One amp head into switchable mono/stereo 2x12 - How to ABY the amp into the different speakers

[mbt64]

I've got a solid-state amp head with a single 8-ohm and two 16-ohm outputs. I'm running into a Yamaha 2x12 with two different Eminence speakers. The cab allows you to switch (you actually have to move a slider switch) between a single 16-ohm input and two 8-ohm inputs. What I'm trying to find is a switcher that would let me send the signal to each individual speaker or to both, without me having to move cables or reach behind the cab to hit the slide switch.

I think some type of ABY switch that can handle amp output level, and hooking up the two 16-ohm amp outputs to the two 8-ohm cab inputs? I'm not real strong on tech so if what I wrote makes no sense, I apologize. It's not a critical need, I'm just lazy.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[311boogieman]

I'm not the expert in the room but I'll give you a free bump with some general thoughts or questions. Generally speaking you should be OK to hook up one amp at 8 ohms to one 8 ohm speaker and another amp at 8ohms to the other 8 ohm speaker. Where it gets confusing is when you say ABY. I would remove that from the equation because we usually associate ABY pedals with instrument cable connections in front of the amp. Now, Radial makes a pedal called the Cab-bone (looks like it is now called Cab-Link, which allows you to connect 1 amp to 2 cabinets.

So what are you trying to do? Compare speakers in real time?
Do you have a second amp head as well or just the 1?
Are you also wanting to run both speakers at the same time as well as speakers individually? That would be more difficult without going behind there and switching things around.

 

[mbt64]

I appreciate the response. What I wanted to do was use this cabinet with two different speakers. I wanted a switch between the head and the cabinet that would let me choose which of the two speakers, or both, the signal goes to, without having to reach behind the cabinet and flip the slider from single to dual.

I've actually got an engineer to respond from Radial and they said their products were not suitable for what I was thinking and recommended the big boy switchers from KHE etc. It really was just laziness and it seems like overkill for the full amp switchers from KHE, de Lisle, etc. Thanks again though.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

It sounds like you have a stereo cab; meaning you have the option to run each speaker separate at 8 ohms each or run them together in series at 16 ohms total.

The problem you're going to run into in what you're wanting to do is an ohms mismatch unless you move cables around. Typical ABY pedals are not built to handle signal flowing between the amp and cab. You'd fry your transformers trying to use one of those. What you need to look at is a head/cab switcher. There's still an issue there. Most head/cab switchers that allow for extension speakers will run them in parallel which would give you 4 ohms. So you're still dealing with an ohm mismatch.

You would need to add some sort of impedance matching device in the chain like a Zmatch transformer or similar. You wouldn't have to move cables around, but the setup may get complicated depending on the units used. You may also still have to keep track of which speakers were active and manually switch to the correct impedance on that side of the chain. Plus you're getting into an area where the setup may not be worth the money for what you want to do.

KHE looks to offer the simplest setup in this way. Use any of their amp/cab switchers combined with their ZMX-1 impedance matcher. You're looking about about $1700 for the cheapest setup.

The next step down the line is an all in one unit. The only two that come to mind are the Fryette ZMACS 4x4 and DeLisle 4x4 Pro Plus with built in attenuator. Both would allow you do what you are wanting without having to worry about impedance matching in an all in one setup. Both have space for 4 heads and 4 cabs(speakers). Like the KHE they wouldn't be cheap either.

Differences are function and price.

The Delisle has a built in attenuator, uses rotary switches, and costs $1500
The Fryette is push button, but can switch everything via programable MIDI, no attenuator, and costs $1000. I don't think a MIDI footswitch is included.

I generally recommend DeLisle since I own several of their switcher and can attest to their high quality. KHE and Fryette are high quality as well, but I've never used them myself.

https://www.khe-audioelectronics.com/shop-1

https://www.fryette.com/zmacs-4x4/

https://delisleguitar.com/shop/de-lisle-amp-speaker-selector-4x4-pro-plus-with-reactive-attenuator/

 

[mbt64]

Thanks, I'm going to overcome laziness for now and just move cables and switches. I have looked at the deLisle stuff, I'll get one of theirs when I have more amps and cabs.