Im New

[double d 0]

Hi everyone, im a dj based in horsham west sussex and am just starting out as a mobile dj. i have been djing for a while now, i started mixing hardcore some years back on vinyl and now do my mixing at home mainly doing electro house on cd.

due to the every increasing cost of living i have decided to make my hobby into a bit of an income, however big or small, its great to do something you enjoy and get paid to do it.

 

my kit consists of

pioneer 850's

numark im9 mixer

1600 watt amp

ipod...lol

custom frame

lights (well of course)

and soon some speakers

 

i have a question about speakers?

 

my amp albeit 1600 watts this is the max output, values are 2x8ohm speakers per channel

will it cope with 1x8ohm and 1x4ohm speaker????? ie 1x4ohm sub and 1x8ohm top ??????

 

thanks for reading and a pre thanks for you're help

 

dd

[Dukesy 0]

Hi and welcome to DJU

 

my amp albeit 1600 watts this is the max output, values are 2x8ohm speakers per channel

will it cope with 1x8ohm and 1x4ohm speaker????? ie 1x4ohm sub and 1x8ohm top ??????

 

In one word - NO

 

Unless your amplifier has the specification of being able to work continuously into low loads of below 4 ohms then its not going to be recommended. From your description, your amplifier is only suitable for driving 2x 8 ohm speakers per channel (a combined total load of 4 ohms per channel), so by connecting 1x 8 ohm and 1x 4 ohm speakers to each channel, you will take each channel below its designed 4 ohm rating and seriously run the risk of overloading the amplifier, which will eventually overheat the amplifier, introduce higher levels of distortion and may also cause it to fail.

 

To run this type of speaker load successfully, you really need to look for an amplifier which is capable of driving loads down to 2 ohms per channel.

 

The best alternative, is to run with just the 4 ohm speaker connected to each channel, as this will be louder than the 8 ohm speaker as the amplifier will run at its full rated power into it, whilst the 8 ohm speaker will run at reduced power (about 60% of the amplifiers' rated output). This of course assumes that the 4 ohm speaker is capable of running the full wattage of the amplifier output?

 

A 1600 watt maximum power amplifier is likely to be rated far less than 1600W in real terms, 'Maximum' figures are usually peak figures, reached under ideal lab conditions, and rarely reached in everyday use.

 

For more accuracy you need to find out the RMS or Continuous wattage of your amplifier at 4 ohms per channel. Maxiumum figures are pretty meaningless really. You may find the RMS rating on the manufacturers website, if its not printed on the back of the amplifier or in the manual.

 

What make and model is the amplifier?

[double d 0]

hi

the amp will output 2x500wrms per channel with 2x8ohm speakers

or 1x800wrms as a mono/bass channel with 1x4ohm

 

thank you for the quick reply

 

dd

 

found this

 

Specifications:

4Ω stereo: 2 x 500Wrms

8Ω stereo: 2 x 250Wrms

8Ω bridged: 1 x 800Wrms

Max power: 1600Wmax @ 8Ω

Frequency range: 20Hz - 20Khz

S/N ratio: >90dB

THD: >0.5% >0.1%

Dimensions: 485(w) x 88(h) x 400(d) mm (inc. handles)

19 x 2U x 9

Weight: 14kg

Connections:

Output: 3 x Speakon

Input: 2 x &quarter;inch Jack (unbalanced)

2 x XLR (balanced)

19 x 2U x 9

2 x XLR (balanced)

 

Edited February 15, 2011 by double d

[Dukesy 0]

Okay, well you certainly shouldn't be considering running both the 8 ohm and 4 ohm speakers off each channel, as it will take it below the amplifiers' design rating of 4 ohms load per channel.

 

So you have the following options.

 

1) Assuming they are full range speakers, then use just the 4 ohm speakers connected one spkr per channel. This will give you the full rated 500W per channel output of the amplifier, through just the one pair of 4 ohm speakers. However the speakers will need to be able to take the full 500W of the amplifier. Do you know the RMS rating of the 4 ohm speakers?

 

2) Use just the 8 ohm speakers connected one spkr per channel. This will give around 50 - 60% of the rated power per channel, meaning you'll get around 250w - 300W per channel from this set up. However the 8 ohm speakers will need to be able to take the output.

 

3) Sell the 4 ohm speakers and buy another pair of 8 ohm speakers, then run 2x 8 ohm speakers connected to each channel. This combined load will also give 4 ohms to each channel, and also provide the full 500W per channel output.

 

4) Buy a second amplifier, and run the 2x 4 ohm speakers from one amplifier, and the 2x 8 ohm speakers from the other.

 

There are other combinations also, but they start getting needlessly complicated and messy - but there isn't any easy solution to run both the 4 ohm and 8 ohm speakers on the same amplifier, without upgrading to a decent quality 2 ohm stable amplifier.

[double d 0]

thanks for your help thats great, looks like i need another amp,

 

the 4ohm speakers are subs so cant just use those

 

i can run the 350wrms speakers (full range) with this amp as they are 8ohms

 

i will look for an amp with 2x300wrms@4ohm

 

we are getting somewhere

 

the speakers are the peavey pro 15 and pro subs, not the best but as i have read on here they are good value for money and will be good to start with

 

thanks again for your help

[Dukesy 0]

Peavey are fine, plenty of well established DJ's and Bands use them. :dukesy:

 

Far better than using cheaper unknown Chinese brands with dubious wattage ratings

[barry 0]

HI and :welcome:

I use the peavey pro 15 and they are great plenty of punch i run them on the Kam KXR2000 power amp and they sound great.

I have never had any complaints.

Good luck and have fun. :joe:

[double d 0]

thats a big amp!!!

 

i went to a dj shop today and tried a 2nd hand pair of carlsbro beta 115 (300wrms) they were ok but no bass to speak of, the guy that showed me was a great help but really wanted me to buy the speakery and tried his best to convince me that peavey were crap.

he did only want £100 for the pair and they were in pretty good condition, but not for me.

 

i am picking up the peaveys on saturday

 

thanks for the good feedback about the peaveys

 

sweeeeet

 

dd

[barry 0]

Yes its a big amp but it came with the speakers.

I payed £600 for the speakers and amp as a display only so never been used.

Found out later that the amp new is about £400-£500.

Sounds like you have done your home work and know what you are after

What im saying is depends on how much cash you have got to spend and if you know what you are after then there are some good deals out there for grade B gear.

Look at whybuynew.co.uk. the price has gone up a bit but they have some good deals.

But if you see something you like look it up and see what people say about it as some of them may have the grunt but how good they sound is a different thing.

 

Good luck.

 

Barry. :joe:

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

:welcome: to the forum

[double d 0]

cheers barry, im picking up my peaveys in just a few hours now cant wait.

also had a result, i wanted to order/ collect a new pair of pioneer 850's and they were out of stock and wasnt sure when the next order would arrive so due to it being very close to end of financial year and they need to pad their books they done me a pair of pioneer 900's for the same price.

 

GET IN......

 

 

 

thanks ray!!!

[Derek Paul 0]

Hi There,

 

Welcome to the Forum

[barry 0]

Nice one ray.

Hope they sound great,let us know what you think when you used them. :dukesy:

[double d 0]

cheers derek.....

 

havnt been on for a while but thought i would let you know that the new speakers are amazing......

loud isnt the word, i set them up in my living room and cranked it up a bit and my neighbour knocked and said,"could you drop the volume just a little cos we are catching the ornaments as they drop off of the cabinet.lol

that was a good test then!!!!!!

 

thanks to you all for the advice.

 

will start posting in all the right places from now on

 

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