Disassembling Acoustic B200 combo

WilliamSandoval · #1 05-12-2013, 02:26 PM

I have an Acoustic B200 combo. I use it for recording. I'm also a carpenter. I was thinking about building an Acoustic 361 cab which incorporates a folded horn design. I would remove the amp and speaker from my B200, build an enclosure for the amp and put the speaker into the 361 cab. It's basically an Acoustic 360/361, but with Acoustic B200 parts. Could it be done? The speaker would be permanently wired to the head just like a combo.

B-string · #2 05-12-2013, 03:18 PM

Well first of all the ACC 360/361 was a preamp only head (360) and a self powered folded horn cab (361) loaded with a 18" Cerwin Vega driver. No relation to your G.C. Acoustic B200.
That said, do not scale down the cab. It already has a high roll-off point. Whether the 15" G.C. Acoustic speaker will operate well in that speaker "plug" is unknown. Could be a fun project if you don't go into it with any expectations.

WilliamSandoval · #3 05-12-2013, 05:29 PM

I know about the separate power amp/preamp thing on the original 360. I would design the cab to fit the 15" speaker. If I can't do it, I'll put my B200 back together.

B-string · #4 05-12-2013, 05:34 PM

Use the same speaker "plug" (sealed wedge) just cut the hole for the 15" instead of the 18". Keep all other cab details the same.

alaskaleftybass · #5 05-12-2013, 05:54 PM

I hope you do it! For many many years I've imagined a 15" folded horn cabinet and this would be a good test. I think when I was in college my friend took apart the Acoustic cab, then scaled down the dimensions. It was 40" tall by 20" wide and 15" deep. There was a 3" wedge in back and horns top and bottom. I don't think it was so scientific but it looked cool lol.

Another bit of trivia: In the late 70's Kasino, a subsidiary of Kustom, built a combo amp with just the design you have in mind. It was tall and narrow, the amp was built in, and if you pulled the grill off you would see a mini folded horn design. It even had kickback wheels!

Please keep us posted on this super cool project!

Good luck!

Spent · #6 05-12-2013, 06:12 PM

Many years ago I built a folded horn speaker based on the Klipsch KHorn. It was a challenge, but it ended up sounding and looking amazing. To truly be a bass horn, it needs to sit in the corner as it utilizes the walls to extend to its full length. I'm sure there are designs for smaller ones, specifically for a bass cabinet, that can be placed anywhere. Good luck, it should be an interesting build.

alaskaleftybass · #7 05-12-2013, 06:53 PM

Oh wow, I remember those Klipsch Khorns! Only got to hear one time, and it was thunderous.

In the 70's and 80's a small company called Speakerlab manufactured a do-it-yourself kit with all the components for a Klipsch style cab. It was very popular.

WilliamSandoval · #8 05-13-2013, 06:25 PM

If I do carry out this project, what will change as far as tone goes? Will there be a noticeable difference in volume? I don't really care about either, I'm just doing this project to see if I can do it.

WilliamSandoval · #9 05-14-2013, 06:53 PM

Bump for more input

B-string · #10 05-14-2013, 06:58 PM

Tone will change some, exactly how? Most likely a loss in highs and maybe some upper mids, lows will fall off below about 80 Hz IIRC. Volume change.....louder.

rdcowan · #11 05-14-2013, 07:13 PM

Subbed. I have the B200 head and B115 cabinet. I'm curious too. Look online for the Electro Voice Eliminator cabinet. I tried to make one years ago and it's a folded horn cabinet for a 15.
Here is a link from a quick search I did.

http://mypicsonline.net/archive/arch...ries%20EDS.pdf

WilliamSandoval · #12 05-15-2013, 07:05 AM

Exactly what I was expecting. I never turn my 63hz knob past 9 o'clock, so bass loss is not a problem.