2 ohms. That amp has a MINIMUM impedance of 4 ohms.
You won't fry it.
The amp protection circuits will kick in and the amp will shutdown to protect itself.
If it starts shutting down, turn it down.
The amp protection circuits will kick in and the amp will shutdown to protect itself.
If it starts shutting down, turn it down.
Cheapest way to add a cab is to build a "serial box" that will combine two 4-ohm cabinets in series for an 8-ohm load. Wattage from the amp will decrease but SPL from the two cabs will probably be greater than just one with more watts. If you have a soldering iron and a drill, you can build a serial box for about $10. RadioShack sells plastic project boxes for well under $5, and three 1/4-inch jacks plus some wire will complete the job.
It's really not quite that simple. Using cabinets with built in crossovers in series can lead to weird and wonderful cancellations. It's even worse with dissimilar cabinets.
Paul
Paul
To do what you want the simplest way is to get yourself a stereo power amp and use it as a slave from the GK.
Paul
Paul
How would you connect the power amp to the GK? Rather, run the GK as a preamp to the stereo power amp? Would this still get you the coloring of the GK?
if the gk has a line out that would do it as an in to a poweramp. Most effects send outs are post eq (some like alembic and eden are pre eq and really don't sound much like the amp at all). You can use the post eq effects send as a line out to a poweramp as well.
Most DI outs don't have the juice to run a line out to a poweramp, some do with the pad dimed.
Otherwise, do what they said and go with 8 ohm cabs, or get yerself a 2 ohms stable head. Do a search there are some lists of them on TB.
Most DI outs don't have the juice to run a line out to a poweramp, some do with the pad dimed.
Otherwise, do what they said and go with 8 ohm cabs, or get yerself a 2 ohms stable head. Do a search there are some lists of them on TB.
Sell your four ohm, get two 8 ohms. Avatar a 2x12 in 8 ohms I'm pretty sure.
Or get an amp that goes to two ohms, like a genz benz (600 for sure, but I bet there other ones do it too.)
Or get an amp that goes to two ohms, like a genz benz (600 for sure, but I bet there other ones do it too.)
- Feb 12, 2006
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Protection circuits on any amp are not foolproof, otherwise there would bo no blown amps which of course is not the case. I would not recommend this to anyone to "try" because some amps will fail out of the very nature of overloading this way.
Could you explain that, Paul? I've only used my serial box with single driver cabinets so I didn't encounter this issue, but I'd like to know what would happen if I used cabs with crossovers in them. Thanks for any enlightenment.
You can run a slave amp off the G-K's effects send, and yes - it will get the G-K's preamp into the slave amp...
- georgestrings
I would agree with everyone who has given the option of a separate power amp. You will still get the GK tone because almost all of it is coming from the preamp. I know all power amps have some effect on the tone but you should be fine with any solid state power amp. Running the effects send from your GK head is the best way to get a direct preamp signal to a power amp. Think effects send= preamp out and effects return=power amp in.
I say sell the cab and buy 2 8 ohm cabs. Don't carry an extra power amp.
You can sell one cab and buy 2 cabs.
or you can a cab and a power amp.
or wire the 4 ohm cab into a 16 ohm cab and buy 2 4 ohm cabs and do the same thing.
Or get a DI box and play into the PA.
Or get an active PA speaker and ad it to the rig.
Or /////
You can sell one cab and buy 2 cabs.
or you can a cab and a power amp.
or wire the 4 ohm cab into a 16 ohm cab and buy 2 4 ohm cabs and do the same thing.
Or get a DI box and play into the PA.
Or get an active PA speaker and ad it to the rig.
Or /////
Let me try for you? When you series wire two 4ohm cabs with built in crossovers the total load is 8ohms at each crossover. When two 4 ohm cabs are wired in parallel the load at each crossover 4 ohms (the drivers in the cabs are not wired in series and not dependent on each other to complete the circuit). The shift in crossover point from 4ohm to 8ohm is notable as the values of the caps and inductors have not been changed to compensate for the change in impedance. Each driver can react slightly different to frquency changes, alone not notable but combine the variance of two drivers and the changes are not as tightly controlled. There is more but I am just speaking to the effect on a crossover network.
