Right Wiring for Amp/Speaker Switch?

[KerryF]

Hey.  I am about to go get a Epiphone Valve Junior amp.  I will use my Hughes and Kettner for the speaker.  Tell me if this wiring is correct:



Im not sure about the speaker out wiring.  Not sure if the + and - leads to it need to be reversed?

Thanks,
Kerry

[d95err]

The wiring is definately wrong. When the switch is in the position drawn, the internal speaker is connected. If you flip the switch, the speakers will be connected to each other, but not to the amp. Presumably, that's not what you want... 

EDIT: Using a DPDT switch is not necessary. In fact, the simplest and easiest solution would be to not use a switch at all. Just use a switching jack, and connect it so the internal speaker is disconnected when you plug in an external speaker into the jack.

[idlechatterbox]

You can also wire two speakers as if they were pickups, using a 3-position switch. That way you avoid the use of jacks and cables. Wire it so that with the switch in the "bridge" position the amp speaker circuit is completed. With the switch in the "neck"  position, the external speaker circuit is completed. You can use an actual pickup selector switch if you have one, but an On-Off-On switch is better, since then you won't accidentally hit the middle position and run both speakers at once (unless that's what you want, depending on the impedance. Probably best to not go there, esp with a new amp.).

I used shielded wire coming off of the output transformer, but I don't think that's essential. I found a slider switch easier to visually understand when just glancing at it, but that too is up to you.

In a pinch, if you have two single-throw switches around, you could just wire both speakers to the output tranx and break the individual circuits by putting the switch on the Neg lead of each speaker (though that too would make it possible for you to accidentally run no speakers if you weren't paying attention, or both, neither of which your amp will like.). But that's usually how stereos do the "speaker selection" switching.

Just a suggestion. Good luck whichever way you decide to go 

[KerryF]

d95err.  when I say to 8ohm speaker on that jack, I mean the 8 ohm speaker jack on the Valve Junior head.  Its not going speaker to speaker.?.?... I dont see how this wouldnt work...  It has the speaker for both sides.  On one side, the speaker is connected to the amp like usual, and on the other side, the amp is connected to a speaker out which will plug into the Valve Junior Head.

I think both of you guys are thinking that I am wiring 2 speakers together.  I am not.  I am trying to wire this as... 1 side is normal amp mode, and the other side is cabinet mode for a amp head.

[Ronsonic]

d95err.  when I say to 8ohm speaker on that jack, I mean the 8 ohm speaker jack on the Valve Junior head.  Its not going speaker to speaker.?.?... I dont see how this wouldnt work...  It has the speaker for both sides.  On one side, the speaker is connected to the amp like usual, and on the other side, the amp is connected to a speaker out which will plug into the Valve Junior Head.

I think both of you guys are thinking that I am wiring 2 speakers together.  I am not.  I am trying to wire this as... 1 side is normal amp mode, and the other side is cabinet mode for a amp head.

Then why not just put a jack on the back that switches the speaker out of the circuit whenever you plug in? You only need to interrupt one speaker lead to silence it. The standard sort of jack you find on the input of any guitar amp will do just fine. No switch or nothin'.

Run one lead to speaker negative and sleeve on the jack. Run the other to the tip of the jack, then run a wire from the shorting leaf on the jack to the internal speaker.

Or have I got this backward and you want to use this speaker with other heads? If that's the case then just reverse the tip and shorting leaf connections on the jack.

Ron

[KerryF]

I want to use the speaker for a head.  Yes.

Is this how you mean?  A Stereo Jack?


But what do you want the Ring to go to? (Shorting Lead)

[d95err]

I want to use the speaker for a head.  Yes.

Is this how you mean?  A Stereo Jack?


But what do you want the Ring to go to? (Shorting Lead)

You don't need a stereo jack.

Use a switching mono jack. I.e a jack where there is an extra lug for the tip (the "switch" lug). This lug is automatically disconnected when a plug is inserted into the jack. Connect the + side of the speaker out to the tip lug, and the + side of the internal speaker to the "switch" lug. When nothing is plugged in, the tip and switch lugs are connected, so everything works as normal. When a plug is inserted into the jack, the switch lug is disconnected. So, when you plug in an external speaker, the internal speaker is disconnected.
Thus, when you plug in an external speaker, the internal speaker is automatically disconnected.

[slacker]

d95err.  when I say to 8ohm speaker on that jack, I mean the 8 ohm speaker jack on the Valve Junior head.

I think your drawing has confused people. When I looked at it I assumed the Amp was your valve junior and you were trying to switch between the internal speaker and an external one.
If the amp in your picture is your H&K then it will work, in one position the speaker is connected to the H&K in the other position the speaker is connected to the jack so you can use the speaker with another amp.

[Meanderthal]

 Yes, the origional drawing would work to a/b 2 amps thru one speaker. Might be one hell of a pop, though, but should be ok for low volume applications like recording the difference between 2 heads. I wouldn't run a tube amp without a speaker, though.

[KerryF]

slacker... thanks so much.  finally i am understood.  see, I couldnt see how it wouldnt work, but everyone was saying it wouldnt.  so I got all confused.  I will just go with the first one then.  thanks!  

Meanderthal... yea i am going to do the first way.  and I wont be switching like on stage or anything.  i wont even switch when either amp is on, so the pop wont matter.

Thanks all!

[Ronsonic]

I want to use the speaker for a head.  Yes.

Is this how you mean?  A Stereo Jack?


But what do you want the Ring to go to? (Shorting Lead)

No ring. A ring connector is not a shorting lead, it is a ring connector. If I meant use a TRS and solder to the ring I would've used words like that.

A standard mono jack with a freeking shorting lug. Look at a switchcraft 12A. NO RING. NO STEREO. Where the hell did I say anyfreeking thing about "stereo". I said a jack with a shorting lug. The same as you find on the input of almost any guitar amp. Guitar amps don't have stereo inputs do they. They have a tip a sleeve and a lug that connects to the tip only when nothing is plugged in. That is called a shorting lug, because it shorts to the tip.

You cannot possibly "use a speaker for a head" so stop saying that. It is confusing.

Do you want to use the speaker WITH a head? Then do what I said in the last post and it will be simple and perfect and won't need additional wiring or switching.

This has got to be the most stupid painful troll I've ever been hooked by and it's my dumbass fault for trying to answer a question by someone named "call1800ksmyazz"

Ron
No, kiss my ass

[slacker]

chill out man
There's not need to freak out and call someone a troll just because they misunderstood your answer.

[KerryF]

holy crap!  what was that about?  were did i say anything about using a speaker for a head.  i said "cabinet" over and over.  god man.  chill out.

dont be such an ars...  i have it under control now so just let me do my thing. 

Kerry

[Ronsonic]

holy crap!  what was that about?  were did i say anything about using a speaker for a head.  i said "cabinet" over and over.  god man.  chill out.

dont be such an ars...  i have it under control now so just let me do my thing. 

Kerry

Kerry. good to know you've got a real name instead of just that ignorant redneck bumpersticker. You're free to do whatever you like. It's your amp. But it is insulting and very frustrating to not think through what people say when you ask them for advice. I wasted time trying to understand what you were talking about in the first place (you'll note that everybody here was confused by your descriptions) and then gave you a much better approach to solving the problem, then I explained it AGAIN and you showed no sign of even attempting to understand what was said.

That combined with your mullet-head handle caused me to think you were just jacking people around. Fancy that, every post of yours starts with "kiss my ass" and somebody mistakes you for a troll.

Here is the quote from your post of 11-4-06, 10:13 "I want to use the speaker for a head.  Yes."

Here is your original post "Hey.  I am about to go get a Epiphone Valve Junior amp.  I will use my Hughes and Kettner for the speaker. "

Okay, so you're just confused like the rest of us and not a jerk. I owe you an apology. Sorry.

Ron
Generally chill
And yes, the sorry is sincere.

[KerryF]

thanks ron.  and no, i am not a redneck or anything.  this username is just because i use if for all of my other forums.  when I said "I want to use the speaker for a head." I was saying i want to use the speaker of the H&K for a cabinet for the Valve Junior Head.

I couldnt understand what you were telling me to do, so I took my time to draw up a diagram for what you were saying.  Obviously I didnt quite understand what you were saying.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.  I will use the first diagram i put at the top.

Kerry