Lightweight Amps that handle 2 ohm load??

[Thumpinthenight]

I occasionally run (2) 5.3 ohm cabs and need an amp that will handle it. Like most bass players, I'm always looking for a new sound. Currently I am using the Carvin BX 500, and like the sound, but lately am having some issues with dependability. Also stuffed in my rack in my awesome F500 for 1 cab events. What other light weight amps (besides a Power/Pre setup) are out there?
Thanx in advance.

 

[Jaco who?]

The Mesa subway and subway+ both handle 2 ohms. Genzler Magellan will do 2.67, which should work fine for you.

 

[MarkA]

A Glockenklang Blue Rock (and, I think, their other class D amps -- Blue Sky, Blue Soul, and the new Steamhammer) will do 2.67 Ohms. They're lightweight, but not "micro". I think the Acoustic Image amps (some, at least) will go down to 2 Ohms... the new version of the Euphonic Audio Doubler is listed as going down to 2 Ohms -- not sure about their other amps. Double-check before you buy!

I'm sure there are some others.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I occasionally run (2) 5.3 ohm cabs and need an amp that will handle it. Like most bass players, I'm always looking for a new sound. Currently I am using the Carvin BX 500, and like the sound, but lately am having some issues with dependability. Also stuffed in my rack in my awesome F500 for 1 cab events. What other light weight amps (besides a Power/Pre setup) are out there?
Thanx in advance.

Since you're a Carvin player, surely you must be up to speed on the mighty B2000 and its little brother, the B1000. Each one is 2-ohm stable, and well-regarded among those who have played one. You could do worse.

MM

 

[MyMusic]

I own the BX500 and have enjoyed it, but decided to get the Mesa Boogie Subway D-800. I like it more. The BX500 is now my back up.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm in the same boat as I'm using (2) Epifani 5.3 enclosures. I hate pushing any amp to spec limits so I opted for something that falls in between a micro head and pre / power combo, an Epifani PS1000 (...now discontinued). It has two power amps, each side is rated 500 watts @ 4 ohm.

Riis

 

[Bodeeni]

Everytime I ran at 2ohms, with a "rated amp", I had dependability problems. I avoid it. So I would run the 2 4ohm cabs in series for 8, less power but no amps blowing up.

 

[tubedude]

BX1500

 

[agedhorse]

Everytime I ran at 2ohms, with a "rated amp", I had dependability problems. I avoid it. So I would run the 2 4ohm cabs in series for 8, less power but no amps blowing up.

This is not true of all amps rated for 2 ohm operation. Perhaps your choices were not good choices?

 

[nostatic]

Mesa D800 or D800+

 

[AngusHasMoxie]

Ran a Carvin B600 at 2 ohms for 3 years, never had any issues, sounded great.
Tried out a BX500, and I hated the way it sounded, I could get nothing but fizzy with no body at all. I sent it back and stayed with the B600.

I convinced my friend to pick up a BX700 and it's much more B600 then BX500 in terms of sound quality.

This is all my ear's opinion of course.

 

[Ewo]

i'll pile on: the mesa subway d-800 or d-800+. it's built to handle four 8 ohm cabs; just flip a switch on the back.

 

[MarkA]

If the Carvin BX500 provides you with enough juice for both cabs and the F500 is enough for one (you haven't mentioned which cabs), then a dual-monoblock amp is another possibility. My first "big boy" amp was a Shuttlemax 12.0. I'd originally planned on running two smaller cabs, but ended up running one larger cab instead. Under those circumstances, the amp, not being bridge-able, was not ideal; since I could only use one side of it, I ran out of clean headroom from time to time. In a situation like yours, with two 5.3 Ohm cabs, it would have been better utilized.

My Shuttlemax was replaced with a (much heavier) GBE 1200, which goes down to 2 Ohms. I never needed the 2 Ohm capability, but can put out a good deal more power when running into a single cab, and so is more flexible in that regard.

A friend plays the Epifani PS-1000 that Riis mentioned (bridge-able, I believe, but only at 8 Ohms -- not applicable to your situation, OP) and it sounded great on a gig. There are other dual-mono amps.

One last option, if you really like your F500 (you called it "awesome") would be to look for a second, used one, and slave it to the first. They pop up here from time to time. Having a new head that will do it all, though, would be undeniably more convenient.

 

[Fat Freddy]

i'll pile on: the mesa subway d-800 or d-800+. it's built to handle four 8 ohm cabs; just flip a switch on the back.

Yep ^^^

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

Companies seriously make cabs rated at 5.3ohms?!

 

[MarkA]

Companies seriously make cabs rated at 5.3ohms?!

Lots of cabs (well, some at least) that have either three speakers or six are rated for 5.3 Ohms or 6 Ohms. Depends how they're wired.

Consider a hypothetical, 8 Ohm 410, made up of four 8 Ohm speakers. Each speaker is wried in series with another, making two 16 Ohm pairs. The pairs are wired in parallel with each other, bringing the total load back to 8 Ohms.

Now, consider three such 16 Ohm pairs wired in parallel. 16/3 = ~5.3. Same thing if you take three 16 Ohm speakers in parallel.

If you take a 610 (or 6 x whatever) made up of 4 Ohm speakers wired in parallel pairs (2 Ohms each) and wire those pairs in series with each other (2+2+2) you get a 6 Ohm load. Same thing with three 2 Ohms speakers in series (though I don't know how common 2 Ohm speakers are).

 

[bhernco]

You might take a look at this head,
MAGELLAN 800 | MG-800

 

[ole Jason]

Darkglass 900 & most Acoustic Image amps will do 2 ohms

 

[bikeplate]

I own the BX500 and have enjoyed it, but decided to get the Mesa Boogie Subway D-800. I like it more. The BX500 is now my back up.

Same here

 

[lsabina]

Acoustic Image Clarus Series 4 SL 1. From Gollihur Music website:

"At under 3 pounds, this amp is ridiculously powerful; it will handle a 2 ohm load." (As indicated on back.)