The N-audio 8X7 and 4X4 are versatile amp/cabinet switchers designed for professional musicians and recording studios. While the 8X7 model typically handles 7 cabinets and the 4X4 supports 4, you might find yourself needing even more connectivity. If you have 8 cabinets, wouldn't it be great to use them all?
In this post, I’ll demonstrate a simple, effective way to expand your setup. Using this method, you can switch up to 8 cabinets on the 8X7 and up to 5 on the 4X4 - all without compromising signal integrity. The only trade-off is that the attenuator insert will be repurposed for the additional cabinet. This means a power attenuator cannot be used in this specific configuration, as the extra cabinet takes its place.
Wiring and Selecting the Cabinets
First, connect your primary cabinets to the switcher as usual. To bypass the internal protection circuit, insert a spare jack into the "From Output (Return)" port. Finally, connect your extra cabinet to the "To Input (Send)" attenuator 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