How Do i Hook up my Mesa Roadster Head to two 4x12 Orange?

[Indigo]

They are 16 ohm cabs. Im looking to hook my head up to two of them. The manual says use a parallel box, though i have no idea what a parallel box is. Another option is hook them both up to two 4 ohm jacks.. but wouldnt that affect the sound in a bad way?

 

[phyrexia]

Hold on now. The manual shouldn't tell you you need a parallel box for two 16 ohm cabs. The outputs on the back of your head are wired in parallel.

So, using some basic math, two 16 ohm cabs in parallel make an 8 ohm load. So you should plug one cab into one 8 ohm jack, and the other cab into the other 8 ohm jack.

Now, if you had two 4 ohm cabs, you'd need to use a series box to get the total impedance up to 8 ohms, instead of running them in parallel for 2 ohms.

 

[Indigo]

There is only One 8 OHM jack on the back of a Mesa Roadster Head. One 16 Ohm Jack, One 8 Ohm Jack, Two 4 Ohm Jacks.

 

[phyrexia]

Oh. I was thinking they were like a DR. 4 4 8 8 16.

Do your orange cabs have one input, or do they have to parallel inputs, or two stereo inputs?

You could just build a Y cable and go out of the 8 ohm jack to both cabs.

Or, if the cabs have parallel inputs like a Mesa cab, you can go out from the 8 ohm jack, into one cab, out that cab's other parallel input, into the second cab. Dig it?

 

[Indigo]

not too sure how to "build a cable"

orange 4x12s have two jacks on the back.. one says mono, one says stereo :?:

 

[ToneAddictJon]

You can just use the 4ohm outs on the Roadster head to both cabs, it might change the tone a little, but might be to your liking. I've ran 4ohm outs on my DR to 16ohm cabs before and liked how they sounded and never had an issue with it.

 

[Indigo]

wouldnt that not send the same amount of power to each cab though? i cant see that affecting the sound in a good way

 

[pixy]

my 4x12 orange has 2 holes in the back : an input of 16omhs and a LINK output. using that LINK output to connect with another INPUT of an orange 4x12 of 16 omhs means you have two cabinets connected in paralel and the total ohmage is now 8ohms. so you can use one speaker output of 8 ohm from your roadster with two cabinets that are connected in paralel with each other.



later edit : WHAT PHYREXIA SAID

 

[Indigo]

okay so im going.. 8 ohm to orange 1 mono... orange 1 stereo to orange 2 mono?

 

[pixy]

im not sure about that stereo thing...on mine on the right jack it says link. maybe that stereo is an extra input so you could run with 2 signals paird with each column of speakers :?: :!: , my link is an output to connect other cabs.

 

[Indigo]

thats the back of my cab..

maybe the second orange 4x12 i buy should have this "link" jack you speak of?

 

[screamingdaisy]

thats the back of my cab..

maybe the second orange 4x12 i buy should have this "link" jack you speak of?

Ahh... it's a 4x12HP and not a regular 4x12.

If you look, the cab in mono is 8ohm.

Buy another 4x12HP, then plug each cab into a 4ohm jack. If you're only using one cab, plug it into the 8ohm jack.

 

[Indigo]

ive been using this cab 16ohm for about 2 years without a problem. :-\

i cant buy a normal 4x12. plug it in mono and use the link to this one?

and what are the benefits of having an hp cab? whats the whole stereo thing about?

 

[screamingdaisy]

ive been using this cab 16ohm for about 2 years without a problem. :-\

Assuming that cab you have has stock speakers, it's an 8ohm cab (say's so right under the input jack and I just double checked the specs on the Orange website). If you've been plugging your amp's 16ohm out into the cabs 16ohm in you're only using half the speakers in it (basically, it's a 2x12). If you're plugging your amp's 16ohm out into the mono 8ohm jack be really happy that your amp has a strong transformer.... and I'd suggest you stop doing it immediatly and start plugging it into the amp's 8ohm jack (mismatching an 8ohm cab into a 16ohm tap can blow your amp's output transformer).

i cant buy a normal 4x12. plug it in mono and use the link to this one?

That'll give you a 12ohm load. It'd be safe to run in the 8ohm jack on your amp, but it won't be an impedance match so the amp may not sound as intended (though it may also not sound bad either).

and what are the benefits of having an hp cab? whats the whole stereo thing about?

The stereo thing splits your cab into two 2x12s... this'll let you plug two amps into one cab. I'm not sure why Orange did this... I didn't even know the HP cabs were 8ohm stereo cabs until I seen that faceplate.

Anyway, the HP cab comes with Celestion Hot100s (G12K-100) and was designed for use with their Thunderverb 200 series amps. The only real advantages to getting a second HP cab that you'd be able to combine both cabs and plug them into the 4ohm jacks on your amp.

 

[Indigo]

alright. so if i buy the second identical cab.. and use the two 4 ohm jacks.. it should be all good and sound all good?

 

[screamingdaisy]

alright. so if i buy the second identical cab.. and use the two 4 ohm jacks.. it should be all good and sound all good?

Yes. Any cab will work, just make sure it's 8ohm.

 

[Indigo]

Any sound simularities between them and the v30s?

 

[Fixxer6671]

call mesa. you can plug into you 16 and 8 ohm.

Sounds strange but its OK. Actually the old dual rec jacks were rated 8-16 ohms

good luck

 

[Indigo]

huh? youre saying its okay for me to use the 16 ohm jack?

 

[screamingdaisy]

call mesa. you can plug into you 16 and 8 ohm.

Sounds strange but its OK. Actually the old dual rec jacks were rated 8-16 ohms

good luck

Old Dual Rectos had different transformers.

+1 for calling Mesa. If it can be done, they'll tell you.