What should I do with this older Mesa PH115?

[RNV]

I was just given an old Mesa Powerhouse 115 with the cone ripped to shreds. Should I get it rebuilt and make it 4 ohms or should I just buy a new driver? If I do get a new driver, what do you guys recommend? I'm sure some of you have replaced the driver in these already.

Oh yeah, I changing the 1/4" only back plate for on with speakons.


Thanks Guys!!!

[bassman10096]

I'd put an Eminence Kappalite 3015 (HO - not LF) in and enjoy.

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by bassman10096

I'd put an Eminence Kappalite 3015 (HO - not LF) in and enjoy.

+1

3015's seem to be very happy in the Mesa cabs

[RNV]

Thanks Guys! I kinda expected more input on this. I'm somewhat shocked.

[lbwdog]

OK...Here's another vote for Kappalite 3015. That seems to be the driver of choice for replacement duty since it lends itself to a wide range of box sizes and can handle gobs of power while weighing only eight pounds...

[bassman10096]

I played another bassist's Mesa Diesel 115 loaded with an Eminence Kappalite 3015 and knew it was a good thing. But I didn't realize how much till I came by an older Mesa Road ready 115 (essentially same cab as the Diesel), tore out the EV driver and put in a 3015 for myself. It has balls I never expected to hear out of a single 115 cab. My Powerhouse 115 is getting one next.

But the creme de la creme is pairing the 3015 loaded Mesa cab with a home brewed cab built to the same specs as the Bag End S15BD (the big, deep one) and loaded with a 3015LF. Those two cabs together cover everything from ultra low to very musical high. Talk about handling power. I've turned my amp painfully loud and not a hint of faltering or farting out. The combination of the 3015 and 3015LF together is the bomb.

[sunbeast]

There are a pretty limited number of 15s made in 4 ohms, and the only cheaper one I know of (Eminence Basslite) might have trouble handling the kind of wattage that most bass amps these days put out at 4 ohms (and doesn't have as attractive response-at least on paper-as the 3015)...

[koobie]

Originally Posted by bassman10096

But the creme de la creme is pairing the 3015 loaded Mesa cab with a home brewed cab built to the same specs as the Bag End S15BD (the big, deep one) and loaded with a 3015LF. Those two cabs together cover everything from ultra low to very musical high. Talk about handling power. I've turned my amp painfully loud and not a hint of faltering or farting out. The combination of the 3015 and 3015LF together is the bomb.

This sounds very interesting. I'm pretty satisfied with my two 3015-loaded 606 cabs but have been wondering about this kind of cab combination. As far as lows, how does the 3015LF-loaded S15BD cab compare to your Bag End ELF cab setup? And to compare apples to apples, are you bi-amping both setups?

[bassman10096]

As far as lows, how does the 3015LF-loaded S15BD cab compare to your Bag End ELF cab setup? And to compare apples to apples, are you bi-amping both setups?

I haven't had a chance to pair up the 3015 with the 118 ELF cab yet, but experience tells me the Bag End sub outperforms anything on the low end. The large, deep cab (designed after the conventional Bag End S15BD) has its own, rather vintage sound. Actually, I've simply been running the Mesa with 3015 and the bigger 3015LF cab in parallel (no biamp) off a Mesa M-Pulse 600. I've not always been blown away by the M-Pulse's "friendliness" with other cab combinations but this is a match made in heaven. Plus it is LOUD without showing any sign of strain whatsoever. The ELF cab literally has to be used in a biamp situation, since the ELF/Infra technology requires its own channel (fed by the ELF Integrator) to function.