Barefaced 2Ten 12 ohm or 4 ohm - how noticable does it sound?

[sbrag 39]

Essentially what it says in the title. I've read the logic about why it is 12 ohm or 4 ohm for the modular set up and not after a technical answer  but I'm after this very much as a layman.

If you use a single 2Ten how much difference can you actually hear with it set to 12 ohm rather than 4 ohm. 

It is a frugal question based on if I should consider an older 12 ohm model on it's own as they tend to be cheaper.

[Stofferson 206]

Off the top of my head, it would be running a 3rd of the watts based on what it would put out at 4 ohms?

Correct me if i am wrong, i am no expert

say your amp kicks out 200 Watts at 4 ohm minimum, at 12 ohms, its would be around 67 watts.

Probably not noticeable but you'd want to give the speakers more watts to be more efficient?

They have the 12 ohm option on there so you can use multiple cabs for modular set ups.

3 x 12 ohm cabs will run at 4 ohm etc.

 

[scrumpymike 671]

Fyi, the original unswitched cab is 4ohms not 12 so if you go for the older/cheaper design you'll be getting max output from your amp with a single cab.  The only reason to go for the newer switchable 'S' cab is if you want to link 2 or 3 together but don't have an amp that runs at 2ohms.  I've got a pair of 'S' cabs that I normally use together set to 12ohms.  The combined 6ohm impedance is more than loud enough for pub gigs in my rock band with very heavy-handed drummer using my 800W amp with volume at 12.  In fact, it would still be loud enough for most gigs using a single cab still set at 120hms - 4ohms delivering the full 800W would be a bit marginal for a single Two 10.

[jrixn1 760]

42 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Fyi, the original unswitched cab is 4ohms not 12 so if you go for the older/cheaper design you'll be getting max output from your amp with a single cab.  

The original Two10 came in two versions - fixed 4ohm or fixed 12ohm.  So if it's an older, non-"S" cab you still need to check which impedance it is.

[scrumpymike 671]

1 minute ago, jrixn1 said:

The original Two10 came in two versions - fixed 4ohm or fixed 12ohm.  So if it's an older, non-"S" cab you still need to check which impedance it is.

👍 Didn't realise that!!

[chris_b 3,968]

The best advice is to call Barefaced and ask them this question.

In practical terms I would think of a 12 ohm cab as an 8 ohm cab. I would expect a 12 ohm cab and an 8 ohm cab to be indistinguishable when running an amp at sensible settings, ie not flat out. With a 500 watt amp, for instance, you'll be able to make either cab sound as loud as the other by adjusting the master volume settings.

Barefaced used to supply the switch for a DIY upgrade. Not sure if they still do that.

 

[scrumpymike 671]

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

Barefaced used to supply the switch for a DIY upgrade. Not sure if they still do that.

 

They do, and it's a fairly easy DIY job on the metal-grille cab - but the kit costs £100!

[Dan Dare 1,686]

11 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

They do, and it's a fairly easy DIY job on the metal-grille cab - but the kit costs £100!

That's a lot of money for an 8 ohm resistor, a switch and a connector or two. If the original 2x10 is 4 ohms, that means it has two 8 ohm drivers wired parallel. Many heads will run into 2 ohms these days (my two will), so you could drive the additional cab, but if not, I'd look at an additional power amp to drive the other cab. Power amps are quite cheap and compact these days now we have class D. Alternatively, if you don't mind something larger/heavier, an old school power amp can be had for peanuts used. Gives you more flexibility.

[mrtcat 577]

9 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

That's a lot of money for an 8 ohm resistor, a switch and a connector or two. 

It is bloody expensive for that. The crossover is a little bit more complicated because it only runs one driver full range with the other having a low pass filter but even so theres no way it justifies a £100 price tag.

[EBS_freak 4,199]

On 08/01/2020 at 13:21, mrtcat said:

It is bloody expensive for that. The crossover is a little bit more complicated because it only runs one driver full range with the other having a low pass filter but even so theres no way it justifies a £100 price tag.

Well, it depends if they've sourced and bought their parts from Maplin... in which case, £100 is a snip.

[mrtcat 577]

31 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Well, it depends if they've sourced and bought their parts from Maplin... in which case, £100 is a snip.

In fairness to barefaced the value of a crossover is in its design rather than the cost of parts. I know the chap who owns hifi speaker brand proac (originally celef audio) and he pins the success of his business purely on the ability to design a good crossover. Yeah the components are top quality but the cost of them is still nowhere near the £26k you need for a pair of his K8 flagship floorstanders.

[EBS_freak 4,199]

I was including the design costs in that comment.

[Lozz196 4,788]

2 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

I was including the design costs in that comment.

Quite right, always think of the knowledge involved. Cost for hitting with mallet £5, cost for knowing where to hit with mallet £10,000.

[EBS_freak 4,199]

I’d prefer to have something that didn’t need hitting with a mallet to be honest

[Lozz196 4,788]

9 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

I’d prefer to have something that didn’t need hitting with a mallet to be honest

Sometimes it’s what the punters deserve.....

[scrumpymike 671]

On 08/01/2020 at 13:21, mrtcat said:

It is bloody expensive for that. The crossover is a little bit more complicated because it only runs one driver full range with the other having a low pass filter but even so theres no way it justifies a £100 price tag.

I'd say the price has been deliberately inflated to 'encourage' people to buy a new switchable cab rather than upgrading one they already have - or buying a used one and upgrading that.

[chris_b 3,968]

2 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

I'd say the price has been deliberately inflated to 'encourage' people to buy a new switchable cab rather than upgrading one they already have - or buying a used one and upgrading that.

The price and the kit existed before the switch came fitted as standard.