2 Heads one cab

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jimmy2002
  • Start date Start date
Bothe the Marshall heads mentioned should have an 8 ohm output if I remember right. I know that the 1960 Marshall cabs can be switched into stereo mode where each side wants to see an 8 ohm signal. Putting both heads on the same Marshall cab as long as the correct outs from the head are used and the correct switching on the cab is used should be no problem at all. Using an A/B pedal to switch between the heads should also be of no danger at all to the heads since in every situation each head will be getting signal and outputting power to a speaker whenever you ask it to. The biggest concern in my opinion would be the sonic difference in only running two of the 12's in a cbinet that was actually tuned for 4, and how the output of the head might affect the tone of only 2x12" speakers. The speakers should handle the heads though and in order to damage the speakers you would have to be WAY up there on the head. I have had my TSL 100 cranked pretty darned hot before without hurting just the left half of my 1960 cabs.

Someone above also mentioned this....
"You also have the problem that you dont really want to leave a tube amp sitting without anything plugged into it."

This would not be an issue because each head would always be plugged into one side of the 4x12 cab. The only time this would damage a head is if you ran output from the head with no speaker to receive the load, which would not be the case when you switch between the heads.
 
ggunn said:
??? How do you figure that? A stereo cab is just a cab with two independently wired speakers or sets of speakers. It doesn't care if you run it with a stereo amp or two separate amps.

"Bridging" is making a mono amp out of a stereo amp to increase the power in a single speaker circuit by flipping the phase of one amp and running the speakers from the "+" side of both power sections; I don't see how that has anything at all to do with the subject at hand.

A stereo cab will work fine for what the OP wants to do.
Click to expand...

I guess I should have read where it indicated it was a stereo cab in the ad
my bad.
 
It won't work, I think you should send the Slash signature head to me. PM me for address..

Thanks...
 
I'd be willing to bet that you will be disapointed with the sound from either head going through only 2 of your speakers at a time. It can't sound as good as with all 4. Maybe with some extra knob twiddling, you can compensate. Do you have a good music store in your area where you could try out the set up?

I think the 2 -2x12 cabs would be the best way to go( and would look way cool stacked! Just my 2 cents.
 
goldtopchas said:
I'd be willing to bet that you will be disapointed with the sound from either head going through only 2 of your speakers at a time. It can't sound as good as with all 4. Maybe with some extra knob twiddling, you can compensate. Do you have a good music store in your area where you could try out the set up?

I think the 2 -2x12 cabs would be the best way to go( and would look way cool stacked! Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

What's the diff? I'm pretty sure that most (if not all) 4X12 stereo cabs have the two 2X12 sections acoustically isolated from each other (the two sets of speakers operate in separate air chambers) so that it's the same as if it were two 2X12 cabs glued together. I'll take that bet. ;^)
 
I certainly can not speak for all cabs, but every 4x12 cab I have ever been inside of (which has been quite a few) is NOT isolated between the two sides of 2x12 speakers. If it were, it would kind of defeat the purpose of being a 4x12 cab. Running a 2x12 cab as opposed to running 2x12's off a 4x12 cab is definately going to sound different. Typically the 2x12 would be more focused and provide a different harmonic structure primarily in the lows. The 4x12 will usually have a deeper resonance.

In the end however, I would not say that it is really about which is "better". Often it is really what "what is better suited for the user". There are many times when you might lioke the sound better from half a 4x12 cab than a 2x1`2 and vice versa. If you can't make half a 4x12 cab sound at least very close to as nice as the 2x12 version of the same cab, than that is going to be more user error than anything. It is important to remember that running one way compared to the other may (and probably will) require a different approach in the way you set your amp settings.
 
* the internet stalled on me....*
 
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