Looking for self build 1X15 cab

[delboy]

Hey ho me hearties, does anyone know where I can get plans for a basic 1X15 cab? I need it for use with my old Kelly 50 watt head and my old Marshall cab is just to darn big to lug around. I don't want to just knock up a box and whack a speaker in it, but I dont need crossovers or anything fancy like that, just a solid cab to do the job in pubs or small venues.
Many thanks in advance

[redstriper]

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]

[delboy]

Many thanks, now I can tell my brother what I want for my birthday, LOL

[Mr Bassman]

[quote name='redstriper' post='241183' date='Jul 16 2008, 07:35 PM']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][/quote]
Thes are great cabs, I built & used a pair of these with EV 15's until recently.
3/4" chipboard is fine if you want to keep the cost down.

[RichardH]

I built the 15" and also the 12" version. Frankly, the 1x12" is a fantastic cab on it's own - the 1x15" is often too much for what I need. Gives awesome thump, though!

The cabs are not teeny - the 1x15" is a slightly awkard shape to hump around, and if you build it in 18mm birch ply, it will be heavy, but I can lug it OK with one hand, so it's not the end of the world. Alternative would be spruce ply, and carpet cover it to protect the softer wood from dings.

Here'a pic of mine


Might be tempted to part with it for the cost of the materials, if you're feeling lazy. I'd remove the personalised logo, though!

Edited July 17, 2008 by RichardH

[lowhand_mike]

does it HAVE to be made with EV's own drivers? if not what can you use?

[RichardH]

No, the Eminence range have suitable drivers. I used a Gamma 15 in mine - based on Eminence's recommended volume in a vented cab it suited OK, and it certainly sounds deadly. I used a Kappa 12 for the 12" unit.

You may still be able to get these drivers if you hunt around, but they've all gone Neo now. If you read Eric's comments (see link below) you'll see that the original Deltalites didn't cut it for bass use, but I think the Deltalite IIs may be better suited.

Whole thread about them (and other DIY cab building efforts) [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=380"]here[/url]

[stevie]

[quote name='lowhand_mike' post='241578' date='Jul 17 2008, 10:52 AM']does it HAVE to be made with EV's own drivers? if not what can you use?[/quote]

No, it's a straightforward 90-litre reflex cabinet and should work well with most 15" bass guitar speakers designed for reflex. You should avoid the higher tunings and use the 45Hz tuning irrespective of the speaker you use. I'm sure someone on here will advise on the suitability of any specific driver, but it would have to be an unusual driver not to work.

Stevie

[lowhand_mike]

cheers richard and stevie. really depends on what the total cost is of this as i was looking at just buying an OEM cab which is about £150 so if it came in under that and was worth the extra effort then it might be worth it, but then we do get into the area of mixing cabs and drivers again

[RichardH]

[url="http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=EMIGAM15A&product=Eminence_Gamma_15_300W_15!dquote!_Driver_8_ohm&browsemode=category"]Blue Aran have the Gamma 15 for £55[/url]. They're also a great source for the other hardware needed.
Ply will be between £25 and £40 for birch - larger B&Qs sell 18mm birch ply if you're lucky. Add another £25-ish for cab hardware, and £15 for carpet and glue (or do like me and varnish it).

[Merton]

I'm embarking on a compact 15" cab build very soon, bought all the bits from Blue Aran yesterday. It's an exact copy of the cab in my V-Type combo to make an identikit 2x15 rig First I've got to finish off Kev's 1x8" cab tho!

[RichardH]

I'm going to build a 1x8" soon too, based round the Eminence Acoustinator NH2008. In a 0.8ft3 vented box it will go near enough flat down to 50Hz, but has a max useable power of 50W or so because of the x-max. Should be a nice practice cab though!

[Merton]

[quote name='RichardH' post='241642' date='Jul 17 2008, 12:14 PM']I'm going to build a 1x8" soon too, based round the Eminence Acoustinator NH2008. In a 0.8ft3 vented box it will go near enough flat down to 50Hz, but has a max useable power of 50W or so because of the x-max. Should be a nice practice cab though![/quote]
Cool1 I haven't finished modelling the 1x8 yet (it's a Celestion thingummy), I can't decide between vented and sealed but the wood it kind in a box shape already for sealed so I think that's the way it'll stay!

The 1x15 is going to be rear ported just like the combo, like I say I'm literally copying the combo exactly. It's by no means a perfect cab and nowhere near flat (nor indeed does it have any useful output below about 80Hz) but it sounds bloody great and I like it

[stevie]

[quote name='RichardH' post='241594' date='Jul 17 2008, 11:07 AM']No, the Eminence range have suitable drivers. I used a Gamma 15 in mine - based on Eminence's recommended volume in a vented cab it suited OK, and it certainly sounds deadly. I used a Kappa 12 for the 12" unit.[/quote]

That's a really nice cabinet you built. I doubt if you can buy anything comparable nowadays - which is one of the benefits of self-build. Please don't take this the wrong way, but it really deserves a better driver.

[RichardH]

Recommendations?

[alexclaber]

[quote name='RichardH' post='241705' date='Jul 17 2008, 01:05 PM']Recommendations?[/quote]

Kappalite 3015 is an excellent standalone 15".

Alex

[thinman]

I'm not on commission from Bill Fitzmaurice but are you set on a 1 x 15"?

I had an Ashdown 1 x 15" then built a BFM Omni10 (2 x 10") and it has a much better bottom end. Better all round in fact.

Bill's cabs are also built from 12mm ply rathe rthan 18mm so don't weigh too much if weight's a concern and many of the recommended drivers such as the Eminence Deltalite are neo's so save further weight. A pair of Omni10.5s (1 x 10") would be worth consideration for portability.

[stevie]

[quote name='RichardH' post='241705' date='Jul 17 2008, 01:05 PM']Recommendations?[/quote]

My hands-on experience is a bit out of date, I'm afraid. My favourite bass driver when I was in the business was the JBL 2226H. I don't think they make them any more but you can pick one up on eBay for seventy or eighty pounds. For tone, thump and output, it takes some beating and I don't think there is much to compare with it even today. There's also the JBL K140, but they are a bit rare.

Companies like RCF, Fane, B&C and 18Sound are all making good quality drivers, but they cost from around £150 up. The problem with Eminence is that they are built down to a price to suit the OEM market, which means you are likely to end up with something that sounds very ordinary indeed. I know that's not going to go down well on this forum, and I haven't tried their latest speakers, but I tested the entire range at one time, and I just could not get a quality sound from them. I'm not saying 'don't use them', but I'm saying - be aware.

I wouldn't mind betting that a JBL 2226H in your cabinet would outperform any comparable bass cabinet currently on the market. Could be worth a punt.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='stevie' post='241762' date='Jul 17 2008, 01:56 PM']Companies like RCF, Fane, B&C and 18Sound are all making good quality drivers, but they cost from around £150 up. The problem with Eminence is that they are built down to a price to suit the OEM market, which means you are likely to end up with something that sounds very ordinary indeed. I know that's not going to go down well on this forum, and I haven't tried their latest speakers, but I tested the entire range at one time, and I just could not get a quality sound from them. I'm not saying 'don't use them', but I'm saying - be aware.[/quote]

You do indeed need to update your information. I have modelled countless 10", 12" and 15" drivers from all those names and the Kappalites consistently come out extremely well regardless of price. The 2226H looks more comparable to a 3015LF (though has less Xmax and weighs a lot more) in that the treble extension is very limited and thus really needs a midrange speaker unless you only play dub/reggae.

Alex

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='241763' date='Jul 17 2008, 09:01 AM']The 2226H looks more comparable to a 3015LF (though has less Xmax and weighs a lot more) in that the treble extension is very limited and thus really needs a midrange speaker unless you only play dub/reggae.

Alex[/quote]
+1. As good as the 2226 was when introduced it's day is long over. Consider that even JBL has not used them in their high end products for years. As a standalone driver the 3015 has twice the useable bandwidth, while as a pure woofer the 3015LF at half the weight has twice the displacement limited power input capability. If all you desire is a simple cabinet the horse's mouth can be found at [url="http://www.eminence.com/resources/cabinets.asp"]http://www.eminence.com/resources/cabinets.asp[/url]

[billynoband]

Celestion do a 15" full range bass guitar speaker for £40 ish which even though the specs look bad it sounds very good in both the cabs I have and they are both totally different sizes. Good enough for any pub gig.

If you want something very good though [url="http://www.billfitzmaurice.com"]http://www.billfitzmaurice.com[/url] 10" is all you need at around £120 completed for a T24 or Omni 10.5.

The best advice is only listen to good advice .

[stevie]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='241763' date='Jul 17 2008, 02:01 PM']You do indeed need to update your information. I have modelled countless 10", 12" and 15" drivers from all those names and the Kappalites consistently come out extremely well regardless of price. The 2226H looks more comparable to a 3015LF (though has less Xmax and weighs a lot more) in that the treble extension is very limited and thus really needs a midrange speaker unless you only play dub/reggae.

Alex[/quote]

I think you'll find there's a bit more to it than putting the numbers in winsd, Alex.

[billynoband]

[quote name='stevie' post='241869' date='Jul 17 2008, 04:25 PM']I think you'll find there's a bit more to it than putting the numbers in winsd, Alex.[/quote]

If you put numbers in Winsd you get something big enough to hang your wifes clothes in. Anyone else noticed that.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='stevie' post='241869' date='Jul 17 2008, 04:25 PM']I think you'll find there's a bit more to it than putting the numbers in winsd, Alex.[/quote]

Indeed there is but the main challenge with amplifying bass guitar is getting good response in the sub 150Hz area and T/S modelling predicts this very accurately. If you run out of excursion before getting to a decent volume then all the clever cone design in the world isn't going to make up for the distortion that'll be causing.

The main problem I've had with most non-Eminence woofer designs is that they are either designed as mid-bass or midrange drivers for PA and thus Xmax and Qts are too low or Fs too high so they can't handle or create the bottom or they're designed as PA subwoofers and the problem is reversed with a resultant loss of sensitivity and midrange output.

If you can direct me to a better 15" for bass guitar, or even a good 10" or 12", I'd be very interested to see.

Alex

[stevie]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='241793' date='Jul 17 2008, 02:53 PM']+1. As good as the 2226 was when introduced it's day is long over. Consider that even JBL has not used them in their high end products for years. As a standalone driver the 3015 has twice the useable bandwidth, while as a pure woofer the 3015LF at half the weight has twice the displacement limited power input capability. If all you desire is a simple cabinet the horse's mouth can be found at [url="http://www.eminence.com/resources/cabinets.asp"]http://www.eminence.com/resources/cabinets.asp[/url][/quote]

I checked, and the 2226H is actually a current model. So it’s day isn’t over at all - especially as there are a number of other manufacturers selling very close copies (Beyma, RCF, Usher and other less well known companies). Interestingly, Eminence tried to copy it at one point, and I tested that one, too - but it sounded goddam awful in the mid.

The 3015 doesn’t have twice the useable bandwidth – look at the JBL spec sheet - nor twice the displacement limited power input capacity for that matter. It is lighter though (doh!), so you got that right.

The 3015 may be the bee's knees, especially at its dollar price, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the JBL is a 2226H is still a superb driver.