|
Post by aufamily on Sept 15, 2014 6:56:16 GMT -7
My z 4x10 has (4) 16 ohm speakers all in parallel...for a 4 ohm cabinet. Anyone have experience rewiring to a series/parallel approach with the same z speakers (changing the 4 ohm to 16ohms)? Any tone considerations? Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by headshrinker (Marc) on Sept 15, 2014 7:02:24 GMT -7
Shouldn't be any tone differences. Some folks say that if you have a 16 ohm tap on the amp and go into a 16 ohm cab that the amp feels/sounds better since you are using all of the winds on the transformer, but most people don't hear or feel a difference. If you run the 16 ohm from and 8 ohm or 4 ohm tap you might get a little more compression and less volume. More people report that than the first thing.
|
|
|
Post by aufamily on Sept 15, 2014 8:21:04 GMT -7
Thanks. That's what I've always understood. Yet so much mindless junk out on the net when you start looking. I want to be able to use the attenuator feature on Rivera's Rock Crusher Recording with the 4x10....but that unit only likes 8ohm or 16ohm cabs. I might give the re-wire a try. Can't hurt.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2014 8:51:50 GMT -7
Well, I don't think you can rewire four 16 ohm speakers in pure series. That'd be 64 ohms. You could do a mix of the two (parallel and series). To rewire the Z 4x10 to series/parallel you'd want to wire two speakers together in parallel 16 & 16 = 8. Do that to each pair, then wire the two pairs in series. 8 + 8 in series is 16. Having said all of that I'm not sure if the difference would be noticeable. I have personally experimented with running amps in 4 ohm, then changing to 16. I have no clue if I'm hearing the transformer differences (different taps / windings); however, I can tell a difference in feel. Keep in mind that the amps were LOUD. The speakers have to really be moving to tell a difference. Anyhow, with the amp cranked speakers in series are looser and a bit more textured. In parallel, they were smoother sounding and more restrained. I'd say the best option depends on your sound. If you play clean (think Twin reverb), then parallel is great. If you want a sizzly overdrive (think Vox / Marshall), then series might be better. FYI - the experiment I did was with a MAZ 38 NR and a 2x12 with both a Gold/Blue and V30/H30. The results were consistent. I'm not sure if the high powered Z speakers would yield a big change unless they were being REALLY pushed to their limits. After all of that....try it and see if YOU like it. EDIT: My tests were done by matching the speaker cab wiring to the correct amp tap. I try to keep that consistent. However, I agree with Marc that just rewiring the speakers and using the same tap changes the sound significantly. I've done this with my old Bassman heads. At 4 ohms, I have full power and headroom. At 8 ohms, I have less power and headroom. 16 would be even more so, but I don't mismatch that far out of whack...heard its bad for the OT.
|
|
|
Post by headshrinker (Marc) on Sept 15, 2014 10:26:15 GMT -7
Agree with the above. You can not wire the 4 in series. You have to do the series/ parallel thing. If you don't know how to do it and need a diagram it's how Marshall did their cabinets. They used 4 8 ohms to get 8 ohms but the principle is the same. Here's a link www.avatarspeakers.com/wiring%20diagrams.htm
|
|
|
Post by markT on Sept 15, 2014 11:34:33 GMT -7
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2014 12:27:11 GMT -7
Looks like you found a wiring diagram, Mark. Sorry I never got those pics to you!
|
|
|
Post by aufamily on Sept 15, 2014 21:07:26 GMT -7
It would be series/parallel like the Marshall cabs for a final answer of 16 ohms. Thanks for the pics and link ,
|
|
|
Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Sept 16, 2014 10:23:46 GMT -7
I believe that in markT's pic above, you can either use or not use the "white" wire. With the wire, you've got "parallel-series" wiring. Without the wire, you've got "series-parallel" wiring.
What's the difference? Well, just about nothing—they'll look different on a circuit diagram but, practically speaking, your power handling will be identical, your cabinet's impedance load will be identical, and I've never heard any substantial report from knowledgeable sources that it will even sound any different. Which makes me wonder, why am I even mentioning this..?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2014 12:09:47 GMT -7
I believe that in markT's pic above, you can either use or not use the "white" wire. With the wire, you've got "parallel-series" wiring. Without the wire, you've got "series-parallel" wiring. What's the difference? Well, just about nothing—they'll look different on a circuit diagram but, practically speaking, your power handling will be identical, your cabinet's impedance load will be identical, and I've never heard any substantial report from knowledgeable sources that it will even sound any different. Which makes me wonder, why am I even mentioning this..? LOL I found it very informative and entertaining.
|
|
|
Post by aufamily on Sept 16, 2014 14:43:33 GMT -7
To say the least, if not less...HA!
I'll let you know what I think as soon as I find time to do something!
|
|
|
Post by zpilot on Sept 20, 2014 22:15:37 GMT -7
Gerald Weber, who certainly has golden ears, writes in his book 'A Desktop Reference Of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps' the following: "Parallel-Series will have clearer and stronger high end because of lower branch inductance. Conversely the Series-Parallel wiring will have browner highs with stronger lows because of greater branch inductance".
I've experimented with this and I can hear the difference; especially when the speakers are really pushed.
|
|
|
Post by aufamily on Oct 7, 2014 13:49:23 GMT -7
Gerald Weber, who certainly has golden ears, writes in his book 'A Desktop Reference Of Hip Vintage Guitar Amps' the following: "Parallel-Series will have clearer and stronger high end because of lower branch inductance. Conversely the Series-Parallel wiring will have browner highs with stronger lows because of greater branch inductance". I've experimented with this and I can hear the difference; especially when the speakers are really pushed. Well...the last thing the EZG needs is STRONGER bottom end!
|
|