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Interestingly, I found some threads containing a lot of confusing stuff, as if so complex... this is why I thought I'd keep it simple and straight-forward. If anyone is interested, the details are -
Ampeg V4BH has 1x speakon speaker output and 1x 1/4. The other 1/4 is blocked. User manual says to use 2x 1/4, and which to use first, but then adds that "in some areas 1/4 are considered unsafe, and if so you may find one of the 1/4 blocked, in which case use the speakon connect". So my amp has 1 speakon and 1 1/4. Nothing about how to connect two speakers.
Ampeg V4BH has 1x speakon speaker output and 1x 1/4. The other 1/4 is blocked. User manual says to use 2x 1/4, and which to use first, but then adds that "in some areas 1/4 are considered unsafe, and if so you may find one of the 1/4 blocked, in which case use the speakon connect". So my amp has 1 speakon and 1 1/4. Nothing about how to connect two speakers.
When you connect loads like speakers in series, the total impedance is the sum of the individual impedances; 8ohms + 8 ohms = 16 ohms total impedance. But that isn't what most folks refer to as 'daisy chaining', which is still a parallel connection. In practice, virtually no one has a need to consider connecting cabs in series, which would require a specially fabricated series cable or box to connect the cabs in series. If you use the parallel connectors on the back of the amp, or the parallel connectors on a cab, you would be -- you guessed it -- connecting the cabs in parallel.
I wrote the above before you posted your second post. You can drive two speakers in parallel to your amp in several different ways. 1) use two different speaker cables - one in the 1/4" output and one in the Speakon output jack. 2) connect one speaker to the amp using either the Speakon or the 1/4" output and connect the second speaker to the other parallel jack on the first speaker, if present. (This is what most people refer to as daisy chaining)
OR: how is the second 1/4" jack on the amp "blocked"? Is it just a screw-on cap? If so, take the cap off and use both of the quarter-phones. Except.... what does the manual say about using one jack first? That sounds a little like a series-type switching jack.
Edit: It looks to me like all the info you need is in the manual on page 8. The situation is complicated by the fact that the amp uses different output jacks for different load impedances. Plus, the manual that I found on-line doesn't show the amp even having a Speakon output.
I wrote the above before you posted your second post. You can drive two speakers in parallel to your amp in several different ways. 1) use two different speaker cables - one in the 1/4" output and one in the Speakon output jack. 2) connect one speaker to the amp using either the Speakon or the 1/4" output and connect the second speaker to the other parallel jack on the first speaker, if present. (This is what most people refer to as daisy chaining)
OR: how is the second 1/4" jack on the amp "blocked"? Is it just a screw-on cap? If so, take the cap off and use both of the quarter-phones. Except.... what does the manual say about using one jack first? That sounds a little like a series-type switching jack.
Edit: It looks to me like all the info you need is in the manual on page 8. The situation is complicated by the fact that the amp uses different output jacks for different load impedances. Plus, the manual that I found on-line doesn't show the amp even having a Speakon output.
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Back up the bus.
What cabs are you trying to connect?
Most of the time you can daisy cab to cab with speakons and two 8 ohm cabs become a 4 ohm load on the amp.
To actually run a series setup requires special efforts with a custom intermediate box or cables. In other words, fo'gedaboudit.
What cabs are you trying to connect?
Most of the time you can daisy cab to cab with speakons and two 8 ohm cabs become a 4 ohm load on the amp.
To actually run a series setup requires special efforts with a custom intermediate box or cables. In other words, fo'gedaboudit.
Yes the simplest thing to do is erase 'series wiring' from your brain. Consider everything parallel. 'Daisy chain' is not an official term and usually just means connecting two cabinets together in parallel.
Also, only use Speakons. Avoid 1/4 whenever possible. And only use real Neutrik Speakon connectors.
Also, only use Speakons. Avoid 1/4 whenever possible. And only use real Neutrik Speakon connectors.
Agreed that 'Daisy Chaining' is still a parallel connection not serial.
Hi grisa 
Actually it's not so easy! 2x8 ohm are 2x8 ohm
Total impedance (parallel) = 1/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c ... + 1/n).
Yes! 2x8 ohm = 16 ohm (sounds like correct math)
Total impedance (series) = a + b +c +... + n
maybe check the sticky AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links
greetings
Wise
Actually it's not so easy!
2x8 ohm are 2x8 ohmTotal impedance (parallel) = 1/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c ... + 1/n).
Yes!
2x8 ohm = 16 ohm (sounds like correct math)Total impedance (series) = a + b +c +... + n
maybe check the sticky AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links
greetings
Wise
Option 1
- V4BH Speakon out --> cabinet 1 Speakon in.
- Cabinet 1 Speakon out --> cabinet 2 Speakon in.
- Cabinet 1 = 8 ohms, cabinet 2 = 8 ohms, impedance selector = 4 ohms.
This is sometimes called "daisy chaining". To the naked eye, daisy chaining cabinets looks like series, but the connections are always in parallel.
Option 2
- V4BH Speakon out --> cabinet 1 Speakon in.
- V4BH 1/4" EXT out --> cabinet 2 1/4" in.
- Cabinet 1 = 8 ohms, cabinet 2 = 8 ohms, impedance selector = 4 ohms.
The parallel connection in this case is at the amplifier output.
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These threads almost always go better when the specific amp and cab models are listed, and what the desired outcome is.
Agreed, but the OP specified the head as an Ampeg V4BH in #2 and provided output details that highlighted his specific concerns.
I would recommend against series wiring of cabs that are not identical.
My understanding of the OP's original question was a misconception that daisy-chaining is a serial connection, which for most things that you link one to the next (chain links, pearls, etc.) would indeed be in series. Once that is dispelled, the OP's fundamental question is how to hook up two cabinets to his V4BH. He didn't ask how to make serial connections.
Interesting.
If your trying to use 2 x 8ohm cabinets.
Then total load is 4 ohms and you would use the 4 ohm tap. Set the switch to 4 ohms
Since you only have one speakon and one 1/4 inch plug.
Your options would be to plug one cabinet into the speakon and one cabinet into the 1/4. If you have those cables.
Otherwise yes you can plug one cabinet into the speakon. And if your cabinets have 2 plugs. These are essentially parallel jacks. So your cabinet provides another speakon to plug another cab into.
You can link one cab to the next. It's still a parallel connections. With 2 cabs use the 4 ohm tap. With one cab use the 8 ohm tap
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- Feb 20, 2009
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i recommend against series-wiring bass cabs entirely unless you have a tube amp you just love and two cabs that go too low for it in parallel
with normal solid state amps, series wiring reduces the overall amp power so much that you might not be any louder than one cab by itself
with normal solid state amps, series wiring reduces the overall amp power so much that you might not be any louder than one cab by itself
I use a 'series box' with two of my tube amps for just this reason. The amps both have only 8 and 16 ohm outputs and I want to run two 8 ohm 1x15" cabs.
If the amps would handle 4 ohm output i would run the cabs in parallel and dispense with the series box.
The biggie for serial connection is how power distribution works. As an example a 4Ω cab and an 8Ω cab. In parallel they result in 2.67Ω total impedance. The 4Ω cab will take twice the power of the 8Ω one. in series for 12Ω the 8Ω cab will 'drop' twice the power of the 4Ω cab. This has to be taken into account.
- Feb 20, 2009
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- 9,346
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there you go!
the key being, with the tube amp having an actual 16Ω output, it'll get full power into those two cabs. a solid state amp wouldn't, so there would be no point.
An issue for series wiring is that the distribution of power depends on the relative impedances of the two cabs, and each cab has an impedance curve that varies with frequency. So, the actual behavior of a pair of cabs that are not identical is not predictable without additional information.