Stereo and bass signal into bass speaker cabinets

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Hi,

I would like to find a way to play both my stereo and bass guitar
through a pair two 4x10" bass guitar speaker cabinets. Since the
cabinets have two sets of input jacks (1/4" and Speakon) I was
wondering if I am able to feed the bass signal coming from a mono bass
amp (700W @ 8 ohms) to each of the two cabs and use the remaining 1/4"
jacks to receive from the stereo (60W per channel @ 8 ohms). Even
without an electronics background this does not sound good (60W up
against 700W or impedance issues for the amps or the cross-wiring of
signals from separate sources meeting at the speaker input jacks).

The other solution I can see is to sum first the left and right
signals of the stereo, reduce its strength and further mix this with
the bass signal from the guitar and then into the input jack on the
front of the bass amp. It would be nice to keep the stereo as stereo
but since the bass amp is mono this could not be avoided under this
scenario.

Thanks for the help, Steve.

 

[GregS]

Hi,

I would like to find a way to play both my stereo and bass guitar
through a pair two 4x10" bass guitar speaker cabinets. Since the
cabinets have two sets of input jacks (1/4" and Speakon) I was
wondering if I am able to feed the bass signal coming from a mono bass
amp (700W @ 8 ohms) to each of the two cabs and use the remaining 1/4"
jacks to receive from the stereo (60W per channel @ 8 ohms). Even
without an electronics background this does not sound good (60W up
against 700W or impedance issues for the amps or the cross-wiring of
signals from separate sources meeting at the speaker input jacks).

The other solution I can see is to sum first the left and right
signals of the stereo, reduce its strength and further mix this with
the bass signal from the guitar and then into the input jack on the
front of the bass amp. It would be nice to keep the stereo as stereo
but since the bass amp is mono this could not be avoided under this
scenario.

Forget the first method. You would have to get two big amps
for the stereo and bass method. I just invisioned back in the early 70's playing stereo
through two 4-12 Ampeg sets. Used to shake your pants.

greg

 

[Scott Dorsey]

I would like to find a way to play both my stereo and bass guitar
through a pair two 4x10" bass guitar speaker cabinets. Since the
cabinets have two sets of input jacks (1/4" and Speakon) I was
wondering if I am able to feed the bass signal coming from a mono bass
amp (700W @ 8 ohms) to each of the two cabs and use the remaining 1/4"
jacks to receive from the stereo (60W per channel @ 8 ohms). Even
without an electronics background this does not sound good (60W up
against 700W or impedance issues for the amps or the cross-wiring of
signals from separate sources meeting at the speaker input jacks).

What is inside the cabinet? Normally these are set up as two 8-ohm speakers
in parallel, connected in series with two more 8-ohm speakers in parallel.
This allows it to present an 8-ohm load to the amp.

Therefore, you can safely plug one channel from your stereo receiver into
the bass cabinet. Set the switch on the receiver to MONO and just use
that channel.

The power ratings for speakers are basically bogus. Pay attention to the
impedances.

The problem that you will encounter is that your stereo will sound really
terrible going into a bass cabinet. You won't even be able to make out
the words of most songs.

The other solution I can see is to sum first the left and right
signals of the stereo, reduce its strength and further mix this with
the bass signal from the guitar and then into the input jack on the
front of the bass amp. It would be nice to keep the stereo as stereo
but since the bass amp is mono this could not be avoided under this
scenario.

The bass _cabinet_ is mono, you won't get any stereo output from it.

Here, though, it sounds like you want to run your stereo and the bass amp
into the same cabinet _at the same time_. That's a lot harder to do.
It's possible to do it but you're going to need a different kind of amplifier
than you have for either your stereo or the bass guitar, and you're going to
need to sum the line-level signals from the stereo and the guitar together.

But FIRST, just plug one channel of the amp into the bass cabinet to hear
what it sounds like running full-bandwidth audio into an instrument cabinet.
That will probably discourage you from going any farther.
--scott

 

[Tim Perry]

Hi,

I would like to find a way to play both my stereo and bass guitar
through a pair two 4x10" bass guitar speaker cabinets. Since the
cabinets have two sets of input jacks (1/4" and Speakon) I was
wondering if I am able to feed the bass signal coming from a mono bass
amp (700W @ 8 ohms) to each of the two cabs and use the remaining 1/4"
jacks to receive from the stereo (60W per channel @ 8 ohms). Even
without an electronics background this does not sound good (60W up
against 700W or impedance issues for the amps or the cross-wiring of
signals from separate sources meeting at the speaker input jacks).

don't do this.

The other solution I can see is to sum first the left and right
signals of the stereo, reduce its strength and further mix this with
the bass signal from the guitar and then into the input jack on the
front of the bass amp. It would be nice to keep the stereo as stereo
but since the bass amp is mono this could not be avoided under this
scenario.

Thanks for the help, Steve.

Set full range speakers on top of the bass cabs. Play stereo and guitar and
have fun.