Have anyone played on an 18" cab?

Detuned · #1 02-08-2011, 06:35 PM

I want to build a cab with 18" and two 12" drivers.. Anyone think it's a good idea?

Marginal Tom · #2 02-08-2011, 06:44 PM

It might be a good idea if you spend your week at the gym anyway, or have roadies. It's certainly not something I would do.

ben12390 · #3 02-08-2011, 06:49 PM

ive got a single 18. its ampeg, and its good. its heavy. but its really not much different than a 15 in my eyes..
save your back, just get a good neo 15

Wannabass · #4 02-08-2011, 06:53 PM

Detuned · #5 02-08-2011, 06:58 PM

I've got chance to buy a couple of Eminence Professional Series DEFINIMAX4015LF - 15" Woofer: $200 each.. Are they decent speakers?

clintotron · #6 02-08-2011, 07:16 PM

I have a cab with two 10s and an 18. It's heavy as all get out, but it KILLS compared to my 2x10 and 1x15 cabs.

christw · #7 02-08-2011, 07:31 PM

Peavey 1820 is almost exactly that. an 18 and two 10's.

Also, no it's not a good idea in particular. Bigger speakers aren't really any better than more, smaller speakers. (1 15" is about equal to 2 10", etc)

mrtn400 · #8 02-08-2011, 07:37 PM

I'd only go the 18" route if you plan on bi-amping.

michaeln · #9 02-08-2011, 07:50 PM

I had an Eden 118XL and it had huge lows, but you couldn't hear it onstage. Was very very heavy too. I didn't like it much. The voice coil burned out and I ended up rolling the damn thing down to the corner for it to be stolen. It was.

billfitzmaurice · #10 02-08-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detuned

I want to build a cab with 18" and two 12" drivers.. Anyone think it's a good idea?

It's a very bad idea. You don't need the midrange capability of two twelves to keep up with one eighteen. A single ten would be sufficient, a guitar ten at that. And if you have to ask the question you don't have the skills required to design your own cab. Stick with a tested design.

ScottTunes · #11 02-08-2011, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Stick with a tested design.

...such as the TL606, loaded with an Eminence 3015. Great combination! Easy to build... strong like bull!

vistacruiser · #12 02-08-2011, 10:56 PM

There are some nice sounding 18+210 cabs, I have one that measures 34x24x18 deep. I think 2 12's +18 can sound great, I've done it with a GK 800rb, but with separate cabs. I once gigged with a 412 on an 18 and set an orig SVT on it 6 feet high. I thought that sounded incredible. But make a second cab for the 12's. And like the others have said, find some good designs. I think you'll be glad you won't need a refrigerator dolly to move it.

bgavin · #13 02-10-2011, 07:33 AM

Bad idea.
A better idea is a 3015LF + two vertical Delta Pro 8B or similar.

My bass player is the original owner of a Peavey 1820.
It is nothing to write home about..
Big, very heavy, and gutless on low B.
The 10s are side-by-side.

All the 18" driver are heavy weights.
I built a Definimax 18" as an Eden clone for my daughter's bassist.
She blew it up, so it sits in my garage holding up other stuff now.
Now she plays hard on a 2x15 Mesa Boogie rig.

Detuned · #14 02-10-2011, 03:03 PM

Thank you all!!! I'm not concerned about weight since I have a Mesa 1516b to drag around for rigs... Just need more low end (balls) on rehersals..

I found this place they showed me this monster Beyma L-45 21" driver.. it's built in Spain, over a 1000w RMS for $1400... is that a stupid idea? I can get a very good cab for that price, but 21" man!!! That must be some serious low end for my rig..

Justin Tuskey · #15 02-10-2011, 03:08 PM

bigger doesnt mean lower. search a lot and do a lot of reading. for example, one of Bills designs for his home theater sub has a single fifteen in it and responds almost flat down to 15hz at 100db. design design design. something with balls? how about an 810, 8x8, or 2x15. increase the low mids. Im not telling you how to spend your money, but dont fall prey to the myths the uneducated bass society has passed to you. good luck on your search for balls

Sparkdog · #16 02-10-2011, 03:12 PM

I had a Cerwin Vega 18 folded horn cab about a hundred years ago. Dreadful. Made a pretty good dog house though, after I pulled the speaker out and threw it in the back yard.

Standalone · #17 02-10-2011, 03:15 PM

I think the old Bag End equipped SWR Big Bens sound fine on their own. After playing one, I changed my TB name.

srayb · #18 02-10-2011, 03:19 PM

A looong time ago I played a Yamaha 5-string through Peavey 1820... still remember how SMOOTH the low-end sounded to this day (the low-B was awesome). If you're playing a 5- or 6-string, it might be worth it. However, in the past 20 years, smaller speakers have improved by leaps and bounds, so as other have said, you may not get that much benefit from selecting an 18".

greenboy · #19 02-10-2011, 03:22 PM

Calaverasgrande · #20 02-10-2011, 03:24 PM

first off, Cerwin-vega is infamous fro their 18" cabs. Dj's love them because they have the same kind of tubby sound as car audio subs. They are not demonstrative of what an 18 can sound like.
If multiple small drivers were always the key to low end then why do I never see PA built around that principle? PA cabs invariably run 18" and 15" drivers. In the last few years there have been a couple of gee whiz 12" subs in pro audio, but for the most part 15" drivers are the norm for subs and midbass in pro audio. They can go low as need be and are more efficient than 18" drivers in most cases.

18" plus 2x12? Why not? Depending on where you cross it over and what kind of mids you expect that may work really well or may not. If you dont have a design your are working from you might want to find one. The crossover will probably matter the most if you do that.
I think that could sound interesting if it is not crossed over, but merely has the 12"s lowpassed. But then agian it could sound quite muddy.
I do seem to remember Buzz from the Melvins used to play his guitar through cabs like that a long time ago.