Mismatched speaker Ohms

[Gr8Scott]

I've got a problem. I have two speakers that I want to install in a 2x12 cabinet. One is 16 ohm and the other is 8 ohm. I thought about going to radio shack and getting four 8 ohm 20 watt non inductive resistors and mounting them parallel and in series (so they stay 8 ohms when their resistance is split running them in parallel. I thought about adding those four to the 8 ohm input side and then running the speakers together like two 16 ohm speakers.

Good idea or bad?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Mismatched speaker Ohms

Bad idea...sell one of the speakers and get another one that matches the impedence of the one you keep.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Mismatched speaker Ohms

Good idea or bad?

Bad

 

[marvar]

Re: Mismatched speaker Ohms

Bad idea, remember that speakers are rated at nominal ohms, the ohms of a speaker increase when power is applied, more of a variable thing.
If you add the resistors, it will load down your amp, and suck alot of tone out of it. , just get someone to trade speakers with you, or sell one on ebay.

 

[ElUnoAstuto]

Re: Mismatched speaker Ohms

Bad idea, mismatched speakers are never a good idea, but that Arion Tubulator you push sure was! *insert shameless plug*

(greatest $10 EVER!)

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Mismatched speaker Ohms

I never thought about the fact that speakers have variable resistance as they move etc. I took everyone's advice and mounted only the 8 ohm in with one of the existing speakers that have roughly 8 ohms as well. End resistance with cable included is 15.7 ohms once wired in series. The cab hasn't had a total makeover, but it sure does sound better than it did. We are now getting more distortion out of the old Sovtek mig 50. It sounds really nice with an 8 ohm vintage 30 and one of the original 8 ohm tubeworks speakers in it. Much better than I thought it would. The Mig sounds halfway like a marshall now. Kinda plexi-ish but a tad cleaner. The bottom speaker wasn't working before (it was wired out so it wouldn't function). Just need to put a G12H30 in the bottom instead of the overly clean tubeworks speaker to complete the formula and make this frankenstein into a fire breathing marshall squasher. My nephew is beside himself over the change in tone. He would probably faint if I threw a G12H30 in there too. The tubeworks cab suprised me in terms of good build quality.