Two-speaker hookup

[Wylie]

Bass players with lots more brain than me (probably most of you):

 

I currently run one 4-ohm cab out of my small but mighty Carvin microbass amp. I would like to run a second 4-ohm cab out of it as well, but my understanding is that if the cabs are linked, the ohm rating will drop to 2, which is too low. However, the amp has two speaker lines out. Can I run a line out of each to its own cab and still maintain the 4-ohm rating? Thanks!

 

Wylie

[Dood]

Simple answer, no my friend! The sockets are wired together in parallel, so it won't make a difference if you daisy chain from one cabinet to another, or come out of separate sockets on the amplifier, you'd still have your 2 Ohm total impedance load. 

[Dood]

 

7 minutes ago, Wylie said:

Bass players with lots more brain than me (probably most of you):

 

I currently run one 4-ohm cab out of my small but mighty Carvin microbass amp. I would like to run a second 4-ohm cab out of it as well, but my understanding is that if the cabs are linked, the ohm rating will drop to 2, which is too low. However, the amp has two speaker lines out. Can I run a line out of each to its own cab and still maintain the 4-ohm rating? Thanks!

 

Wylie

 

Also:

 

The only time this *could work is if a head had two separate power amplifiers inside, like the Hartke LH1000 - in which case you'd be able to hang a 4 ohm cabinet of each separate amplifier output. 

 

Your other option is to source an amplifier that is able to handle 2 ohm loads. There's quite a few out there, but that will of course incur a financial hit.. but.. new toys is always fun  

 

[Dood]

P.S. I wrote about impedance in a Bass Player Magazine article a little while back

[Wylie]

1 hour ago, Dood said:

P.S. I wrote about impedance in a Bass Player Magazine article a little while back

Thanks, Dood. Damn! I was hoping for a miracle.

[Lozz196]

You can get a special box that allows this, our very own @obbm used to make them but is now retired I believe, hopefully he may be able to offer some advice on this.

[BassmanPaul]

Get yourself a BX1500. That will handle 2Ω. on each of it's two power amps. 

 

If your cabinets are both of the same model you could run them in series for an 8Ω load. Different speaker systems in series could well interact poorly.

[Downunderwonder]

What are the cabs and drivers in them?

 

If you're lucky you might have an option of rewiring the cabs to 16ohm each.

 

Needs a strong amp for when you use the one cab but that's not uncommon.

[abarson]

1 hour ago, BassmanPaul said:

Get yourself a BX1500. That will handle 2Ω. on each of it's two power amps. 

 

If your cabinets are both of the same model you could run them in series for an 8Ω load. Different speaker systems in series could well interact poorly.

Aw, Paul. Aren't those made of Unobtainium now that Carvin is no more?

[obbm]

14 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

You can get a special box that allows this, our very own @obbm used to make them but is now retired I believe, hopefully he may be able to offer some advice on this.

There is a simple/cheap way to put two 4-ohm cabs in series to give an 8-ohm load. You need 3x Speakon plugs and a suitable length of single core stranded 2.5-sq.mm. or 4-sq.mm. wire I.e one wire from 3-core mains cable.

 

You wire it like this:

 

Speakon 1, terminal 1+ to Speakon 2, terminal 1-

 

Speakon 2, terminal 1+ to Speakon 3, terminal 1-

 

Speakon 3, terminal 1+ to Speakon 1, terminal 1-.

 

It doesn't matter which plug goes where. 

 

Speakons have screw terminals so no soldering involved.

 

Simple.

[BassmanPaul]

14 hours ago, abarson said:

Aw, Paul. Aren't those made of Unobtainium now that Carvin is no more?

So they are now defunct? They made good equipment for a reasonable price. I play their basses. Their power amps are in everything I own. <Sigh> Family squabbles IIRC.

 

I trust you and yours are safe and healthy and that you have a merry Christmas.

 

Paul

[Chienmortbb]

On 30/11/2021 at 19:14, Lozz196 said:

You can get a special box that allows this, our very own @obbm used to make them but is now retired I believe, hopefully he may be able to offer some advice on this.

The box would consist of three speakons, one from the amp and the other two to the speakers. However the cabs would be wired in series, presenting 8 ohms to the cab. That  would reduce the power output but adding the  second cab might mitigate that.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Chienmortbb

[BassmanPaul]

On 30/11/2021 at 19:20, abarson said:

Aw, Paul. Aren't those made of Unobtainium now that Carvin is no more?

I have a little used one I could pass on to someone.