No 16 Ohm Input?

[se7en]

I just received a Torpedo Live yesterday and it's a great device, but I noticed there's only an 8 ohm input. Not sure if this is true, but I've read that a 16 ohm tap uses all of the output transformer windings, while 8 ohms only uses half of them? Also, all the matching cabs from my amps are designed to work off the 16 ohm tap (16 ohm cabs), as it is what the manufacturer believes is best. I'm just wondering why there's no 16 ohm input? Is this going to be a bit of a compromise in sound or feel of my amplifiers?

 

[sysexguy]

While some may prefer the sound of their vintage amps at 16 ohms, in the prime of the era of the stack, each head would have been typically connected to 2 4x12's at 8 ohms total.

The Torpedo Reload has the capacity to operate at 4, 8 or 16 ohms which can be used in conjunction with a Live or CAB

You could also connect 2 8 ohms loads in series, the Torpedo and another loadbox or use an external 16 ohm loadbox into the Torpedo's line input

While the output transformer can contribute to the overall sound, I don't think switching to 16 ohms will make a significant audible difference to warrant the effort. Once Reload ships, I will do some tests and comparisons....maybe we'll post some files to compare.

Andy

 

[se7en]

Well, I don't know that there would be a big difference in sound so much as I think the feel changes depending on what output transformer tap is used...the OT should be an important part of the responsiveness of the amp. I have heard some describe 4 ohms as tighter and more stiff in feel, than 16 ohms which has a little more relaxed feel, which may make it rounder sounding as a result. Fender liked 4 ohms, Mesa likes 8 ohms, but a lot of modern amp builders say that 16 ohms is their preferred impedance.


I really love what I'm hearing out of the Torpedo Live and as a producer I may be a bit more picky about every component of the chain, but I like to know how each piece of equipment affects the final sound. I don't know that I want to invest in the Reload as well, but will nonetheless look into its capabilities.

 

[guillaume_pille]

The thing is it's not possible to have exactly the same speakers in 8 or 16 ohms to make a proper comparison.

I have never seen any serious study about that, so I can't really tell what's true or not.

I can only say a properly designed OT should have similar performance in 4,8,16 Ohms. Of course there is a difference, but you most certainly cannot extract a general rule from that, as it depends mostly, to me, on the power amp design and speaker design.