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Running bass at 2ohms or 4??

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URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=101870
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Topic: Running bass at 2ohms or 4??
Posted By: T-Ed
Subject: Running bass at 2ohms or 4??
Date Posted: 15 May 2018 at 7:32pm
Hi, Can anyone tell me if running bass at 2 ohms sounds better or worse than 4 ohms, if at all.




Replies:
Posted By: mk2_ginger_biscuit69
Date Posted: 15 May 2018 at 8:11pm
neither.

its a sum of the impedance & of what drivers are being presented to an amplifier, in the given wiring style.

some amps will manage 2ohm bass without blowing up, other amps cannot drive 2ohm loads whatsoever. Some amps wont have a high enough damping factor for controlled bass at 2ohm, others do. Some might not have enough power at 2ohm, whereas less drivers at 4ohm maybe fine.

in summary, depends on which speakers on which amp. Read about it, understand it, then it will be clear & obvious.



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''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it''

''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''


Posted By: Elliot Thompson
Date Posted: 15 May 2018 at 9:10pm

You have a higher percentage of distortion operating an amplifier at 2 ohms per channel than 4 ohms per channel due to operating the amplifier at its limits. If the amplifier sounds better to you at 2 ohms per channel than 4 ohms per channel, it means you like the added distortion in your mix. There is really nothing wrong with that as it is a matter of taste.


Best Regards,  



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Elliot Thompson


Posted By: JonB67
Date Posted: 15 May 2018 at 10:36pm
What is the situation that makes you ask the question?

You don't need to chose one impedance over another to get a better quality sound if that's what youre asking.

Different impedances offer different opportunities to people building systems but its more about making the most of the power available from the amp than sound quality.


Posted By: T-Ed
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 7:32am
ok so I’m having 8 twin 21 cabs made and don’t know weather to get 4 ohm drivers or 8 ohm drivers. If I get the 4 ohms the cabs will run in parralle at 2 ohms. The amp I have will run them at 2 ohms but I’ve heard mixed things about running bass at 2. Need to make my mind up quickly 


Posted By: spongebob
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 7:42am
Please get 8 ohm drivers

4 ohm is a pain in the ass long run


Posted By: jacethebase
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 8:06am
Originally posted by spongebob spongebob wrote:

Please get 8 ohm drivers

4 ohm is a pain in the ass long run

+1


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www.wedding-production.co.uk

www.stage2sound.com


Posted By: nickyburnell
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 8:20am
What are the amplifiers though?  Some manufacturers CLAIM 2 ohm but...


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It's everything, not everythink!


Posted By: Hemisphere
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 8:42am
What's the main issue with running 4ohm drivers in the long run? Difficulties in hanging 4 off one channel of a huge amp?

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Phase 2: ?????
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Posted By: T-Ed
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 9:25am
got a linear research mm4 20k that will run 5k at 2ohm, or can use crown macro tech 5k at 4 ohm. The bins are 4K. Only issue with having 4 macro techs is the size and weight compared to a 2 u 20k. 


Posted By: concept-10
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 10:24am
Originally posted by Hemisphere Hemisphere wrote:

What's the main issue with running 4ohm drivers in the long run? Difficulties in hanging 4 off one channel of a huge amp?

That's about it, man up run 4ohm drivers and some 1ohm stable 10001s, proper bass and a bad back Smile


Posted By: MPASOUND
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 10:40am
I've always thought our FFA 10K's seemed to like a 2 ohm load best! They certainly drive 2 ohm sub without breaking a sweat and don't seem to sound any different than with 4 ohm loads. 
 I also have Linea 44M20's and love them. They are a great sounding amplifier but I wouldn't say they were best suited to driving 2 ohm sub and we always try to keep them on 4 ohm loads. 


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It's just bits of paper flapping about in a box.


Posted By: charlysays
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 11:12am
What sort of mains power you're running off and the type of power supply in the amp should also be a consideration when running sub. Most amps will have a shorter life span and give poorer quality sound at 2r.
Because I run off 13a supplies all the time I stick to running my amps sub channels at 8r usually, spread over a few wall outlets but usually on the same ring. I do often bridge smaller amps (matrix ukp2100x) into single high power 8r drivers though and I've not had any low voltage issues. Also you'll notice that switchmode amps (of which pretty much all mine are now) give a longer/ better burst power rating at 8r than at 4r or 2r. On 13a outlets I find that switchmode amps will give more music power than a toroidal amp of the same rating once the output of the amp is above around 2.5kw @8r bridge


Posted By: JonB67
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 3:32pm
Is there ever an answer in audio that doesnt start  "it depends"? LOL

Original poster if you followed all that then great, if not safe bet is 2 x 8 ohm drivers to give you 4 ohm cabinets. 

As long as you have the amp power available at 4 ohm its less stress on your amps.  




Posted By: veuch
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 4:17pm
Originally posted by JonB67 JonB67 wrote:

Is there ever an answer in audio that doesnt start  "it depends"? LOL



It depends.


Posted By: T-Ed
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 6:46pm
Thanks for all your comments and advise, ive gone with the 8 ohms. just have to buy more amps.
Cheers


Posted By: T-Ed
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 6:50pm
Il be running 16a and 13a plugs off of distro box. Powerd bye a 50 kva generator.
Thanks


Posted By: mk2_ginger_biscuit69
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 7:00pm
hang on, you're getting 8x dual 21" subs built, yet you have to ask basic system tech questions? I don't mean to be disrespectful, just a large investment, large logistical effort, hope you have the following to fill the size venues you'd need for that - and midtop/tech to match. Can be done, electrikal/valve to name two DIY systems who went large, and succeeded.


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''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it''

''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''


Posted By: T-Ed
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 7:26pm
Thats not big for outdoors, no experience running 2 ohms hence the question.
Thanks


Posted By: JonB67
Date Posted: 16 May 2018 at 8:41pm
Originally posted by veuch veuch wrote:

Originally posted by JonB67 JonB67 wrote:

Is there ever an answer in audio that doesnt start  "it depends"? LOL



It depends.

I deserved that.  


Posted By: Shelfstacker
Date Posted: 17 May 2018 at 6:37am
I’m glad to hear you’re going for 8 ohm drivers - good choice. 

For me, 8 cabs would be an awkward number of boxes to manage. I would personally choose to run 3 a side, and wire the bass boxes pin 1 +/- to one driver in the cab, and pin 2 +/- to the other.  Then link through the three cabs a side to give you a 2.6 ohm load on 2 big amp channels per stack, each bass stack tidily run off 1 x 4 core, 4mm cable (plus links), with your amp rack right behind the stack, on about 3 metres of fat string. 

I’m not 100% sure why this site seems to obsess about bass, when the Juju that pulls everything together is what happens in your top boxes?  Yes, sub is nice, sub is crucial - but not at the expense of your top end?  It’s nice having your trousers flapped around, but for me what makes a really outstanding sound system is the top end making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. 

What are you planning for your mid/high section of your rig?


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If you are at the circus and being attacked by clowns - go for the juggler


Posted By: Hemisphere
Date Posted: 17 May 2018 at 7:00am
Bass is one part of the system where quantity can, to a certain extent, make up for a lack of quality, and you need to understand a lot less in order to get going. It's not as simple as people think but it's still simpler than midtops - less detail in the music down there, greater margin for error.

Having a bunch of bass bins knocked up on the cheap and don't really know what you're doing? No problem - Stack up loads of it people will have a good time so long as your midtops are quality. As you suggest, it doesn't really work the other way round.

Some people talk about midtops less because they don't even know enough to know what they don't know about midtops, they're written off as a consideration on the grounds "I'll build my bass then I will buy some really good midtops and they will be good. I won't know exactly why they're good, and I hope I'll get away with not knowing why". Same reason some might attempt a build of a custom desktop PC but wouldn't dream of trying to assemble their own laptop or phone.

Not saying that necessarily applies here.


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Phase 1: Post on Speakerplans
Phase 2: ?????
Phase 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zc4bGkU05o" rel="nofollow - Profit!



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