2 speaker cabs 1 head

Castro

People!

If I have two separate 1x12 cabs rated at 8 ohms each and an amp head with one 4ohm one 8ohm and one 16ohm input, is it possible to use both cabs?

Thank you in advance.

ICBM

Yes, but unless either of the cabs has two jacks, you will need a splitter cable. The two cabs together give a combined load of 4 ohms so you need to connect the pair to that output.

Castro

Thanks ICBM each cab has just 1 jack so a splitter cable it will need to be.

Much appreciated.

57Deluxe

I bought a Palmer Cab Merge box for around £20 to do this

ICBM

I'd be more impressed with that if they could spell parallel .

Castro

Thanks 57Deluxe

ecc83

ICBM said:

I'd be more impressed with that if they could spell parallel .

Hah! The danger with speakers in series externally is the increased risk of an open circuit load. That box plus an amp and two cabs gives you 4 more chances of a blown amp than one speaker (if my pre lunch 'rithmetic is right!)

Dave.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

The danger with speakers in series externally is the increased risk of an open circuit load. That box plus an amp and two cabs gives you 4 more chances of a blown amp than one speaker (if my pre lunch 'rithmetic is right!)

I agree. Especially as it looks like the switching is achieved with jack contacts, which are notoriously poor for that - the modern Marshall 4x12"s with the 4/16/mono/stereo input panels being a good example.

As usual there is a 'good way' and a 'bad way' of wiring the series connection too, which will either halve or double the risk of a failure.

If it was me I'd just make a box with three jacks in parallel and not worry about the series option - or just a decent splitter cable.