# Wiring a 4x12 with 2 jacks??



## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

I did I think what every first timer does, no pictures and then a couple wires pop off and voila, instant aggravation mess. I get the cab working, but there is virtually no bass response at all. This is with it fully closed back up. It had a full sound before, so it's got to be something I've done. It's a Peavey Valveking 4x12 with 4 Valveking 16ohm speakers. I replaced 2 with 16ohm versions of a C-rex and a V3. I know the V30 can be bright, but there is almost no lower end now. It's not easy as I'm just learning this, and every image online is single jack cabs. ARGH!!! First timer blues. Can somebody help me figure this thing out?


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

How do you want it wired?

- desired resistance (I'm assuming 8 Ohm)
- which speakers paired together?
- do you want to be able to use it all 4 on 1 jack as an option or you sure you will biamp it 100% of the time (or deal with only 2 speakers working). Note if stereo is 8 ohm, mono (all 4 ) will be 4 (or 16 I guess, but doubt you want that).

About the thin response - if 3/4 of the speakers are new they might just need some break in time.... sounds worse than that from your description but hard to be sure.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

They are all 16ohm, and I would like to keep it that way. I have more than one cab, so running another off it is not too likely really. The easiest route at this point is best. I assume the extra + and - off the lower jack will just pop onto the lower speakers if I want both jacks available? It's getting all 4 working with bass seems to be where I am stumbling big time.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

I got 2 working with bass but then 2 were not working. Now I have bass response back, but the lower 2 aren't as loud as the top 2. 

The other 2 cabs are 8 ohm. So I can't run either off this as my heads are 8ohm min. So a rewire to one jack would be all I need. I keep trying things, and nothing sounds right. I also made sure they are all 16ohm. I knew it already, but checked again.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Are you wiring the 16ohm speakers in parallel or series? 
Parallel wiring: 2 X 16 Ohm Speaker = 8 Ohm Load 
Series wiring: 2 X 16 Ohm Speaker = 32 Ohm Load


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

I don't really know. HAHA. I thought it was a 16ohm cab. If it's wired for 8ohms, I'm okay with that. I won't run another cab off it. It seems I can get either 2 or 3 speakers to sound right, but not all 4. Does it matter if the 2 odd brand speakers are the top 2 and the 2 Peavey brand are the bottom? I assume it doesn't, but correct me if I am wrong.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

You can screw up your amp if you don't have the right resistance. You need to know the resistance of each speaker and go from there. Maybe you should read this first.

Speaker Wiring Configurations/


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

and are the speakers "phased " ... all moving in the same direction at the same time ? 

test with a battery (aa/c/d) .... 

disconnect one speaker set of wires , choose one speaker terminal as your neg , the other as your pos , see which way the cone moves 
do the same for the rest of the speakers ( marking which is - or + ) so they all move in unison to the same signal (your battery)
reconnect the amp leads to the speakers and try it again.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

They are all 16ohm. I made sure. When I got the C-rex I looked specifically for a 16ohm to match another 16ohm cab I have. I have now taken those cans speakers out to put in the Peavey 16ohm cab, but keep 2 Peavey speakers. It doesn't matter if it's series or parallel, because it won't drop below 8, which is fine as my heads are all able to run that. I just can't get all 4 to seemingly work correctly at the same time, so I am assuming I've done something wrong. I only play long enough to hear if the speakers volumes are all relative to each other. Basically a few chord strums.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

When wiring. Does it matter which speaker you start with? From a back load, start at the upper left? Does this matter?


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Please be more specific about what you are trying to achieve.
You want all 4 working as a mono cab?
Then with 16ohm individual speakers you can wire it to either be a 16ohm cab or a 4 ohm cab.
4 ohm cab will be parallel wiring. 16ohm cab will be series-parallel wiring.
Google either of those terms along with 4X12 and you will find plenty of wiring diagrams.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Just stumbled across a video that shows a lot of what I want to do. I can't run it as 4 ohms, so 16 is preferred. I'll give it another go and report back. Shows the battery test as well as suggested. Thanks guys. Here's hoping.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)




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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

That is one of the images I found. But at the time I was trying to figure out with 2 jacks and found it confusing. Learning as I go. 

Once I get the 4 working properly, where do the extra + and - leads off the 2nd jack go? I know the relative polarity, but which speaker(s) do I attache. I think I mostly get it now, and will go try again.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Why do you need two jacks? The only reason for 2 jacks is so you can run 4 or 16 ohm... If you can't run 4 ohm, whats the point?


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

It came with 2 jacks. I have it working perfect now. I just pulled every wire out and tried following the video, but even then, only 3 worked. Pulled all the wires out again and followed the original diagram I found. Same one JB posted. VOILA!!! Worked a charm. I must've been looking at the cab upside down or something to get it wrong. Either way, it's now got some nice chime to it. Now, should I keep the paired speakers on the bottom, or X them? Paying MUCH closer attention to the wiring if I do move them.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If you have it opened up, try both ways.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

It's closed up now. Sounds good. I may play it for a bit, then open it and move 2. Play it, then move the other top next time. Gives me plenty reason to play now.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

knight_yyz said:


> Why do you need two jacks? The only reason for 2 jacks is so you can run 4 or 16 ohm... If you can't run 4 ohm, whats the point?


I figured we wanted to run it biamped/stereo. The other reason is to have a parallel jack to daisy chain a second cab from - from what he said after I asked that the first time I think the latter is the case.



Verne said:


> When wiring. Does it matter which speaker you start with? From a back load, start at the upper left? Does this matter?


Not at all.

Check phase as stated above (do not trust the markers on the drive units - some manufacturers do it backwards and mistakes happen).


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## geetarman (Aug 9, 2015)

I wire everything like this for 16 ohm speakers. Easy to remember and easy to follow. 

I just run leads from the input jack to the other (if present) in parallel ( positive to positive, negative to negative ) for daisy chaining.


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