Avatar 3 way 15/6/tweet

[sleepytime]

This is the AVATAR ® TB153 Neodymium bass guitar cab.

"We got lots of great input from the knowledgeable players at Talkbass.com."

[sbassface]

I was waiting for this...Thank's Mr. Avatar. Also does the TB in TB153 stand for "talk bass", and is the cab rated at 500 watts?!

[craig.p]

Looks like they really nailed this one. Great job. The "hole in the middle" is probably gone now. I question the need for a tweeter (super-5K coverage) for BG service, but its presence is benign, and if anything it qualifies this cab for limited keyboard/synth work, too, and could probably even sub as a PA cab in a pinch.

Thank you, Avatar, for listening to us. I'll be placing an order for at least one come springtime.

Or maybe sooner, LOL.

[Aram]

That looks outstanding!

I'm guessing it's gonna be too heavy though for MTA travel

Still, can't wait to hear some reviews...there definitely are not a lot of viable 3-way 15" bass cabs out there! This one looks like it'll fill a void in the market nicely.

[Sundogue]

Wow. Just wow. A bass cab manufacturer that actually listened and responded to Talkbass?

That is impressive!

A commercially available fEarful? If it is designed like Greenboy's plans, Avatar ought to be giving him some kickback and credit!

[lbwdog]

It's no fEarful, but at least a step in the right direction IMHO.
And yes, if you read the Avatar link, he acknowledges TalkBass several times, although I've not seen where a closed back midrange is the consensus around here.

I didn't see a weight, and I suspect it will be too heavy for me (my current health problems are severely limiting my ability to lift), but probably OK for most.

[leftintherough]

I am very glad I waited on ordering some cabs. I was really hoping to go with a 2x10, 1x15 mod set up and was fussing over what Avatar had available. Good job Dave!

[sleepytime]

It looks like it is available only in Black Tolex/Metal Grill. No weight is given, but it is apparently the same cab as the 410, and I would guess it weighs nearly the same (65 lbs).

Apparently, design parameter #1 was to use the existing 410 cabinet with the Eminence Kappalite 3015LF driver, and go from there. That seems like a rather extreme shortcut. Hopefully, it works out.

[rpsands]

Looks like the port area is even about right. 23 x 2" should be plenty. I'm no a huge fan of the 24.5" width but it's worth living with

I look forward to picking up a couple of these used and retrofitting them eventually. Wonder how the weight wound up coming out

[kdogg]

Cab search over! I was looking to do a 1 cab smallish rig, probably throw a nice micro on top, and this 3 way 15 looks like the bees knees! Way to go Avatar! Would love to know the weight, if anyone has heard.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by lbwdog

It's no fEarful, but at least a step in the right direction IMHO.
And yes, if you read the Avatar link, he acknowledges TalkBass several times, although I've not seen where a closed back midrange is the consensus around here.

I didn't see a weight, and I suspect it will be too heavy for me (my current health problems are severely limiting my ability to lift), but probably OK for most.

I agree. In fact, I do believe the general consensus was that the closed back mid was NOT the way to go.

Still...kudos to a company that actually listens. Now if more were on board and did a little more R&D and started producing them en masse, there would be a lot of competition and price wars would begin.

Still, I think I'd rather build my own. I doubt the cab is made of 1/2" ply. Using 3/4" at that size kind of defeats the purpose of using a neo, doesn't it?

One big plus...it's a available in 4 or 8 ohms! Eminence must have made a 4 ohm Kappalite 3015LF for him. Would be cool if that became available to the general public. I'd be all over it as the 8 ohm configuration is the only thing holding me back at this time.

[rpsands]

Well, their other cabs are not exactly heavyweights. And the only non-neo I've seen even close to the 3015LF weighs like 25lbs, so shaving 15lbs of weight makes perfect sense.

I'm not in love with 800hz as a crossover frequency either now that I look at it, but I'm sure it'll sound pretty coo. Much better than the 1200hz model I have probably (a generic selenium 1200hz).

My opinion on the sealed back mid is that most people will be pretty fine with it, especially the alphalite model. My Alpha 8 CBMR sounds way better than the frequency plot indicates. Not as good as the 6nd410, but the difference is not as huge as it looks.

Different folks have different opinions on that of course.

[Son of Sanford]

Originally Posted by sleepytime

It looks like it is available only in Black Tolex/Metal Grill. No weight is given, but it is apparently the same cab as the 410, and I would guess it weighs nearly the same (65 lbs).

Apparently, design parameter #1 was to use the existing 410 cabinet with the Eminence Kappalite 3015LF driver, and go from there. That seems like a rather extreme shortcut. Hopefully, it works out.

I would have been surprised if they did not go with the same cabinet size. Avatar's market niche has been a good quality/price ratio and using an existing box with a different baffle helps immensely.

[Son of Sanford]

Originally Posted by Sundogue

I agree. In fact, I do believe the general consensus was that the closed back mid was NOT the way to go.

Still...kudos to a company that actually listens. Now if more were on board and did a little more R&D and started producing them en masse, there would be a lot of competition and price wars would begin.

Still, I think I'd rather build my own. I doubt the cab is made of 1/2" ply. Using 3/4" at that size kind of defeats the purpose of using a neo, doesn't it?

One big plus...it's a available in 4 or 8 ohms! Eminence must have made a 4 ohm Kappalite 3015LF for him. Would be cool if that became available to the general public. I'd be all over it as the 8 ohm configuration is the only thing holding me back at this time.

I remember reading that thread and I think you are right about the consensus on the closed-back mid. But that thread had a lot of comments by people hoping Avatar would basically build a fearful-engineered cabinet for pennies. That is not realistic. They had to shave corners to hit a pricepoint. Retooling for 1/2 ply, a little more bracing and a higher end 6 and they are in LDS territory, price wise. I agree on the 4 ohm availability.

[Bmorefoozler]

Originally Posted by Sundogue

I agree. In fact, I do believe the general consensus was that the closed back mid was NOT the way to go.

Still...kudos to a company that actually listens. Now if more were on board and did a little more R&D and started producing them en masse, there would be a lot of competition and price wars would begin.

Still, I think I'd rather build my own. I doubt the cab is made of 1/2" ply. Using 3/4" at that size kind of defeats the purpose of using a neo, doesn't it?

One big plus...it's a available in 4 or 8 ohms! Eminence must have made a 4 ohm Kappalite 3015LF for him. Would be cool if that became available to the general public. I'd be all over it as the 8 ohm configuration is the only thing holding me back at this time.

I think he means Midrange > No midrange, and as cencession to someone that would be re-using his existing box, it was considered a solid value substitution.

I appreciate that he took some suggestion and went with it. Seems liek a great product.

[lomo]

Originally Posted by rpsands

I'm not in love with 800hz as a crossover frequency either now that I look at it, but I'm sure it'll sound pretty coo. Much better than the 1200hz model I have probably (a generic selenium 1200hz).

.

FWIW my LDS nEarful 15/6 is crossed at 800 and sounds superb IMHO.

I'm also wondering about the weight.....

[greenboy]

Kinda underwhelming, but about what I expected. Stupid tweeter placement/spacing. Closed baskets that small have never sounded all that great. Handle placement looks bad. Port could be at least a 1/4" taller, 1/2" better yet. Who knows how bad the crossover is.

"The TB153 is a fantastic stand alone cab or it will go great with any of our other cabs stacked on top."

Which pretty much messes up the 15/6 concept. So the box would be better off as a standalone. Another commodity item. $500 though. Probably kicks some other $500 boxes azzes.

Ho hum.

[Sundogue]

Hey I got no problem at all with the compromises to save dollars.

I'm actually really happy for the bass playing public having this available commercially.

I'm just throwing thoughts about it out there. I don't want someone thinking it is a fEarful at that price, when it's not. But major, major kudos to Avatar for doing it!!!

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by rpsands

I'm not in love with 800hz as a crossover frequency either now that I look at it

If it's done right it's a good choice. It's all in the execution. At least with an 800 number you have a chance of some decent imaging.

but I'm sure it'll sound pretty coo. Much better than the 1200hz model I have probably (a generic selenium 1200hz).

Ewww, horrible choice. Worse yet that it's a stock thing that's not application specific.

My opinion on the sealed back mid is that most people will be pretty fine with it, especially the alphalite model.

Read the copy though. The Alphalite has nothing to do with this. I agree that a lot of people will get used to what's in there though - if they haven't heard better.

My Alpha 8 CBMR sounds way better than the frequency plot indicates. Not as good as the 6nd410, but the difference is not as huge as it looks.

The closed back Ems are really distorted sounding. A bad kind of distortion. The 6" ones more so. Where do you think that extra SPL is coming from. Have you actually had any of them? It's a big difference from any open back with a large stuffed chamber behind it, it's really fatiguing to hear.

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Hey I got no problem at all with the compromises to save dollars.

Things is, some of the not-so-great things wouldn't cost anything to solve.