Connecting heads to combo speakers

[Gearjoneser]

One thing I've been meaning to do is start utilizing the speakers and cabinetry of my combo amps, using a different head to power them.

On some combos the speakers are hardwired to their chassis, but on the type that feature their own 1/4" male plug the lead is usually too short to reach up to a head.

I think I'll buy a 1/4" female/female coupler at Radio Shack for a few bucks.
That way, I can plug any size speaker cable into a combo's speakers with the coupler between them.

Has anyone here tried this, or do it regularly?

My Bogner XTC has cabinet assigning, so I can run 2 dirty channels into a Celestion 412, while assigning just the cleans to the speakers in my Matchless or Fender Pro Reverb. Or, I can dial up the best Vox tones in my Valvetronix head and feed them into either of those combos so it sounds more authentic.

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I have always viewed combos as being a head and speaker cab in one unit, and rigged them accordingly, so that the chasis or speakers in a combo can be used independantly. I always put longer leads on the combo speakers, so that if the amp chasis becomes problematic, i can sit another head on the top and the combo speaker cable will reach up to the substitute head.

The first thing i always do is make sure a combo amp chasis has an accessible, standard 1/4" jack socket for it's output (if it doesn't, i install one) and, as mentioned, longer cable between the chasis and speakers. And yes, i always have a couple of those 1/4" female to female couplers around, they work well, esp in conjunction with a few speaker cables of varying lengths.

One of the beautiful things about setting combos up for maximum versatility (i.e. as a head and speaker cab in one enclosure) is that if you use a tube combo for gigging and have concern about the amp's durability, all you need to do is carry another small head as a spare. If the combo's amp does become a problem, you simply sit the extra head on top and hook it to the combo speakers below. Conversely, you can use a different head and a combo as the speaker cab. If the separate head becomes a problem, you still have a 'spare' head in the combo.

So yeah, in my case, i've been thinking and doing all this for as long as i can remember ... all amps must function as heads, and all speakers must be universally accessible by any amp chasis. First thing to do is lengthen the speaker leads on combos (or run them to a jack socket on a bracket in the back of the combo) and make sure the chasis have standard output sockets in accessible locations. A few speaker cables in varying lenghts and a couple of F/F joiners and you have every option available. It's crazy NOT to do these things when you have various amps and speakers that, at first glace, are dedicated, self-contained units. They can be self-contained, but they can also provide so much more with only a small amount of effort.

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

Those cheap barrel connectors from the shack....not sure if I'd trust running too many watts through one of them. Keep an eye on how hot the thing gets.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I do it all the time w the V30s loaded into my Trem-o-Verb; but, that has speaker jacks on the back of the chassis, so I all do is unplug the combo's amp from the speakers and plug in my external head...

[IM4Tone]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I always carry a Crate Power Block with me as a backup for an amp malfunction. To do this and eliminate the need to take an additional speaker cabinet I do exactly what you have mentioned, including using the RS female/female conector. All my combos are fenders and so have the 1/4" plug for easy attachment. Although I use this as an emergency practice, I have ocassionally used it to try different speakers w/ different amps too. The Crate Pwr. Blk. is no tone monster, but in home trials, sounds decent w/ a couple of pedals and will get you through an emergency as well as minimizing the amount and size of backup equipment.

[d1dsj]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I do it with my Cornford Hurricane 1 x 12, I just made a longer lead (hardwired to the speaker) so that it would reach a head sitting on top of the combo. The only problem I have encountered is that my more powerful MK50 makes the springs in the reverb unit vibrate so one day soon I'll get a new reverb tank.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

Hehe yeah do that often as well....

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

It's a constant thing for me to connect different heads to my combos' speakers.

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

As the only speaker I have is the one in my Trace-Elliot Speed Twin, I use it for everything else I have; Zvex Nano, SE5a and Lil' Night Train. It works well, thou at the moment, the cable is only just long enough to reach any of those heads perched right on the corner of the combo. I really should get round to extending it, or finding on of those female to female 1/4" jack things.

[AlexR]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I did something similar with my Tweaker combo. Connected to an external speaker cab because I didn't like the stock speaker.

[ex-250]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I use one of these

[ItsaBass]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

if my combos do not have 1/4-inch speaker jacks, i always install them. it not only lets you use an extension cab with the combo, but also allows you to use the combo as an extension cab for other amps. it's an easy and relatively quick job that takes only about six bucks' worth of parts, or about ten bucks if you go with dual output jacks and also add a 1/4-inch male plug to the ends of your internal speaker wires.

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

I've done it in the past at the practice space. Never gigged like that, though, as the combo that was more often used this way was a Twin. I wasn't into hauling the Twin and another head!

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

Joe, I use that very connector. I had a Metro Bluesbreaker whose speaker cable wasn't long enough to reach an attenuator and this did the trick. I've also used it to run the little JCM1 into my Budda combo's speaker.

[zzmoore]

Re: Connecting heads to combo speakers

if my combos do not have 1/4-inch speaker jacks, i always install them. it not only lets you use an extension cab with the combo, but also allows you to use the combo as an extension cab for other amps. it's an easy and relatively quick job that takes only about six bucks' worth of parts, or about ten bucks if you go with dual output jacks and also add a 1/4-inch male plug to the ends of your internal speaker wires.

Really makes life easy, and adds the versatility you mention, as it can now double as a speaker cab.
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