Phil Starr Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) We had a display of the various Bass Chat designs and other builds at the South West Bass Bash this Sunday. The biggest interest was around the tiny cabs. My House Jam 6 created the usual stir but this little fella created the most interest. It's a single 8" speaker I designed and built with @Chienmortbb to match his souped up Ashdown After 8. The size and shape is a copy of their dimensions but this little chap will handle 200W and produces a very significant amount of bass and sounds like a much bigger cab. People at the bash generally loved the sound and I'm contemplating doing this as another Bass Chat design. It did work really well with double bass as well, many thanks to @TheRev for trying it out for me I was amazed at the interest in the little cabs (nobody paid any attention at all to the lightweight 15 I'd taken along) but I guess other people have the same needs as me. Something small to practice with at home and portable enough to use for semi acoustic work and to drag along to open mic nights and even the odd rehearsal. There aren't a lot of options of commercial cabs this small that sound grown up. This one is roughly a 30cm cube. For home practice this sounds like a much bigger speaker and it would take you easily up to the volume of the average jazz band or a drummer with a compact kit. If there is a load of interest I'll build a second one and put it here with a set of plans for anyone to copy. It's probably a weekend build and would cost you maybe £100. I'd welcome comments from anyone at the bash who tried it or listened to it. Edited October 11, 2022 by Phil Starr 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 The small cab format would certainly be of interest to me. What speaker are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) It uses the Fane 8-225, A speaker I wanted to try and then one came up on here. I must say it worked out better than I thought. My need was for a matching can to the After Eight, although the cube shape is not ideal. I suspect @Phil Starrmay finesse the shape if he does an easy build. Edited October 11, 2022 by Chienmortbb 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) Definitely of interest, I shoehorned a Fane 8" Sovereign Pro into a Laney RB1 combo. I seem to remember modelling it (WinISD) and getting port sizes that were too large to physically realise so a proper conversion was out of the question. The RB1 cab is too small, it lacks bass and sounds boxy. Edited October 11, 2022 by 3below 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 12, 2022 Author Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) 7 hours ago, 3below said: Definitely of interest, I shoehorned a Fane 8" Sovereign Pro into a Laney RB1 combo. I seem to remember modelling it (WinISD) and getting port sizes that were too large to physically realise so a proper conversion was out of the question. The RB1 cab is too small, it lacks bass and sounds boxy. We looked into a variety of sizes for this design. 20 litres hit the sweet spot and makes this cab work well. You could potentially tune your Laney lower with a smaller diameter port, or swap your 8" speaker for a 6" like the Fane 6-100 as we did in the original House Jam Combo. https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/442331-a-house-jam-combo/ This is something @Pea Turgh did with his 15W combo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fp00Cwc9Q8&t=1s adding proper ports would have brough the bass up even more. If you'd rather re-visit your Laney I'm happy to make suggestions as to port sizes that would work. If you only have 15W on tap then port noises aren't likely to be an issue and that is the only problem with a small port diameter. Edited October 12, 2022 by Phil Starr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 That is a very kind offer. Do you require some internal dimensions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 I used a Crazy 8 for a while. It was an amazing little thing, very full sound and did not just "give up" at a certain point, the way most small cabs seem to. You have my attention.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 I put two of those Fanes in my TC BG208 combo to drop the load to 4ohms and get the max out of the amp head. That combo continues to amaze folk with the room filling sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 I would have happily bought this cab at the SW Bash on Sunday, although after seeing some of the 110 cabs around on the day I’m starting to question whether I should go down this route, most of my gigs these days are on the garden party/café circuit. Have to say the 8” was a real surprise to play through , looking forward to the build thread. Mike B. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 12, 2022 Author Share Posted October 12, 2022 I found another pic 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Definitely interested - don't post much on here any more, but @Phil Starr FYI I'm still regularly gigging the SM212 based 1x12 you helped me design way back in 2013! The 1x12 is perfect for pub gigs but something like this would be really handy as an alternative for rehearsals and small/acoustic gigs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 12, 2022 Author Share Posted October 12, 2022 28 minutes ago, 6v6 said: Definitely interested - don't post much on here any more, but @Phil Starr FYI I'm still regularly gigging the SM212 based 1x12 you helped me design way back in 2013! The 1x12 is perfect for pub gigs but something like this would be really handy as an alternative for rehearsals and small/acoustic gigs. Great to hear from you, and that the cab is still doing good service. I dug mine out the other day and it is still a fine cab. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Out of all of the little cabs at the SW bass bash, this one was by far the best sounding & most capable for double bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 52 minutes ago, TheRev said: Out of all of the little cabs at the SW bass bash, this one was by far the best sounding & most capable for double bass. It's crazy that this cab would not have been made that shape if it were not designed to go with my Combo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin E Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 There's something really fascinating about small speakers that punch above their weight. My little Markbass 801 never ceases to amaze. Another similar sized extension speaker under that to make a mini stack would be great fun, or maybe alter the shape for a tiny kickback shaped cabinet for rehearsals. Really interested in seeing your plans Phil, thanks a lot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcro Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 The Fane is a cracking little speaker but Fane's profile is a little on the low side. I modeled it for fun back in April 2020 and it was very respectable, with little to choose between it and similar models from Faital & Beyma. In a 20 litre box it's very manageable with a port length of under 9" and only £47.20 from Blue Aran. It should sound very clean in the low bass because the drop-off in output is naturally steep below 75Hz. Set it up as a 2x8 for even more volume. If only it was a neo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilorius Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 Not interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 It is an amazing unit, especially for a nurse with a bad back!! Would love to see the build specx S'manth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 On 12/10/2022 at 14:39, Chienmortbb said: It's crazy that this cab would not have been made that shape if it were not designed to go with my Combo. OK it looks like I'm going to have to do this What about the shape? As John has said the only consideration so far has been to match the Ashdown After 8 in shape. That's pretty niche so I can change the shape to a more conventional one. Less cube more Golden Ratio. this would cut down any potential resonant modes inside the cab and potentially clean up the sound a little and it would also help portability as a deep cab can bank against your legs. On the minus side it looks quite cute as it is and is so small anyway that portability isn't really an issue as it would be with a larger cab. I suspect this will also be used for home practice a lot of the time. what shape has the most room appeal, something with the minimum height or something with the smallest footprint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 (edited) for home use, practicing, small gig on the floor, or small stage... Is if worth consisering a bit of a kick back or wedge? - Sloped 60 deg-ish front? with a small flat top... particularly if being paired with a small form factor head... Edited October 16, 2022 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 My initial thought was something along the lines of a mini “ Barefaced 10 “ style, although Paul’s suggestion of a sloping front sounds like a good idea, perhaps a combination of the two, good luck !!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyc Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 Stahp! I'm already building three BC cabinet design cabinets. A fourth would probably tip the Mrs over the edge, with for reason I hasten to add. In all seriousness this looks good. I have a 6.5" which is amazing for DB and I suspect this one is cut from similar cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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