Thunderchild tc112 or fearless f112?

[SeayBass]

Has anyone compared the tc and f 112's?
I need a speaker and have the dough.
I play upright and electric, all styles. I have a 6 string electric and a fretless. Arco, jazz, theater etc.

Thanks in advance

[dukeorock]

Hey! I think we've had some communication but I would be happy to give you my impressions in an email. I did about 50-60 gigs on a TC115AF and have now done about as many on a F112 and sometimes an F115. They are both incredible cabs, I can say that for certain

[CL400Peavey]

+1 to both being incredible cabs. You are not facing a "wrong" answer here. I think you will find people that prefer one over the other, and vice versa as with any cab.

I just got a pair of alphalite fEARful 12/6/1's and they are fantastic as well.

[rpsands]

Just my opinion but I think the TC112 is a better value for the purposes you describe. The Fearless is a great cab and has a nice convenient form factor and a little better low end, but overall isn't 250 bucks better than a TC112.

-I've owned a Thunderchild 115 and played a Fearless 112.

[CL400Peavey]

Has the new 8 Ohm Thunderchild 112 been released yet?

[dukeorock]

Originally Posted by rpsands

Just my opinion but I think the TC112 is a better value for the purposes you describe. The Fearless is a great cab and has a nice convenient form factor and a little better low end, but overall isn't 250 bucks better than a TC112.

-I've owned a Thunderchild 115 and played a Fearless 112.

I don't think I've ever argued with you yet, Ryan, BUT

Having toured both heavily...they are two different cabs, IMO. Again, both are fantastic. Here's how I see them.

TC112- super smooth, very refined and very 'even' sounding cab. VERY great cab for sure.

F112- Stronger lows and stronger mids. Also smooth, but not as smooth as a TC112, but I would say it responds better to extensive eq'ing.

The TC112 might be a little more 'plug and play' in that it just sounds great out of the box. It also 'is what it is' where the F112 can go to more extremes with eq.

Two of the smallest giants ever, to be sure

[rpsands]

250 bucks is a lot of scratch, when the TC112 will suit the guy's needs almost without a doubt.

[dukeorock]

Originally Posted by rpsands

250 bucks is a lot of scratch, when the TC112 will suit the guy's needs almost without a doubt.

I guess I don't know for a fact what his needs are, so I can't really put a dollar figure on them

[::::BASSIST::::]

I'd love either. The F112 has excellent form factor with the wedge option design, but the TC is available in 4 ohms and will get a smidge more vol from your amp.

Both great for different reasons.

[dukeorock]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

I'd love either. The F112 has excellent form factor with the wedge option design, but the TC is available in 4 ohms and will get a smidge more vol from your amp.

Both great for different reasons.

The Faital mid driver goes a long way in the perception of what you're hearing, volume-wise.

Obviously, having played tons of shows on both, I would try to talk you into a greenboy cab...I love them for electric and upright, and they really shine with lower tunings on bass. If you told me you absolutely did not want a greenboy then the first cab I would suggest is AudioKinesis. Duke is a fantastic designer and person.

[Mike Arnopol]

When you're mentioning upright---that puts things in a different light for me. For electric---it's a tossup. While the F112 is by far the best Greenboy cab for upright I think there's a slight edge for the Thunderchild.. A bit more focus in the low end (and not quite the extension) and a slightly less prominent midrange. But they're close.

[dukeorock]

Maybe I should start playing upright, then I woud know

[Mike Arnopol]

No intent to ruffle your feathers my sensitive friend!

But just like for electric, for upright players there is just as wide of a range. Mark and I are likely on the opposite ends of the double bass sonic spectrum. And our sounds---if I may be so bold, (considering that we are both WAY more ambitious than other upright players in our gear wackiness) are likely to be as good or better than most out there.

But our functions are very different. Mark needs to maintain a great upright tone while still being able to really cut through a louder ensemble than I need to. My sound errs on the side of being too dark-----I change my strings (on upright) about every 8 years!

I would think that for Mark's needs a TC112 wouldn't cut through as well as the fearful.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by dukeorock

The Faital mid driver goes a long way in the perception of what you're hearing, volume-wise.

Obviously, having played tons of shows on both, I would try to talk you into a greenboy cab...I love them for electric and upright, and they really shine with lower tunings on bass. If you told me you absolutely did not want a greenboy then the first cab I would suggest is AudioKinesis. Duke is a fantastic designer and person.

If not GB then thunderchild... definitely.

I haven't heard a Faital loaded cab so that may give the F112 the edge tonally.

One thing I have learned though is that if "everything" is shifted toward the dark end of the spectrum, the cumulative effect would be too dark of a tone. My bass with 7 year old flats and mahogany/rosewood body is already dark. Thus, a bit of mid bite somewhere else can be a good thing. The old ying yang thing as they say.

Ultimately, beauty is in the ear of the beholder so its really up to individual taste.

[KJung]

Duke's OEM 4ohm 3012LF, which is voiced just a touch more toward the midrange, and his amazing, complex crossover that makes that big horn just sing, are simply amazing.

For a stand-alone solution, that impedance, voicing, size of cab, and tone is simply amazing, and allows for a perfect match-up with most 400-600 watt micro amps.

The cost benefit is just a bonus.

If you like the slightly wider low end, don't mind the 8ohm impedance, the Low Down Sound 12/6 with Faital is amazing. Don's design and build pre-dated the fEARless cabs. He does a build with a slightly tighter low end voicing, a beautiful Ralf Patterson crossover, and using nice flared large rear ports, the box size is closer to the Thunderchild. Still a bit looser down low than the Thunderchild, but the Faital mid driver is very nice sounding. Cost would probably be a touch below the Thunderchild. I'd still recommend the Thunderchild (again, everything about that cab is designed to the ultimate stand-alone gigging cab for use with moderate powered micro amps), but the LDS is a very close second.

[CL400Peavey]

Originally Posted by KJung

Duke's OEM 4ohm 3012LF, which is voiced just a touch more toward the midrange, and his amazing, complex crossover that makes that big horn just sing, are simply amazing.

For a stand-alone solution, that impedance, voicing, size of cab, and tone is simply amazing, and allows for a perfect match-up with most 400-600 watt micro amps.

The cost benefit is just a bonus.

Hey Ken, I was under the impression that Duke no longer has the 4 Ohm version of the 3012lf at his disposal. Thought I read something recently that he was re-designing for the off the shelf 3012LF.

Also there are not many fEARless cabs out there yet. Lets be clear that the direct A/B comparison of them to any other "super 12" cabs has only been done by a few people. In specific upright use there are even less. Mark (dukeorock) and Mike may be two of a very small group of upright players to have used both. I think both have very different tonal goals, and would pick different cabs to suit those goals. In any case there is no wrong choice.

[SeayBass]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. This talkbass is GREAT.

From posted comments, I gather the F112 is a bit bigger in the very lows, with more high-mid presence. TC112 smoother and tighter on the bottom.

Any observations on the port tuning and plugs with the TC? I find that pretty cool- especially for 'the pit' in a theater situation.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by SeayBass

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. This talkbass is GREAT.

From posted comments, I gather the F112 is a bit bigger in the very lows, with more high-mid presence. TC112 smoother and tighter on the bottom.

Any observations on the port tuning and plugs with the TC? I find that pretty cool- especially for 'the pit' in a theater situation.

It will roll off the low end for a tighter, more, well, sealed cab tone Very effective in tightening up the low end in difficult rooms, or with 'difficult' DB's that have a bit too much bloom in their voicing. The Thunderchild also has a treble roll-off switch (as part of the amazingly complex crossover) that gently rolls off the treble response starting at around 3K or so... so it emulates a more traditional 1 way box, which is nice. Port plugs and the roll-off switch engaged, and it is almost like you have a really good one way sealed 10 loaded box.

The only downside to this cab (and also most mid loaded cabs) is you don't get that nice, organic, warm break-up of the upper midrange coming from the top end of the driver. That is actualy a positive for some (the upper midrange of the Thunderchild is CLEAN and pure).

Great small, stand-alone box for those who enjoy a bit of that 'playing through a studio monitor' experience (i.e., totally pure and clean sounding).

[KJung]

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

Hey Ken, I was under the impression that Duke no longer has the 4 Ohm version of the 3012lf at his disposal. Thought I read something recently that he was re-designing for the off the shelf 3012LF.

Also there are not many fEARless cabs out there yet. Lets be clear that the direct A/B comparison of them to any other "super 12" cabs has only been done by a few people. In specific upright use there are even less. Mark (dukeorock) and Mike may be two of a very small group of upright players to have used both. I think both have very different tonal goals, and would pick different cabs to suit those goals. In any case there is no wrong choice.

No, they are still in production. The TC115 cabs are no longer available. He has enough volume with the TC112 to keep those going for a while. If demand falls off and he can't justify another large OEM driver order, he will eventually shut down the TC112.

He is working on a more stock 112 cab for those looking for a wider low end footprint, a bit lower cost, and an 8ohm impedance for those who want to stack two.

[RColie]

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

Has the new 8 Ohm Thunderchild 112 been released yet?

The new 8-ohm TC112 with the stock 3012LF will start shipping sometime next month (according to the latest from Duke).

Bob