Avatar TB153?

tubaman2 · #1 06-01-2011, 09:45 AM

So I'm looking to get new cab(s). I was looking at the Avatar TB153.

Right now I'm using an Acoustic 4x10 and a Peavey 1x15. I just got a new Ampeg PF-500 and I'm really digging the tone. I'm not totally happy with the cabs though. I play rock that sometimes leans towards the heavier side but also gets pretty soft at times. So I need a cab that can convey that rock grit sound that I love out of the Ampeg, but can still be pretty clear and defined for when I'm playing chords or something.

I've searched this cab and saw people talking about it being "fair" and "even" and I was just wondering if that translated to "sterile". Could I manage to get a goos rock sound out of this cab?

playerunk · #2 06-01-2011, 09:47 AM

as i read it [being a 'clone' of a fearful] you can get any sound out of it. There is a massive thread about this cab and in there you can find answers to all your questions

lomo · #3 06-01-2011, 10:11 AM

Avatar 3 way 15/6/tweet part 2

ErnieD · #4 06-01-2011, 03:05 PM

Yeper, I'm on like page 40 of the TB153 first thread. A whole lotta helpful lomo posts back then. {:>)

I'm going backwards to read early threads of this cab as I just ordered a 4 ohm, tolex version yesterday.

I am selling one of my UL410-II cabs this weekend and was gonna go buy a new Uber-410 or something to go with my Stm 900. But I've wondered about these 3 way cabs from reading about them here, so I figured at this price why not use this money for that. I don't play rock or metal; just TX blues, classic rock, new country, soul...I'm hoping it'll work for that. Using either GB Stm-900 or Markbass LMII or F1 heads with it. We'll see, from all the reading I've done so far, should work pretty well.

lomo · #5 06-01-2011, 03:15 PM

It will definitely work very well for those needs!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErnieD

Yeper, I'm on like page 40 of the TB153 first thread. A whole lotta helpful lomo posts back then. {:>)

I'm going backwards to read early threads of this cab as I just ordered a 4 ohm, tolex version yesterday.

I am selling one of my UL410-II cabs this weekend and was gonna go buy a new Uber-410 or something to go with my Stm 900. But I've wondered about these 3 way cabs from reading about them here, so I figured at this price why not use this money for that. I don't play rock or metal; just TX blues, classic rock, new country, soul...I'm hoping it'll work for that. Using either GB Stm-900 or Markbass LMII or F1 heads with it. We'll see, from all the reading I've done so far, should work pretty well.

faulknersj · #6 06-01-2011, 05:32 PM

You will love this cab...I can't wait to hear from you after you get it

ErnieD · #7 06-01-2011, 07:37 PM

I dig your vid clips, up until recently I was in a band that covered alot of the tunes that you show in your vids. That music is so much fun to play on the bass.

I mostly used a either my Neox 212T (or two) or a UL410-II, F1 and 55-02D in that band for the first couple years. Then I got my '08 Am St P5 and "Poppa Was A Rollin Stone" never sounded so true as on this bass. I really enjoy playing that 70's-80's style funk/r&b/soul stuff. We even did some Fab T-birds as our rock stuff.

But as bands do, it split up last year, we let one A-hole ruin it for the entire band. We had a good run. But I've been injecting some of that soul music into my most recent Tx blues/rock band and its sounding pretty good.

Just got a email from Dave, my cab ships tomorrow. I forgot to ask what state its shipping from,

I guess it'll be here next Tuesday or so. Abit more stoked now.

Slackerprince · #8 06-01-2011, 08:20 PM

^^
I believe Avatar is in Idaho.

S

El Tostito · #9 06-01-2011, 08:35 PM

I'd love to hear how it works out for you... that's the exact rig I'm looking at getting soon haha. Same style of music too.

ErnieD · #10 06-09-2011, 07:11 AM

TB153 arrived Wednesday (6/8), man almost a week to ship here, I was concerned it would get here all banged up or worse. But man, Dave's folks do a heck of a job of packing these cabs to ship. It was tight in the thick outter box with heavy cardboard pieces on all sides of cab, even the exterior of box was perfect. Didn't even arrive with that obligatory hole punch that seems to be FDX's mark of choice.

I spent a couple hours with the cab in my livingroom while jammin to some youtube vids thru pretty good/loud PC speakers. Had the 900 and '08 Am St P5 w/Chromes for that me-only practice. Its true what many have said, this cab sure can punch you in the gut. I had it about 15' away from me and I could feel it. Main thing I'm liking so far is that it sounds/feels good with my P5 w/flats. Seems my other cabs/heads just don't want to play too well with this bass.

I then tried my 55-02D w/DR BB's. Just did not feel as good, thump-wise and it was abit twangy sounding. Sorry no tech-terms from me, just trying to paint pictures for y'all, maybe not well tho. Prolly the strings on that bass after using flats and I do dig in pretty hard, true to that I had to modify my attack abit, cause I was hearing things at first.

So the flats were just thumping along nicely thru this cab. I had the 900 set pretty much all at noon to start, did very slight knob tweaking and moved the tweeter attenuator to 9:00 as I do with most my other cabs. That made my finger noise go away more. The cab tone seems abit "tight", well my lowest lows on the B string were not too clean. I imagine some break in time will "loosen" it up over time. Mighta been my settings on the head too, as I'm still learning it as well. Again, didn't do a whole lotta knob movement on the amp. I just mostly moved the tone knob back n forth on the P5 to get what I wanted and that worked fairly well.

I have two gigs with two different bands/rooms this weekend, so I should get a good idea how this cab works in a band mix soon. I guess since my other cabs, Neox 212T's stand taller and my UL410's are on casters, the TB seems abit squat when I stand in front of it. I'm thinking to take something from around my house to maybe place below front of cab to face it up at me abit, I may or may not need it but I'll try it both ways.

So far I'm pretty impressed with this short n wide TB153 here at home. We'll see what she can do when I open her up at the gigs.

(that's what she said)

lomo · #11 06-09-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErnieD

I'm thinking to take something from around my house to maybe place below front of cab to face it up at me abit, I may or may not need it but I'll try it both ways.

:

It'd be easy to fire some casters into the 153 which would give you a little extra height. If you don't cut mids (and better yet, if you bump them a tad) you should hear yourself easily IME.

AwkwardLoudness · #12 06-09-2011, 08:28 AM

I have two TB153 cabs already, and I plan to purchase two more of them

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubaman2

I've searched this cab and saw people talking about it being "fair" and "even" and I was just wondering if that translated to "sterile". Could I manage to get a goos rock sound out of this cab?

The TB153 is very clear, loud, and modern sounding with gobs of thump with low mids boosted. It's "even" sounding since there are not any large holes in the frequency broadband. There is no significant coloration to the tone, for better or worse.

jeff7bass · #13 06-09-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slackerprince

^^
I believe Avatar is in Idaho.

S

He is from Idaho. Cab comes with a free sack of potatoes!

Really though, he took my order late on a Friday I had had my cab the following Friday (in Illinois).

jeff7bass · #14 06-09-2011, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

There is no significant coloration to the tone, for better or worse.

Coloration is what amps/effects are for, so that is "for better".

AwkwardLoudness · #15 06-09-2011, 08:42 AM

The true colors of the amp/pedals/bass shine through. Some people do like the vintage coloration of certain cabs at least for some styles.

NWB · #16 06-09-2011, 09:48 AM

I just ordered one of these yesterday. Dave told me that they will be changing to the heavier ceramic magnets in about a month or so since the neos are running out.

If you want a light one with neos, order soon.

AwkwardLoudness · #17 06-09-2011, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWB

Dave told me that they will be changing to the heavier ceramic magnets in about a month or so since the neos are running out.

Which ceramic magnet speaker? Eminence Kappa Pro-LF2, I guess?

jeff7bass · #18 06-09-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWB

I just ordered one of these yesterday. Dave told me that they will be changing to the heavier ceramic magnets in about a month or so since the neos are running out.

If you want a light one with neos, order soon.

You knew it was coming!

He'll likely need to modify the cab too (heavier) in order to support the heavier speaker.
BUY NOW!!

NWB · #19 06-09-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

Which ceramic magnet speaker? Eminence Kappa Pro-LF2, I guess?

He didn't say and I didn't ask. I'm sure he'd be happy to tell anyone who calls.

He also said that the neos are selling very fast lately.

ErnieD · #20 06-09-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lomo

It'd be easy to fire some casters into the 153 which would give you a little extra height. If you don't cut mids (and better yet, if you bump them a tad) you should hear yourself easily IME.

Well I did re-email Dave after my order to ask if there were rubber feet on bottom of the TB153 as I wanted to get abit more height on this cab. He said he would install them for free but that the large plastic corner protectors do raise the cab up tiny bit than just cab flat on floor.

Since he put it that way, I asked him just not to install them but might he do me a solid and just toss them in a plastic baggy in case I feel I need them later. He did just that, very cool Dave. Thanks for that.

The cab does sit kinda low for me and its abit bulky to move around by the handles even, just cause it feels so wide n low. Guess cause my Epi UL410's, which should be close in weight, seem to lift easily by the handles cause the casters put it abit higher off the ground; I don't have to stoop over as much. But I have a very nice little folding cart that I can move the Avatar around this coming weekend. I'll decide then if I want to install the rubber feet or casters or both. I may just slide a 2"-3" thick piece of wood or something below front of cab to fired it up at me abit. No biggee.

The Avatar slip cover seems like the Amp Covers that I ordered for my two Neox 212T's awhile back. Thick vinyl outter shell with white fiber material inner-lining. On my GB cabs the covers leave white fiber strands on the rat fur that I have to remove often. This should not happen with the TB153's outter-Tolex covering.