TC RH450 and full range cab designs like fEARful

pfschim · #1 10-28-2011, 08:30 PM

I have an RH450 that I got as a backup to my beloved Walkabout. While I have determined that it is not a particularly good backup for the Walkabout specifically, it is a very nice amp with some useful features.

So, I have started to think about matching this amp to a cab/cabs specifically for it, and have been reading the various RH450 posts with great interest.

One thing I have seen more than once in discussing good cab matches for the RH450, is that full range designs like Greenboys fEARful cabs (and perhaps Accugroove Tri112/115's) would NOT be a good match for the RH450.

I am curious, anyone with some experience with the RH450 care to clarify/comment on this ?

Thanks

lookiel · #2 10-28-2011, 09:54 PM

I don't own a fEarful but have recently acquired a Thunderchild from Duke (Audiokinesis) which is a similar (IMO) full range design.
What struck me most was that the driver moves a lot less than with my other amp:
I believe this is due to a high pass filter and possibly the compression inherent to the TC's power management.
Other than that the RH450 sounds good through it to me, articulate and punchy.
I think the two semi parametric mids, in my limited experience I got the impression fullrange cabs benefit from having a good EQ section to tailor your sound to the room or a specific tone. That can of course be said of any cab, but even more so when the cab has a flatter response me thinks.

tom-g · #3 10-29-2011, 03:35 AM

Get an answer from the experts:

fEARful

Sundogue · #4 10-29-2011, 07:03 AM

Yes, the whole point of a fEARful design is in it's ability to faithfully reproduce (as much as any design can) what you put into it. Most of the coloration of your sound will come from the amp, not the cab. So, the more limited your amp is, the more limited your tonal range will be.

pfschim · #5 10-29-2011, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Yes, the whole point of a fEARful design is in it's ability to faithfully reproduce (as much as any design can) what you put into it. Most of the coloration of your sound will come from the amp, not the cab. So, the more limited your amp is, the more limited your tonal range will be.

So, based on your comments then, I would imagine that the RH450 would have the potential to sound very good through a fEARful type cab design because the amp provides a wide range of tone shaping options.

OTOH, in at least one other TB thread, it was suggested that the pairing of the RH450 and full range cabs would not/did not work well.

Key thing for this thread, and my question, is that I do have an RH450 (which I am struggling a bit to figure out a practical use for) AND, I have been interested in a fEARful cab for a while. But, if there was some sense that the two would not be complimentary, then I would not pursue that option.

I have used my Walkabout through another full range cab in the past (Tri115) and found that amp/cab combination to work very well.

greenboy · #6 10-29-2011, 08:00 PM

I dunno about the RH450 with whatever fEARful because I have not heard that combination and don't recall off-hand, any fEARful users who have the RH450. There are however some users who really like the RH750 with them. Of course the RH750 also has more control over treble frequency response than the RH450.

Personally though, regardless of the default voicing of a head which is entirely a subjective tastes issue and for some people one that even changes from time, I would prefer to be using something that can deliver more voltage and more crest factor, just to have more potential SPL on tap when desired/needed. But that's not a tone issue per se, it's more about potential for great loudness and huger transients to go with them.

Tone? It's so subjective. Somebody who normally uses a Thunderfunk with their 12/6 recently reported splendiferous results with a Walkabout, which is also a modestly powered head. He was ecstatic about either, and who's to say he was wrong... So don't buy into too much of what one person might say - just around the block there's probably someone who's got different tastes whose opinion is valid too.

Me, I've liked all-tube SVT and a mod'd Fender Bassman 100, and a number of SS or hybrid heads and preamp/power amp combinations, and I would probably like anything that sounds good to me to begin with (which is just about anything, really - they all have vibes I dig). I'm currently lusting after what one player told me about his new SVT7... and the Carvin BX1500, and the GK MB500 and MB800 have me more than curious.

c-ba55 · #7 10-29-2011, 10:39 PM

Fearful will apparently put out what you put in, loudly evenly and dispersed well. So if you like what you are putting in, you're good. The deal with not liking the pairing is actually about discovering they didn't love the rh450 once they heard it clearly.

pfschim · #8 10-29-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c-ba55

The deal with not liking the pairing is actually about discovering they didn't love the rh450 once they heard it clearly.

good point. thanks. As I mentioned, I have tried an Accugroove Tri115 and really liked the full range clarity of that cab. Not sure how the fEARful's compare to Accugroove cabs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Personally though, regardless of the default voicing of a head which is entirely a subjective tastes issue and for some people one that even changes from time, I would prefer to be using something that can deliver more voltage and more crest factor, just to have more potential SPL on tap when desired/needed. But that's not a tone issue per se, it's more about potential for great loudness and huger transients to go with them.

greenboy, you make a point that I have forgotten about the fEARful designs .. that one of the design considerations is that they are intended for much higher wattage amps than I am using (or interested in using these days). The 'modestly powered" Walkabout fills the bill for my current gigs just fine.

Ultimately I know that I can try out a bunch of different cabs, including a fEARful design (probably would go for a 12/6 cube), but I would rather not do a bunch of "cab rolling" and some of the insightful comments here on TB can often help narrow the range of choices.

I suppose another question I should be asking is .. if the fEARful design goal is to reproduce exactly what goes into it from the source amp, what is the best way to judge the source ?

kesslari · #9 10-29-2011, 11:25 PM

Can't answer your question, but if you want to try the TC through a fEarful 15/6/1, I have one. You're welcome to come down to the Santa Cruz area.
I'll also have it at the GTG in San Jose this Sunday from 4-6.

pfschim · #10 10-29-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kesslari

Can't answer your question, but if you want to try the TC through a fEarful 15/6/1, I have one. You're welcome to come down to the Santa Cruz area.
I'll also have it at the GTG in San Jose this Sunday from 4-6.

cool, thanks. my son is down at UCSC, so maybe I will try that.

::::BASSIST:::: · #11 10-30-2011, 01:31 AM

I have experience with the both the rh450, a 12/6 and a 15/6, but unfortunately have not owned the fEARfuls at the time I had the TC.

My biggest gripe with the TC rh450 is its lack of deep low-end (aside from that its a wonderful amp IMO). The fEARful cabs produce such beautiful, clear and deep low-end so having an amp that cannot give you those lows is unfortunate. However, a simple solution is to just stick an eq pedal in front of the amp and problem solved.

If you find that solution satisfactory, the only other concern one might have is the volume capability of the rh450 at 8 ohms... depends what kind of gigs you do I guess.