alexclaber

[quote name='Protium' post='461537' date='Apr 13 2009, 08:58 PM']Trying not to sound like a dick here but - Sensitivity: The sensitivity of the cabinet[/quote] Sensitivity at what frequency? In whole space, half space or quarter space? SWR claim 105dB sensitivity from a cab which cannot be higher than 98dB at the very best. [quote name='Protium' post='461537' date='Apr 13 2009, 08:58 PM']Frequency Response: The frequency response of the cabinet[/quote] Again, what space conditions? To what degree of tolerance -10, -6, -3dB? I've seen a measured plot for a 410XLT which shows that it's response is only +/-2dB within an octave at max yet they claim +/-2dB to higher and lower frequencies than their cab manages even -10dB. [quote name='Protium' post='461537' date='Apr 13 2009, 08:58 PM']Maximum Output: The maximum output of the cabinet[/quote] Peak or continuous? At what frequency? At what distortion level? Theoretical (thermal power handling plus claimed sensitivity) or actual max SPL (BIG difference!) I see EA claim 126dB from their Wizzy 12" - by my rough estimates that's almost 10dB louder than is physically possible from such a design. [quote name='Protium' post='461537' date='Apr 13 2009, 08:58 PM']For me I'm reading the description of the cabinet being the loudest, lowest, lightest, etc etc and then there are no specs put up to back up the statements.[/quote] The Compact certainly doesn't go the lowest but it is as loud as a cab gets for that weight. But if I give you the real specs then you'll compare them to what EA, SWR, AccuGroove, Eden, GB, GK, etc all claim and then go and buy one of their inferior cabs. It's like trying to compete in a car market where Ford and Vauxhall claim the Fiesta and Corsa both have a top speed of 200mph, do 0-60 in 4 seconds and 100 mpg. I refuse to lie but I'm not going to have people go elsewhere because they compare the numbers and can't see through the marketing falsifications. I should point out that I was fooled by this stuff about 10 years ago - I bought a Peavey 12" combo that claimed to achieve 30-16000Hz response from a whizzer cone 12". How I laugh now... And much as I'd like to get some nice measurements and plots to put on the site I don't have a large enough space to take them in, hence there's a fair few extra peaks and dips in the plots I've posted thus far. Alex

I would almost never buy someone's gear to get their sound - so rarely works. My gut feeling is that your speakers simply can't move enough air for your needs - most 2x10" cabs have so little volume displacement (surface area x excursion) and I'm sure the TE combo is no different. Even a cheap 4x12" will be able to move way more air than your 2x10" and Peavey have a history of producing cabs which may lack in the midrange but can certainly do big bottom. Alex

[quote name='Protium' post='461514' date='Apr 13 2009, 08:29 PM']On the website you have these vague decsriptions where you could do with some proper values IMO [/quote] What variety of 'proper' values should I put up? I know the Compact is louder and goes deeper than the SWR Goliath Jr: Claimed: 105 dB SPL @ 1W1M (-3dB @ 45Hz and 15KHz) Or the Eden 210XLT: 48hz - 14khz ±2dB; Sensitivity 103dB SPL@1W1M But I couldn't put up such barefaced lies! Alex

Thanks for the review! I carry the cab like a suitcase in one hand and then for doorways or stairs tend to swing it up in front of me so one edge is resting against my front. Am pondering some feet to help it grip shinier floors, will keep you posted! Alex

[quote name='SteveO' post='461314' date='Apr 13 2009, 04:29 PM']lol. Strangely enough I've just received plans from Bill (thanks for the super-fast service by the way ) and was thinking about looking for super lightweight neo speakers with the relevant specs rather than looking for the ones recommended in the plans. Am I being a bit silly? at a reported 17 kg they should be light enough anyway. I don't want to have to put bricks on top to stop them migrating across the stage [/quote] Most of the recommended drivers for Bill's designs are lightweight neo ones. And there's a reason they are recommended! Alex

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='461266' date='Apr 13 2009, 03:07 PM']A thaw at least. And the prospect of a "larger wedge stage monitor" is encouraging. Any specs? Also, can you make me two inside 5 weeks?[/quote] 5 weeks?! You'll be lucky to get it in 5 months! However, did you see the on and off-axis response plot up above? See how if you just got a Big One (or Big Baby) and stand so your ears are 45 deg off-axis you'll hear almost exactly the same sound as you would with the cab as a 45 deg tiltback wedge (and the total size of the latter will be bigger to get the internal volume needed for the woofer). Magic! [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='461266' date='Apr 13 2009, 03:07 PM']If we lifted the thread to a group where you were mod, you could chop it up to your hearts content.[/quote] Sounds good to me. Am quite happy to field more general questions about cabs like Dave Hall does on the amps side of things. Alex

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='461204' date='Apr 13 2009, 01:48 PM']Not necessarily. Hoffman's Iron Law allows you to go low and loud while remaining small, but at the cost of sensitivity, which means you need more power and a driver capable of using it. OTOH all other aspects being equal a larger cab will go lower, and the number one defect with most cabs is that they are too small.[/quote] Indeed. There a select few cabs that can do big bottom at high SPL from a smaller enclosure but amongst 99% of cabs sold the size matters thing holds true. My forthcoming Big Baby will be one of these rare exceptions. Alex

Aha! Another quick and dirty RTA in my garden. Green line is on-axis, purple is 45 deg off-axis, measured in half-space with mic on the ground plane. I do believe we are sorted. Alex

[quote name='Marcus' post='461083' date='Apr 13 2009, 11:03 AM']I think with Bass..... unfortunately to get the best in tone (live) you need big heavey cabinets with big heavey magnets !! The laws of Physics can be stretched but not broken !![/quote] Nope. The laws of physics dictate that to get big bass sounds you need large cabinets. They do not need to be heavy, they just need to be big. Alex

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='460786' date='Apr 12 2009, 09:15 PM']I've generally found big ones can handle a fair bit of force.[/quote] Fo' sure. Alex

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='460037' date='Apr 11 2009, 05:39 PM']Make a wedge monitor Alex [/quote] Find me a couple of dozen other bassists who want one and I'll design one! Otherwise you'll have to wait until I get my larger wedge stage monitor sorted. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='460037' date='Apr 11 2009, 05:39 PM']EDIT: BTW, looking at the size of this thread, it seems to me that you might benefit from an affliates forum.[/quote] If you build it they will come. Would we just lift this entire thread over there? Could we work out a way of subdividing this thread into a few logical chronological sections to make it easier for browsing? Alex

[quote name='0175westwood29' post='460715' date='Apr 12 2009, 07:23 PM']yeh i suppose to a point but also they look awesome!, plus i think going for the 610 is little dif than the standard 810 or 410+115 setup?[/quote] Going for a 15"+6.5" would a lot more different still! But I admit that a 6x10" does look more imposing. However I bet an Ampeg 6x10" couldn't handle the 2000W force of my power amp like the Big One did last night! Alex

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='460061' date='Apr 11 2009, 06:40 PM']Don't scratch it, now. G'wan g'wan g'wan. Have a good time.[/quote] Giving it another coat of finish before it heads out so it looks totally new and shiny! Used the PLX3002 bridged into it last night. Bloody ridiculous, best bass tone ever. Has anyone ever used a bass cab which the whole band (including the drummer) can hear clearly, yet still fill the whole venue with fat sound without PA support, without overwhelming the onstage mix? I haven't before, but this cab did just that. Amazing! Will measure the crossover tomorrow but it can't be far from perfect after that performance! Alex

[quote name='0175westwood29' post='460705' date='Apr 12 2009, 07:09 PM']but my pro-6 being a hybrid, ss power amp, but it got driver tubes and tube pre, also it doesnt have a 4/8 ohm selector on the back.[/quote] Your amp has a solidstate power amp so that's all that matters. It will be happy running any combination of cabs right down to the minimum rated impedance. You could drive a 16 ohm cab, a 12 ohm cab, a 20 ohm cab, whatever. Just don't go below 4 ohms (assuming Ampeg's website is correct). [quote name='0175westwood29' post='460705' date='Apr 12 2009, 07:09 PM']my heart is set on the 610 if it the right price[/quote] Ah, the power of the Ampeg brand! Alex

[quote name='obbm' post='460701' date='Apr 12 2009, 07:02 PM']transformers dear boy, transformers.[/quote] Typo! I didn't get a lot of sleep last night... Alex

We're way less conservative with our instruments than most musicians! And even more so with our amps. Just look at guitarists! I have some thoughts on producing some fairly radical basses in the future - however, although the underlying concepts will be very different they will look pretty traditional. I don't believe the typical bass player mindset matches up with wearing an instrument that makes punters go "what is that he's playing?!!" Alex

[quote name='0175westwood29' post='460678' date='Apr 12 2009, 06:05 PM']is it bad to run an amp between an ohm setting?[/quote] Solidstate amps can run any load down to their rated minimum (actually they can usually go quite a bit lower than that without any problems) - there isn't an ohm setting. Valve amps have output transformers with different taps to help match up different impedance cabs. However the impedance of a cab is nowhere hear constant - an 8 ohm cab will typically vary between about 6 ohms and 50+ ohms. I rate one of my cabs, the Barefaced Big One, at 6 ohms and would recommend using the 8 ohm tap on a valve amp. Incidentally this cab provides similar max output to a good 6x10" but more bottom and punch despite weighing half as much. Alex

Barefaced Big One with crossover v.4 is on its way to a gig shortly - Horse & Groom in Hanover, Brighton, if anyone fancies some fat grooves tonight! Alex

[quote name='fryer' post='459313' date='Apr 10 2009, 02:16 PM']The Epi cab is a UL 310, with 3 speakers, hence the odd 5.3 ohms. I was considering getting another identical cabinet - does this halve the impedance, or is it more complicated than this ? If half, this would present 2.65 ohms, which is too low for the amp.[/quote] That's exactly what happens, unfortunately! Alex

[quote name='fryer' post='459174' date='Apr 10 2009, 11:54 AM']I have an old Crate amp, producing around 350 w into my Epi 5.3 ohm cab. The cab can take 700 w.[/quote] The cab is thermally rated at 700W. The woofers will not be able to handle 350W in the lows without overexcursion so you already have as much power as you need to get full output. Alex

[quote name='Etienne' post='458587' date='Apr 9 2009, 05:08 PM']There's just one minor issue to rectify (which I'm going to PM Alex about)[/quote] Now if a proper engineer had designed those plastic corners he'd have realised that the 90 degree angle on the inside will concentrate the stress and thus be a weak point. However that does mean that if the cab takes a knock the breaking of the coner will dissipate the energy, like a crumple zone on a car. Should I enclose a spare corner with each cab? By the way, have you peeled the protective plastic off the badge? Should have mentioned that in the manual... Alex

This is an incredibly complicated topic! However it's an important one so when I get a moment I shall write a lengthy answer and also add it to my site. Key words: Harmonic distortion and Xmax. Fletcher-Munson. Power response. Frequency masking. Acoustics. Alex

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='457082' date='Apr 8 2009, 08:52 AM']So, what about these days then Alex? Still using many pedals?[/quote] It's been a long journey! Started out with a Zoom 506. Then added a Trace Elliott Dual Compressor. Then a Dunlop Crybaby 105Q. Then a Boss BE5-B which I got thrown in with my '87 Warwick: My memory gets a little woolly after that. Have owned a Lovetone Meatball, EBS Octabass, EH Big Muff, Voodoo Lab Superfuzz, Voodoo Lab Sparkledrive, EB Vol Pedal, EB Vol Pedal Jr, EBS BassIQ, Akai Deep Impact (won the first, bought the second cheap as a back-up), Akai Unibass, Line 6 DL4, Boss Flanger, MXR Phase 90, Fulltone Bassdrive. When I started singing I realised I couldn't operate that board whilst leading the band so I broke it down and sold various pedals - think I came out on top due to various choice items being discontinued. Plan was to strip back to just using the Fulltone Bassdrive, the Phase 90 and the BassIQ. However I never got round to taking them to band practice and in the end decided we sounded best with the bass kept clean. Now that I have my own band I feel that my sound is that of the whole band, not just the bass - and as we co-write more nowadays I think my bandmates think similarly. And I just love the unsullied tone of my bass through my rig - it sounds SO HUGE! My guitarist uses the Bassdrive and Phase 90 now, they're quite a key part of his sound! I have acquired another pedal more recently (couple of years back) - an MXR Bass Blowtorch - which I won for having something published in BP mag. I really like this pedal, great fuzz beast. My old EH Big Muff is now thoroughly retired thanks to it! Alex

I recently discovered that this site from my uni band was still up: [url="http://www.spiderplant.net/agentorange/html/recordings/recordings.html"]http://www.spiderplant.net/agentorange/htm...recordings.html[/url] The recordings from Nov '99 were done with two PZMs on the kit (one on the ceiling, one in front of the kick drum), SM58 on guitar amp and SWR GP DI'd for bass, all into a Tascam 424 MkII (double speed cassette 4-track), vocals then overdubbed on Cubase. Not a bad sound at all for low tech/cost! Alex