Should I wire my 4x12 cab to be stereo ? Have you?

[Coreybm730]

I have a 4x12 with 4 g12k100s, currently its wired up 400 watts 8 ohm. I could wire it up 200 watts, 8 ohm stereo. Then I could get a power amp with 200 watts per channel instead of finding one with 400 on a channel. Also would this add a lot to the tone? Could the axe fx II preset be set up for 2 amps going through each side? like 2 amps, 1 amp going left, other amp going right? Is this possible and has anyone done it? Does it sound cool? Is it better than mono?

 

[jgparker59]

My Marshall 425A 4x12 cabinet, as most 1960's, come wired for stereo. I go out of my Axe XLR L&R to my Matrix L&R to my stereo 4x12 cabinet L&R and I love the sound. It's way better than mono IMO.

 

[clarky]

personally I prefer two cabs....
and although my technical rider states that I use two cabs, sometimes I only get one
this being the case I've gigged a 4x12 stereo wired several times..
it's fine, just try not to stand too close to it.. get a little distance between you and the cab and you'll find that all is well

 

[npdcoremetal]

I have a 4x12 with 4 g12k100s, currently its wired up 400 watts 8 ohm. I could wire it up 200 watts, 8 ohm stereo. Then I could get a power amp with 200 watts per channel instead of finding one with 400 on a channel. Also would this add a lot to the tone? Could the axe fx II preset be set up for 2 amps going through each side? like 2 amps, 1 amp going left, other amp going right? Is this possible and has anyone done it? Does it sound cool? Is it better than mono?

I bought some Avatar Cabs from a buddy of mine and I was tired of carring 2 cabs to shows,practice and back to my studio so I wired them both at 8ohms mono 4ohms stereo which IMHO is the best way for both. I also believe the best way of doing this is with the marshall style switching jacks. Not only are they simple to work with and cheap they are in a plastic housing with plastic nut eliminating any ground hum problems. They are switching jacks so when you go just mono your stereo jacks are INOP. Same if you go stereo. You can buy a prewired cab back plate as well wich to me is not as fun and way too expensive for such simplistic wiring. Switchcraft also makes a multiswitching jack that Mesa cabs use so you can use 2 normal jacks and this rediculous switching jack.

I liked runing mine stereo I started with v30s criss-crossed with gh1230s and left them that way when I went to stereo this way things that are in stereo sound true and you get two different sounds. I now switched the v30s from the other cab I had and now have one cab with v30s on with gk100s and gh1230s. I love the all v30s cab in mono or stereo. I have not yet tried the other cab, however I think it will be equally as good.

I do somewhat agree with another reply that using 2 2x12 cabs would be better minus the hassle of two cabs agian wether or not they are smaller or not. However with 2 2x12 cabs you have more options as far as positioning and such.

 

[CrazyTrainer]

I have a 4x12 with 4 g12k100s, currently its wired up 400 watts 8 ohm. I could wire it up 200 watts, 8 ohm stereo. Then I could get a power amp with 200 watts per channel instead of finding one with 400 on a channel.

depends on how it has been wired.

Often you find that in "stereo" mode, you get 2 channels of 16 Ohm (ie two speakers in series on each channel). When you switch it to "mono" it parallels them up to give you 8 Ohms.

So you'll need an amp that delivers 2 x 200W into 16 Ohms ... and you'll find that such an amp will likely have an output of 400W into 8 Ohms, and 800W into 4 Ohms.

If you really don't want to buy a bigger amp, then you could possibly re-wire the cab with the speakers in parallel to give you 2 channels of 4 Ohms, finding an amp that delivers 2 x 200W into 4 Ohms will be a bit easier, but take care when switching back to mono, as it could present 2 Ohms to the amp ...

 

[Coreybm730]

depends on how it has been wired.

Often you find that in "stereo" mode, you get 2 channels of 16 Ohm (ie two speakers in series on each channel). When you switch it to "mono" it parallels them up to give you 8 Ohms.

So you'll need an amp that delivers 2 x 200W into 16 Ohms ... and you'll find that such an amp will likely have an output of 400W into 8 Ohms, and 800W into 4 Ohms.

If you really don't want to buy a bigger amp, then you could possibly re-wire the cab with the speakers in parallel to give you 2 channels of 4 Ohms, finding an amp that delivers 2 x 200W into 4 Ohms will be a bit easier, but take care when switching back to mono, as it could present 2 Ohms to the amp ...

Ill prob wire it up parallel for 4 ohms/200 watts per side.