Technical Help

[thetyronechang]

Quick synopsis: I have a Yamaha BBT500H rated 500w @ 2 ohms with a bridged 2 channel output. I also had a 4x10 cab rated at 8 ohms. I have rewired my cab in a fashion as if it were 2 seperate 2x10 cabs each rated at 4 ohms with 2 seperate input jacks, 1 for the top 2x10 and 1 for the bottom 2x0, thusly allow me to run a 2x10 cab at 4 omhs or a 4x10 stack at 2 ohms.

Question: Does anyone for see a legitimate problem with this config? I have heard the old "Never run 2 ohms because the world will cease to exist" speech, but why even make 2 ohm equip if you are never supposed to us it in the proper manner???

 

[BillyB_from_LZ]

You should be fine!

If the amp is rated for 2 ohm operation and you attach two 4 ohm loads in parallel, you should be OK. You'll get maximum power out of your amp that way anyway.

It might be an interesting exercise for you to put together a series connecting cable and compare the 8 ohm to 2 ohm configurations, noting differences in volume, tone, settings, etc.

If nothing really changes, I'd stick with 8 ohms since the power amp should run a bit cooler.

Have fun!!!

 

[thetyronechang]

Yeah that would be a cool little experiment. I'll do that and post it on here for the masses. I hope it does make a difference, because other wise I wasted a lot of time planning & rewiring.

 

[permagrin]

I have an old Carvin 410 where I wired it the same as you, as two 4-ohm 210s in a single box. I did this solely to match with my even older Fender BXR400 amp, which is actually two amps in one box (and not bridge-able). No problems, no worries.

I also have an Eden 210MBX that I have wired a switch into so that it can operate at either 2 or 8 ohms. With my Eden WT330 (about 180W at 8 ohms, 420W at 2 ohms) the 2-ohm configuration sounds noticably louder (more powerful would be a better description) and I do not notice a significant change in tone, nor a more compressed sound (although the manufacturer states the possibility). Different pieces of gear will of course behave differently, Eden amps have sufficient margin to operate well at 2 ohms. You might want to check with Yamaha to see if they recommend not running the amp at 2 ohms on a regular basis, but I would assume you should be fine if it's spec'd at 2 ohms.

On paper I think this only gets me an extra 4dB, and many would say that hardly buys you any more volume, I have found that being able to drive the cab at 2 ohms saved me from buying (and more importanlty having to haul around) another cab, keeping my small rig small but having the headroom to handle a greater variety of situations.

 

[Lowtonejoe]

...snip...

I also have an Eden 210MBX that I have wired a switch into so that it can operate at either 2 or 8 ohms. With my Eden WT330 (about 180W at 8 ohms, 420W at 2 ohms) the 2-ohm configuration sounds noticably louder (more powerful would be a better description) and I do not notice a significant change in tone, nor a more compressed sound (although the manufacturer states the possibility).

...snip...

On paper I think this only gets me an extra 4dB, and many would say that hardly buys you any more volume, I have found that being able to drive the cab at 2 ohms saved me from buying (and more importanlty having to haul around) another cab, keeping my small rig small but having the headroom to handle a greater variety of situations.

Nifty solution!



Joe.

 

[thetyronechang]

Thanks for all the help guys. I know that I was right on paper but it just feels better to hear from people who have done it.

And by the way Yamaha reccomnds that you run bridged 4 ohm cabs at 2 ohms. So I am following manufacturer spec.