SPEAKER CABINET SWITCH

[fubar]

Hello all, audio neophyte here, I have a Traynor YGA1 100 watt tube amp that I have hooked up to two cabinets with different speaker configurations for flavour.........both cabinets are rated for 8 ohms, putting out 100 watts max each, the one cab has a 15" driver and horn which is hooked up to the main speaker out put, the second has a pair of 12"(private Jack) drivers hooked up to the extesion speaker output........presently if I want to use one cab only I have to physically unplug the other and plug it back in to use both cabs again.........I was looking to make life simpler by using some kind of switch for this purpose.........I know Cab bone makes a stomp box, but I don't want to spend 300.00 dollars on it either, anyone suggest an alternative that I can flip by hand or stomp I really don't care?

would a mic mixer work for this appication?

[ampdoc1]

Don't hookup the output of your amp to a mixer, you'll most likely blow the preamp. Mic inputs are made for signals <1v in general, while your amp is rated to produce 28v into an 8 ohm load.

In a perfect world you would also be changing the impedance switch on your amp as you add or subtract the speaker, but from your description it sounds like you're just removing one speaker cable.

If you want something simple (and you should already be switching your amp to standby when doing this), just mount a 10A SPST switch and three jacks in a "project box", and switch the speaker cable from the amp out to either one or both speakers. This will just disconnect the one speaker when switched.

[fubar]

Hi Doc and thanx for the reply.......I am pretty much a neophyte in this area and these diagrams are all greek to me, pretty much all I do know as a result of this quest is that the signal from a guitar to the amp is substantially weaker than the signal from the amp to the speaker.......that in a nutshell is my electronics expiernce.

Would this type of a switch work or is wired to lightly for the current?

New Pro Series 2-Way 200W Speaker Selector Switch Box! - eBay (item 370147546648 end time Oct-16-09 22:45:59 PDT)

or something like this Proco RMS-1A

[Aurora]

Main point is you should also flip your impedance switch to the correct impedance. Using two 8 ohm speakers either gives you 16 ohms in series or 4 ohms in parallel - unless your amp is wired with two output jacks that take care of the switching ???? Does your amp have an impedance switch?
I guess your amp is normally set for 8 ohms....some don't care if you feed them 4 ohms, but most tube amps will most certainly be happier with the correct impedance..........

That box most probably just switches things in parallel..

[ampdoc1]

Both of these items will switch speakers connected to your amp, but not like you need. For one thing, they are made for connecting to home audio amps that use bare wire connectors, rather than 1/4" phone jacks/plugs

The Pro Series pedal puts the speakers in series when both are used, so the load on your amp will be 16 ohms when both speakers are used. Probably not going to hurt anything, but you may lose some volume and tone.

The ProCo unit shows it will switch between the speakers, that is, A or B, not A+B.

I assume you are on this site, because you want to learn how to work with your speakers/amps. The drawing I sent is about as simple a project as can be imagined. You need only to buy an aluminum box, and drill four holes (3 for 1/4" jacks and 1 for your switch). The wiring is very simple once you have those items in place. If you'd like to try your hand at this, let me know and I'll be glad to advise you on parts selection, construction and use.

ampdoc1

[fubar]

Hi Thanx doc I'm always interested in learning........and yes I am more than interested in trying my hand at this project.......my first two questions are what guage wire would I require and where would I find the box once I have a working version of this project............here are a couple of projects I built form scratch........presently I have just rebuilt the speaker cabs on my rig and am moving on to my amps. I have a Yorkville yvm10 that came with my speakers so I am sure I can canibalize it for parts to get started. I will start by using a shoe box to hold the build and make sure it works before transfering to the alum box

[fubar]

Hey Aurora, no my amp is a vintage Traynor Signature YGA-1 (that unlike my Marshall does not have an impedence switch) that I use in conjunction with a TR-1 outboard reverb unit......I acquired a pair of B-2 Traynor that I retrofitted and refurbished......It was wired back they way it was originally, whether it is series or parallel. I have no idea. They do have two input jacks on the backs of the cabs.....when I plug into both jacks they both work.

[ampdoc1]

You can always find a project box at Radio Shack. You'll also need 3 female 1/4" jacks, and a 10A SPST switch.

All of these items are also available from Mouser or Small Bear Electronics.

The connections inside can be made up with 16 gauge wire or bigger, also available from RS.

[fubar]

Hey Doc, you see Ronnie Dunn around there much (huge fan here) Radio Shack haven't heard that name in years since which ever American company it was bought it and changed it too The Source.......


What would you guess my cabs are wired the horn and the 15"driver and then the pair of 12s series or parallel? any idea why the cabs would have had to input jacks? The info I found on them says the original speaker and horn is running at 8ohms as well the other cab from what the owner told me......


About the switch is it a 3 position switch that will give me both cabs and then one or the other in the other two positions?

[Structo]

You can measure your cabs DC resistance and it will read a bit lower than the actual impedance.

Like an 8 ohm speaker may read 6.5 ohms or so.

[fubar]

I see, thanx Tom I've got the guage, don't know how to use it or read it........more reading coming up.......

[fubar]

Hey Doc, once I have the circuit laid out which is better soldering or clips for the connections?

[ampdoc1]

Your cabs were two way PA speakers it looks like. There might have been two jack to enable bi-amping the horns and woofer separately. Or perhaps just for convenience to allow connecting two cabs with a short cable between them.

If you can find a three way switch rated at 10A that would certainly be a good way to do it.

I'm sure RD makes it back to this area ever so often, but i believe he lives in Nashville now. I did get to see him years ago before he broke into the big time, and heard Boot Scootin' Boogie before it became a big hit. Great singer and writer.