Roland Cube 80XL Extension Cabinet

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

I'm considering an extension cabinet to use with my Roland Cube 80XL. I have two 80XL's, mostly I leave one at rehearsal and I have one at the house. I know I can take both to a gig and use one as an extension but that seems like overkill.

I know it would be nice to have it as a spare etc.. But I'm thinking about a 15" cab as an extension. The Cube near me as a monitor and the extension on the other end of the stage for the rest of the band. The 15 should give me more depth and hopefully be as light or lighter than a second Cube.

Thoughts or suggestions?
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Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Your 80XL will run at less power when you connect another speaker... in addition, the power you get will be split between the speakers.

Any speaker you add will be in series... the Roland has a minimum of 8ohms, and has an 8ohm speaker inside, so they make the extension jack be in series with the internal speaker. This is what causes the effects cited above... SS amps generally put less power into a larger impedance, and get their most efficiency at their minimum rating.

So if you decide to go this route, I'd use a 4ohm speaker... it will be louder than the internal one, but you'll lose less power. If you've already got plenty of power, then use a comparable 12" to what you've got already so that the two will balance... I just don't see 50 watts doing it, split across two cabs.
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Michael Beasley · From: Holts Summit MO

I have been using a PX 300 Peavey which is a 300 watt powered 15" speaker along with my Roland cube 80 Xl. The cube sits on top of my 300 or you can separate using the tone controls and effects from the Roland it is a great combination. You will not be disappointed.

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Michael Beasley · From: Holts Summit MO

The cube 80 with it by itself is a good sound but lacks the bottom end of the 15. Put the PX 300 in the system by running line out on the cube and your gonna like it.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

The Cube 80XL is a nice amp and I have one. The difference I experience with an open back speaker cab (just an opinion) is you get more sound dispersion rather than using Two Cubes as they have closed backs and directional.

I also have the cube 40 and have used both at the same time and it is a very nice sound. However, I still favor the Cube80XL with a small extension cab (same size as the Cube) with a speaker that came out of a RI Fender Delux in an open back. I would also suggest that the type of speaker in the extension cab not be rated way under or over the the speaker in the cube. I tried a Peavey 1201-4 speaker and it was over taking the speaker in the amp. A Celestion Vintage 30 was too bright.

Hope this helps,

Lenny

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

I'm sold on the 80XL for the weight to sound ratio.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Ollin:

I found my extension cab on CL for $40.00 empty and there is usually someone that took the amp out of a cab. You could try pointing the open back cab where the guys in the band can hear you and direct the cube where you can hear yourself. Instead of having the Cube directly behind you, you could try setting it off to the side where the sound points toward the band. I have seen guitar players
that were positioned stage left and had the amp facing stage right.

Anatomy: Once again, just an opinion but I have heard discussions about this and I agree. I know this is outside the box Oh Well

If you put an amp directly behind you the sound is is hitting the back cup of your ears where your ears are designed to hear more efficiantly when sound is coming in front of you. Would you go to a concert and sit with your back to the band? On a much smaller scale, having the amp directly behind your head has a bit of the same efect. I also like having a slight tilt back and the amp off to my right side.

Take this a step further, if I am jamming with a few acoustic guitars in a small room doing folky easy listening music. The Cube alone is fine as the sound bounces around a small room differently that a wide open stage cranking out competing with drums and bass.

Look at the jazz players 30 years ago flocking for the closed back small Polytone amps with a closed back. A one trick pony but the projection and tone were very pleasing. Still wish I had my Mini Brute 1.

Above is an opinion, nothing carved in stone here but food for thought?

Jimmy Gibson · From: Cornwall, England

I have used a Cube XL40 with my Fender EFX Satellite System and the sound was absolutely amazing.

Jimmy.

Jay Fagerlie · From: Lotus, California, USA

OK, let's all agree on one thing-

If you add the extension cab (I suggest a 4 ohm), the output power "at that setting" will decrease.
Then turn it up some!!!
no big deal.

If you run the amp at max and that is only 'just enough' volume, then adding the extension cab will not work for you.

and if you are running the amp at full volume, I sure hope you wear earplugs!!!

Since we are talking about the Roland Cube 80 specifically, it is designed to allow a 4 ohm extension cabinet to be used. The circuit is a series type, meaning whatever you plug in will add to the load the amp sees-
This is where Stephen Cowell is right on the money, it will lower the available output power of the amplifier...so, two things to keep in mind:
1. You may need to run the volume up a tad higher when you plug in the cabinet.
2. Stick to 4 ohms to make this adjustment less.

I use a black widow 15" 4ohm in an open cab and couldn't be happier.

These are truly great amps for the money!

Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

Jay...I'm doing exactly the same as you. I stand my Cube 80XL on top of a Nashville 400 Cabinet...the amp was removed to just a head unit. My 15" B/W speaker has a Neo magnet. As you know with the closed back of the Cube and the open back of the B/W speaker it just opens up the sound. I found as you probably did that the tone has to be slightly adjusted as the B/W is very sensitive and is a bright sounding speaker. Now I have a spare 80XL and a Nashville 400 Very Happy

...I just stay on the Black Face setting. With the Cube it takes a while to sort your choice, but with the Black Face ..it gives that fat bottom end, like the old back breaker twin reverbs Very Happy

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Jeremy Steele · From: Princeton, NJ USA

Once in a while I will run my Cube 80 XL along with a 15" JBL D-130F in an extension cab...it sounds like God.

Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

Jeremy....probably a similar sound to what I'm getting Very Happy

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Jeremy Steele · From: Princeton, NJ USA

No doubt, Mickey. It's just astonishing how good these little amps sound, either alone or with the extra cab.

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

Somebody with more experience please correct me if I'm wrong.

The 80XL has a line out. This line out should run at âˆ’10 dBV or +4 dBu. I can't find any reference to what the line signal level is.

The 80XL also has an AUX input that definitely runs at -10dBV according to the manual. Also this AUX in bypasses the pre-amp and runs straight to the power amp circuit.

So my question is could a second 80XL be used as a powered extension speaker going Line Out from one 80XL to AUX In of the second one?
_________________
Zum SD-12 Black, Zum SD-12 Burly Elm Several B-Bender Tele's and a lot of other gear I can't play.

I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted. W.C. Fields

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Ollin, that should work fine. At least, you're guaranteed to not blow anything up trying. I'll bet it sounds great.
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Too much junk to list... always getting more.

Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

Ollin...when I used both my Cube-XL 80's together, My volume pedal has 1 in and 2 out's ...Massive sound. But since I now use just 1 amp linked to a 15" Black Widow with a Neo magnet, it weighs a little less than a cube, so that's the way I've gone. Re the Aux out, I have tried it through a big P.A. system, and it worked fine...I however returned to what I prefer which is sticking an SM-57 in front of the speaker cab with the 15" Black Widow with the Neo Magnet. I have a tiny Mic stand with a round base that does the job well. I am still amazed at what a little Gem Roland came out with...and how "inexpensive" compared to other companys Smile

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.
.....................................................

Sho-Bud and Carter universals. 2 Cube 80XL's. 1 Nashville 400 in split cabs with a Neo speaker. Telecaster B-bender.Ovation Viper electro acoustic. Gianinni hand made electro classical."2 Boss RV 3's.
Boss RT 20 rotary simulator..2 Boss tones and lots more toys.

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

Stephen,

Thanks, I thought it would work. Since everything is "line level" there isn't any danger of blowing a circuit anywhere. No loss of power but I'm not gaining anything with sound dispersion like I would with an open back extension cab.

Mickey,

I use an AB/Y switch as the first input on my pedal board. I play PSG and Tele about equally with the band. So using the volume pedal is not an option.

I would love to have a 15" or even a 12" to run as an extension cab. It was the original intent of the post. But looking at what it's going to cost me to find a good cab and speaker and considering I already have a second 80XL I'm going to give this a try. I do mic with a 57 for the FOH. I have a gig coming up on 5/15. I'll report back on how well it goes.
_________________
Zum SD-12 Black, Zum SD-12 Burly Elm Several B-Bender Tele's and a lot of other gear I can't play.

I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted. W.C. Fields

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