Whats your favorite speaker load on your 4 ohm ODS?

[Joost]

I've heard several people say it's ok to hook up an 8 ohm load to the 4 ohm Twin iron ODS. One went to far as to say the 8 ohm load on a 4 ohm dumble was part of the sound. Part of the magic.

What say you? 4 ohm or 8 ohm? I am getting an Alex's Attenuator for my 124 dumble and have to decide to get an 8 ohm one or have a 4 ohm one custom built for ne

[Structo]

I chose to install a output transformer that has 4, 8, 16 ohm secondary taps.

That way I have a choice of how I configure the speaker load.

Although for now, I am using two EVM 12L 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel for an 8 ohm load.

Personally, I like to match speaker loads with transformer impedance for efficiency and safety.

Alex's attenuator is getting good reviews but I don't really feel the need for one with my 100w ODS.
With the Dumbleator and master volume I can get satisfactory tones at low volume.
In other words, the wife can be in the next room watching TV while I play at bedroom levels.

I realize that doesn't help you with your question.

I guess you have to ask yourself what speaker configuration are you going to be using for the most part.

A single speaker at 8 ohms?

Two 8 ohm speakers in parallel for a 4 ohm load? (This is what I would do)

[Tonegurus]

I use 2 Celestion 8-ohm for a 4 ohm load.

Mike

[boldaslove6789]

I've used a few single 1x12 cab's with an Eminence Texas Heat (8ohm), a Tone Tubby Hempcone (16ohm), an EvM12L (8ohm) and a Celestion G1265 (8ohm) and I still prefer to have 2 x 12 cab (8ohm) speakers (Celestion G1265's) @ 4 ohm's.

For some reason 4 ohm's is louder or just feels the nicest IMHO.

[David Root]

+1 on matching impedance. Maximum power, maximum impact, full frequency response. What's not to like? The Ancients were right, despite "progressive modern" opinions to the contrary.

If you do find you like 4 ohm out into 8 ohm speaker, fine, so long as you're not using a cheap OT. If you do use a cheap/underrated OT, you won't be using it too long. El Smoko!

But DON'T do 8 ohm out into a 4 ohm speaker, that is asking for trouble, or in general X ohm output into <X ohm speaker. Even with quality/not underrated OTs.

[Joost]

+1 on matching impedance. Maximum power, maximum impact, full frequency response. What's not to like? The Ancients were right, despite "progressive modern" opinions to the contrary.

If you do find you like 4 ohm out into 8 ohm speaker, fine, so long as you're not using a cheap OT. If you do use a cheap/underrated OT, you won't be using it too long. El Smoko!

But DON'T do 8 ohm out into a 4 ohm speaker, that is asking for trouble, or in general X ohm output into <X ohm speaker. Even with quality/not underrated OTs.

*hahaha* El Smoke... that cracked me up. I'll be using that!

Thanks for the very complete answer. I think I'll get the Aracom attenuator which has selectable impedance matching on both input and output... and I'm using mercury magnetics transformers, so I'll be good.

[guitarjazz]

Dumble would test 8 ohm speakers ,( which vary in actual impedance), and find ones that were closest to 4 ohm.
If my friend lets me take a picture I'll post it. How do you post a picture?

[boldaslove6789]

Dumble would test 8 ohm speakers ,( which vary in actual impedance), and find ones that were closest to 4 ohm.
If my friend lets me take a picture I'll post it. How do you post a picture?

You an either upload to photobucket and "copy and paste" the link in your post or you can use the "Add an Attachment" function at the bottom of the window and upload straight from your computer when you write a post.

[grtamp]

I still prefer to have 2 x 12 cab (8ohm) speakers (Celestion G1265's) @ 4 ohm's.

+1
My favourite cab!!!

[triode3]

This may sound ridiculous, but I tend to have a lot of vintage JBLs around the shop. I built a cab with a single 15, but it was not a D130... I knew it would not have enough top end, so I put four 3" full ranges in it, with a high pass filter at 1000hz. I played it side by side against a 2x12 cab that everyone liked. When I plugged in the 1x15+3"s, everyone was blown away at the sound and loved it.

I was a bit surprised really. I was building it just to use some drivers I had around the shop, and not really on purpose. I don't even use the 2x12 anymore.

[David Root]

Good stuff! The audio guys do that kind of thing all the time but we generally don't think of it as an option. Bass players do, because they're forced by their volume demands to be more open to new technology than us guitar types.

It wouldn't hurt us to get a bit more adventurous and come out of the '50s every now and then!

I do a little of that, I have a pair of TL806 ported speaker cabinets, design straight from the audio world. Sound great with the right speakers.

I also use modern soft recovery hexfred rectifier diodes, BIG improvement over 1N4007s.

But I still use 20 ga. solid wire in old builds! But teflon insulated.

[Chris333]

I also use modern soft recovery hexfred rectifier diodes, BIG improvement over 1N4007s.

What brand/model hexfred do you use?