fEARful advice

[TomTomUK]

Hi guys, this is my first post so be gentle lol

Ive been thinking about making my own Cab, as a bit of fun, but need some advice.

My band play heavy metal/hardcore in drop A tuning, so i need a cab that can deliver the punch required with the Low A string.

It would seem that one of the fEaRB cabs is the one to go for, but im a little confused. I see mentions of a fEaRB15, fEaRB15 sub and fEaRB12, but can only find the plans for the fEaRB15.
Whats the difference between the 15 and 15 sub?

Am i even barking up the right tree with a 15" driver? I need fast response on the Low A, but it needs to be capable of sounding a bit tight and dirty. if that makes sense.

Also in the plans for the 15, without the supporting literature, there is a Midrange chamber and another hole, presumably for a tweeter? are these optional? Would anyone recommend keeping the tweeter and the chamber for the music style i play?

Apologies for the noob questions, ive never even bought a cab before, nevermind made one.

Thanks in advance. Tom

[jeff5311]

I think all the plans can be found here:

greenboy's fEARful downloads

I'm a newb as well (starting my build this week).

The 15 has a midrange with tweeter (optional), where the 15 sub only has the 15" driver. The midrange will need it's own chamber, but the tweeter will not.

[TomTomUK]

Im presuming the midrange is another speaker (6"?) mounted above the 15" driver, as well as the tweeter? And presumably its down to personal choice whether you feel you need these?

I think for my style of playing and the sound i make, i wouldnt need the mid, and definatly wouldnt need the tweeter.

Assuming im correct, and not a complete idiot, the structure of the box remains the same in this instance, with the removal of the mid chamber and tweeter hole?

[BurningSkies]

Hi Tom,

You may not be finding plans for the fEaRB sub, because I’m not sure they were ever formalized. The Demand for them has been fairly low…I don’t know if more than one or two of the fEaRB cabs have been built. That’s mostly because the fEARful 15 series has filled the niche pretty completely. I’m going to guess that you would find a standard fEARful 15/6 + 15/sub would be enough for you. But, you may wish to contact TB’er Greenboy to find out if he does have plans for them.

You are barking up the right tree with cabs designed around the 3015LF. It’s a great speaker…louder lower clearer than anything in regular circulation…and forget all of the ‘traditional wisdom’ about what you hear with 15’s.

Let me suggest that you start by considering a 15/6 rather than just a 15 sub. The 15sub will only give you content up to the 600hz range, and won’t give you any serious mids or highs. Its not really intended as a stand alone cab. One tweak you may wish to incorporate is the extended port shelf, which gives you a little more on the bottom end of the spectrum though. If you has any specific questions, you should post in the fEARful 11 thread.

[TomTomUK]

Thanks BurningSkies! Very helpful indeed.

The music ill be playing through this cab really doesnt demand any high end, but i guess it would be nice to have a little versatility.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by TomTomUK

Thanks BurningSkies! Very helpful indeed.

The music ill be playing through this cab really doesnt demand any high end, but i guess it would be nice to have a little versatility.

You still need the mid driver to even get to tight and dirty.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

You still need the mid driver to even get to tight and dirty.

True this. I don't think people realize how much mid is in their sound, even when they don't think they're using any.

[Sundogue]

Also, consider that even with the 15/6, it allows for lower tuning. You can add more to the port shelf and extend the tuning lower.

shelf extension, lower tuning

[Downunderwonder]

Firstly, forget about the fundemental. No bass cab makes a bottom B 30Hz, let alone A, yet bottom B is easily heard thanks to 60 Hz being not too hard to make in volume.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

Firstly, forget about the fundemental. No bass cab makes a bottom B 30Hz, let alone A, yet bottom B is easily heard thanks to 60 Hz being not too hard to make in volume.

Second of all, if any cab is going to get close, it's the fEARful. Which has honest spec a lot lower than most if not all production cabs.

[rpsands]

I drop A for half of our setlist with just a 15/6 and have no issues. I don't use a ton of low A, but it sounds pretty authoritative. With some dirt on it to take the edge off of the fundamental required, I would think a normal 15/6 would be fine.

[tocs100]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

....Let me suggest that you start by considering a 15/6 rather than just a 15 sub. The 15sub will only give you content up to the 600hz range, and won’t give you any serious mids or highs. Its not really intended as a stand alone cab.....

From the freq-chart of the 3015LF speaker, I would expect not only solid, but boosted mids all the way to about 1.5kHz, with easily boostable stuff via Eq to about 3-4kHz (which is as hi as I've ever needed). I always understood the mid and crossover in the 15/6 to be there to even the 1kHz peak and 2-4kHz dip of the woofer. I guess I'll find out when my 3015LF arrives for my fEARful sub in about a week.

[rpsands]

Which explains why reading an FR chart is not for the faint of heart

The fEarful xover is closer to 700hz -- the idea being to clip off that huge spike of the 3015LF, which sounds like crud.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by rpsands

Which explains why reading an FR chart is not for the faint of heart

The fEarful xover is closer to 700hz -- the idea being to clip off that huge spike of the 3015LF, which sounds like crud.

To go a step further, If you want to really pinpoint it, the crossover is closer to 650 hz.

But since we're talking about the low pass only side of it, you're really ~600.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by tocs100

From the freq-chart of the 3015LF speaker, I would expect not only solid, but boosted mids all the way to about 1.5kHz, with easily boostable stuff via Eq to about 3-4kHz (which is as hi as I've ever needed). I always understood the mid and crossover in the 15/6 to be there to even the 1kHz peak and 2-4kHz dip of the woofer. I guess I'll find out when my 3015LF arrives for my fEARful sub in about a week.

But this isn't a full range cabinet. Its a sub with a Low Pass to avoid the ugly portion of the 3015LF...and it's loaded in a cab, so a free air curve doesn't really apply for the most part.

[TomTomUK]

Well that settles it then. A 15/6 it is! Thanks for your help guys, I'll need it again when it comes to wiring the crossover lol

[tocs100]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

But this isn't a full range cabinet. Its a sub with a Low Pass to avoid the ugly portion of the 3015LF...and it's loaded in a cab, so a free air curve doesn't really apply for the most part.

Oh I forgot! I bought mine w/o the lo-pass. I use a compressor just for my stuff between 500Hz--4kHz, so I think I'll tame the "ugly hump" (visions of Wil Farrell: "....my lovely lady hump!" ) If all fails, I have an active xover and a 2nd cab too.

OP: glad we could help. I too wanted a 15/6 but couldn't afford.....

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by TomTomUK

Well that settles it then. A 15/6 it is! Thanks for your help guys, I'll need it again when it comes to wiring the crossover lol

If you are in the UK (as your username suggests) there is a seller on Ebay that has ONE 3015LF remaining, it is £136.95 + £9 carriage. They also supply the 18sound mid but that has to be ordered. It is about £95 (inc carriage) or was last week. I am also building the 15/6.

Have you found a local supply for the crossover inductors yet? I have had a half hearted look but no joy so far.

If you need any assistance with the crossover and live anywhere near me I will be glad to help (I am an electronics engineer).

[TomTomUK]

Hiya mate, I'll be starting my build in summer after I get back from Vegas and move house, won't have any spare cash till then.

Any help with xover would be much appreciated, even if it's just Internet advice. I'm in castleford west Yorkshire.