Author Topic: What should i be running my cab at? (Read 4489 times)

waves · « **on:** November 25, 2007, 08:56:50 AM »

Right, i can run my cab at 4 or 16 Ohms mono. Which one should i be using and what would be the difference, would the sound change?

Thanks :)

Henk · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2007, 09:40:16 AM »

4 if you want a brighter sound, 16 if you want it more muffled as in playing the amp cranked.

Be sure you have checked the speakers ohmage, you cant mismatch ohmage on all speakers!

waves · « **Reply #2 on:** November 25, 2007, 10:26:00 AM »

the amp has an output at 4 and an output at 16. the cab has an two inputs, one of 4, one of 16.

what do you mean by muffled?

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #3 on:** November 25, 2007, 10:59:30 AM »

Quote from: waves

the amp has an output at 4 and an output at 16. the cab has an two inputs, one of 4, one of 16.

what do you mean by muffled?

I would say 16ohms sounds muffled, it certainly sounds looser and slightly less aggro than running at 4 ohms (of course you'd select the appropriate setting on your amp as well).

It's a subtle difference, but theres defintely a difference - try it.

:twisted:

Henk · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2007, 03:42:33 PM »

Muffled meaning it sounds more like you put a blanket over your cab.

The 4 ohm is for playng low volume and the 16 ohm for high volume, some older amps have this i think, and thats what its for IMO.

If you have the proper cab which belongs with the amp it should be fine to try either ohmage.

waves · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2007, 03:44:22 PM »

ok i have and i always had it on 16. and i changed to 4 and for bedroom volumes it is vastly, a lot less muffled as you say. and it got rid of this muddy fizzy thing that was going on before.

thankyou! :D

when i get a chance to turn it up i will try both again though

Henk · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2007, 04:18:26 PM »

NO PROBLEM!

Probably youll enjoy your amp alot more now you have taken the blanket off it

Will · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2007, 08:31:16 PM »

Tried that today, works better at lower volumes, but I find that when I get it up to 4, it gets noisier :?

Thinking of changing cab, but it would be a 16ohm cab, no choice. Does that mean I have to run it at 16ohms on the amp selector?
googled it, and found that mesa say its fine to run your amp at 8 with the 16ohm cab. would just like it confirmed :)
Thanks!

Henk · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2007, 08:40:55 AM »

Well, youre right, at 4 ohm they are noisier when compared to 16ohm, BUT also louder at the same volume when compared to 16ohm. The ohmage switch on the amp just adds resistance in the signal path.

I suspect that they put 16ohm on speakers just to make it look like the wattage it can handle is higher. So without being complicated, if you run 8ohm on your amp and you have a 16ohm speaker you should definately reconsider the 'real' speaker wattage.

I think its a linear thing, so if you have a 150 watt speaker measured at 16 ohm, it is 100w at 8ohm and 50watt at 4 ohm. So if you run your head at 8ohm, the cabinet is then for 200 watt instead of 300 watt it is said to have at 16ohm, which would be enough for a 100watt head at 8 ohm.

Personally i think one should always oversize their cab, it just the proper way IMO. Remember that putting a booster pedal in you signal path(includes a multieffect) increases the output capacity of an amp, having high output pickups will do the same.

Most manifacturers do oversize their the speakers properly, but if you mix and match stuff, SUPERSIZE that cab!

PS. You should always switch off the amp when changing output ohmage, just to be save.