speakers to use for downtuned cab

hachi kid · #1 09-02-2011, 03:46 AM

I'm looking into building a cab for a "baritone bass". the bass is tuned BbEbAbC#. the cab currently being used is the old Basson 8x10 cab that could reach down to 28Hz. the Bb is 29.14Hz. I've been running all sorts of speakers through winISD, and I can't seem to find a speaker that is suitable to reach down that low like that Basson does.

also, does anyone have any information on the speakers used in that cab?

RNV · #2 09-02-2011, 03:57 AM

I have a Carvin BRX410 that, according to their web site, is tuned to 26Hz. I play in drop "C" and I feel that my cab produces the complete register of "C" as best as I could expect it to. I'm very pleased with the cab, and get many compliments of the deepness and richness of my tone. I'm sure another 1/2 step would still be no problem for the BRX410NEO.

billfitzmaurice · #3 09-02-2011, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hachi kid

Basson 8x10 cab that could reach down to 28Hz.

I doubt that very much. The huge magnets that Basson bragged on would generally mean a driver with very low Qts, and very low Qts chokes off bass response. In any event response below 35Hz isn't required, no matter what you tune to. Do a search of the waterfall charts of the actual content of electric bass to see why.

Quote:

I have a Carvin BRX410 that, according to their web site, is tuned to 26Hz.

The drivers they use would not work at all in a cab tuned that low. It might have some response at 26Hz, but not enough to be useful.

Mr. Foxen · #4 09-02-2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hachi kid

I'm looking into building a cab for a "baritone bass". the bass is tuned BbEbAbC#. the cab currently being used is the old Basson 8x10 cab that could reach down to 28Hz. the Bb is 29.14Hz. I've been running all sorts of speakers through winISD, and I can't seem to find a speaker that is suitable to reach down that low like that Basson does.

also, does anyone have any information on the speakers used in that cab?

Basson can't find speakers that do that either. They just make up the number. You don't need speakers to go that low. I played tuned to a low A, using an Aguilar GS412, OEM speakers that are roughly Eminence delta 12LFA (should be able to model in winsid, about 220 litres tuned to around 40hz). I ahve a Barefaced super 15 now, I've not pushed the SPL, but the girth is there, the woofer/mid cabinets should go lower still, fed enough power.

will33 · #5 09-02-2011, 06:51 AM

Those bassoon and carvin spec numbers are a joke....like physically impossible at any decent output. A cab that's -3db in the low 50's / high 40's already sounds deep and works well for downtuned stuff. Most of the power and output of the bass is at the first and second harmonic....-10db at the fundamental is plenty good.

Upright bass has a lot of fundamental in it and those guys usually like a little higher roll off in the lows to tame down those lowest of lows for definition.

Waterfall plots--

Bass frequency/waterfall plots: what they mean to rigs

will33 · #6 09-02-2011, 07:14 AM

FWIW, my shadetree diy cabs all have f3 beteeen about 50 and 55hz. All sound plenty deep and have no problem at all with a low B. These are all with common drivers, eminence, peavey, etc. Not premium stuff either, no kappalites here and sound good doing it.

What most of us percieve as low bass is an octave higher than we think it is.

hachi kid · #7 09-02-2011, 09:43 AM

oh wow. so, a cabinet properly tuned to around 40/41Hz @ -3dB should be sufficient? or could I go even higher and say tuned to 50Hz @ -3dB?

will33 · #8 09-02-2011, 12:44 PM

Yeah, something that has an honest -3db around 47-50hz already sounds deeper than a lot of commercial cabs you're used to hearing. A lot of those strong output is 80-120hz midbass, not real bass.

Cabs with real lows are like Fearful, Acme, etc. Some other drivers can do it, just can't take as much power while doing it. Emi. bp102, or legend cb15 are a couple ceramic mag drivers that can reach into the 40's and maintain a managable box size and decent power handling. The legend the high 40's, the bp102 the lower 40's. Their displacement limits would still be roughly half the kappalite series....at roughly half the price. ie: 1 kappalite LF = about 2 of the others....assuming you used the bp102's in 2x or 4x setups.

will33 · #9 09-02-2011, 02:43 PM

Was going to send you a select few good links to read up on but your pm box is full.

Of course, they can also be found here.

AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links

Ought to keep you busy for a while.