Non-lightweight but efficient and 'loud' cab

[JPJ]

So here's the thing, I don't like the current crop of lightweight cabs from the likes of TKS and Barefaced. Why? I'm just not convinced that they are physically strong enough to stand the test of time in your average pub band situation.

That said, I am interested in something that is smaller than my current 6x10, has a similar power handling capability and is properly designed and hence efficient. It should also be able to handle a low B without the 'volume' either dropping off a cliff or the thing chuffing like Thomas the Tank Engine.

Given that loudspeaker driver technology has advanced significantly since my 6x10 was designed, I'm guessing this should be achievable in something like a vertically arranged 2x12 format. I know Fearful do something along these lines but is the power handling there?

What are the options? And yes, I could self-build if you can recommend a good design.

[funky8884]

Bergantino or mesa.

[Merton]

I'd look at the Dr Bass cab here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249068-for-sale-dr-bass-1580-cab-l225-crate-2x10-cab-l75-ashdown-mag-amp-l120/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249068-for-sale-dr-bass-1580-cab-l225-crate-2x10-cab-l75-ashdown-mag-amp-l120/[/url]

[wateroftyne]

You could always get a couple of TKS 212s and fasten lead weights to 'em.

[chris_b]

Don't confuse light with weak.

If you want to break a Mesa Boogie cab you can.

Barefaced cabs are braced and are strong enough to survive being dropped, several times, down a flight of concrete stairs. Which is what Alex did when he tested one of the original Compacts to destruction.

[JTUK]

I think the TKS S112's are efficient cabs and that is probably, IMO, because the chassis isn't loaded with deep
lows within the cab tune...so these things will go loud for the amp output. It may also be why the cab is pretty sparkly and defined
in the high mids and this is a very musical sound...and not at all harsh which some cabs have in order to cut through.
I also think this is why they don't really need a horn... and I am probably one of the last people who would say that.
This is not to say the cab is all things to all men... as the great mids and sensitivty probably come at the expense
of a huge bottom end. I certainly don't need any more than they have anyway..and I think a lot of people who think
they do, just drain their tone and power anyway. This is possibly why you need a powerful amp with some cabs.

As for build, I can't think what you'd have to do to break them but I guess you could break any cab if you wanted to.
I did have a good look externally at the TKS S112 and build QC just wasn't a factor, IMO.
They aren't 12 ply baltic for sure, but what is?

My list pub gig cabs would be the Aguilar SL112, Berg CN112, TKS112, and maybe the 1126... always paired up.
I've been told the TKS 2126 is a Berg killer but didn't have time to try it. I'd also put a CN212 on the list as well.

[pete.young]

I had an EBS Neo 2x12 for several years which stood up to pub gigging and handled everything I could throw at it.

[Guest monsterthompson]

[url="http://greenboy.us/cabs/"]http://greenboy.us/cabs/[/url] fEARful info if you want to DIY. All other models require and authorized builder. the FAQ section should handle your power-handling question. [url="http://greenboy.us/fEARful/faq.htm"]http://greenboy.us/fEARful/faq.htm[/url]

Edited November 10, 2014 by monsterthompson

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Any of my 2x12 designs would suffice. They're made from 12mm plywood, so they're light weight. They've also withstood falling off the back of a pickup truck at 60MPH with only scraped paint to show for it. I'd venture that barefaced are just as durable. What you make a cab out of is of far less importance than how you make it.

[largo]

Sorry guys, I had an earlier BF Compact that was falling to bits after only a couple of months in the back of the trailer with all the other gear. Just where other flight cases were rubbing and bouncing against it I guess. No other gear I've owned has had the same problem.

[allighatt0r]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1415641201' post='2602293']
Barefaced cabs are braced and are strong enough to survive being dropped, several times, down a flight of concrete stairs. Which is what Alex did when he tested one of the original Compacts to destruction.
[/quote]

I'd like to see the video of this.

[mrtcat]

You'd have to be ridiculously rough with a cab made from decent 12mm ply to do it any significant damage. I'd probably go as far as to suggest that the lightweight cabs are more durable and up to the task than heavier stuff. They're easy to handle so less likely to get dropped and if you do drop one onto it's corner there's far less weight involved so the damage is likely to be less. Being lighter they're more maneuverable so less likely to get banged against doors. If they fall over in the car or van they'll be less likely to damage the vehicle or themselves.
As long as they're well made they'll be fine.

[largo]

That's all fine, but aren't "pub" gigs where gear is all thrown into a trailer or van? More chance of heavy things then falling on the cab, not the other way around. I'm sure a lightweight cab would bounce of a bass bin but would a bass bin just bounce of a lightweight cab?

[chris_b]

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1415709914' post='2602860']
....but aren't "pub" gigs where gear is all thrown into a trailer or van?....
[/quote]

No.

If you don't look after your gear and it gets damaged as a result, that isn't the fault of the gear!!!

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1415709914' post='2602860']
That's all fine, but aren't "pub" gigs where gear is all thrown into a trailer or van? More chance of heavy things then falling on the cab, not the other way around. I'm sure a lightweight cab would bounce of a bass bin but would a bass bin just bounce of a lightweight cab?
[/quote]

Of course it'll vary, but I'd have thought pub gig would mean there's more chance of the gear being carefully put in the boot of a car with covers on it.

Stuff going in the van or a trailer is more of a touring band thing, surely..?

[largo]

Maybe, I must be old skool where pub gigs were bands driving round the country in a transit.

[stoo]

If you're not overly concerned about weight, have you considered getting a cab with a flightcase? Would reduce wear and tear during transportation, and doubles as a stand for the cab in situations where getting it nearer ear level is more important than the floor coupling effect....

I can heartily recommend Bill's cabs though - I use a pair of Omni 10 + 10.5 (210 + 110) and they will easily go louder than I'm keen to expose my ears to. I'd prefer a matching pair of 112s but it's not an upgrade I can justify spending money on when what I've already got is as good as it is.

There's an [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bill-Fitzmaurice-Omni-15-Tallboy-Bass-PA-speaker-cabinet-cab-kappalite-3015LF-/301386056778?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item462c02444a"]Omni 15 Tallboy on ebay[/url] which might be worth a look - it's collection only and in Bristol, but if it's built well I'd imagine it's a beast of a cab....

[JTUK]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1415710640' post='2602876']
Of course it'll vary, but I'd have thought pub gig would mean there's more chance of the gear being carefully put in the boot of a car with covers on it.
....................
[/quote]

Yes... I look after my gear enough so I can get away with just soft covers...and that is the point of lightweight gear.
Why would you have weight as the premium criteria if you had to flight case it... ?
You wouldn't buy a cab as a one cab solution which is a carry issue, IMO,
and then have to buy another one because it didn't quite cut it sound wise, either, but as with all these things,
you have to be reasonable with what you are getting.

I have soft covers and transport by car so it is pretty easy to look after stuff... I put basses in gig bags as well
for that reason. If the gear goes in a truck and/or a flight hold, then I'll pack for that.
If you are loading a truck, weight ceases to be any criteria at all, IMO..as you'll be organised to do gear loads
with more than one pair of hands.

But..by the same token, it is fair enough if people report what did or didn't work from a build POV... but for me, lightweight
means a one handed lift and you can get about on stairs...etc and soft bags should be good enough if you pack sensible.
If the carry isn't a factor on a gig, I wouldn't be taking the lightweight rig...

[Conan]

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1415701348' post='2602741']
Sorry guys, I had an earlier BF Compact that was falling to bits after only a couple of months...
[/quote]

The word "earlier" may also be a factor here.

[Ghost_Bass]

Doesn't mather how hard or resistent the piece of gear is, it's never intended to be thrown in a van without care. If the compact you had has falling appart is because maybe it wasn't properly conditioned in the van. This could have happened to an Ampeg fridge, every piece of gear can be broken if not handled propperly!

My band does pub gigs and we use a Mercedes Vito van to haul the gear and ourselfes (we're a trio), the gear we own costed us a great amount of hard earned money and we have a lot carefull when loading and unloading so that our gear can serve us for a very long time. We would never throw a bass bin on top of other gear, it's allways the first thing to be loaded and the light gear is placed on top of that.

[JPJ]

Perhaps my judgement is coloured by the experience of helping another Basschatter ship a S12T from Newcastle to Bristol in its original packaging. Suffice to say the cab did not survive the experience and suffered significant structural damage.

I have thought of the cab in flightcase solution, but that seems like a bit of overkill when a robust cabinet design/construction would suffice. And Bill, after seeing Bigjas's excellent Jack 12 build thread on this very forum, I am tempted to build a Jack 2 x 12 and I'm spending an increasing amount of time lurking on your forum gleaning as much information as I can on the benefits of melded piezo arrays vs compression drivers before I make a final decision

[largo]

I've had Schroeder, Ashdown & GK cabs as well as the BF over the last 10 years or so and hardly a mark on any of this other kit? I might just have been unlucky. I've had my current cabs for 3+ years with covers and they still look like new. With regards packing the van (it's a trailer in our case) all the bulk goes on the bottom, including bass cabs unfortunately and the other kit around it. It was actually the flight case for the keyboards that did most damage to the BF, just with some movement during transport.

[Conan]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1415721313' post='2603033']
Perhaps my judgement is coloured by the experience of helping another Basschatter ship a S12T from Newcastle to Bristol in its original packaging. Suffice to say the cab did not survive the experience and suffered significant structural damage.
[/quote]

That's not good... Which courier was used? Sounds like a problem there.

[Happy Jack]

All this reminds me of buying the very first production Big One.

It was delivered to my office in Bedford Square, where one of my colleagues watched the courier actually drop the cab (in a cardboard carton) four feet off the back of the lorry onto the tarmac.

One of the bottom corners was crushed, but the cab worked perfectly.

Alex, of course, paid for the cab to be returned to him, fixed it and even strengthened it further, and sent it back to me.

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1415721313' post='2603033']
Perhaps my judgement is coloured by the experience of helping another Basschatter ship a S12T from Newcastle to Bristol in its original packaging. Suffice to say the cab did not survive the experience and suffered significant structural damage.

(...)
[/quote]

S**T!!! Did the courier drag it by a rope attached to the bumper of the van??? My S12T survided a trip from UK to Spain and then another from Spain to Portugal and not a single scratch.

In all fairness i bought a rackcased Eden WT550 amp from BC and the carrier must have dropped it on a corner because it arrived with a busted rack side and the rack ears were bent. Things like these happen and it's not the gear's fault or fragility, it's the people handling it!