redstriper

[quote name='2x18' post='276001' date='Sep 3 2008, 08:18 AM']I bought one and can confirm they are excellent value for money ( i also have a MarkBass LM2 ) Very simple controls but a good range of sounds. I swopped the Sovtek ECC83 Pre Amp valve for an old but good Brimar,and it made a noticeable difference to the gain ( ie LOUDER ) and also seems to make it a little smoother at higher levels ( although it was already very clean ) A very impressive bit of Kit at a great price! Anyone in the Leeds area that is thinking of buying one is welcome to come and try mine! Will.[/quote] How does the sound compare to the LM11 ? I like a very deep warm undistorted tone for dub and reggae. I was considering an LM11 but like the idea of the Hartke LHI000 with 750w into 8 ohms it has more power for less dosh although it is heavier. Steve.

This post is very interesting indeed and I really wish I could have 3 identical cabinets, each loaded with one of the three different drivers under recent discussion to compare their sound when played with the same bass and amp on identical settings. If that were possible I wonder what would be the most noticeable differences in audio quality, in terms of volume, depth and clarity and forgetting weight or price considerations? I am also considering the purchase of a replacement driver and would like to hear from people who have actually heard all 3 in the flesh or from anyone who believes they know of an even better 15" driver for bass guitar. Thanks in anticipation.

Here's one - [url="http://archives.telex.com/archives/EV/Builders%20Plans/TL606%20Builders%20Plans.pdf"]http://archives.telex.com/archives/EV/Buil...ers%20Plans.pdf[/url]

To clarify my requirements - I'm considering an SWR Big Ben 18" cab - how would the BFM omni without horn and tweeter compare in sound and weight?

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='229408' date='Jun 30 2008, 12:35 AM']O15, standard or tallboy, leave the tweeter out. As for lightweight and portability, google 'Hoffman's Iron Law'. Big bottom does not from small cabs come.[/quote] How about leaving the midrange horn out as well? I'm only interested in hearing deep bass and have been using a Fane 15" driver in a Trace Elliot combo with all frequencies above 1 khz reduced to - 15 db on the graphic eq. I'm not big on DIY and like to keep things as simple as possible.

[quote name='gilmour' post='229415' date='Jun 30 2008, 12:52 AM']Finnbass over at www.finnbass.com has built this cab with the omition of the tweeter, you should check it out, he's been very happy with the results. Whils this cab isn't lightweigh it caertainly is lighter than most similar sized cabs, and lighter than my trace 4x10, although it is still quite a big cab once you've played through it you'll want to make the effort to take it around.[/quote] Thanks - I'll check it out now........

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='229408' date='Jun 30 2008, 12:35 AM']O15, standard or tallboy, leave the tweeter out. As for lightweight and portability, google 'Hoffman's Iron Law'. Big bottom does not from small cabs come.[/quote] Had a feeling that was the case after trying lots of small lightweight cabs with no depth of tone. Which model, (standard or tallboy) would give the deepest sound and what are the approx. dimensions and weight?

I'm intrigued by this cab and wonder if one would suit me. I only play dub reggae and don't want any treble or upper midrange in my sound - just deep warm bass. Which of BFM's cabs would be most suited to my sound and desire for lightweight and portability?

I have tried all 3 combos you mention and was disappointed with the low bass response of them all at volume. The 12" speaker is no good against a loud drummer. The 2 x 10 is the loudest, very punchy aggresive sound but won't go very low and is not as light as you might think. The 15 is my favourite, for warmth and smooth tone but it will struggle against a very loud drummer if you want deep bass. You would need another speaker to comfortably do the job, which adds to the cost and weight. I would advise buying a markbass head and teaming it with a more powerful speaker cab - the heads are so light you can easily carry one in a shoulder bag. The problem is cost again, but I came to the conclusion that the markbass combos are not quite powerful enough - then again I play reggae and like a seriously deep sound.

[quote name='stevie' post='222951' date='Jun 20 2008, 02:19 PM']I reckon that anyone playing reggae bass in Anglesey deserves all the help they can get![/quote] You are so right about that - I'm the only one in the village ! I'd like to take you up on the speakons offer - 1 for the cab and maybe 1 for the amp if I can widen the hole. I might splash out on some ply - this MDF is really heavy. Speaker wise, I'd be very interested to hear any suggestions for a suitable replacement that has the 3 Ls (light, low & loud).

Well done Alex, it looks like just another speaker cab, but how it sounds and how much it weighs are the main things. I look forward to having a go sometime, meanwhile I've decided to chop my TE combo into 2 pieces for short term weight saving reasons. Check out my latest ideas here - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20911&pid=222571&st=40&#entry222571"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;#entry222571[/url] I expect you're kicking back with a cold beer now - think I'll join you........ Red Steve.

Just thought of something else - I've got some spare 3/4" MDF sheets - would they do instead of plywood? Also, I forgot to thank Stevie for the offer of speakon sockets - so belated thanks for that.

Stevie, you could be right about it being a Studio 15B - I did some research online and couldn't find a vintage 250 watt Fane speaker at all even though the guy at Fane thought it was 250 watts going from the model number. It says 200 watts on the speaker itself, as you can see here - These are the specs I found - Manufacturer/ Dia. Power Z SPL Vas Model RMS ohms 1W/1m Fs cu ft Qts xmax Fane Studio 15B 15" 200W 8 102dB 45Hz .10 0.44 0.440" This seems to show a high sensitivity which may explain why it's so loud. Not sure whether there is an alternative neo speaker that would do any better all round, bearing in mind my thirst for deep dub bass.

[quote name='stevie' post='222448' date='Jun 19 2008, 08:04 PM']Ah well, jack sockets it is then. The TEF is Trace's own number, but it looks to me like the Fane Studio 15B, which was their version of the Electrovoice 15B. Fane made lots of OEM models, so you can never be sure, but Trace could tell you. It would also make it easier to find a lightweight alternative if you wanted to. I'll post the pics of my modest conversion over the weekend. Maybe it will help.[/quote] I spoke to someone at Fane and he had details of my speaker on file, which I can find out more about if necessary. He suggested the Colossus 600 watt neo speaker as a possible replacement, but he wasn't sure whether my amp would be powerful enough or how it would sound in my cab. He even said I could take my cab to the factory to try various alternatives. Basschatter Alexclaber is very impressed by the Eminence Kappalite 3015LF, but he didn't advise putting it in my cab. It's all a bit of a minefield and I think I'll try splitting the amp and speaker into 2 cabs for now, using the original speaker and see where that takes me. If I can manage the joinery and electrical work, it should put less strain on my back at least. Pics would be great.

Thanks again Stevie, this is all very useful. The holes are definately for jack sockets and I have seen the same amp on ebay as a stand alone head with the sockets installed, like this - The speaker is a Fane TEF 153 250 watt 8 ohm made in 1985. I could stick with this speaker if I can lift the cab without the weight of the amp, or I could change it for a lightweight neo alternative. I am happy with the sound of the speaker, but it would be nice to have a little more volume before distortion at louder gigs. Just need to find where my wife hid the toolbox and I'm in business...........

Very 'andy - thanks again.

[quote name='stevie' post='222290' date='Jun 19 2008, 04:33 PM']You would have to unsolder the speaker wire at the speaker end, fit a couple of jack sockets and connect the wire to the jacks. I'm not sure if that would be a step too far for you, but it is a very easy soldering job. You would probably also have to duplicate any vent holes in your existing cab.[/quote] The wire is not soldered to the speaker so no problem at that end and I can fit a jack plug to the cab and solder the speaker wire to it. Re: attaching the wire from the amp to the 2 jack sockets to give the possibity of an extension cab - Do I split the 2 wires and solder them to each socket identically and would this give 2 x 8 ohm outputs?

Thanks again Stevie - that's really encouraging although I'm a hopeless DIYer - I ended up in casualty last time I tried anything and am now banned from Stanley knives for life. But this doesn't look too difficult, it looks like you screwed the pre amp directly into the ply wood and I guess the power amp is screwed separately to the back and/or base. My amp needs a slot for air vents as you can see in the pic - Another problem is that the amp is hardwired to the speaker although there are holes for 2 1/4" jack output sockets that are not installed. I'm not sure how to wire these correctly from the 2 wires that now go to the speaker.

[quote name='stevie' post='222107' date='Jun 19 2008, 01:21 PM']Just to add to the many good suggestions - replacing the speaker in your Trace with a neodymium model would cut the weight of your combo by about ten pounds. I don't know if that would be enough. You might even consider it as an interim measure, as it would be a lot cheaper than the alternatives.[/quote] Thanks Stevie, I have considered replacing the speaker and it is an attractive option financially, but a bit risky not knowing how it will sound in the cab. It would also reduce the weight considerably if I could remove the amp and put it in a separate case, but this is not quite so simple because the pre and power amps are 2 separate parts, the pre amp is rack mountable while the power amp is screwed to the top and back of the combo. If I can overcome these technical problems, I will give it a go because I am happy with the sound if not the weight. Pic of the beast -

[quote name='alexclaber' post='212533' date='Jun 4 2008, 02:55 PM']I know a bassist in London that's using a Markbass F1 with a 4 ohm Low-B2 and he loves the combination. His previous cab, an Ampeg 2x10", couldn't handle the lows without farting out, which seems to be the case with the vast majority of compact cabs, so despite the low sensitivity the Acme can play much louder. Alex[/quote] Hi Alex, Just wondered if the bassist you mention is here on basschat or myspace etc so I could contact him about his rig? Cheers, Steve. PS: Keep up the good work with the cab builds.

The Shcroeder too heavy? I'll be interested to see what you end up with then [/quote] My mistake - they're not heavy at all I just thought they would be with 2 speakers in 1 cab - why did you get rid of yours? Glad the AE12's suit you, I couldn't get the very low room filling throbbing bass but I was using the Berg IP power amp and a pre-amp that didn't like my Ashbory, they might go lower with the markbass head.

[quote name='OldGit' post='212930' date='Jun 5 2008, 07:44 AM']I've got the Markbass LMK (liek a two channel Litte Mark II) and a pair of Bergantino AE12's . I've only had the cabs a few weeks (just one gig) so I've not tried them properly on my Reggae setting. I'll get the chance on Saturday Incidentally the VPP filter adds top as well as bottom (It's a scoop shape) so you may want to try that turned off. Actually I don't use the filters at all. For reggae I turn the high stuff off and the bass and mid bass up to 3/4. However I'm not a specialist or playing in a reggae band so your needs may differ .. Edit: The Schroeder 1212L I had before was brilliant at soft, smooth and creamy sub bass but I don't think one alone would do it in a full blown reggae band. You'd probably need 2. OG[/quote] Thanks Mr Git (or can I just call you 'Old'?), I do like the markbass heads for the old skool sound without the old skool weight and I find that both filters on full gives maximum warmth. It doesn't matter that the VPP adds top because I lose all that with the EQ anyway - maybe it shouldn't have any effect but I can definately hear something that I like with it on. My Trace combo has a shape switch and I always use that too, even though I cut all the treble and mid with the graphic eq. I've tried some Berg cabs ( 12", 15" and 6 x 10") since my last post and they're not for me - loud, light but not low enough. Same problem with the Aguilar 12" and Epifani 2 x 10". The Schroeder 1212L sounds very nice, but expensive and probably not lightweight enough. I'm running out of options cab wise, with Acme and basschatter alexclaber's Big One being top of the list at the moment. Still, time is on my side - I'm only a kid!

[quote name='The Funk' post='212889' date='Jun 5 2008, 12:38 AM']Let me know next time you're planning on being in London and you could come over to try them out. The other person I know has a pair of Acme cabs is BigJohn. I'm not sure if he's closer to Anglesey than I am.[/quote] Cheers I appreciate that and I would definately like to try them with my Ashbory bass. I'll be visiting family in Camberwell in the next few weeks, so could meet up then if it's convenient. I have been in touch with BigJohn and he also gives the Acmes the thunbs up, not sure of his location. A friend of mine is visiting from the states next month and I might ask him to bring one over in his hand luggage............

[quote name='The Funk' post='212737' date='Jun 4 2008, 08:41 PM'] [/quote] I'll take that as a 'no' then............ How about letting me have a go on them ?

[quote name='The Funk' post='212577' date='Jun 4 2008, 04:10 PM']I got them direct from the USA on Alex's recommendation. He was completely right. Shipping wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what shipping on a single 2x10 would be. The easiest way to find out is to email Andy at Acme and ask him to find out for you. You normally pay 22.5% on top of the price (excluding shipping) in customs and duty. It still works out not that badly.[/quote] Thanks for the info - just a thought............. Don't suppose you want to sell one of your cabs?