Having dealt with a 1x12, Zilla Cabs’ Paul Gough grabs a 4x12 to discuss the considerations – and tonal opportunities – when changing multiple speakers
Recently in issue 489, we talked about how to change speakers in a 1x12 cab or combo. Now we’re going to take a look at changing more than one speaker in a cab. The basics are the same, so this time we’ll look at some of the finer details.
When we’re getting set to change speakers in a cab or combo, it makes sense to start with a 1x12: the wiring is much simpler, there are fewer issues regarding impedance, and it’s just less daunting for a first timer. With a bigger cab, even though there are still the same two main reasons for wanting to change a speaker – afault or to add a different tonal characteristic to your amp/cab – multiple-speaker cabinets offer more situations in which either of these two reasons can arise, while at the same time greatly increasing the scope to achieve new and interesting sounds. It also gives us an opportunity to explore a few more important details that are relevant to single-speaker cabs, such as impedance, power rating and a speaker’s sensitivity in a bit more detail.
In the past we have briefly touched on mixing speakers (mostly some of my personal favourites), and this is a topic we’ll definitely pick up in the near future, but a broken speaker can often be the spark that initiates a new and different speaker’s introduction into a cab. Sometimes it might be because it’s a spare that’s lying around, and other times this scenario is just a good excuse to give a new speaker a go.
There are a few things to note here, though. It is always important to ensure the impedance (marked with the word ‘ohms’ or the Greek omega symbol: Ω) of the replacement speaker is the same as the speaker it is replacing. If not, the power distribution between the two speakers can result in a mismatch in volume and potentially damage your amp.
The sensitivity rating (often marked as a number near to 100 followed by dB) ideally wants to be the same as the speaker it’s going to be replacing. This ensures the new speaker won’t overpower the other speaker(s) in the cab. In my opinion, this isn’t essential in most cases, but it is a good rule to stick to, at least for your first few times.
Now, power rating is the one everyone normally focuses on – and for good reason. It doesn’t have to be the same as the replacement speaker, but it does need to be at least half that of the maximum output of your amp… So a 100-watt combo will need at leas
