Can you combine cabinets with different sized speakers?

Sdagg1

Sdagg1

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Feb 25, 2018
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#1
I have a Rickenbacher bass and im looking for a another amp to use for Richosound. I currently have a fender rumble 500 with the extended cab (has 10 inch speakers)but have a chance to get a good deal on a Carvin mb12 with extended cab (has 12 inch speakers) for a good price. My question is can using two different speaker type cabinets cancel bass frequencies or will they sound good together? Thanks
 
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#3
Yes
Nighttrain1127 said:
There are those that will tell you it is bad to match different speaker sizes and tell you the theory behind this and they will be correct. But the bottom line as always is try them out together and see if you like the way it sounds that is the only real way to tell if you like it.
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i thought i heard it cancels out frequencies?I wont be able to try it until after i purchase though
 
#5
You want to make sure the speakers in both cabs are in Phase or you will lose Lows. There are other things going on with phase issues but that even happens with 4x10 cabs due to the speakers being side by side and not on top of each other in a vertical stack. There are also dispersion Issues and all form of good things going on with multi speaker cabs. I am not a Speaker Guru but Different size speakers should not Cancel out Bass Frequencies unless they are out of Phase. The science of sound is a tricky thing and I am not the one with the knowledge to explain. There are others here much better equipped to explain.
 
#6
Nighttrain1127 said:
You want to make sure the speakers in both cabs are in Phase or you will lose Lows. There are other things going on with phase issues but that even happens with 4x10 cabs due to the speakers being side by side and not on top of each other in a vertical stack. There are also dispersion Issues and all form of good things going on with multi speaker cabs. I am not a Speaker Guru but Different size speakers should not Cancel out Bass Frequencies unless they are out of Phase. The science of sound is a tricky thing and I am not the one with the knowledge to explain. There are others here much better equipped to explain.
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Oh wow! How do you know if speakers are in or out of phase. If i remenber correctky its the direction the speaker is moving right....in or out?
 
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#9
Sdagg1 said:
Oh wow! How do you know if speakers are in or out of phase. If i remenber correctky its the direction the speaker is moving right....in or out?
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The easiest way I know it to just put a 9V battery to the input of the box. The speaker(s) will move in or out. Repeat with the same battery polarity on the second box. All speakers should move in the same direction.
 
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#14
Sdagg1 said:
I have a Rickenbacher bass and im looking for a another amp to use for Richosound. I currently have a fender rumble 500 with the extended cab (has 10 inch speakers)but have a chance to get a good deal on a Carvin mb12 with extended cab (has 12 inch speakers) for a good price. My question is can using two different speaker type cabinets cancel bass frequencies or will they sound good together? Thanks
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The answer lies somewhere between yes and no.
The truth of your particular setup is, as they say, in the pudding (or is it putting?)

You at least have a better chance of things working out if you have separate amps driving separate cabs.
Then if you get some unwanted acoustic interaction, you can at least try re-arranging how you position the amp/cabs relative to each other with a little more ease.
 
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#15
I used to do a 4x10 then eventually added a 1x15 and was so dissatisfied I sold my entire rig and got a full GK rig with two NEO 1X15 and have never questioned my decision other than keeping my old head. I am a fan of matching cabs and using two 15s or using ampeg 6x10 because those cabs just sound great (only 6x10 I have tried also).
 
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#17
First of all, using different speaker sizes will not cancel the bass frequencies at all. Provided, as has been explained, that the drivers do not suffer from reversed polarity, and you’ve learned how to check for that.

Now, there are potential problems with combining driver sizes, but cancelling frequencies are not among them. There are myriad threads here detailing the thinking on the subject. To summarize, some ‘er fer it, some ‘er agin it. Me, I’d not.

Raf
 
#18
As stated its a total crap shoot, might sound great, might not. I had issues once running two Ampeg cabs that housed 10" speakers (different models), where I had to move one around to find a spot they didn't cancel each other out. I was running separate amps, one in slave.

Presently I run two GK cabs, one with 12's the other with 10's, with one amp and love the sound actually better than with just the 12s or the 10s cabs by themselves. Brand has nothing to do with it, it's just the roll of the dice. I will say with the Ampeg cabs there were placed side by side, and the GK cabs are stacked vertically, so that in its self might have something to do with it.

Don't be worried to experiment, you never know where the most amazing sound will come from.
 
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