Phil Starr Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1348602618' post='1815917'] purely out of interest!!? if i enlarge the ports to 100mm now whilst waiting for the speaker, do you think it would improve the current ashdown driver? [/quote] You'd only notice a difference at high volumes and you would need to re-tune the cab, the bigger the ports the longer they need to be. In a way it is a little like changing strings, you need to re-tune after you change them! The reason the Ashdown holes are causing concern is that at high volume levels a lot of air needs to move in those ports and potentially that causes noises you don't want. The Kappa is going to be louder and move more air making the problem worse. If you want something to do take the speaker out and measure the inside dimensions and within a day you will have someone calculate the port size for you. If you wanted to you could fit ports that would tune for the kappalite not the Ashdown you have. The Ashdown would probably work OK with these ports so you could put it back in and try it if you wanted. Edited September 26, 2012 by Phil Starr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) [quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1348667741' post='1816671'] The Ashdown MAG 115 deep cab is well built and very solid IME, the only reason I got rid of mine was the weight. I found it better tone wise than quite a few much more expensive, so called boutique cabs and I couldn't get it to rattle or buzz even at high volumes. But then, I don't go in for any upper mid or treble in my sound, so I can't comment on it's performance in that regard. Edited to point out that I didn't do anything to the ports when I fitted the Eminence 3015LF and there were no unwanted noises even at high volume. [/quote] I recently fitted an emminence Kappa 15 into an Ashdown cab and found it sounded excellent without any alteration. I suggest you fit the speaker and test it at volume before you even attempt any DIY. You may find you're very happy with the way it sounds and any further alteration is unnecessary. Edited September 26, 2012 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted September 29, 2012 Author Share Posted September 29, 2012 Speaker arrived yesterday! Talk about service! I was told 20th October and it arrives 3 weeks early - fantastic. Im going to fit it today without any alterations apart from the cab being lined with acoustic foam. We "headline" a bike rally tonight so im going to run it today with the 25 Hz sine downloaded from barefaced and try it out tonnight, can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1348899636' post='1819544'] Speaker arrived yesterday! Talk about service! I was told 20th October and it arrives 3 weeks early - fantastic. Im going to fit it today without any alterations apart from the cab being lined with acoustic foam. We "headline" a bike rally tonight so im going to run it today with the 25 Hz sine downloaded from barefaced and try it out tonnight, can't wait! [/quote] How did things go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 If it was anything like my time with the 25Hz sinewave, skidder would have wanted to throw up! It's a nauseating experience which shuddered around the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1349076646' post='1821291'] If it was anything like my time with the 25Hz sinewave, skidder would have wanted to throw up! It's a nauseating experience which shuddered around the house. [/quote] Lol put the 25Hz through the speaker in the garden! Played a biker event on Saturday and was very pleased with the results. Very Loud, plenty of Low end but far more articulate in the mids and highs than my ashdown driver. I paired it with my Warwick WCA 115 so the full 500W @4 ohms, no farting or distortion although i never go beyond 2o'clock on the "gain" and vol settings. So very pleased....£170 pleased? Dunno yet, would it sound even better with some alterations to the cab? Again dunno... I think i might just play with it as it is for a while and maybe get used to it, then make the ports 100mm later and see if i notice any improvement. Bass player on before us BTW played a 5 string through a Hartke 350W head with a Behringer amp modeller,, a Hartke 4 x10 and a Hartke 1 x 15 and sounded absoloutely HUGE which was a bit disconcerting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I'm afraid I made my choice between Hartke and Ashdown a long time ago, regrettably as I try to stay British whenever I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I'm glad its working out Steve. There are two possible benefits to doing the ports properly. The noise from the ports, which so far you haven't noticed and also the tuning. To get maximum bass volume you need to tune the port to the speaker and you have now changed the speaker. It works the same way it does on a bass. Pluck an E string fretted at the 5th and the A string vibrates because they have the same resonant frequency, but this only works when the bass is in tune. If your port isn't in tune with the speaker the air inside won't vibrate any more than the A string if it is out of tune and you won't get any output from the port. If you give us the inside dimensions of the cab we can tell you if there is anything to be gained by re tuning the cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fitzmaurice Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1349164721' post='1822473'] regrettably as I try to stay British whenever I can. [/quote]My Ashdown was built in Italy of parts sourced from China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1349193766' post='1823102'] My Ashdown was built in Italy of parts sourced from China. [/quote] heh, pretty sure my Hartke gear wasn't built in the US either, but you know what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1349194930' post='1823118'] heh, pretty sure my Hartke gear wasn't built in the US either, but you know what I mean. [/quote] The drivers for some of the Ashdowns are made in Italy and the Electronics in China, all to UK designs. Their more expensive stuff is still made in the UK. With regards to Hartke, it always sounds to me like Bass Gear designed by a guitarist. With regards to the Cab design, I don't believe that most Bass cabs are designed to HiFi standards and if you take some of the best bass cabinets and put the figures through WinISD or another Cabinet Emulator, you will find that the response is far from flat. So leave the speaker in the Ashdown Cab as long as it sound good to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1349337054' post='1824765'] With regards to the Cab design, I don't believe that most Bass cabs are designed to HiFi standards and if you take some of the best bass cabinets and put the figures through WinISD or another Cabinet Emulator, you will find that the response is far from flat. [/quote] That's partially down to laziness/cost saving and more importantly if all cabs sounded flat then they would sound exactly the same... boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1349337054' post='1824765'] With regards to the Cab design, I don't believe that most Bass cabs are designed to HiFi standards and if you take some of the best bass cabinets and put the figures through WinISD or another Cabinet Emulator, you will find that the response is far from flat. [/quote] Do that with hifi stuff and you find the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1349356835' post='1825219'] That's partially down to laziness/cost saving and more importantly if all cabs sounded flat then they would sound exactly the same... boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring [/quote] Also the manufacturers want you to buy theirs so they do what they can to make theirs sound 'better' and a flattering sound in the shop goes a long way. Hartke scores there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verb Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Hi, I would like to build a cab using a 3015,but don't know all of the technical side for designing the cab and port sizes. Would anybody here mind giving me some pointers on these details or a source for calculating them? Cheers Verb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Phil Starr is your man, PM him and Im sure he would be happy to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verb Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Thank you,I will PM him :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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