Newb question about bi amping.

[billfitzmaurice]

I was looking at either the Carvin BX1200 or the new 1500. and a 210 that is 4ohm @400w and LATER a 115, 118, or 410.

You're looking at the wrong cabs where bi-amping is concerned. As already pointed out by more than one respondent electric bass 210s are not significantly different in response from electric bass 115s or 118s. That makes bi-amping a wasted effort. So is getting a 4 ohm cab. All things considered a 210 is probably the most versatile cab, so get one 8 ohm 210 now, add another later, and don't waste your money on an amp with bi-amp capability.

 

[tysonh]

You're looking at the wrong cabs where bi-amping is concerned. As already pointed out by more than one respondent electric bass 210s are not significantly different in response from electric bass 115s or 118s. That makes bi-amping a wasted effort. So is getting a 4 ohm cab. All things considered a 210 is probably the most versatile cab, so get one 8 ohm 210 now, add another later, and don't waste your money on an amp with bi-amp capability.

Well, I will pickup a Carvin bx600 and 210 4ohm cab tomorrow from a craigslist run for a lot less then the price of the new bx1500. From there, if I did get another cab I should be in 8 or 4 ohm ? I dont know, at least right now that it really matters it would be the amp running at either 2.6 or 2 ohm right ?


There was a post just this week on about the same subject, but the OP was concerned about the 118 crapping out before the 410, wouldnt this be fixed with an amp with the x over and levels for both channels where it can be adjusted ?

 

[billfitzmaurice]

. From there, if I did get another cab I should be in 8 or 4 ohm ? ?

You have no choice, it must be 4 ohm for both to receive the same power. That means the amp must be 2 ohm rated.

There was a post just this week on about the same subject, but the OP was concerned about the 118 crapping out before the 410, wouldnt this be fixed with an amp with the x over and levels for both channels where it can be adjusted ?

The difference between the response of a 118 and a 410 is so slight that using a crossover and bi-amping them is about as useful as putting a screen door on a submarine. If you want to bi-amp with a 118 you match it with a 2x8 or 2x6. And since no one makes one you'll have to build it yourself.

 

[Sundogue]

While not many bass amps offer the versatility of the Carvin BX1200 or BX1500, I will say (being the owner of a BX1200) that the beauty of that amp is that it matters very little what kind of cabs you use (aside from preference and tonal desires) or the need to worry about ohms.

It has two separate power amps with separate output controls. It also has a built in variable crossover if one feels the need to bi-amp.

Using this head, one can use any combination of full range cabs in any ohm configuration and control the output to each cab separately and without bi-amping. That way one can balance two separate cabs.

I use mine to bi-amp, but I'm using my own 210/6 cab. It makes no sense to bi-amp into full range cabs. The purpose of bi-amping is to split frequencies so that only the lows (below the crossover point) go to a dedicated subwoofer (not a full range cab, no matter how big the speaker) and the mids/highs to a dedicated mid range driver (again, not a full range cab).

If one thinks that a 210 should be for the highs, consider that with my 210/6 cabs the lows go to the 210's (BP102's) and the mids/highs go to the 6" mid driver. A 210 is overkill for mids/highs. A single ten can be overkill.

If you use a head that can go down to 2 ohms then you can use two 4 ohm cabs. If the amp does not allow for separate output controls you are always better off matching the ohms of both cabs.

 

[lbwdog]

Well, I will pickup a Carvin bx600 and 210 4ohm cab tomorrow. From there, if I did get another cab I should be in 8 or 4 ohm ?

Carvin rates the BX 600 to 2 ohms, but I've read that it runs pretty hot there. Another 4 ohm cab will give you 2 ohms, and an 8ohm cab will be 2.67 ohms, but the 8 ohm cab will receive less power than the 4 ohm.

IMHO, a 4 ohm small cab is not the way to go in most cases since it limits the choice of amps and cabs. I use nothing but 8 ohms for this very reason. I can use any size of my cabs for any particular venue, and can combine any of them for festival type gigs.

Also, don't buy into the myth that "I can squeeze all the power out of my amp with a 4 ohm cab". If you have to squeeze more watts, you simply don't have enough amp!

 

[tysonh]

The guy I bought it from today said If you link the cabs together say amp -4ohm cab - 4ohm cab the amp sees a 4 ohm load, true ? IF, I go amp Output one- 4ohm cab and output 2 - 4 ohm cab the amp will see a 2 ohm load ?

He meantioned hes linked together 4 or more cabs but runing cab to cab and the amp was only at 4 ohm ?

 

[Zooberwerx]

The guy I bought it from today said If you link the cabs together say amp -4ohm cab - 4ohm cab the amp sees a 4 ohm load, true ? IF, I go amp Output one- 4ohm cab and output 2 - 4 ohm cab the amp will see a 2 ohm load ?

He meantioned hes linked together 4 or more cabs but runing cab to cab and the amp was only at 4 ohm ?

Negative. Running two 4 ohm cabs in parallel, whether it be via both speaker outputs or daisy-chained, will produce a 2 ohm load..

Riis