stevie

[quote name='mrcrow' post='677679' date='Dec 8 2009, 11:21 AM']allen keys are made in tool steel so get a really sharp blade...hope it all works ok i have made loads of one off tools to fix the car[/quote] I really didn't fancy cutting my allen key. So I ordered one from Allparts. It took a month to get here (with Christmas and New Year in betweeen) but it arrived the other day. A quick quarter turn and it was done. For anyone finding this thread at a later date, I can confirm that the 8mm one fits.

[quote name='JonnyB' post='711974' date='Jan 13 2010, 09:57 PM']Couldn't work out which was better, Gb or F#![/quote] What's wrong with good old G or F then?

I've found these people very good - much better choice and much better prices than Maplin. [url="http://www.rapidonline.com/"]http://www.rapidonline.com/[/url].

[quote name='karlthebassist' post='705846' date='Jan 8 2010, 06:21 PM']I was driving it at about half volume and just over half gain with my LMII and playing my Stingray with no pedals or anything in line. Is this most likely just a component failure on the cab and a warrenty claim, or could I have broken it?[/quote] It's more likely to be a faulty driver or connection than anything else. These things are fairly simple to troubleshoot with a meter. If you'd broken it, you would probably be able to smell burning. Use a 9-volt battery across the bass driver terminals to check whether it's dead. There shouldn't be anything else (like a crossover or an amplifier) connected to the driver while you're doing it. If the driver fails to respond to a 9-volt battery across + and -(it should burp), it's gone to the loudspeaker graveyard in the sky.

The Speakon was designed specifically to handle the kind of current that a high power amplifier can deliver. A jack was originally designed (correct me if I'm wrong) to handle low-level telephone signals. As the others have said, if you have a choice, use the Speakon.

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='710872' date='Jan 13 2010, 08:25 AM']I'm sure someone did some proper research on this and found that the pickups (and their position), string length and type of strings have the major contribution to the sound of a solid electric bass. I can't remember who it was though...[/quote] It would be really interesting if you could remember.....

[quote name='cheddatom' post='711171' date='Jan 13 2010, 12:22 PM']The volume keeps going up and down in an SS amp. I've asked around before (it's been sitting around for a year while i've been lazy/busy) and it was suggested I replace the "output caps". I had a look inside and thought it might be wise to just replace all the big caps. Am I at any risk here? It's been sitting around for at least 12 months. Are there any specific "musical" caps or do I just get the matching values from Maplins? Thanks in advance for any help [/quote] I think you mean the power supply caps. Here you are: [url="http://www.ehow.com/how_5511786_safely-discharge-capacitor.html"]http://www.ehow.com/how_5511786_safely-dis...-capacitor.html[/url], although I'd be surprised if there was much charge left after a year.

[quote name='Les' post='707743' date='Jan 10 2010, 03:07 PM']I've had a look through the reccomends but is there anyone nearer than Stockport or Liverpool ? LH500's buggered so I'm back to using my underpowered trace at the mo. [/quote] Try Roland Lumby in Salford. He's the best, and not expensive. 0161 787 8082.

[quote name='eude' post='708724' date='Jan 11 2010, 12:30 PM']Think the only true way to test the theory would be to use a Spectrum Analysier and get some screen shots for comparison, think there's one in Logic. I might be doing some recording tonight, so if there's time, I'll see if there is a difference. My new ACG has Neutrik locking jack, not head anything about Monster cables damaging them, so I'll give it a go this once.[/quote] Sounds fascinating, and I'd love to see what results you get. The problem I foresee is that - if you do discover a difference - knowing whether it's audible or not.

I just tried a quick A/B test on two cables I have. One is 20ft; the other is 4ft. The plugs and cable are identical. The resistance of the longer one is therefore *five times* that of the shorter one. I listened specifically for differences in volume. There may have been one but I couldn't hear it. The input LEDs on my preamp lit up to exactly the same level, too. Mmmmm. This may not be a very scientific test but it does have the advantage of being repeatable.

Just a quickie re. syncopation. I read a while back that you should avoid counting - one and two and, etc. and should try to see the music as a pattern. It seems to have worked for me so far. What's your view on this?

[quote name='TGEvans' post='707762' date='Jan 10 2010, 03:24 PM']Is ignorance the correct word? Some people would say the same about spending 3k on and instrument. Just because its more does not make it better. I felt that for the 25 quid I spent on mine I got a good product. It has failed now yes, but thats what the warranty is for. I have spent 25 pounds on other leads with a one year warranty so at the right price they aint such a bad thing.[/quote] Perhaps ignorance is a bit severe. Lack of knowledge? We're all suckers for branding, aren't we? I have even been known to pay a couple of pounds more for a tin of Crown paint when I can see that the Focus own brand sitting next to it on the shelf in exactly the same tin is almost certainly the same stuff. However, the hi-fi cable industry is infamous for its cynical, pseudo-scientific bullsh*t and enormous margins (dealer margins are much bigger than average, too). Monster is one of the biggest in the business but is by no means out there on its own. Monster talks about Time Correct windings (which deliver a "phase-aligned" signal), Bandwidth Balanced construction (which phase compensates the signal over the entire audio spectrum) and Time Coherent speaker cable. It's all engineering poppyckock. They claim that their Bass Instument cable delivers "extended low frequency response" as if it goes lower than other, inferior, cables. This is the industry that sells a 12 foot length of cable (Pear Anjou) for £7,250. (Google the name with James Randi) Or, you could buy the Nordost ODIN Supreme Reference cables for a mere $20,000. Or the Nordost WHITELIGHT Glass Fiber optic cables for $33,000. Or - wait for it - the Siltech Emperor Crown for $40,000. Have I mentioned cynical already? Here's some interesting stuff on Monster cables: [url="http://consumerist.com/2008/02/monster-cables-monster-ripoff-80-markups.html"]http://consumerist.com/2008/02/monster-cab...80-markups.html[/url]. And this is quite amusing, too. [url="http://consumerist.com/2008/03/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables.html"]http://consumerist.com/2008/03/do-coat-han...ter-cables.html[/url]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='707299' date='Jan 10 2010, 12:38 AM']The D12LF was state of the art ten years ago, rendered obsolete by the 3012HO, which is also a contender but really needs to be used with a six ought five midrange.[/quote] That speaker was never anywhere close to state of the art ten years ago or ever.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='707758' date='Jan 10 2010, 03:21 PM']There's nothing arbitrary about xmax, it's when distortion reaches 10%.[/quote] There are so many ways of quoting xmax and nobody agrees on what's right. I'd call that arbitrary. [quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='707758' date='Jan 10 2010, 03:21 PM']Some manufacturers still use the old coil depth versus plate thickness method, and that is arbitrary and obsolete.[/quote] It's hardly obselete, because all speaker manufacturers still quote it in their specs. Except Eminence, of course, who have stopped quoting it, I suspect on the advice of their marketing department.

Monster Cable is an obscenely overpriced and over-hyped product that takes avantage of the ignorance of its customers. Its 'bad science' is on a par with homeopathy. Just have a look here: [url="http://www.monstercable.com/pro_audio/instrument_cables.asp"]http://www.monstercable.com/pro_audio/instrument_cables.asp[/url]. They recommend different cables for rock and jazz. You'd have to cry if it wasn't so hilarious. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-end_audio_cables"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-end_audio_cables[/url] Save your money.

[quote name='Opticaleye' post='706337' date='Jan 9 2010, 10:17 AM']Broken in Chromes on my 75 RI [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TWM7WRrp2g"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TWM7WRrp2g[/url][/quote] Very nice indeed!

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='705027' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:59 PM']Thanks you very much Steve just what i was looking for. Just to confirm if i make internally 18"x16"x18" will give me 51 litre cab.[/quote] Sounds about right. [quote name='fatgoogle' post='705027' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:59 PM']Now im thinking if i wanted to mount a power amp in the back of it i would need to extend it so maybe if i made it 18x16x19, to give a bit extra room. Or will a standard 2u preamp not take up enough room to make a difference. Also front or rear mounting the speakers, does it make a difference. Ive only front mounted so far.[/quote] I don't think a 2U power amp would make all that much difference, but you should really take its volume into account. You normally deduct the volume of bracing, handles, the speaker and so on when you calculate the net volume figure. Try to avoid having any two dimensions the same or very close in value, by the way. 18" by 18" will reinforce resonances and standing waves. Better to do 20" x 17", for example, instead. I've always front mounted speakers, too. Rear mounting means having a removable baffle or rear panel, which is not always what you want. One of the benefits of a 12" speaker is that it allows you make very transportable boxes. I'm not sure I'd want to detract from that by making it into a combo - but you obviously know what you're after.

I can help you with this. I've just modelled it on the PC. The best driver to use is the Sovereign 12-300 - don't bother with any of the others. You need a cabinet of around 50 litres (45 to 60 litres is OK) tuned to 48Hz. Use two ports 125mm long with an internal diameter of 70mm for 50 litres net internal volume. If you can get flared ports (inside and out) use those in preference. The system will handle 200 watts before you exceed xmax. The best material for your cab is probably 15mm birch ply, if you can get hold of it. I've attached a jpg of the design for a 50 litre cab. It's large so that you can see the detail.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' post='704886' date='Jan 7 2010, 10:25 PM']I had a conventional amp with a buzzing transformer that I could only hear when we all stopped playing. It still drove me nuts while I practiced at home, and I ended up trading it for one that did not buzz.[/quote] Me too. I couldn't hear it when I was playing. I managed to fix it but it drove me nuts until I did. Another thing, what if this noise gets worse? Having already agreed to accept an amp with a noticeable background noise, you will then have to prove that the noise is louder than it was originally. Not an easy thing to do.