• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

More Watts vs More Speakers

You really have an idealized setup right now, if you add a 2 X 10
with your 4 X 10 wired series parallel for 8 ohms you are creating
imbalance in output between the drivers in order to match an acceptable load for your amp, not good!
perhaps you need to build a four by 12 out of some Eminence neos all vertically aligned and beautifully tuned to ports. The expertise round here will sort you out a cab design in no time.
Or just copy someone's 1 X 12 design 4 times as high.
Or two 2 X 12's:bassist:
Or do a swap for 6 or even 8 sixteen ohm ten inch drivers.
:ninja:
 
I don't think thats that big of a deal. People have been doing it forever with 410+115 rigs.

True, but 'that's the way we've always done it' is hardly a compelling reason to do so. The combination of a 2x10 and 4x10 is a good one, but only if the impedances are properly matched so that each ten receives the same power input.
 
No matter how many speakers you have, you want to HIT THEM at the correct power level to whomp them good and make the sound you are looking to get.

This takes a power level for me just below the the point the Speakers fart out, over heat or burst into flames. SO basically its Foot to the floor and vary the speed with the brakes.

When I want to be weaker, I turn power amps off... The speakers always get hit the same.

Have fun, BOB
 
Dude, I just checked out your profile. You have a few really nice pieces of gear, but you have a TON of mid-grade stuff. Sell off some of that stuff and get one really nice head and two really nice cabs that work together. I don't even know where you KEEP all the stuff you have now. Or you could just put soem Eminence Kappa Pro 10's in your 4-10 and never have to worry about volume again....EVER. Good luck!
 
Ah, yeah... I haven't kept up my profile mess in a while! Most of that has been moved along for one reason- either very good or just dumb- for a while now.

I currently have a Yorkville 400BH head, the Avatar, and an SWR Henry the 8x8 which sits at our drummer's shop, not having to be hauled around for gigs. The 8x8 gets powered with an old BGW poweramp and a Sansamp BDDI.

I eventually want to build a fEARful 15/6 cab. I have a nice preamp coming, and will get a good poweramp when I am able. But for now it's the Yorkie and the Avatar 212, front-ended with the Sansamp.

I haven't really used the Yorkville much, and am new to the Avatar 212. Just thought I'd ask.
 
That's just a bunch of malarkey. :rolleyes:

Something to else to consider is that this config may sound a bit unbalanced. If the 4x10 and the 2x10 are both 8-ohms, each speaker in the 2x10 will be getting more watts than each speaker in the 4x10.

For example, your amp puts out 475 watts at 4-ohms...so that's 237.5 watts per cabinet. Each speaker in the 2x10 will get ~119 watts, while each speaker in the 4x10 will only get ~60 watts.

I'm not saying if this will sound good or bad, but something to think about...
 
True, but 'that's the way we've always done it' is hardly a compelling reason to do so. The combination of a 2x10 and 4x10 is a good one, but only if the impedances are properly matched so that each ten receives the same power input.

Hardly compelling. I agree. A lot of bassists blew up their 15" Hartke when paired with the 4x10. This thinking that "15s make lows and 10"s make highs is also to blame when in real world stage monitoring or club use it isn't true.
 
It's spot on. If you're going to use a 2x10 and 4x10 with a good result the 2x10 must be 8 ohms, the 4x10 4 ohms, or the 2x10 16 ohms and the 4x10 8 ohms.


Wait, I thought it would be the other way around... the cab with less speaker area should have the lower impedance, so more power would go to it... so in this case, wouldn't you want the 2x10 to be 4ohms and the 4x10 be 8. :confused:


Part of my setup has one amp hooked to an 8 ohm 4x12, and a 4 ohm 2x15... They are very close to even in volume even though the 2x15 is getting more power.
 
Wait, I thought it would be the other way around... the cab with less speaker area should have the lower impedance, so more power would go to it... so in this case, wouldn't you want the 2x10 to be 4ohms and the 4x10 be 8. :confused:


2x10 @ 4 ohms in parallel with a 4x10 @ 8ohm

Your amp will see a load of 2.67 ohms.
(1/(1/8+1/4)) = ~2.67

Say your amp puts out 400 watts at 2.67 ohms. That means it is capable of sourcing/sinking a current of ~12.23A

P=I^2R
400Watts = I^2*2.67 ohms
I = ~12.23A

2/3 of the current will go through the 4 ohm cab, 1/3 through the 8 ohm cab.

I(4ohm) = .67(12.23)= 8.14A
I(8ohm) = .33(12.23)= 4.07A

The 2x10 will see ~265 watts.
(8.14A)^2 * 4 = ~265W.

That is ~132W/speaker.


The 4x10 will see ~132 watts.
(4.07A)^2 *8 = ~132W

That is ~33W/speaker.
 
Part of my setup has one amp hooked to an 8 ohm 4x12, and a 4 ohm 2x15... They are very close to even in volume even though the 2x15 is getting more power.

Probably different sensitivities because they are different cabinets.

Cabinet A - sensitivity of 97dB/W @ 1 meter.
Cabinet B - sensitivity of 100dB/W @ 1 meter.

Cabinet A will take 2x the power to play at the same volume as Cabinet B.
 

Latest posts