The N-audio 8X7 and 4X4 are versatile amp cabinet switchers designed to meet the needs of many musicians and recording studios. The 8X7 model switches between up to 7 cabinets, while the 4X4 Switcher supports up to 4 cabinets. But what if you need to connect more cabinets? If you have 8 cabinets, wouldn’t it be great to use them all?
In this post, I’ll show you a simple and effective way to expand your 8X7 and 4X4 amp cabinet switchers. With this method, you can switch up to 8 cabinets on the 8X7 model and up to 5 cabinets on the 4X4 model – all without compromising sound quality.
The only drawback is that the attenuator insert will now be used for the additional cabinet, meaning the power attenuator can no longer be used in this setup. Instead, the extra cabinet will take its place.
Wiring and Selecting the Cabinets:
Connect all your cabinets to the amp switcher as usual. Insert a spare jack into the “from output (return)” jack to bypass the internal protections. Then, connect the extra cabinet to the attenuator “to input (send)” jack, as shown below:
You can operate all cabinets as you normally would – select a cabinet, then choose an amplifier. To enable the extra cabinet, simply press the attenuator button. If another cabinet is already selected, pressing the attenuator button will disable it activating the extra cabinet only. To switch back to the other cabinets, just disable the extra cabinet using the attenuator button.
Please note that the extra cabinet connected in this way cannot function in parallel with the other cabinets. Only the cabinets connected to the designated outputs can do so.
If you’re in mute mode, you can enable the extra cabinet by pressing and holding the power attenuator button until the LED lights up, or by selecting a cabinet followed by pressing the attenuator button. Both methods work the same way.
You can still use the power attenuator but only for a specific amplifier or a specific cabinet.
In Conclusion
Expanding your 8X7 or 4X4 amp switcher with one more cabinet is simple, unlocking the full potential of your setup. Although it uses the power attenuator insert, this solution ensures seamless switching and delivers excellent functionality for such an expansion.
Niki Hristov
