stevie

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1453132554' post='2956669'] Barefaced cabs are quality kit based on a sound design, but they have a unique tone which may or may not suit you [/quote] Oh that's good!

I found them a complete waste of time when I had an LMIII. They just duplicate the other tone controls.

If it makes the site owners a few bob and keeps the spammy marketing posts out of the normal chat threads - great idea. [edit] Upon second thoughts, it these commercial threads are going to be listed under a normal chat header, that would be a step too far IMO, although if they appeared under their own, separate header, that would be fine.

But the problem is not volume, it's audibility.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1452811815' post='2953827'] As I understand it (and I'm not particularly technical by nature) the efficiency gain is because all of the speakers are moving together, [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]doing the same thing at the same time and are therefore all the speakers are perfectly in phase with each other. [/font][/color] [/quote] Even identical drivers are only in phase with each other up to a specific frequency, at which point they start to interfere with each other - and they normally do so well within the passband of the bass guitar. So using multiple identical (or non-identical) drivers across the entire bass guitar frequency range is not an ideal solution in theory, even though it appears to work reasonably well in practice.

As far as I can tell, 5-string players are happy enough with bass cabs designed for use with standard 4-string basses. However, the beauty of doing it yourself is that you can tune the cab to your own specific needs. I don't think you will actually hear any difference between a 40Hz and a 50Hz tuning, as the rolloff is an octave above the tuning frequency (unlike 6v6's Beyma cab) and the small change in frequency response is therefore unlikely to be audible. There will be a difference in power handling though. The only problem, which you obviously are aware of, is that you will have to sacrifice some power handling at around 80Hz to get extra power handling at 30Hz. Personally, I'd stick with 50Hz, especially as you don't use the lowest notes of your 5-string much, but it could be worth comparing the power handling of the cab with a 40Hz tuning. Also worth bearing in mind is that a higher tuning frequency gets you a bigger port area, which is quite important with a cab this size.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1452808919' post='2953790'] The BB2 will go much louder than any other 112 cab, including the Vanderkley. [/quote] Would you care to substantiate that claim?

Now that's interesting WoT. I just wasn't prepared to wade through 500 pages of guff to find the good stuff (there is good stuff on Talkbass, but the signal-to-noise ratio is ridiculous). It looks like the frequency response is mildly tailored, with a broadband 1/2dB rise centred at 200Hz. It depends how you look at it. It's +/- 1dB from 40 to 9kHz (ignoring the Gain knob). That's not really what I'm hearing, but you can't really argue with the measurements.

I did look for a Bass Gear Magazine review and couldn't find anything - it's the first place I looked. Yes, adding a slight low end boost would stress the speakers more but it would also make the amp sound "fatter", especially when partnered with a lot of today's smaller speaker cabs. I can understand why Aguilar might choose to "voice" their amp a bit differently to make it stand out from the competition. I don't have a problem with that at all, if that is in fact what they've done.

I've had a Tonehammer 500 amp for a little while and really like it. However, I have the impression that the amp has a baked-in low end boost at, say, around 50Hz. I 'm just going from memory here, as I sold my LMIII at the same time as I acquired the Aguilar and haven't been able to do any direct comparisons. I've never heard anyone mentioning this before, and I haven't seen any frequency response measurements of this amp anywhere. But I'm curious. Thoughts?

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1452210507' post='2947777'] Still no seperate hi and low mid controls, amps without that always put me off. [/quote] Yes, I agree. It looks like the same single adjustable mid frequency control that the Aguilar TH500 uses, which is a bit limiting in that you can't cut and boost different midrange frequencies, but otherwise works well. Personally (and this applies to the Aguilar too), I would have ditched the Drive/distortion malarkie and provided more midrange control. It wouldn't put me off buying one though if I were in the market.

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1452206617' post='2947738'] They started out making PA subs, "Genzler's Bins", which shortened to "Genz's Bins" and then to "Genz Benz" as a spin on the Merc thing. [/quote] Aha, I see. Thanks Alex.

Stupid question time - where did the Benz in Genz Benz come from? Was it just a blatant ripoff of the Mercedes Benz name? The amp looks great and he seems to have thought of everything except a handle, although he's not alone there. It's stylish and well spec'd, but (IMO) TC Electronics set a standard for bass amp design (i.e. appearance) that still hasn't been beaten – I don't think anyone else can afford that kind of tooling cost. He deserves to do well with it. His cabs, on the other hand, are a bit flavour of the month.

You probably don't play in some of the Dog and Duck places that I do, JTUK. Or use flatwound strings. Last week I was standing about level with the front of my cab and about three feet to the side - in front of the drummer. The only place the singer could stand was in front of my cab. Because I have a 15" speaker with a midrange driver on top, I could still hear myself. But without that midrange speaker, I wouldn't have been able to hear the higher frequencies I need to make out pitch. When you are so far off axis, they simply don't reach your ears. If you can stand at least three feet in front of your cab, it's not so much of a problem.

Completely agree, BoB. It's a problem for many of us who occasionally have to play in tight spaces. Unless you have proper floor monitors, the only viable solution I have found - and you've put your finger on it - is a cab with a midrange driver. Tilting or raising the cab can work, of course, but a cab with a 5" or 6" just works.

If I'd spent a grand on a cab and couldn't hear it, which is what the OP's problem seems to be, 'chosen unwisely' would be putting it mildly.

Plus or minus ten percent would not be a problem. It might sound like it, but I didn't pluck the figure from thin air: 15 litres is actually about right for that driver. A greater variation would be possible if you are prepared to mess about with the vent tuning a bit. It depends what you mean by 'bin'. A bread bin, rubbish bin? Any kind of box would do at a pinch as long as it is airtight and doesn't vibrate. No, the shape isn't really critical to performance but wood is normally preferred because it's cheap, easy to work with and resistant to vibration. Unlike a bread bin.

Sounds like an idea to me. I can't see the point of practice amps now that we have compact heads - and you don't always want your full-size bass cab in the house, do you? You could easily knock together your own box or adapt something to take a small speaker that will be perfect for practice purposes. But - do make sure you use a PA speaker and not a hi-fi or guitar speaker. An eight is probably ideal for the purpose, and a Celestion like this one is good value for what you want: http://www.lean-business.co.uk/eshop/celestion-tf-0818-8ohm-8-pa-speaker-p-111.html?zenid=90fc09d0f86925de2d2c7b66abc87b2b. About 15 litres would work well and will sit under your Markbass head nicely. Tune to 80Hz with a 70mm port, 60mm long and Bob's your uncle.

Wow - I'll have a bunch of those! Many thanks for sharing.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1450735618' post='2935421'] I wonder if we've all got a bit caught up in the hunt for the perfect flat response / hi-fi / super sensitive / massive handling etc. cab over recent years, and forgotten that - for a lot of us at least - a nice driver in a good, well designed & built box gives us the classic bass sound we've got in our heads after all. [/quote] The frequency response measurements I've seen for most bass cabs are all over the place. Many claim to have a perfect flat response but very few deliver in practice. I measured the driver used in your cab (Eminence Beta 12) loaded in the Basschat 12 prototype box and published the results in the Diary thread. It was very smooth and flat - noticeably smoother than the Beyma driver recommended for the box. I have to say, there is something about the sound of a driver that extends smoothly and cleanly through to the upper midrange that is very seductive. The Celestion Orange series is similar in that respect and I expect it would be an equivalent neo driver for those looking to save more weight.

There's nothing magical about the TL606. You could always look out for a cheap Trace 1513 cabinet and load it with your favourite driver. The results will be pretty much the same.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1450470324' post='2933230'] It's interesting what high regard these are held in on basschat, as on paper they look decent but unremarkable; a quality but not premium spec Eminence driver in a 40-something litre box, and (going by the sensitivity) figures, tuned for a small mid-bass bump. It's clear that in the flesh they have a sound which people like though. [/quote] I don't get it either. I have no idea how TKS managed to turn what is a very average-to-mediocre driver into a much-recommended bass cab. It's in a half-inch poplar cabinet too, which doesn't help. They appear to have done something right though.