SPEAKER WIRING SCHEMATICS

[Kim]

[Harley Hexxe]

   Good post Kim

     This should help eliminate the confusion when people go to install custom speakers and re-wire their amps/cabs, just as long as they remember to pay attention to the Nominal Impedance requirements on the amplifier!

           Harley 8)

[Dante]

GREAT idea, Kim 

I wish this had been here when I got my 4x12 cabinet & rewired it for stereo. Coulda saved me some searching - which it will do for others now, thanks to you 

[rnolan]

Of note though, where it says "ring" it should say sleeve so not to be confused with Tip, Ring, Sleeve (TRS) stereo jacks. Mono jacks, as used in these diagrams, are Tip Sleeve (TS) jacks not Tip Ring (TR).

A useful wiring is how I did one of my Split stacks so if you plug into one jack the cab is mono with speakers in parallel, if you plug into both jacks it splits the speakers to be separate (stereo).  The speakers in it are 16ohm so it's either 8 ohm mono or 16 ohm L, 16 ohm R (which is how I typically use it).

[Kim]

Thanks to GuitarBuilder for providing this extra attached info.   :wave:  A lot more in-depth and comprehensive, should anyone require that. 

Check out the attached article - it has every conceivable 4x12 wiring combination.

[Griphook]

What would the wiring look like, if I wanted to use a 2x12 either in Stereo or in Mono(Series)?

So 8 Ohms each side or 16 Ohms Mono?

Can I use 2 switchable Jacks or do I have to use 3 Jacks?

[rnolan]

Edit, you wanted series not parallel  , here's how to do it easily parallel..
Hey Griphook, this is how I've wired one of my Split stacks (2 x 16 ohm celestion 70s) so in stereo (both jacks) 16 ohms per channel.  Mono, one jack 8 ohm (speakers in parallel).

So you need 2 jack sockets, one normal and one switching (connects the tip (+ve) to the sw lug with no jack inserted).

+  16ohm   -       + 16 ohm  -
|             |       |             |
|             |       |             |
|             |       +            |
+_______ |__ sw lug         |
               |                     |
               - _____________-

So wire SP1 to normal jack (+ & -), wire SP2 to switch jack (+ & -), wire normal jack +ve to switch jack switch lug.  If the jacks are not earthed together through a metal plate, then also wire the normal and switch jack - ves' together (red line).

So when you plug into normal jack only, both speakers mono in parallel.  When you plug into both jacks, the join between normal jack + and switch jack + is broken (goes nowhere) so is now stereo.

[Dante]

Thanks to GuitarBuilder for providing this extra attached info.   :wave:  A lot more in-depth and comprehensive, should anyone require that. 

Check out the attached article - it has every conceivable 4x12 wiring combination.

That PDF is MONEY. Thanks Kimmer, and thanks GB!!

[Kim]

Here's another one I recently used to reconfigure one of my cabs.   This original post has been edited to use the Cliff jacks MJMP mentioned below.



This uses a switching jack to make the 2x12 Stereo or Mono depending on whether both jacks are uses or just one.  Here, the other non-switching jack is the Primary jack.  Plugging into the Primary jack alone gives a Mono 2x12 at 8 ohms (each speaker is 16 ohms itself).  Adding another plug to the Switch jack splits the 2x12 into Stereo at 16 ohms per side.  Note that plugging into just the non-switching jack alone will result in just one active speaker at 16 ohms.   

Be sure to clearly label the jacks as to which one is the Primary and be sure to match the impedances to your amp in regards to which jack(s) you will be using.

[MarshallJMP]

Good idea but I would use different jacks, the ones you are using seem to be stereo jacks. I would use cliff jacks, they are cheaper, easier to wire up and they are isolated.
Also these can handle 5A/2000V while the 14B only can handle 1A/25V which is too low.

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/jack-cliff-14-mono-black-plastic-nut-marshall

[Kim]

Good idea but I would use different jacks, the ones you are using seem to be stereo jacks.

They are drawn as what appears to be "stereo" TRS jacks but they are in fact regular TS jacks.  Like I said, the guy who originally rendered the drawing made a few errors....lol   I will go back and edit the pic to clear up that confusion.

But I do like that Cliff jack a lot better.  I think I'll change over to that as well anyway when I get the chance.   

[MarshallJMP]

That 14b jack is also a stereo jack.

[rnolan]

Or even more simple, you can wire it like I have 1 of my split stacks:1 normal mono jack and 1 mono switching jack, and use the metal plate to connect the 2 jacks -ves (or run a jumper lead to connect both jack -ves if the mounts are plastic etc), the split stack has a metal plate so I didn't have to run that jumper.The non switch jack is primary (or as Kim said you only get 1 speaker).  Solder a jumper from the primary jack +ve to the switch lug on the switch jack (this does the parallel connection when nothing is plugged into the non primary jack and brakes the connection when a jack is plugged into it). Wire one speaker to each jack (normal +ve - +ve and -ve to -ve), so mono 8 ohms using just primary jack, or plug into both jacks and  2 x 16 ohm (stereo).
A variation would be to use 2 mono switch jacks and wire a jumper from the +ve of each jack to the the other jacks switch lug, then it wont matter which jack you plug into for mono/parallel and both connections break when a jack is inserted into both jacks for stereo.

[MarshallJMP]

I would be carefull with using common grounds in stereo, it should be fine for usual amps but if you're using a bridged amp you will blow it up this way.

[rnolan]

Hey MJMP, thanks for the warning  , but what would be the use case  ,