LDS 112 Coax SuperLight

KJung · #1 02-22-2007, 04:15 PM

Hey guys! I just picked up my mega compact 112 from Don at LDS. I've only played it a little bit, but wanted to post up since it's quite a unique cab.

I asked Don to build the smallest, lightest 112 possible that would still be usable for small jazz/folk type gigs... i.e., to play with an acoustic piano or acoustic guitar, etc.

Since I love the EpifaniUL tone profile, I of course chose a wonderful B&C driver. Since I wanted the size very small, I went with a B&C Neo Coax. This driver is quite expensive, but handles 300 watts and is featherweight. Going coax allowed Don to design a very small footprint cab, similar to the Bag End SD15x cab. The rear port also helps keep the size down.

Here's a picture with Don himself at his 'final set-up' work bench (as always, don't let the blue baffle scare you... it's very subtle, but the flash makes it screaming blue!). For comparison, here's the spec's versus the Epifani 112UL:

Epifani 112UL 16.5 by 19.5 by 16, 300 watts, 30 pounds
LDS 112 16 by 14 by 16, 300 watts, 26 pounds

One of the reasons this cab is so light is that Don finally found a source of super lightweight wood, similar to the wonderful stuff that Epifani uses. The cab has Don's wonderful spray on covering and a nice tilt back handle on the bottom.

The cab sounds very similar to the Epi112UL... not quite the low end due to the smaller box, but a surprising amount. This cab, IME sits between a 110UL and a 112UL to my ear... about the size and weight of a 110, but closer to the low end of a 112... PERFECT!!!

The B&C Coax tweeter is very smooth... maybe even smoother than the wonderful Epifani circuit.

Thanks Don!

Wilbyman · #2 02-22-2007, 04:17 PM

I want one!!! Good review too. Could this be the Epifani UL upright cab we've been waiting for?

KJung · #3 02-22-2007, 04:27 PM

Thanks Will. I'll let it settle in a little and put some playing hours on it before I really post about the tone. It's just so cool I felt like posting it up... it's REALLY small and light, and suprisingly full sounding... none of the low end compression I hear when pushing the Epi110. Again, not as big sounding as the Epi112UL, but enough bottom and volume to do a quiet gig.

Edit: I can tell you already that the 15" version of this cab would be KILLER... like a 'super Bag End'!

greenboy · #4 02-22-2007, 04:42 PM

If you ever decide to do that compact coax 15, I found a very light driver for you, Ken - complete with waveguide (that's good!). Should kick up quite a storm - good low end too.

BMS 15cn680

vision · #5 02-22-2007, 04:48 PM

Very nice! I knew this was going to be an interesting cab when you first mentioned it...Don does great work!

KJung · #6 02-22-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

If you ever decide to do that compact coax 15, I found a very light driver for you, Ken - complete with waveguide (that's good!). Should kick up quite a storm - good low end too.

BMS 15cn680

Wow, that looks like a beauty... what is it?

Here's a question... Don said the B&C coax has a somewhat unusual design in that the tweeter and speaker work off the same magnet (I think that's what he said)... i.e., it's not like a separate tweeter and magnet that is 'bolted on' to the main driver like the Bag End version.

Do you know about that... is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Thanks,

K

greenboy · #7 02-22-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJung

Wow, that looks like a beauty... what is it?

The waveguide helps even out dispersion and phase response at the frequencies the compression horn is feeding, and in this case, also helps the upper frequencies the 15 is making not be so directional. A good choice since fifteens start to beam at around 1K otherwise.

Quote:

Here's a question... Don said the B&C coax has a somewhat unusual design in that the tweeter and speaker work off the same magnet (I think that's what he said)... i.e., it's not like a separate tweeter and magnet that is 'bolted on' to the main driver like the Bag End version. Do you know about that... is this a good thing or a bad thing?

It's just a design choice B&C made, and looking at the plots on their datasheet, it doesn't seem to have adownside in this design - it looks pretty decent on polar and frequency plots.

KJung · #8 02-22-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

The waveguide helps even out dispersion and phase response at the frequencies the compression horn is feeding, and in this case, also helps the upper frequencies the 15 is making not be so directional. A good choice since fifteens start to beam at around 1K otherwise.

It's just a design choice B&C made, and looking at the plots on their datasheet, it doesn't seem to have adownside in this design - it looks pretty decent on polar and frequency plots.

Thanks!

K

greenboy · #9 02-22-2007, 05:39 PM

Just a quick comparison in WinISD Pro for giggles: if one could actually cram the BMS 15n680 into the same small box as the B&C coax at the same tuning it'd have close to identical low end up until around 65 watts, with just a very small additional low-end extension.

Dragonlord · #10 02-22-2007, 05:50 PM

Great to hear that the cab is working for you! I'm wondering how different are the custom drivers that cab manufacturers get from brands like B&C and how close could you get with their standard drivers... I'm thinking of doing something similar with Volt (custom versions of which glockenklang uses), have someone locally build me a cab with these drivers or maybe have Don build me the cab and have someone mount the drivers here (as it would be stupid to have Don order the drivers from England and then back to me, and it would also increase the shipping weight a lot).

BurningSkies · #11 02-22-2007, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Just a quick comparison in WinISD Pro for giggles: if one could actually cram the BMS 15n680 into the same small box as the B&C coax at the same tuning it'd have close to identical low end up until around 65 watts, with just a very small additional low-end extension.

Yes, but how would it be in a closer to standard cab, like my HT115? It would be very cool to have a fairly compact lightweight 15 with huge lows.

Eric Cioe · #12 02-22-2007, 05:53 PM

Beauty. I was thinking of doing something similar for an add on to my neo 1x8 3-way. Stack the 1x8 on the 1x12, powered by a Focus. I think it'd be pretty devastating for such a small rig.

stedtale · #13 02-22-2007, 05:59 PM

Great news KJung! Sounds like a killer cab.

I can't wait to get my hands on your old LDS 3x8.

tallboybass · #14 02-22-2007, 06:00 PM

Cool Ken! Any chance you can compare the sound to an EA Wizzy?

Thanks, Alan

Dragonlord · #15 02-22-2007, 06:08 PM

I know Ken isn't very fond of the Mini12, so I guess he clearly prefers the LDS. I know he finds the Mini12 too mid-heavy, with almost nasal upper mids, so I guess the LDS is smoother. Of course, Ken will compare them far better, but since he's offline and we have discussed about the mini12...

stedtale · #16 02-22-2007, 06:09 PM

hmmm, I like smooth

burk48237 · #17 02-22-2007, 06:28 PM

I was with Ken when he picked it up and trust me this cab is small. Ken's wife Katie could probably left it with one hand, although Ken still uses two.

I didn't get a chance to hear it, and I'm anxious to hear it. One thing is for sure Don does not skimp on quality of workmanship. I luv my LDS cabs. While we were at the store Mike Harrington (Alexander Zonjac, Jeff Lober) stopped by, what a phenomenal player. It's easy to forget how many good players are around Detroit and how blessed we are to have LDS to hang at. I just stare in amazement and watch them play.

greenboy · #18 02-22-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Cioe

Beauty. I was thinking of doing something similar for an add on to my neo 1x8 3-way. Stack the 1x8 on the 1x12, powered by a Focus. I think it'd be pretty devastating for such a small rig.

I don't get why you would want a coax for this.

natbers78 · #19 02-22-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Hey guys! I just picked up my mega compact 112 from Don at LDS.

KJung-
That is very cool. I myself have been thinking about getting an LDS 1x12. I'm very interested to hear all about it! Will you be playing upright through it all?

greenboy · #20 02-22-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Yes, but how would it be in a closer to standard cab, like my HT115? It would be very cool to have a fairly compact lightweight 15 with huge lows.

The BMS even when in what is a small cab for a 15 has good bass extension. In a cab that size it'll do better yet. It'll still have useful excursion available farther into the power curve than a lot of the drivers you find in fifteens too. But like most bass cab drivers it'll still hit xmax before it reaches its thermal limit - but since it has a large xlim it won't likely be smacking the backplate even when hugely pummeled with power.