Wiring 2 16 ohm speakers

schizo

Hey guys,

Was wondering if anyone know how to wire two 16 ohm speakers for a 16 ohm load? Is it possible to add some sort of resistor in the chain to produce 16 ohm?

The reason for this is i read that if you have a amp that can switch between 4, 8 and 16ohm if you select say 8 ohm output you use half of the transforfer windings and half that for 4 ohm.

Apparently for the best tone you need to use all the windings or 16 ohm setting.

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah it's possible - put them in parallel and then put a 6 Ohm resistance load (resistance is approximately 2/3 of impedance) in series or put them in series and a 21 Ohm load in parallel. You'll need high enough wattage resistors and you'll have to heatsink them too as they'll be turning half your amp's power into heat.

However - you'll get better results just switching your amp to 8 Ohms and wiring the two speakers in parallel (and won't lose any volume and won't have to figure out how to dissipate the heat from the resistors). That's how they are designed to work.

schizo

Thanx Alan,

Do you think there would be a striking difference tonally between 1*12 16ohm and the 2*12 8ohm?

If there is - isn't there a mod for the 6505+ to use the full transformer winding at 8 ohm? Or do you need to replace the transformer to fixed 8 ohm @ 60watt rms?

AlanRatcliffe

Quinlan Kok wrote: Do you think there would be a striking difference tonally between 1*12 16ohm and the 2*12 8ohm?

It does make a difference, but if it's the same speakers, it's not huge. Kind of more of the same thing. The biggest difference is extended low end (which is how you can get bass cabs with multiple 10" speakers.

If there is - isn't there a mod for the 6505+ to use the full transformer winding at 8 ohm? Or do you need to replace the transformer to fixed 8 ohm @ 60watt rms?

The whole reason the transformer is there is to convert the impedance to the right range for the load. Number of windings is inextricably linked to impedance. The only way to convert from one impedance to another would be to add another, second transformer in to the mix, which is kind of pointless (generally, less is more in audio). It's far more important to have the right impedance than it is to use more or less of the windings. The quality of the transformer makes more of a difference to the sound than the number of windings (and in a guitar amp a better tranny on paper is not always better sounding any more than a transistor sounds better than a valve).

schizo

Makes sense ? Thanx for the reply, yeah i should buy another 16 ohm v30 to replace the sheffield in the 2*12, but must be honest - i'm kinda liking just the one speaker tone in the 2*12 for bedroom volumes.

Maybe i'll do one of those switch things to select 1 or 2 speakers running either 16 ohms for 1 and 8 ohms for both selected. If i wanted to upgrade to a good transformer what brand should i look at?

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah - just run 16 Ohm 1 x 12 at home/practice and switch to 8 Ohms 2 x 12 for gigs. You could even lay in a 4 x 12 (or two) later for bigger gigs. That's how a lot of guys do it ...horses for courses.

Mercury Magnetics get most of the love from the tonehounds, but there's nothing wrong with Heyboer trannys either.

schizo

Thanx for the advice ?

Lol ya i got a loud amp for bedroom/garage use - never giged the amp in it's lifetime. The only person i know in Bredasdorp currently who plays a instrument would be me ?.

Been nice to jam with other ppl but i'm afraid i don't know of any other musicians in the area willing to jam.

AlanRatcliffe

Quinlan Kok wrote: The only person i know in Bredasdorp currently who plays a instrument would be me ?.

I know at least 20. ? Style of music could be a problem though. Half the DJs at the radio station are also players - Pof gigs fairly regularly, as does Marianne (she does the local music show and knows everyone - speak to her at least); Andre and Jacques are in a rock band together with a woman from here in Napier.

I know there was a rock band in/from the high school last year, but I'm not sure if they are still going. Until recently there was a full band of guys that work at the air/missile testing station. They broke up, but all but one of the players live in B'Dorp and are still around. Keyboardist/singer is a cruise ship vet apparently.

Ludgi at the Vic used to have a regular jam session once a month and quite a few amateur players popped up there. I met a great young player called MJ there - was doing John Mayer, Clapton, etc. but could also pull out most of the B'Dorp crowd-pleasers (Hier Kom die Alibama, etc.). Oom Yuri who is not the best player, but is entertaining - does a long meandering comparison of a lot of classic Afrikaans artists, comparing different yodels, etc. ? There's more than a few farmers who can play and hold a tune pretty well too - decent braai players/singers. Oh, I met a guy called Naas there, plays a Strat through a Zoom pedal and also does Blues/rock stuff.

So, while I haven't looked around lately, they are out there...

schizo

Wow.....i really didnt know that here are so many ppl.

The guys i use to jam with are all pretty scatterd atm. If you ever hear of guys wanting to mess around plz lemme know, more than keen for a jam.

I know Andre' is looking to start jamming again, drummer of highschool band Plofmot back in the day - wanted to do a reunion show thing at rabbit hole but getting all the guys together and actually practice was a bit impossible in the end.