Weird cabinet wiring problem

[picker]

I have an Ashdown ABM 410T cab that I picked up cheap because the speakers had been removed and replaced with lousy Bugera aluminum cone jobbies. I have replaced them with Peavey speakers that came out of two different 2x10 cabs.

 

The cab appears to be set up to be wired series-parallel to be a 4 ohm cab. There are two sets of wires(black/red, black/red) coming out of the input panel, each with clips for two speakers.

 

When I hook up all four speakers red to positive-black to negative, the first two speakers in each line jump the same direction when I touch a battery to the speaker cable I hooked up to the jack. But, the second speaker in each line jumps the opposite direction. Here is the weird part. Even if I reverse the clips on the second speakers to the opposite terminals, they STILL jump the opposite direction when the battery is put to the speaker cable. No matter how I hook them up, it's the same.

 

Can anybody tell me what's up with that?

[Bobby LowTones]

Indeed, they act as they are out of phase.

 

I don't know anything about ABM 410T but if the cab is really airtight, this could mean that the second pair do not receive (battery) signal, and air pressure/vacuum change from the 1st pair makes them go the opposite direction. Possible?

[DanYmaL X]

You may be missing some wires if all you have is two sets of two wires... there should be a jumper between the second two speakers if it is series/parallel...

 

Here's a diagram that might help (it's a guitar cab but the principle is the same...)

Series parallel diagram

I do know that the 410T is originally an 8 ohm cab, the 414T is 4 ohms (discontinued I think) but it doesn't matter what it was originally, if you put new speakers in it, you can wire it any way you want...

What is /are the impedence(s) of the Peavey speakers? Are they all the same?

 

DX

 

[picker]

Yeah, I checked the model number again in better light, and this is the 414T. Well, it has a hi-frequency horn with a cap/coil crossover in the center. Maybe that takes the place of the jumper. I emailed Ashdown and asked for a wiring diagram and the impedance of the stock speakers.

[Big Daddy from Motown]

DanYmaL X's diagram will work . if you use 4 8 ohm speakers the impedance will be 8 ohms.

[picker]

I got word back from Ashdown, and the original speakers were 16 ohm. I still haven't figured out the phase problem, but the Peavey speakers I have are mismatched. My original two are 8 ohm and the two I got later are 4 ohm. Put 'em all together and you get weird impedance and phase problems. So, I have to get two more 8 ohm or 4 ohm speakers, and figure out what to do with the others.

[hotlix86]

Maybe you should consult someone in your area who knows a little more about wiring a cabinet for help?

[picker]

I did. He said it was physically impossible for the cab to do what it was doing. Oh well...

[DanYmaL X]

just for kicks, I'd wire it up like the diagram, not using the harness that came with it, and leaving out the horn/crossover assembly, and see if it still does it...

Also... just read your post about the reply from Ashdown... its not series parallel if the original drivers were 16 ohms... it's straight parallel...so you'll need to figure out what impedance you're after, and rewire it accordingly depending on what you come up with for speakers.

 

DX