Will this work?

  • Thread starter Thread starter elenore19
  • Start date Start date
I'm going to go with "no." Two problems: first, that's instrument cable, not speaker cable, so you're likely to blow a transformer. The cable can't handle the amperage, will overheat, and if/when the insulation meets, will short out and cook your amp. Second, you're running the load in parallel, which in itself, is probably going to result in a dangerous (to your amp) load.

You could wire up a couple jacks with speaker cable easy enough, but watch out for the load (ohms). Don't go lower than the amp is rated for.
 
ermghoti said:
I'm going to go with "no." Two problems: first, that's instrument cable, not speaker cable, so you're likely to blow a transformer. The cable can't handle the amperage, will overheat, and if/when the insulation meets, will short out and cook your amp. Second, you're running the load in parallel, which in itself, is probably going to result in a dangerous (to your amp) load.

You could wire up a couple jacks with speaker cable easy enough, but watch out for the load (ohms). Don't go lower than the amp is rated for.
Click to expand...
Alright, a lot of that is over my head. But thanks.
The two cabs I'm hooking into are my 2x12 avatar cab and then using the speaker that is in my combo(10"speaker). I did it the other night with my amp speaker plugged into the output of my cab. Only problem is that the speaker that is in my amp has a cable that is like a foot long. So I had to keep my combo right on top of my cab. What I want to do is have my amp on one side of the stage and my cab on the other. So instead of having a cable running to my cab and then another running back, I'm just trying to make it so I only have to have one cable running across the stage.

So there is my issue. If you're wondering why I want to do this. Because my amp is only 15 watts...if I can spread the sound out all over the stage, it will help me be heard better.
I'm in a two piece. Guitar/Drums. So there's all that info.
The other night I also hooked up my amp to my 2x12 and then another 4x10. My amp didn't blow, but if I do that for an extended amount of time will it ruin my amp? I thought it just spread the power out through all the speakers.

Thanks for all the help.
 
There's a load of information on-line about impedance and how to wire things up like you're trying to do.

If you're comfortable soldering, then get some nice speaker wire to start with and connectors (most likely 1/4"). Even some thick "zip" cord (like electrical lamp wire) can work well for testing purposes - or for your final setup to I suppose.

Here was one site I pulled up that had a spreadsheet you can download:

www.duncanamps.com/technical/impedance.html

It's not rocket science, but it is math. Good luck!
 
Fusioninspace said:
There's a load of information on-line about impedance and how to wire things up like you're trying to do.

If you're comfortable soldering, then get some nice speaker wire to start with and connectors (most likely 1/4"). Even some thick "zip" cord (like electrical lamp wire) can work well for testing purposes - or for your final setup to I suppose.

Here was one site I pulled up that had a spreadsheet you can download:

www.duncanamps.com/technical/impedance.html

It's not rocket science, but it is math. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Oof, man that sounds complicated. Maybe I'll just go with the two cables running across stage.

I'm not experienced at soldering things and I don't have a soldering iron of any sorts, also I'm going to college in two days. So it'll just be easier for me to get an "extension" type setup going for my cables.

Thanks for the info though, now I know where to look when the time comes.
 
What's your amps output impedance (it should say right by the speaker jack)? What is the impedance of the cabinet (again, it should say right by the input jack)? Something can possibly be figured out (it will likely involve some soldering on your part), but you want to be careful not to get the speaker impedance too low or you could ruin your amp's output transformer - which is way expensive. Hooking them up in parallel is the way which will be problematic. If you can hook them up in series, you are unlikely to hurt anything (within reason, at least). The adaptor you are talking about would be parallel.

Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
What's your amps output impedance (it should say right by the speaker jack)? What is the impedance of the cabinet (again, it should say right by the input jack)? Something can possibly be figured out (it will likely involve some soldering on your part), but you want to be careful not to get the speaker impedance too low or you could ruin your amp's output transformer - which is way expensive. Hooking them up in parallel is the way which will be problematic. If you can hook them up in series, you are unlikely to hurt anything (within reason, at least). The adaptor you are talking about would be parallel.

Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

Alright, I'll just hook them up in a series then. The ohms match up on all of the speakers. I mean, I assume that the speaker that came built in the combo is the right # of ohms for the amp. The amp says 8 ohms. And then the cab is also 8 ohms. I'll just run my amp-->cab-->speaker(in the amp) and that should work just fine, just a couple extra cables.
 
elenore19 said:
Alright, I'll just hook them up in a series then. The ohms match up on all of the speakers. I mean, I assume that the speaker that came built in the combo is the right # of ohms for the amp. The amp says 8 ohms. And then the cab is also 8 ohms. I'll just run my amp-->cab-->speaker(in the amp) and that should work just fine, just a couple extra cables.
Click to expand...

You know that if there are two jacks on the cab they are in parallel, right? You can do what you say, but you can't do it with normal speaker cables.
 
ggunn said:
You know that if there are two jacks on the cab they are in parallel, right? You can do what you say, but you can't do it with normal speaker cables.
Click to expand...

Well I did not know that.

So uhh...what do I do then? The other night I ran it like my amp-->cab-->speaker(in my amp). It worked great. The cable I used was a regular instrument cable to the cab and then the cable directly from the speaker in my amp to the cab.
Is the cable that is hooked up to that speaker different than regular cable? I never really payed too much attention to that:o
 
elenore19 said:
Well I did not know that.

So uhh...what do I do then? The other night I ran it like my amp-->cab-->speaker(in my amp). It worked great. The cable I used was a regular instrument cable to the cab and then the cable directly from the speaker in my amp to the cab.
Is the cable that is hooked up to that speaker different than regular cable? I never really payed too much attention to that:o
Click to expand...


What kind of amp is it? I'll see if I can find a schematic and figure what will work.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
elenore19 said:
Well I did not know that.

So uhh...what do I do then? The other night I ran it like my amp-->cab-->speaker(in my amp). It worked great. The cable I used was a regular instrument cable to the cab and then the cable directly from the speaker in my amp to the cab.
Is the cable that is hooked up to that speaker different than regular cable? I never really payed too much attention to that:o
Click to expand...

In the first place, you shouldn't use instrument (shielded) cables to run speakers. They are designed for very low voltage applications, and if one fails in a speaker circuit it can seriously damage your amplifier.

Anyway, in order to run your cab and internal speaker in series, you'd need to make up a special cable with three connectors wired in series.
 
Great little amp...ain't it? I am an old guy (unlike you) and have played so many things over the years...but I just get great sounds out of my little XD.
I am going to change the speaker to a Eminence Rajin Cajun soon...they work well with this amp. Good luck.






elenore19 said:
I have my combo amp. (Superchamp XD).
I want to use the speaker out to go to two cabs, not just one. Can I use a simple adapter like this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Planet-Waves-14-Male-Mono-to-Dual-14-Jack-Adapter?sku=335228
Will that work without any issues? Or is there some type of adapter that is specific to these kinds of issues?


Thanks.





Elliot
Click to expand...
 
wow, this sounds like that commercial where a little suzuki 4x4 is about to tow a tractor trailer (he says "put it in neutral") and then the narrator says something like "it thinks big". :D

El, how does the SCXD sound through a 2X12?

I've been passively considering a cab, but since I have a nice Jensen p10r in mine, i've also thought about using it.

Problem is, SCXD needs a minimum of 8ohms load (will also do 16). The internal stock speaker is also 8-ohm. But you upgraded yours, so only you know what it is.

when you run an external cab and then also use its parallel output (usually cabs have parallel), you HALF the total impedance, so that two 8-ohm speakers/cabs in parallel result in a total of 4-ohm load. NOT GOOD for SCXD!

if you can wire your cab to be in series with the internal speaker, then two 8-ohm speakers will have a 16-ohm load, which will be ok (but probably not optimal).

also, the problem with parallel is that it performs best with identical speakers. I've asked and was advised against using different speakers in parallel.

here's a linky:

http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Audio/spkimp_SpeakerImpedanceMatching.html

(google for "speaker impedance matching" to learn more).

I mean, I hear you, I've wanted to do the same thing, but so far decided that when I get a cab, it'll probably be a 2x12 and I'll either use the combo by itself or drive the cab by itself.

Maybe you could have two 2x12's with a total impedance of 8 Ohms and use them on each side and not worry about the internal 10"?

P.S. From my [small/limited] experience the SCXD can be overbearing on stage even with its 10". I had mine turned up to about 8 and I was worried about drowning out others (to me).

If you're just going for stereo, let the PA handle that. Use JUST your cab, you'll have PLENTY of stage volume.
 
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