Speaker for GK800RB.............I'm utilizing just the 300w 4ohm channel......any suggestions on the best 4ohm 15" speaker to get some growl & puch out of this great amp? For larger gigs I've been using a GK 4x10 NEO 8ohm cabinet along with an 8ohm 15" cabinet bringing it down to 4ohms. It sounds awesome, just a pain to haul around. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Speaker for GK800RB
- Thread starter william snyder
- Start date
If you have to get a 4 ohm cabinet, I would get one with two drivers. Either a 2x12 or 2x15. Barefaced, Mesa, Bergantino.
The issue with getting a single 4 ohm speaker is power handling and sensitivity. A 4 ohm speaker is generally less sensitive than an 8 ohm speaker, meaning you need more power to make it as loud as a single 8 ohm speaker...negating the extra power that you are delivering to the cab which it can't handle anyway.
'Trying to get the most power' out of an amp is not always the best solution. It worked fine for you before because you were dividing the power between 5 speakers.
The issue with getting a single 4 ohm speaker is power handling and sensitivity. A 4 ohm speaker is generally less sensitive than an 8 ohm speaker, meaning you need more power to make it as loud as a single 8 ohm speaker...negating the extra power that you are delivering to the cab which it can't handle anyway.
'Trying to get the most power' out of an amp is not always the best solution. It worked fine for you before because you were dividing the power between 5 speakers.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,047
- 5
- 221,002
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Most 4 ohm single driver cabinets suffer from lower sensitivity which more or less offsets any gains you get with the additional power.
The improvement you are experiencing by adding a second 8 ohm cabinet is three-fold... doubling the speakers adds about 3dB, plus the 3dB gain that you get by almost doubling the power. There is also a small shift downward of the low frequency cutoff, and getting the cabinet closer to year ears is another benefit.
What you might look at is a 4 ohm 212 (each individual driver will be 8 ohms), which will be smaller than the combination, but retain most of the net benefits of the 4 ohm total load.
The improvement you are experiencing by adding a second 8 ohm cabinet is three-fold... doubling the speakers adds about 3dB, plus the 3dB gain that you get by almost doubling the power. There is also a small shift downward of the low frequency cutoff, and getting the cabinet closer to year ears is another benefit.
What you might look at is a 4 ohm 212 (each individual driver will be 8 ohms), which will be smaller than the combination, but retain most of the net benefits of the 4 ohm total load.
I think @agedhorse and I replied at the exact same time. Great minds and all that 
What about a Carvin BRX10.2? Specs. say 4 ohms 300 watts 35-18khz & 101db sensitivity (is that SPL?) With those specs it looks pretty impressive.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,047
- 5
- 221,002
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Maybe, but buying used you need to be sure everything is working because replacement parts are no longer available.
Maybe, it depends on the cabinet.
You would be far ahead finding a good used cabinet however, you can't build a (good) cabinet for the cost of a typical (good) used cabinet.
I often run my RB 400 into the Mesa SW 115. More often two of them. Either way, if a 15” is your goal, this cab scores.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,047
- 5
- 221,002
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
