Questions about my cabinet.

[Cb4rabid]

I have an old Peavey 215D that I use. I have questions that have been driving me crazy since I got the thing, and i've tried doing some research, but I don't realy get the answers im looking for.

1. What are the specs of this thing? I know it's a 4 ohm cab, but what is the wattage rating? I'm running a Peavey Mark VIII which puts out 350w @ 4ohms, but what is the cab's rating? I'm not worried about frying the cab because i'm sure it handles more than 350w, but I just want to know for sure.

2. How do I know what speakers it has? Ive heard that they either have Scorpions or Black Widows. How do I know for sure? I mean, I look at a speaker and...they all look the same to me Im guessing I would have to open up the cab and look at the driver, but how do I do this?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

[runmikeyrun]

#1- google or peavey forums for answer

#2- If you can see through the grill, the scorpions have silver faces on the frame with flat sides. Black widows are round. If you still can't tell, then you have to remove the grill.

If it's the grill with the silver metal running vertically along both sides, pop off the front grill carefully with flat screwdriver- it's held on with a type of velcro. Remove driver screws. The speaker should have what type it is marked on it. Remember someone might have replaced the original speakers with something else. Based on the driver you can figure out the power rating for the cab.

[puremusic]

If it is a 215d it has scorpions if it is a 215d-BW it has black widows

[Exploiter8]

If the serial number is still on the rear tag, drop Peavey an email. They are fairly quick in their response. My 215 (shallow) cab from the late 70's / early 80's came with BW's. The cab was only rated 200watts@4ohms. That was fine for my Mark III Centurion that was 130watts@4ohms, not so much for my GenzBenz NeoPak 3.5, 350watts@4ohms. I lined the cab with acoustic foam and loaded it with Eminence Kappalite 3015HO's. FANTASTIC!

Good luck,
X8

[esa372]

Here's a spec sheet for the 1502-BW:
Peavey 1502 15" Black Widow bass guitar speaker

[Cb4rabid]

Originally Posted by esa372

Here's a spec sheet for the 1502-BW:
Peavey 1502 15" Black Widow bass guitar speaker

According to this, each speaker is 350W? Which means if I have two 8ohm speakers, the cabs rating is 700W? Good god...

I will try emailing Peavey though. I still have the serial number on the back. Thanks.

[Cb4rabid]

Originally Posted by runmikeyrun

#1- google or peavey forums for answer

#2- If you can see through the grill, the scorpions have silver faces on the frame with flat sides. Black widows are round. If you still can't tell, then you have to remove the grill.

If it's the grill with the silver metal running vertically along both sides, pop off the front grill carefully with flat screwdriver- it's held on with a type of velcro. Remove driver screws. The speaker should have what type it is marked on it. Remember someone might have replaced the original speakers with something else. Based on the driver you can figure out the power rating for the cab.

Silver faces on the frame? I can't really see anything flat on the speakers themselves, they look round (im assuming you're talking about the frame on the speakers).

Also, I can't really see how to remove the girl. The silver bars that run down vertically on each side feel like I would break them if I put too much pressure :/



this is my cab

[Exploiter8]

I would start with removing the two top/front corners on the cab. My corners wrap around the lip and prevent me from pulling the grill forward. Mine has four heavy-duty plastic, velcro-like fasteners, one at each corner. Similar to the fasteners used to mount tollway passes on windshields, if you know what I mean. I use an L-shaped allen wrench that is small enough to slip above the grill, under the tolex covered wooden lip. I turn it down about 90 degrees or until I feel it has a good catch, and then use pliers to grip the wrench and pull gently until it pops off. I do this at close to each top corner. I can then reach my fingers behind the frame and pull it leaning forward. Then I work the bottom corners loose by pulling with my fingers, making sure it clears the lower corners, which if in the way, will have to be removed, too.

My cab is 30 years old so it's possible they changed things later.

X8

[Cb4rabid]

I can see the velcro fasteners, but my allen wrench is really small and thin, so if I apply any pressure to it, it'll snap like a toothpick. I don't see how I can remove the grill without removing the steel bars (without damaging them).

[Exploiter8]

[Exploiter8]

[Exploiter8]

I hope that helps!

Good luck,
X8

[Exploiter8]

The grill, bars, trim...everything is one unit tied into the wooden frame.

[Cb4rabid]

OH! Now I see it! I thought they were separated. Thanks for your help.

[Exploiter8]

We've got the same tuner!

Yeah, I know. That was lame!

\m/

[Cb4rabid]

Haha, my korg dtr racktuner is coming in the mail next weekt hough

Also, through quick inspection, I appear to have scorpions. The driver is just black, and it's blank. There's a number that says 15675X on it.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Cb4rabid

According to this, each speaker is 350W? Which means if I have two 8ohm speakers, the cabs rating is 700W? Good god...

Before you wet yourself the power rating is moot. What determines how much of that rating the driver can actually use before reaching its excursion limit, beyond which you get no additional output, is xmax. At only 2.6mm the excursion limit with the 1502 is reached with only 75 watts or so. At 3.1mm the Scorpion is better, but still can't use more than 150w.

[Cb4rabid]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Before you wet yourself the power rating is moot. What determines how much of that rating the driver can actually use before reaching its excursion limit, beyond which you get no additional output, is xmax. At only 2.6mm the excursion limit with the 1502 is reached with only 75 watts or so. At 3.1mm the Scorpion is better, but still can't use more than 150w.

In terms of power though, I would be able to use a 600w head, no? Im just asking because my head could handle a 2 ohm load.

Also, does anybody know what speakers im using? It doesn't appear to be scorpions or black widows. 15675X is on the bottom speaker.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Cb4rabid

In terms of power though, I would be able to use a 600w head, no?

Of course, just don't expect that you can crank the bejesus out of it. If it starts to distort, turn it down.

[Cb4rabid]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Of course, just don't expect that you can crank the bejesus out of it. If it starts to distort, turn it down.

Oh believe me, I learned this the hard way before (different cab, thank god). Thanks for your insight, I like learning new things.