Wiring a 2x12 Cabinet

[Emoto]

Will need to wire up my 2x12 cabinet sometime over the next few weeks. Dozin's excellent site shows a couple of ways to wire up the speakers: http://www.dozin.com/cabs/speaker.html I can solder well, but don't have the knowledge or experience to make decisions.

I'll be running it off of a Boogie MkIII so am not overly concerned about impedance mismatch, but am wondering how those of you with these cabinets have them wired. Am going to run 2 8 ohm E-120s.

Is the conventional wisdom to run them in parallel so the total load is 4 ohms?


(image borrowed from Dozin - hope he doesn't mind! - but hosted on my site, so I'm not stealing bandwidth)

[hogan]

Is the Boogie a 4ohm output? If so, wire the speakers in parallel. You will be golden.
Though that diagram is misleading. It makes it seem like you need extra sets of wire. Daisy chain from tip to red to red. Then sleeve to black to black. Capice'?
~MJH

[Emoto]

Thanks, Hogan. I have my choice of 8 or 4 ohm outputs on the back of the Boogie.

I was going to use equal length wires to each one, to make sure both speakers receive signal at the same time. Am I too concerned about minutia and your idea of going red to red will work fine? I was also thinking that equal length individual wires leading to each speaker (with some extra length) would let me pull an individual speaker out more easily, but I have no hands on experience doing that, so could be wrong.

[myoung6923]

Thanks, Hogan. I have my choice of 8 or 4 ohm outputs on the back of the Boogie.

I was going to use equal length wires to each one, to make sure both speakers receive signal at the same time. Am I too concerned about minutia and your idea of going red to red will work fine? I was also thinking that equal length individual wires leading to each speaker (with some extra length) would let me pull an individual speaker out more easily, but I have no hands on experience doing that, so could be wrong.

I have mine wired exactly like that for exactly the same reason. It gives you some play to take out a speaker without having to mess with the other one - also having 2 wires - one to each speaker - gives you a little redundancy. If one wire comes off of a speaker for some weird reason - it won't cut out completely.

[Emoto]

Cool. Thanks, Mike.

[philsaam]

howdy there ---want to hear what an old geezer like me is good for when how to wire --speakers? I guess I am hearing an OK- first I think of speakers as 1 + 1 like every speaker has a ohm rating and adding speakers is like ohm stacking -- say 2-8s =4 simple stuff --thats parallel - however reverse 1 speaker and your at 8 again ---well , guitar players are super hi tech creatures -seeking every possibility for tone shaping and innovation----you know you are -getting right on into tube matching -measuring resistors,thermistors,capacitors , and pots for specs-not to mention messing with tube voltages and bias ---string sizes and makers use of different alloys -heights over pickups -even pickup construction, magnets, windings when ,where , who , how thick the wire used- output etc ,etc --wiring a 2-12 box begins with the jack used --so --being an old school --as they say --TYPE 1 I like banana jacks cause you see the hookup in black/red plastic sockets- and a 2-12 box for someone who likes to experiment with tone may use 2 jacks /banana -1 for each spkr - use good spkr wire --or heavy zip cord {lamp}-why two jacks only for a patch to reverse the phase on 1 spkr. -and thats where your idea of tone comes in --the effect sonically -otherwise 1 banana jack suffices --I always pre-check spkr phase when I play --spkrs work hard in the bass register- and guitar can push em when played loud but not like a bass---a SVT with 8-10 s is wired in parallel with 32ohm spkrs -box is rated 4ohms---look a the movie GIMMIE SHELTER -you will see a SVT box loaded with JBL DIIO s -D-10s -polarity is reversed for 1/2 the box-for an 8ohm load -TALK TO RICK TURNER ,JEDI MASTER of sound , --2-12 box ---always give yourself options ---did that help? a friend

[Emoto]

Cool. Thanks! I am still very much a beginner at the level of detail in chasing tone that people on this board do, so I am still feeling my way around.

[tigerstrat]

look a the movie GIMMIE SHELTER -you will see a SVT box loaded with JBL DIIO s -D-10s -polarity is reversed for 1/2 the box-for an 8ohm load -

Phil, I haven't seen that movie in years. Would that SVT be Bill Wyman's rig from the Stones set? I do remember a story about the Stones using mostly Ampeg gear in 1969 ... or maybe Airplane, or the Burrito Bros? (although those glimpses are pretty brief iirc)...

Back in my bass-gigging days in the 90's, I ran an Alembic Epic 5-string into a 70's SVT head into an 8ohm Hartke 4x10 cab, and was as happy as a clam.

[jdsmodulus]

bringing back an old topic...So everything was going just fine then...my 2x12 cab took a turn. I moved the rack and cab and it never got back to where it was. I trouble shot what my ability is so here goes...I ran the rig normal. Horrible distortion. Ran just the trio>PA 2x12= distortion. Ran just the top JBL sounded fine clear and no dist but not very loud. Ran just bottom JBL same result. As of now rig is taken apart but needs to be back asap. Any thoughts?