Cabinet help for Ampeg PF-350

[blackba]

Trying to help out a friend here with a good recommendation. He is a big 60's/70's R&B and funk fan, so please keep that in mind.

His basses are a Fender MIM P-Bass with flatwounds and a Schector Raiden Special 5 active 5 string. Its the 5 string I am concerned about this cab choice.

In addition to the Ampeg PF-350 he just purchased used, he has a Peavey TKO115, that he runs with a Peavey Headliner 210 8ohm cab. The TKO115 has an internal 8ohm speaker and can take an 8ohm extension cab.

He has run the Ampeg PF-350 with the Peavey Headliner 210, but is not super happy with the sound, so he is debating selling the 210 and getting a 4ohm 410 or just adding an 8ohm 115. I am advising him to go with 2 8ohm cabs for his ampeg and just add the 8ohm 115.

With his current peavey 210, it does not have a spec on the effeciency and only goes down to 54Hz according to the spec of the cab. He has looked into the peavey headliner 115, but that only goes down to 45Hz and again does not list the sensitivity.

I checked out the ampeg portaflex PF-115HE, which is an 8ohm cab, but again only goes down to 50Hz.

My only other idea is a used Avatar B115 cab, but I don't know how easy those are to find used.

His budget is $250.

[JimmyM]

http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/PF_cabs_OM.PDF

If you look in the manual, the 3db down point is 50hz, but the 10db down point is 35hz. 10db down from flat is considered the lowest usable frequency. The vast majority of companies use the 10db down point in their advertising. For some strange reason, Ampeg does not with the PF cabs. But I own one and it goes quite low, considerably lower than my 810 or double baffle B-15 cabs.

[B-string]

The fundamental frequency is not the strongest produced by electric bass anyway (DB are heavy fundamental). Stop worrying about frequencies below 50 Hz so much.

[blackba]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/PF_cabs_OM.PDF

If you look in the manual, the 3db down point is 50hz, but the 10db down point is 35hz. 10db down from flat is considered the lowest usable frequency. The vast majority of companies use the 10db down point in their advertising. For some strange reason, Ampeg does not with the PF cabs. But I own one and it goes quite low, considerably lower than my 810 or double baffle B-15 cabs.

Thanks for the response Jimmy. I knew you had a portaflex cab, hearing from someone who has actually used the cab is helpful as that is the true test, not just the numbers.

I do like that Ampeg actually gives the sensitivity, as my friend is struggling to get enough volume out of the peavey headliner 210 cab, which leads me to believe that the sensitivity of the cab is low.

[blackba]

Originally Posted by B-string

The fundamental frequency is not the strongest produced by electric bass anyway (DB are heavy fundamental). Stop worrying about frequencies below 50 Hz so much.

Your right, I tend to get hung up in the specs. Do you have any cab recommendations for this tight budget?

[P Town]

250 bucks does not buy much when it comes to a good used bass speaker cabinet, (unless you are a very lucky person, which I am not).

[B-string]

Originally Posted by blackba

Your right, I tend to get hung up in the specs. Do you have any cab recommendations for this tight budget?

The voicing you seem to be looking for is something I use only maybe 10% of the time, Jimmy might have a better handle on recommendations than myself. Don't be afraid to turn off or down the tweeter when auditioning cabs. I am sure the used market is where you are at. Start with a 215 or pair of 115's or a 410. Used Peavey cab may hold your answer?

[RickenBoogie]

Also, understand that the lack of volume from the Peavey 210 is probably due to the fact that it's a 210, and nothing to do with the sensitivity of the cab. More volume means more spkrs, and deep lows requires massive power and enough spkrs to handle it.

[JimmyM]

Yep. Low, loud and small...pick any two.

[blackba]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Also, understand that the lack of volume from the Peavey 210 is probably due to the fact that it's a 210, and nothing to do with the sensitivity of the cab. More volume means more spkrs, and deep lows requires massive power and enough spkrs to handle it.

That's part of the issue with the peavey cab. I assume bass cabs are pretty similar to PA cabs in that the cheaper cabs typically are not very efficient and have a low sensitivity. I am guessing though.

Its not always the case though. With my speaker cabs though, my Ampeg BXT210M is louder than my Ampeg SVT410HLF. The sensitivity of my 210 is more than the 410.

Hopefully my friend can track down some used Avatar or Ampeg Portaflex cabs.

Thanks for all the responses

[RickenBoogie]

Cabinet "voicing" is also a major player, not just spkr sensitivity. In fact, there's so much going on in any given bass cab, it would be difficult to assign any single parameter to the reason why it's louder or not. In the case of the BXT210M, that's an unusual cab, (I had one), and not a typical bass cab. More of an on-stage bass monitor, and a darn good one at that. Voicing.

[blackba]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Cabinet "voicing" is also a major player, not just spkr sensitivity. In fact, there's so much going on in any given bass cab, it would be difficult to assign any single parameter to the reason why it's louder or not. In the case of the BXT210M, that's an unusual cab, (I had one), and not a typical bass cab. More of an on-stage bass monitor, and a darn good one at that. Voicing.

Your right there are many factors. Do you have any recommendations for a cab on this tight budget? I suppose the peavey headliner is worth around $100-150 if he sells it, so that would up the budget for a new cab some.