Comparing full range, 3 way cabs

[Dustin Teel]

How does the SWR Triad (15 + 10 + tweeter) compare to a fEarful enclosure (15/6/1)?

I'm assuming the fEarful can handle more power and more volume because of the quality of the drivers, but the local Guitar Center has a used Triad for $300. I love the idea of three way cabs, but I'm not much of a DIY guy, and I don't believe I could afford to have someone build me a fEarful. Seems like the Triad might be a good answer.

Has anyone used the Triad?

Does your tone "really" remain uncolored?

Is mid dispersion compromised since they used a 10" instead of a 6"?

Any info would be appreciated, thank you

[MysticMichael]

There's nothing wrong with a Triad, in good condition, for $300. And I don't really think you can regard the midrange as "compromised", simply because it doesn't perform like a fEarful. It's still probably better than at least 80% of commercial bass cabs in existence.

That said, based on what I've gathered, you simply can't compare a Triad to a fEarful. They play in different leagues...

MM

[anonymous02282011]

I've heard the SWR Triad referred to as an "engineering nightmare" here on TB, but I've never heard the cab myself.

I think the only way to know whether it's worth 300 bucks is to go down there and play through it.

Also, if you do a search (here on TB) for SWR Triad you'll find some info

[Doug Parent]

Engineering nightmare aside, the Triad is nice sounding cabinet. Just too heavy for me anymore. The 15" SWR used only handled 200 watts and many people pushed it too hard resulting in many replacement 15" drivers.

If the Triad is not designed correctly for that driver, I would have no idea. Others on this board would be better qualified to chime in.

If I had one I would stuff a Kappalite 3015LF in there in a heartbeat.

[lomo]

OK, I`ll say it.....fEarful is to Triad as gazelle is to wart hog. I have heard the Triad but don`t know if it even has a crossover.........

[jeff7bass]

Wart hogs are fast too!! The Triad seems to have faded out in popularity for a reason and after viewing and reading about the fEARFUL’s, I’d go for it if you have the money. I really want to hear one in person, especially the 212/6 (with tweeter) cab. It has a top handle and wheels for easy transport. Once my band gigs more regularly I may be upgrading to this cab myself.

[rpsands]

The Triad is junk. The 6db/oct 100hz high pass on the 10" woofer (which has like 2mm or 3mm of xmax, maybe?) is not enough to protect it. I've seen at least three (and owned one) Triad with a blown 10.

It's worthless at any price these days. Rather have an MBE 212 or something.

[alexclaber]

I had the fun of trying a Triad side by side with our Big Twin T a few weeks back - and jamming with a drummer, guitarist and two bassists at once with them. At lower levels I was really impressed at how close the Triad came to the tone of the Big Twin T (which is fairly similar to a fEarful 1212/6/1). Once things got louder the poor little Triad starting making some very nasty noises and that was it for its output - nothing more to give, just farting on every loud note. The 10" 'midrange' driver doesn't half leap about, which leads me to suspect that it's running full-range with no highpass filter, which explains the farting out. 15" woofer obviously doesn't have much excursion either because it was complaining too.

So yes, the tone is pretty uncoloured at lower levels and dispersion is better than most commercial cabs, certainly in a different league to the usual 4x10"s. Best kept for quieter gigs unless you have a large pile of them (like the chap in Judas Priest).

[gerryjazzman]

Not quite in the league as a fEarful, but very similar philosophically and very reasonably priced:

Carvin LS1503 seems to get a lot of love here:

Boutique 3-way 115 and 215 on a budget: Part III

Also for a bit more $ and much closer to the fEarful there is the Avatar TB153:

TB153* BASS CABINET

[ricguy]

I've never played a fEarful, but I did own a Triad for a short (very short) time seveal years ago - bought it on a Friday, took it to a gig on Saturday, and returned it to the store for a refund on Monday.

It sounded good in the store and at home, but couldn't cut it on a gig (fairly loud blues-rock trio).

[greenboy]

The Triad - probably the first cab I auditioned when i decided to take up bass playing, back at Bass Northwest. It just didn't seem as sensitive as other cabs of the same box size, and got distressed when I tried to take it where I knew I needed to go. I dug the concept but the execution seemed weak. Though the Acmes were less sensitive yet, they could make big bass and kept their clarity well if you had power (ultimately I didn't go that way either because it took too many to do aggressively loud balls to the wall stuff that requires a lot more midrange).

As I tuned into the bass world after my first purchases at Bass Northwest and started playing out, I sure saw a lot of Triads in stores, sometimes at homes and jams, and mentioned on bass forums - and often with damaged drivers and/or crossovers.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Dustin Teel

How does the SWR Triad (15 + 10 + tweeter) compare to a fEarful enclosure (15/6/1)?

A well designed 3-way does not use a ten for the midrange. I seriously doubt that the SWR uses a 3015LF either. You may get by with a single 15 woofer that has only half the excursion of the 3015LF, or less, but IMO buy once, cry once.

[redhed]

Originally Posted by rpsands

The Triad is junk. The 6db/oct 100hz high pass on the 10" woofer (which has like 2mm or 3mm of xmax, maybe?) is not enough to protect it. I've seen at least three (and owned one) Triad with a blown 10.

It's worthless at any price these days. Rather have an MBE 212 or something.

Actually, I like my TRIAD - its a great sounding cab!

[Joe Louvar]

Dustin, you could buy a proven top of the line PA cabinet and be done with it.

[smgleitch]

I'm not here to argue with any one especially greenboy or bill fitzmaurice as they are very knowledgeable with this stuff. My experience with this cab is very very limited, but I went to see Jackie Greene last week and his bass player played a p-bass thru a ampeg svt and into the SWR cab in question. Now to be fair there was probably some pa support and the bass player himself was fantastic, but his tone was great. Nice lo end with a very smooth mid section. I was very impressed and very shocked to see the cab he was playing through. This is by no means an endorsement of the cab. It was a couple of hours in a very small club probably with some pa support, but I was definitely a fan of what I heard.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by alexclaber

I had the fun of trying a Triad side by side with our Big Twin T a few weeks back - and jamming with a drummer, guitarist and two bassists at once with them. At lower levels I was really impressed at how close the Triad came to the tone of the Big Twin T (which is fairly similar to a fEarful 1212/6/1). Once things got louder the poor little Triad starting making some very nasty noises and that was it for its output - nothing more to give, just farting on every loud note. The 10" 'midrange' driver doesn't half leap about, which leads me to suspect that it's running full-range with no highpass filter, which explains the farting out. 15" woofer obviously doesn't have much excursion either because it was complaining too.

So yes, the tone is pretty uncoloured at lower levels and dispersion is better than most commercial cabs, certainly in a different league to the usual 4x10"s. Best kept for quieter gigs unless you have a large pile of them (like the chap in Judas Priest).

+1... exactly. The Triad sounds GREAT, but is heavy, and the way they 'got to that great sound' is not optimal, and results in some issues when the cab is pushed. It is a heavy beast. One of the best sounding cabs I've heard up to moderate volumes. At high volumes, it either compresses, farts, or in extreme cases, blows up.

If you don't care about weight, don't play at loud levels, and are on a strict budget, a used one of these might serve you well.

[Dustin Teel]

Joe

What did you have in mind?

[Joe Louvar]

IE - JBL, etc.

EDIT:
http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/genera...x?FId=16&MID=4

[smgleitch]

Carvin.com :: LS1503

The Carvin LS1503 is the cab that started the Fearful movement.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by smgleitch

Carvin.com :: LS1503

The Carvin LS1503 is the cab that started the Fearful movement.

Not so, see this.