Muti-tap Output Trannys - best tap to use?

[CaseyJones]

Just to play the devil's advocate, just because a real time analyzer picks it up doesn't mean you can hear it.

It's the other way around. Your ears (if you haven't abused them) are the most sensitive instrument available. There are things your ears will tell you that you'd be hard pressed to document in a laboratory setting.

[benoit]

Just to play the devil's advocate, just because a real time analyzer picks it up doesn't mean you can hear it.

It's the other way around. Your ears (if you haven't abused them) are the most sensitive instrument available. There are things your ears will tell you that you'd be hard pressed to document in a laboratory setting.

I don't disagree with you there, but there are plenty of situations where measured differences AREN'T audible... basically we are getting at the same point which is trust your ears above any lab test, go with what sounds good.[/b]

[roknroll]

That is why I prefaced each statement with IMHO. It's just an opinion.

[LeftyStrat]

I just want to get this straight, if I take a 2x12 cabinet with two G12H30 8 ohm speakers and a JTM45 (with Hendrix tonestack mods) and record the amp with the impedance selector set to 16 ohms and the speakers in series, and then record the amp with the impedance selector at 4 ohms with the speakers in parallel, some of you are saying that you could correctly identify the 16 ohm setup? I will also use a high quality mic and record at 192k/24 bit with no EQ and no FX.

Since guessing would give you a fifty/fifty chance of being right, I suggest offering up four recordings; A, B, C, and D, where one is guaranteed to be 4 ohms, one to be 16 ohms, one to be either 4 or 16, and one to be a "wildcard". All recordings will be normalized to insure that we're talking about better "tone" and not simply a difference in volume.

Does anyone here actually think they could correctly identify which recordings were done with the 16 ohm tap?

[roknroll]

I just want to get this straight, if I take a 2x12 cabinet with two G12H30 8 ohm speakers and a JTM45 (with Hendrix tonestack mods) and record the amp with the impedance selector set to 16 ohms and the speakers in series, and then record the amp with the impedance selector at 4 ohms with the speakers in parallel, some of you are saying that you could correctly identify the 16 ohm setup? I will also use a high quality mic and record at 192k/24 bit with no EQ and no FX.

Since guessing would give you a fifty/fifty chance of being right, I suggest offering up four recordings; A, B, C, and D, where one is guaranteed to be 4 ohms, one to be 16 ohms, one to be either 4 or 16, and one to be a "wildcard". All recordings will be normalized to insure that we're talking about better "tone" and not simply a difference in volume.

Does anyone here actually think they could correctly identify which recordings were done with the 16 ohm tap?

That isn't what I'm saying. With my amps , cabs that I am familiar with, I can tell the difference based upon what I said earlier. There is no generic 16 ohm sound. Playing with the same amps and cab setups you get to hear the minute differences.

[LeftyStrat]

No, there is no generic 16 ohm sound. But the original post was questioning the blanket statement of Gerald Weber of whether or not the sixteen ohm tap sounds better.

Does $302 a foot cable sound better?

http://www.randi.org/jr/2007-09/092807reply.html#i4

My point is simply that the subjective nature of our senses can be affected by the placebo affect, and the only true test is a double-blind test.

And before you think I'm all science and no magic, I can hear the difference between CD quality audio and 192k/24bit. But I can back it up with science. A recent study at Stanford monitoring brain activity in listeners found that there is more brain activity when listening to 192k than when listening to 44.1k.

Engineers occasionally err when basing their opinions on current, measurable, "objective" tests. Everyone errs consistently when they combine the subjective with expectation.

[stevlech]

Let me see if I can summarize all of this:

Different impedances DO sound different because of the introduction of a variable. Change something in the signal path and the sound changes.

Any statement such as "16 ohms is always best" or "8 ohms is always harsh" is purely dismissive and hogwash.

Does that sound about right?

[LeftyStrat]

Let me see if I can summarize all of this:

Different impedances DO sound different because of the introduction of a variable. Change something in the signal path and the sound changes.

Any statement such as "16 ohms is always best" or "8 ohms is always harsh" is purely dismissive and hogwash.

Does that sound about right?

"Sounds" good to me

[Richie]

I just want to get this straight, if I take a 2x12 cabinet with two G12H30 8 ohm speakers and a JTM45 (with Hendrix tonestack mods) and record the amp with the impedance selector set to 16 ohms and the speakers in series, and then record the amp with the impedance selector at 4 ohms with the speakers in parallel, some of you are saying that you could correctly identify the 16 ohm setup? I will also use a high quality mic and record at 192k/24 bit with no EQ and no FX.

Since guessing would give you a fifty/fifty chance of being right, I suggest offering up four recordings; A, B, C, and D, where one is guaranteed to be 4 ohms, one to be 16 ohms, one to be either 4 or 16, and one to be a "wildcard". All recordings will be normalized to insure that we're talking about better "tone" and not simply a difference in volume.

Does anyone here actually think they could correctly identify which recordings were done with the 16 ohm tap?

This sounds pretty cool. it would be fun to see what happens.

[LeftyStrat]

This sounds pretty cool. it would be fun to see what happens.

I agree. I'm not adverse to proving myself wrong. I'll try to put something together over the next couple of days.

[sebastian]

An amp @ 16 ohm with a 16 ohm cab sound more looser (a bit) than the same amp @ 4 ohm on a 4 ohm cab (this can be done having an amp with 4-8-16 ohm selector and a Marshall 4x12 with the 4-16 ohm mono input option) .The reason is that at 16 ohm there is more speaker movement due the same 16 ohm output.The amp at 4 ohm is more tight,because the speakers are more controlled.Is a damping factor reason.
The power @ 16 ohm is generally more than @ 4 ohm,because all the secondary is used.In every situation all the core of the transformer is driven!!!!!!!!

[mhuss]

To fairly make that comparison, you'd need to have two near-identical cabs, one with 16 ohm speakers and one with 4 ohm -- the series/parallel vs. all parallel connection difference you propose will certainly have as much effect on the sound as the OT tap. And the switch might have an sonic impact as well, those cheap Marshall slider switches, you know.

--mark