Fred Leicester Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 I've done a number of google searches and the like, but can't find a definitive answer to this... wondered if you guys could help? I have an Ashdown ABM500 Evo III and 2 Hartke 4.5XL cabinets. I've always run a speaker cable from each speaker output to each cabinet individually (I believe this is "series"??), but happened to have a look in the Hartke manual which shows the speakers running in 'parallel' - running only one speaker cable from the amp to the 1st cabinet, then running the second speaker cable from the first cabinet to the second (hope that makes sense). It's confused me a bit - I'm no expert on ohms/impedence and the like, haven't had any noticeable problems running in "series" (I presume that's what I'm currently doing), but I don't know if there's an advantage to running either with my set up? Appreciate any help/guidance - I don't really get what the difference means in real terms....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 AFAIK there is no difference in real terms. Your amp is still 'seeing' the same resistance connected either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 (edited) 99% of the time cabs are connected in parallel. Where a cab has two sockets these will connected in parallel, ditto for multiple amplifier outputs (assuming a mono amp). Hence there is no practical difference between running a separate cable to each cab vs daisy chaining them. Edited December 12, 2013 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386881313' post='2306000'] AFAIK there is no difference in real terms. Your amp is still 'seeing' the same resistance connected either way. [/quote] Which is the speakers in parallel. That's how it is normally done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Leicester Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 That's great, thanks all. Just wanted to see if it made a difference either way, such as unleashing an additional 500w from the amp or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 More info here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224282-markbass-cab-parallel-speakon-inputs/page__view__findpost__p__2301827 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Leicester Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1386882011' post='2306020'] More info here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224282-markbass-cab-parallel-speakon-inputs/page__view__findpost__p__2301827"]http://basschat.co.u...ost__p__2301827[/url] [/quote] Cheers flyfisher, I'll give that a read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 It makes no difference: either each cab connected to a separate socket on the back of the amp, OR one socket connected to the first cab which is then daisy chained to the second cab, both scenarios are running the speakers in parallel and thus presenting a total load of 4 Ohmiums to the amp (assuming each cab is 8 Ohms). To run the cabs in series requires a special cable or connection box, and is very rare in the wild, and only of use if you have multiple cabs which would present an unsuitably low load when connected in parallel - for example two 4 Ohm cabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 [quote name='Fred Leicester' timestamp='1386881793' post='2306016'] Just wanted to see if it made a difference either way, such as unleashing an additional 500w from the amp or something [/quote] Wishful thinking, I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Only real difference as I see it is if with each speaker connected to the amp itself, one lead goes kaput, the other speaker carries on, but if they`re daisy chained and the lead from amp to speaker goes, you get no sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1386889491' post='2306216'] Only real difference as I see it is if with each speaker connected to the amp itself, one lead goes kaput, the other speaker carries on, but if they`re daisy chained and the lead from amp to speaker goes, you get no sound. [/quote] Although if you're using a valve amp I'd prefer to get no sound rather than carry on with a the higher impedance of a single cab. The amp's output transformer isn't going to like that one bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1386890017' post='2306224'] Although if you're using a valve amp I'd prefer to get no sound rather than carry on with a the higher impedance of a single cab. The amp's output transformer isn't going to like that one bit. [/quote] I think I'd take the opposite approach here. I'd prefer (for the short time it'd take to realise...) one cab (partial, albeit too high impedance...) rather than an out-and-out open circuit. No load at all will cause much more damage, faster, than half the cabs connected (depending on a few other factors, I'll grant...). I'd prefer separate cables. Subject to correction, completion or contradiction from others... Edited December 12, 2013 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.