upgrading speaker in a Fender Rumble 112 cab - worthwhile?
 

happy Friday TB,

so I've been using the Fender Rumble 112 cab for wedding/function gigs and a few originals gigs. Specs here:

http://www.fender.com/en-GB/series/r...e-112-cabinet/

I run it with a Markbass LMII; the cab is rated at 250 watts. I got it because i needed something small, lightweight and inexpensive, and was pleasantly surprised by its sound and volume. I needed a speaker cab that I can carry by hand on the bus etc, and that doesn't take up much room when travelling by car.

My question is: if a swapped out the stock speaker for an Eminence Kappalite 3012LF, what would happen? (rated at 450watts)

http://www.thomann.de/gb/eminence_kappalite_3012lf.htm

I've read a couple of threads on this speaker on TB, but i was wondering:

- would it work acceptably well - or at all - in this enclosure?
- would it result in a noticeable improvement in volume and/or tone?
- would i be wasting my time and money?

...the idea being that I would turbo charge my existing rig for not much money (there is another retailer that sells them for a lot less than the link above).

...without shelling out £500-600 on a Barefaced cab or similar.

Anyone done something similar? or is it a case of - once a cheap enclosure, always a cheap enclosure?

thanks in advance guys 'n' gals.

ps i am aware this is like installing a V8 engine into a go-kart. but that could be fun, right??

It's not really an issue of cheap or horrible design. I'm betting that box is too small for the LF and is tuned to the speaker that is in it.

Just my two cents.

There is that, and the fact that the LF is not a full range stand alone driver.

+1. I doubt that any improvement would be worth the $.

What about looking for a better cab on the USED market?

Maybe the 3012HO would be a better choice?

This
 

Try out a bunch of stuff--- Markbass, GK, Ampeg......

and buy used. Don't waste good money on a quality speaker that may or may not work with the box.

I wouldn't do it. If you need more volume, get another matching cab.

If you think you can do better than the original designer who probably used a computer , a degree plus a lot of experience to design an enclosure to match the original driver then go for it.
It will 'work' but you will probably at best lose your lows or end up with a nasty bump somewhere else, probably the low mids, or muddy booming lows that you will have to eq out.
I wasted a lot of time using some Peavey cabs with some very high quality jbl drivers. I thought they were great until I discovered that even a cheap cab with it's original drivers beat my cabs every time. A good bass response depends on a symbiotic relationship between the box and the driver. The port is only part of the design.
If you have money to burn go for it. after all there is no better way of learning than learning the hard way.
I'm sure plenty of people will chime up now with how they stuck an electrovoice driver in a wardrobe and it blows their mates $1000 cab away. I won't believe them. Either they won the audio lottery or they are deluding themselves.
In a guitar amp it's a different story because generally, the cab will feature an open back to allow for more efficiency in the mids and what we call low frequency isn't required (unless you are a detuned metal guitarist..) A bass cab is a whole different ballgame.
It's only an upgrade if it improves the sound. No matter how much it costs. Mind you, sound 'quality' is subjective up to a point and I am amazed sometimes at what other people like. Have you ever seen one of those reggae sound systems? Google ' Notting Hill Carnival.. Those dudes build works of art. Some of those rigs sound bassy but you wouldn't want to hear something like a Chopin piece through one lol.

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It is actually a nice sounding little cab for the money. Two would be the ticket.

thanks guys. i was wondering what i might have overlooked :D

thanks, interesting post :)

ps i have been to NHC many times, i know what you mean!

No probkem thanks for the thanks. See you there some time :-).