EXTENSION CAB FOR 5:50 2x12

[EXPRESSLOVER]

Can any recommend a good 2x12 extension cab for me as we are playing bigger venues and would like more spread and monitoring? Can I run the combo with extension cab at the same time? As in use all 4 speakers? Please say this is possible!

 

[EXPRESSLOVER]

Also how to connect this together??

 

[MrMarkIII]

See Page 11 of the manual...

 

[EXPRESSLOVER]

I did smart ***

 

[bigdawg]

the only way its possible is to get a 2x12 8ohm cab (V30s are good speakers with these amps) and use the 2 4 ohm outputs one to the combo speakers one to the extension cab.

Or alternatively do what I do and use the combo as a head and buy an 8ohm 4x12 (2xV30s and 2xG12h's) - immense sound...

 

[EXPRESSLOVER]

thx man.

will all four speakers work when i do this?

 

[EXPRESSLOVER]

as in the 2x12 option.

 

[ifailedshapes]

Yes, all four speakers will work. And hey, check your attitude man. The first poster wasn't being a smart *** at all. The manual is always your best reference for questions like these.

All that aside, I'd recommend using a cab that doesn't have the exact same drivers as your combo. Most people prefer the tonal complexity that comes from mixing different speakers together.

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[soundchaser59]

The manual is always your best reference for questions like these.

There have been possibilities that I wondered about (like 8ohm cab + 4ohm cab) where the manual does not explain very well if I should try it or not. Granted they cant think of everything for us. But yes it's the first place most of us look. If you really want a fail-safe answer you have to call Mesa tech and ask them in person what you can get away with.

And hey, check your attitude man. The first poster wasn't being a smart *** at all.

Maybe the guy has come from harmony central where everyone is presumed guilty and vicious just by association? Some forums I've watched it seems like just the act of posting anything at all automatically qualifies me for the vicious a-hole of the month award.

Not much of that here, though.....

Besides, give the guy a break....he's stuck with a Gibson SG! :shock: (just kidding!)

 

[THE TUBENATOR]

The Express amp owner's manual does not present all of the various speaker connection options as well as the Dual & Triple Rectifier manual does. It goes into great detail and has about 5 pages of options showing various impedance matches and miss-matches. I downloaded the D & T Rectifier manual just so that I could have those pages! I'm also thinking of investing in another cab so I'll be referring to the D & T Rectifier manual pages 30 - 35 for guidance. Good luck on your endeavor.

 

[soundchaser59]

I downloaded that other manual, but I still don't feel like I have a definitive answer for my situation....

My Express has one 8 ohm jack and two 4 ohm jacks.

I have one 16 ohm cab, one 8 ohm cab, and one 4 ohm cab. I would like to use two cabs at once, doesn't matter to me which two. But let's start with using the 16 ohm and the 8 ohm together.

Which cab should I plug into which jack?

 

[THE TUBENATOR]

I downloaded that other manual, but I still don't feel like I have a definitive answer for my situation....

My Express has one 8 ohm jack and two 4 ohm jacks.

I have one 16 ohm cab, one 8 ohm cab, and one 4 ohm cab. I would like to use two cabs at once, doesn't matter to me which two. But let's start with using the 16 ohm and the 8 ohm together.

Which cab should I plug into which jack?

I read through the Mesa D & T Rec manual and found on page 32 figure 7 an example of one 16 Ohm cab plugged into the 8 Ohm output AND one 8 Ohm cab plugged into the 4 Ohm output. After reading the manual I wonder if you can use a series splitter and connect all three of your cabs? Even though there is one unused 4 Ohm output with the suggestion from page 32 figure 7, I don't know if you could simply connect your remaining 4 Ohm cab to the unused 4 Ohm output. I would guess not but I don't know.

 

[soundchaser59]

....found on page 32 figure 7 an example of one 16 Ohm cab plugged into the 8 Ohm output AND one 8 Ohm cab plugged into the 4 Ohm output.

AWESOME! I missed that...... THANKS! You can bet folding money I will be trying it....

I am finally understanding why people use 4x12 cabs, even though I will probably never be able to move one again. I'm really sticking my neck out - and my back - picking up a new solid wod 2x12 cab. The one will be a 4 ohm cab once I get it loaded. The sound of multiple speakers is really inspiring. :mrgreen:

 

[THE TUBENATOR]

....found on page 32 figure 7 an example of one 16 Ohm cab plugged into the 8 Ohm output AND one 8 Ohm cab plugged into the 4 Ohm output.

AWESOME! I missed that...... THANKS! You can bet folding money I will be trying it....

I am finally understanding why people use 4x12 cabs, even though I will probably never be able to move one again. I'm really sticking my neck out - and my back - picking up a new solid wod 2x12 cab. The one will be a 4 ohm cab once I get it loaded. The sound of multiple speakers is really inspiring. :mrgreen:

Enjoy your new found sound with the extension cab combinations available to you. I really feel that the Express amps only truly come alive when they are piping music through extension cabs with multiple speakers. When I purchased my 5:50 I was originally planning to buy either a 5:25 or 5:50 1x combo. I was fortunate to have an incredible Mesa dealer in my area that had at least one amp of each model Mesa produces and a whole slew of cabs! It was like being in a Candy Store! I played through the 5:25 and then the 5:50 combos and immediately decided on the 5:50, I prefer the thicker, darker 6L6 sound. Then I started plugging different cabs into the 5:50 combo. When I heard and felt that heavenly sound flowing out of the 4x12 Stiletto cab I was in love! I tried the 4x12 Recto cab and then I was torn! Could it get any better? Then I made the mistake of trying the Road King with the half open back on the left side and Wow! I was really torn between the three 4x12 cabs! I was fortunate to have the finances to afford the 5:50LH and the Stiletto Traditional Slant 4x12 cab. Now, two years later, I am inching to buy the 4x12 straight cab and make my 5:50LH a full stack but common sense tells me not to do it......nobody needs a full stack right? Especially since I only play at 5 watts anyway. I also can't decide on the Rectifier or the Road King.

 

[Newysurfer]

As I mentioned here several times I had a custom 2x12 cab made with V30's so I could use the cab & combo speaker together.

If you do that you've got various options with parallel and series designs plus you can add jack options like plugging 2 amps, or amp & keyboard, or amp & mic, into the 2x12 cab.

I went for a series design with my 16 ohm 2x12 cab plugged to the 8 ohm jack on amp. Then the 8 ohm combo speaker plugged to the 4 ohm amp jack. Halving the ohm connections is no issue on Mesa's and it made an inaudible change to the tone or max output. Had that tested by my amp tech before & after the cab was made. On stage I can then use the amp as a monitor behind me and the cab on other side of stage. Makes your whole sound much fuller and massive :mrgreen:

 

[soundchaser59]

This diagram shows my most common situation precisely:

I have a 1x10 ported cab with a single 16 ohm Tone Tubby Superboy, and a 8 ohm cab with a Weber Michigan 12 and Weber 8, also a 1x12 with 8 ohm EVM12L and a 8 ohm 1x15 with EVM15L.

Soon I will have a 4 ohm cab that has a Weber Michigan 12 + two Celestion Vintage 8's.

So I'm also thinking now that the 8 ohm + 4 ohm situation would connect to my amp the same way the 16 ohm + 8 ohm cabs would...... 8 ohm cab in the 8 ohm jack and 4 ohm cab in one of the 4 ohm jacks.