Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Hello - Wondering if there's an answer out there... I have two 2x12 guitar cabs with 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel for a 4 Ohm load. I'd like to add a jack & daisy chain them in series, to raise the total load to 8 Ohms. Is this possible without anything other than a properly wired jack? If so, can someone please diagram or explain this? Many Thanks.
-
- Posts: 8317
- Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:37 am
- Location: New Braunfels, TX
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
It would be better to series wire the individual speakers inside each cab to get a 16 ohm load. Then just run the two cabs parallel for an 8 ohm loadrbarone wrote:Hello - Wondering if there's an answer out there... I have two 2x12 guitar cabs with 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel for a 4 Ohm load. I'd like to add a jack & daisy chain them in series, to raise the total load to 8 Ohms. Is this possible without anything other than a properly wired jack? If so, can someone please diagram or explain this? Many Thanks.
6 - T39 3012LF
4 - OT12 2512
1 - T24
1 - SLA Pro
2 - XF210
"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."
- Bill Fitzmaurice
- Site Admin
- Posts: 28645
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 5:59 pm
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
+1. The alternative is to series wire the two cabs, which can be done but it's a PITA. But I'll also say that no one needs four twelves. Reaching the entire audience is the job of the PA, not the back line.Bruce Weldy wrote: It would be better to series wire the individual speakers inside each cab to get a 16 ohm load. Then just run the two cabs parallel for an 8 ohm load
- James Champer
- Posts: 301
- Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:00 pm
- Location: BF Builder - Indianapolis
- Contact:
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Oh how I wish all guitardists knew this.Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:Bruce Weldy wrote:But I'll also say that no one needs four twelves. Reaching the entire audience is the job of the PA, not the back line.
Retired Authorized Loudspeaker Builder - Indianapolis, IN
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Thanks all.
Agreed, 4x12 is generally overkill... but to the original question -
I have two 4 Ohm 2x12 cabs for two SS amps that like running @ 4 Ohms. I also have a tube amp that only likes 8 ohms, so I was looking for a way to simply mod the 4 Ohm cabs to use with the 8 Ohm amp.
Gear is left at different locations & it would be pretty convenient if I could work out the ohm-matching problem.
Agreed, 4x12 is generally overkill... but to the original question -
I have two 4 Ohm 2x12 cabs for two SS amps that like running @ 4 Ohms. I also have a tube amp that only likes 8 ohms, so I was looking for a way to simply mod the 4 Ohm cabs to use with the 8 Ohm amp.
Gear is left at different locations & it would be pretty convenient if I could work out the ohm-matching problem.
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Maybe leave the speaker cabs alone (since you use them elsewhere) and make a special series-wired speaker Y-cable? You'd have to make sure you don't try to use it in any other application...
Built:
4 Jack 112L- 3012HO, melded array
17.5 wide AutoTuba with Infinity 860w
6 Wedgehorn W6 w/ Panel Mount Piezos
2 T48 Slims (15" wide) with 3012LF
4 T48 Fattys (32" wide) with 3015LF
4 Jack 112L- 3012HO, melded array
17.5 wide AutoTuba with Infinity 860w
6 Wedgehorn W6 w/ Panel Mount Piezos
2 T48 Slims (15" wide) with 3012LF
4 T48 Fattys (32" wide) with 3015LF
-
- Posts: 676
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:56 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach VA
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Make up a custom cable and label it liberally.
Amp out tip -> cab 1 tip.
Cab 1 ring - > cab 2 tip.
Cab 2 ring - > amp out ring.
Amp out tip -> cab 1 tip.
Cab 1 ring - > cab 2 tip.
Cab 2 ring - > amp out ring.
BFM rig:
6 OT12
4 T48
4 WH8
Other:
56 box Electrotec LabQ rig
Way too many cables
6 OT12
4 T48
4 WH8
Other:
56 box Electrotec LabQ rig
Way too many cables
Re: Two 4-Ohm cabs daisy-chained for 8-Ohm load?
Thanks! This site is an incredible source of knowledge.