Super modular.
//nobody suggested individual amp heads for each 1x12 cab.
//nobody suggested individual amp heads for each 1x12 cab.
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How to power 3 cabinets
- Thread starter FenderMeBass
- Start date
Since, each individual cabinet had a tweeter, and a midrange horn when you stacked them either vertically or horizontally and upped the volume they would feed back.
The VL 208 had two 8's combined with a tweeter and midrange horn. it did not feedback and would go much louder. It may have had more to do with the design of the cabinets (Transmission Line) than the tweeters or mid drivers, but it didn't work well.
The venerable and not really too heavy gk 800RB - run full range - will send an equal amount of power to all three 8ohm cabs. I've long wanted to do this with Bag End 15"s but sold my 800 off
Genzler seems to have this design perfected, so I would certainly think that it's worth demoing their system.
I'm planning to use a nice little 3-12 stack system in the near future, and this is my class-d amp choice
Mesa/Boogie Subway TT-800 Lightweight 800-watt Bass Head
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,096
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- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Doesn't make sense.
4 ohm minimum load.
probably not in my lifetime
I agree! Having been a fan of the "line array" philosophy in my backline setups for the last 22 years, I think the Genzler Bass Array is the perfected culmination of all previous designs.
From a stage monitor perspective I doubt needing more than 2 unless the band is VERY loud and you do not have FOH support.
I run 3 Aguilar SL112 with an Aguilar AG700 head and love the sound. As you said, it is a super modular setup.
I run a 3x12 vertical stack as well. For me it's less about volume but more about heft and presence. I turn the horn off completely on the bottom cab and let BA 12-3 carry the high end. It gets me where I want to be and it don't hurt that it looks cool. 
You can do this using a stereo power amp with two 8 ohm cabs on one side and one 4 or 8 ohm cab the other side. Older (Lead Sleds) power amps are available and cheap. You may even be able to use you current head as a preamp.
That said, I use two 210 cabs that will handle about 300 watts a piece with an 11 piece band. It is totally overkill unless we are outside. The only reason for the second cab is I don't like to run my speaker cabs at max capacity for two reasons. They tend to sound, harsh the closer I get to the maximum, and secondly, I can't get replacement drivers and by now re-cone kits are probably as scarce as hens teeth.
B
- Apr 20, 2009
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Just FYI, you don't need to connect all three cabinets to the head, you can daisy chain the Aguilar 1-12s by connecting the first one to the head, then connect the first cabinet to the second, and then the second to the third. Electrically, it's the same.
The WD800 is most like the Walkabout.
The first thing you need to know is the minimum impedance the amp is rated for. Most modern bass amps are safe to 4 ohms. Some are rated down to 2.67ohms and others all the way down to 2 ohms.
Next you need to figure out the load you get by running the desired amount of cabs in parallel.
How to figure out parallel impedance? Assuming each cab is the same impedance, divide the impedance by the number of cabs.
Assuming 8 ohm cabs:
One cab = 8/1= 8 ohms
Two cabs = 8/2 = 4 ohms
Three cabs = 8/3 = 2.67 ohms
Four cabs = 8/4 = 2 ohms
Two cabs = 8/2 = 4 ohms
Three cabs = 8/3 = 2.67 ohms
Four cabs = 8/4 = 2 ohms
Assuming 4 ohm cabs:
One cab = 4/1 = 4 ohms
Two cabs = 4/2 = 2 ohms
Three cabs = 4/3 = 1.33 ohms
Four cabs = 4/4 = 1 ohm
Two cabs = 4/2 = 2 ohms
Three cabs = 4/3 = 1.33 ohms
Four cabs = 4/4 = 1 ohm
I don't know of any bass amps that go below 2 ohms. But there are professional power amps that are stable to 1 ohm.
If you are running a tube amp, it's generally best if the impedance is exactly what the amp expects. Some older tube amps have only one output tap that expects a certain impedance.
Some tube amps have multiple output taps, for example 8, 4, and 2 ohms. So if you have 8 ohm cabs you could run 1, 2, or 4 cabs and the amp would still see the expected load.
Most tube amps are safe with a small impedance mismatch, but some are safer when the impedance is higher than expected, while others are safer when the impedance is lower than expected.
Before running an impedance mismatch, such as 2.67 ohms, consult the manufacturer. The idea is to confirm the amp is safe with the planned mismatch, and also to determine which tap should be used. In other words would it be better to connect the 2.67 ohm load to the 4 ohm output or the 2 ohm output?
Keep in mind, running a impedance mismatch on a tube amp reduces power and causes more wear on the tubes and other components in the amp.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,096
- 5
- 221,236
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
That's not what he is trying to do. GK's biampable amps were 50 watts on the HF channel.
There are some amps that have DUAL power amps, if that's what you mean?
The older RB series amps were a bit different. The 800RB has one power amp that pushes 300W at 4 ohm and one power amp that pushes 100W at 8 ohms. Pretty sure you can run both amps full range.
A word of warning. The 100W amp will not last very long with a 4 ohm load
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