TKS 1126 vs H115 cabs?

[mcnach]

I'm tempted by a few of the TKS offerings, as they seem to be the right size to carry two cabs in the boot of my car, come in the right colour (fundamental! ) and seem to offer the right balance of size/weight/power for my needs.

Has anybody got experience of these cabs?

The H115 was what caught my attention at first. I somehow have fond memories of playing with 2x 15" cabs so I'm naturally drawn to them. Oh, and they're a bit cheaper
The 1126 is the same size, and by the specs it looks like it will have not as much low end, but it extends into the upper midrange more.

I use a GB Streamliner 900 mostly with Stingray/Jazz, and I favour bridge pickups: good definition, rich midrange, but I like it fat, which the Streamliner provides very well. I don't go for very bright tones so the roll off at 5kHz of the H115 does not seem much of a problem. My Barefaced Compact rolls off at 4 KHz and sounds ok.

Any experiences?

[JTUK]

Didn't try the H115 cab but the 1126 is a great cab in its own right. Fuller and deeper that the S112 and very good seperation
between the low and highs, which I thought I would really go for. But, the clarity of the S112 was such that we unplugged
the 1126 soon enough. The 1126 occupies ground I've covered elsewhere from a sound POV but if I hadn't, 2x1126 would be very
attractive. I will very likely go for 2xS112 with horns ( but I accept most might not need them ) once I've sold my Berg's.

If you only need one S112 with a horn and one without, the start-off prices ( without custom clothes/coverings ) are very very appealing.

[Beer of the Bass]

As far as I can gather TKS are using Eminence speakers and the 505cm[sup]3[/sup] displacement spec suggests that the H115 probably uses the Kappalite 3015, the same driver as your Compact. If the size and porting are different, the H115 and Compact may have differences in the lows, but the mids and highs should be very similar.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1416331124' post='2609127']
As far as I can gather TKS are using Eminence speakers and the 505cm[sup]3[/sup] displacement spec suggests that the H115 probably uses the Kappalite 3015, the same driver as your Compact. If the size and porting are different, the H115 and Compact may have differences in the lows, but the mids and highs should be very similar.
[/quote]

Hmmmm... not bad at all!

[wateroftyne]

I've used the tweeterless 1126 and the old-style (i.e. larger) H115.

Both were great, but the H115 resonated with me more because I'm old-school.

However, I know the Streamliner doesn't scrimp on the lows... that makes me wonder if the 1126 might be a better match. That's just a hunch, mind. Plus, I have no experience of the revised H115.

[mcnach]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416330440' post='2609117']
Didn't try the H115 cab but the 1126 is a great cab in its own right. Fuller and deeper that the S112 and very good seperation
between the low and highs, which I thought I would really go for. But, the clarity of the S112 was such that we unplugged
the 1126 soon enough. The 1126 occupies ground I've covered elsewhere from a sound POV but if I hadn't, 2x1126 would be very
attractive. I will very likely go for 2xS112 with horns ( but I accept most might not need them ) once I've sold my Berg's.

If you only need one S112 with a horn and one without, the start-off prices ( without custom clothes/coverings ) are very very appealing.
[/quote]

The 1126 does seem, on paper, more my thing, I have to admit.
Hmmm, it's frustrating, all I can do is read comments -which I appreciate, thank you!- but I can't get to try the things myself. It's quite a bit of cash for an impulse, but hey, we only live once, right?
(and if I wait too long there's the risk I may want the money for something more sensible and boring )

[Conan]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1416331124' post='2609127'] If the size and porting are different, the H115 and Compact may have differences in the lows, but the mids and highs should be very similar.
[/quote]

My experience was with the older, larger H115 - but I didn't quite find that to be the case... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/212014-tks-engineering-cabs-new-to-the-uk/page__st__270"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/212014-tks-engineering-cabs-new-to-the-uk/page__st__270[/url]

[mcnach]

Well... it's done.

[JTUK]

What have you gone and done..??

[mcnach]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416657924' post='2612352']
What have you gone and done..??
[/quote]


aaaaaah, it's a seeecreeet

Barrie at BassGear was excellent. We exchanged quite a few emails, talking about this and that, offering suggestions, alternatives... He also talked to other people, including Tommy at TKS, with my ideas/expectations/wishes... and it all finally converged into something rather exciting. Of course, once the exact cabs were chosen, another nightmare starts...

- what do you mean "choose your finish"?

Aaargh... so many options!
I had a pretty good idea I wanted a specific colour... but... cloth grille? which? or no cloth grille? frame? if yes, same colour? Oh, there are other very tasty colours too?
TOTAL NIGHTMARE, I TELL YOU!!!!

I went for their covers too. They look good quality.

So, about three weeks from now, they estimate...

[JTUK]

Expect to see pics then..

[skej21]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1416668394' post='2612503']



aaaaaah, it's a seeecreeet

Barrie at BassGear was excellent. We exchanged quite a few emails, talking about this and that, offering suggestions, alternatives... He also talked to other people, including Tommy at TKS, with my ideas/expectations/wishes... and it all finally converged into something rather exciting. Of course, once the exact cabs were chosen, another nightmare starts...

- what do you mean "choose your finish"?

Aaargh... so many options!
I had a pretty good idea I wanted a specific colour... but... cloth grille? which? or no cloth grille? frame? if yes, same colour? Oh, there are other very tasty colours too?
TOTAL NIGHTMARE, I TELL YOU!!!!

I went for their covers too. They look good quality.

So, about three weeks from now, they estimate...
[/quote]

I'm feeling guilty now as I too bombarded poor Barrie with emails about my order lol.

Mine got to Bassgear yesterday and will be arriving with me on Wednesday :-)

[molan]

That's what we're here for

5 new cabs into production this week, should be a fun Xmas/ New Year for a few people!

[mcnach]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1416680955' post='2612635']
That's what we're here for

5 new cabs into production this week, should be a fun Xmas/ New Year for a few people!
[/quote]

you know what molan means in Spanish? Something like "I like them, they're cool"...
My friend could ask me "hey, do you know this shop, BassGear, what are they like?" and I'd reply "molan!".

[mcnach]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1416672125' post='2612543']
I'm feeling guilty now as I too bombarded poor Barrie with emails about my order lol.

Mine got to Bassgear yesterday and will be arriving with me on Wednesday :-)
[/quote]


He's great!

[mcnach]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416671892' post='2612542']
Expect to see pics then..

[/quote]


Well, ok... I have to do something while I wait, so...

I ended up going for a couple of 1126 cabs, with their covers.

I was not sure whether to go for the H115s instead, and Barrie suggested other alternatives, but when I explained my goals... the 1126 just seemed like the best option for me.

I got one with the tweeter, one without. I'm pretty sure I would not miss a tweeter, and except for the tweeter in some Schroeder cabs and the one in the Barefaced BB2, I haven't really liked any nor the way they seem to be implemented in a bass cab. The 1126 extends up to 9KHz thanks to the 6" speaker, which to me is pretty high already in a bass cab... But still I had doubts, and Barrie was the one who suggested "you know? you'd probably not gain much by having a tweeter in both, used together, so you might as well just get one and hey presto you save £75"... so that's what I did.
Expect me to say later how I keep the tweeter at minimum but I do like having options, in case.

I'm having them in vertical configuration. The slot ports will be on one side then... not the prettiest, but it doesn't bother me really. It's a minor point.

The covering will be, of course, red. I knew that before I even got interested in TKS. I thought about painting my current cabs... I don't know how many times So now I can have a pair of cabs in a very beautiful bright red, to go with my car and my hat, and my shoes and my T-shirt and... I don't know, guys, I hated the colour red, but in the past couple of years red is just the coolest colour to me. I'm having, as I type, the body of my ugly-loking natural 75RI Jazz refinished in red! (it was very poorly matched, grain coming in at different angles... not a pretty look

Now, the hardest part was whether to decide cloth grille or not, and if not, I could still have the nice retro TKS frame, so would I go for it? and in what colour? Red like the rest? Beige for maximum "we're the 60s" factor? (hey, like my basses: red/maple!) what?
THAT silly point is where I got very stressed about. Not the actual speakers, not about spending a good amount of hard earned cash on speakers I haven't had the chance to listen to in person... no... I was stressed out about the grille!!!

Red frame with the black/silver cloth would look amazing, I think. But I felt it was a bit over the top, although I knew they would be accepted instantly as decoration in the hallway, rather than being exhorted to hide them in my little room
I decided not to go for it... although I still think about it and go... "damn!" and I have to stop myself from calling "Barrie! Barrie! stoooop! I changed my mind!"
I might still do just that on Monday, but I'll resist, for now.

Red frame, without cloth, just the black metal grille... Now that's a bit less over the top and still extremely sexy. And I do like to see the outline of a speaker. Hmmm. Nice.

Well, no. I went for no frame, no cloth, just standard black metal grille front. In the end I decided that it was the right combination of "look at me!" (red) and understated functional design.

The 1126 fits really well in my boot. It's 52cm tall, which leaves about 4cm left -good job I changed cars recently, my previous car's boot was a lot shallower!- and both cabs will fit upright, side by side, leaving enough room for my head, stands, a bag with clothes, and more, all neatly tucked away in the boot. I never liked leaving anything on the backseat, in case somebody decides to have a better look, and when I carried the bigger speakers there was no option. Now only the bass(es) will ride on the back, and I can take it with me anywhere if we decide to go somewhere post-gig etc.

Can't wait to test these cabs properly. They might arrive here in time for Xmas, which is nice. I'm away a few days over the festive period, but I'm flying back for our New Year's Eve gig, and it's a situation where the two small cabs would be ideal... Expect pictures, and words!

Edited November 22, 2014 by mcnach

[mcnach]

[excited little girl mode]

OMG OMG OMG OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wateroftyne]

Hmmmm...?

[mcnach]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1418368318' post='2629548']
Hmmmm...?
[/quote]

The cabs I ordered have been already made and are being shipped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!



excitable me? nah...

[Dood]

They are fast!!! Looking forward to seeing the cabs in all their glory!

[mcnach]

so am I!!! That was really fast, I'm impressed!

unfortunately I'm not going to be at home to be able to do anything with them until after Xmas. I asked Barrie to keep the cabs there when they arrive and send them to me once I'm back, to avoid problems during the worst of the Xmas rush with couriers.

Ah, if only I had made up my mind a week earlier!

[mcnach]

Here's a quick low-res preview of what's coming, that Barrie from BassGear just emailed me

[FuNkShUi]

They look goooooood
Any chance of a review once you've had a good play?

[M@23]

Nice! They look ace.

[tks.se]

They should be in the UK now Don't know if Barrie has sent you this picture already, a better one of just the red 1126 cabinets: