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16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:32 pm
by Joetread
I'm currently deciding between the terror bass 500 & 1000. Is it recommended to run either amp into a 16 ohm cab? My idea is to get the 1000 and one 16 ohm cab for now. Leaving the future possibility to get another 16 ohm cab and use the full power at 8 ohms. If this is allowable what would be the output at 16 ohms? Would it affect the character of the sound? Thanks for any help.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:33 am
by bclaire
You don't want to do that. If there are only 8 and 4 ohm outs, then your only possibility would be 8 ohm cabs. You COULD use 2 16 ohm cabs but I don't know of any bass cabs that are 16 ohm. You can't use 1 16 ohm cab...

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 2:42 pm
by Joetread
Thanks for the reply. I would have had to rewire a cab to get 16 ohms but from your response it seems it's not a good idea to run the amp into 16 ohms.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:20 pm
by a.hun
No it isn't a good idea. With a normal Class AB solid state amp no problem, but the class D Terror Bass wants to be correctly impedance matched and the only options are as Billy said.


Andy.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:44 pm
by Le Chat Noir
I can't think of any manufacturer who makes 16 ohm bass cabs, the standard for most bass gear is 8 or 4 ohms and most bass amps have taps for those ratings. Better to stick to either of those.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:07 am
by a.hun
Le Chat Noir wrote:I can't think of any manufacturer who makes 16 ohm bass cabs, the standard for most bass gear is 8 or 4 ohms and most bass amps have taps for those ratings. Better to stick to either of those.
Yep, I can't think of any 16 ohm bass cabs either. The TB amps will (when correctly hooked up and switched to the right impedance) deliver their full power (or close to) into either 4 or 8 ohms. If wanting to run two cabs at some point I'd get 8 ohm ones.
a.hun wrote:No it isn't a good idea. With a normal Class AB solid state amp no problem, but the class D Terror Bass wants to be correctly impedance matched and the only options are as Billy said.

Andy.
Not all class D amps work that way BTW. I'm buying one which does put out different power levels into 4 and 8 ohms meaning I'll be able to run either a single or double 8 ohm cab rig safely enough.


Andy.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:48 am
by Joetread
Thanks for all the advice. My ill conceived plan was to get an 8 ohm 2x12 cab and rewire the drivers in series to make it 16 ohms. I was hoping this would cut the output of the TB1000 enough that it wouldn't overpower a 2x12 cab. Then in the future I could purchase another cab and make it 16 ohms and use them both at bigger shows to get the full 1000 watts. Now that I know the TB heads wouldn't like a 16 ohm cab I will just get the 500 and I won't rewire my cab. Thanks again for the help.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:57 pm
by bassdrop
You could always get a cheapo used/empty 1x15 and then fit it with an Eminence Kilomax 15 and be good for most any gig. You won't get much response above 2khz, but the Kilomax will handle the full TB1000 output all on its own. Another recommendation would be to get a used/empty 4x12 and load it with EV's, which will get you to about 800 watts handling, but will be a much louder cab with a better sounding midrange and treble than a Kilomax cab (think Steve Harris).

Otherwise, you're looking at a high powered bass 4x10, 8x10, 4x12, or 2x15 cab. Andy- what was the UK bass cab company you linked in that other thread? Their stuff looks to be pretty amazing.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 3:02 pm
by Le Chat Noir
bassdrop wrote:Andy- what was the UK bass cab company you linked in that other thread? Their stuff looks to be pretty amazing.
I think the company you're after is Barefaced. Their cabs are quite expensive but very good.

For a single cab that will handle the TB1000's output you could also look at the SP410 of course :)

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:40 pm
by bassdrop
Barefaced cabs, yes: very innovative designs, I'd love to hear how they sound. Expensive yes, but so are the SP cabs. At the SP's price point you have almost every good quality bass cab to choose from so it really depends on what you're after. The SP's are very powerful for their size but trade off on efficiency, which may not be an issue for a 1000w head. Non-isobaric cabinets at that same price will be larger, weigh almost the same, and be a good deal more efficient. It really comes down to what the OP is after in terms of tone and cost. I was just throwing out some low cost options along with a some higher cost ones. In the end, I've found that it's best to try to get as good equipment as you can afford at any one time since buying lower end generally means trading up in another year or two at a loss and spending more than having simply buying the nicer gear. that along with talking out of my arse, which I hear is de rigueur on these here Internet forums.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:41 pm
by a.hun
bassdrop wrote:Otherwise, you're looking at a high powered bass 4x10, 8x10, 4x12, or 2x15 cab. Andy- what was the UK bass cab company you linked in that other thread? Their stuff looks to be pretty amazing.
Yeah, Barefaced Bass.

I have their 1x15 'Compact' cab. Superb kit - stunning what great sounds you can get from top modern (ultra)lightweight bass cabs. Great tone, great efficiency, zero back strain. I'm impressed and delighted. But just check out the comments on Barefaced on bass forums, especially in the UK though they are now turning up basically everywhere. Not cheap but pretty reasonable - they only deal direct with customers so no retail mark up. Comparable with absolute top end cabs so think going on double the price. And I agree with bassdrop - if you can then getting the best you can saves having to worry about it for a while. Unles you are an incurable gasser in which case there is no cure...

(Small once only heads up: Ironically if I'd waited a little I could have got my cab for £100 quid off - they are doing a special offer on Compacts ordered before the 23rd.)


Andy.

Re: 16 ohm cab and Terror Bass 1000

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:15 am
by Randy Bass
Joetread wrote:Thanks for all the advice. My ill conceived plan was to get an 8 ohm 2x12 cab and rewire the drivers in series to make it 16 ohms. I was hoping this would cut the output of the TB1000 enough that it wouldn't overpower a 2x12 cab. Then in the future I could purchase another cab and make it 16 ohms and use them both at bigger shows to get the full 1000 watts. Now that I know the TB heads wouldn't like a 16 ohm cab I will just get the 500 and I won't rewire my cab. Thanks again for the help.
An 8-ohm 2x12 cab would probably come loaded with two 4-ohm drivers wired in Series, though two 16-ohm drivers in Parallel would also result in an 8-ohm load. Therefore, you would not have been able to do much to rewire an 8-ohm 2x12 cab in a useful manner. Your choices would have potentially been rewiring to 2 ohms total or 32 ohms total (depending on the speakers).

The TB500 will be plenty loud as long as you don't need really loud cleans. I'd get an 8-ohm cab for it if possible.