I ran across one of the fEarful threads a while back and was intrigued. Greenboys design looked like what I needed so I studiously read all 14 gazillion posts in all the threads and decided I just had to have one. Problem is; I dont have the resources to build a professional looking cab. Then theres the crossover.
Being comfortable with active crossovers for PA use, I could more or less follow the discussion on them but rolling my own was out of the question. So, I decided to find a builder to do it for me.
Low Down Sounds (LDS) was mentioned in a few of the threads so I checked out the website and called Don. I sent him Greenboys and Davios drawings for the 15/6/1 and he said he could build the cab but would use a little different bracing. Dons crossover guy Ralph even worked out a version of Passinwinds crossover design for the build so I ordered one and hit the Paypal.
About 5 weeks later, the cab is sitting on my porch. I got just what I wanted. A fEarful 15/6/1 with truck bed liner coating, metal grill, an Eminence KL3015LF, an 18 Sound 6ND410, and a tweeter. The crossover is Passinwinds design but with an L-pad on the mids and the tweeter is HPd at 4.5 with an attenuator. Ok, cool now how does it sound?
I hooked it up at the house and played it through my back up rig to break it in and it sounded great but we all know that for some reason, residential housing is designed to have decidedly different acoustics than any live music venue anywhere in the world. So off to the gig it goes. I have a house gig in a big ol Texas honkytonk that would seat around 1500 if you could get em to sit down. We have a fairly large stage and a 6 piece band. My review is based on 2 weekends with the cab in this club. Im running an Alembic F1X into a DBX 160XT into a bridged Crown K2 and I used a Modulus Q-5 with Bartolini pups.
Here's the set up at the gig.
The first week I set it up before the gig and the guys all thought it sounded great while I was messing with it. This cab has WAY more of a hifi or uncolored sound than the early Eden rear ported 410 cab I was using on this gig which accentuates the low mids. When we kicked off the 1st set, it became apparent that this cab is an entirely different animal than the Eden. It sits down in the mix as compared to the Eden which tends to slice through the mix like a chainsaw and has the sound guy griping that Im blowing the stage and messing with the mix. The tone of the fEarful was outstanding with tons of tight bass way down where I couldnt get it before.
After the first week, I ended up rethinking my EQ. Everybody in the band loved the cab because of the great tone and the fact that it sits MUCH better in the mix and keeps me from seeming too loud. Everybody that is except the drummer who said he wasnt getting the definition he was used to from me. I pointed him in the direction of the monitor board but did change my EQ. The F1X has the Fender tone stack so I went with the 2-10-2 EQ as a place to start. WOW! A little tweaking from there and Im in tone heaven. This cab is incredibly sensitive to EQ changes!! By the end of the second week, I had the rest of the band (even the drummer) and several folks from the crowd complimenting me on my tone. Something is definitely up when the steel guitar player tells you she got all tingly when I stomped on the OD and envelope filter during a funky medley where she usually ignores us and does her nails.
Rethinking the EQ
Yeah, Id buy it again. In fact, Im probably going to order another one without the tweeter and with the mid driver on the other side so I can stack em. At 54 pounds, its a better looking cab than the Eden, its as loud or louder although not as harsh, and the tone is absolutely the best Ive played through. I did have to rethink my EQ settings and Ill have to set the rack off on the drum riser because it was vibrating my beer(s) off the rack and then my rack off the cab as the night went on. Small concession to make for tone like that. Thanks to Greenboy for the cab design, Passinwind for the crossover design, and to Don and Ralph from LDS for the excellent build quality.
Being comfortable with active crossovers for PA use, I could more or less follow the discussion on them but rolling my own was out of the question. So, I decided to find a builder to do it for me.
Low Down Sounds (LDS) was mentioned in a few of the threads so I checked out the website and called Don. I sent him Greenboys and Davios drawings for the 15/6/1 and he said he could build the cab but would use a little different bracing. Dons crossover guy Ralph even worked out a version of Passinwinds crossover design for the build so I ordered one and hit the Paypal.
About 5 weeks later, the cab is sitting on my porch. I got just what I wanted. A fEarful 15/6/1 with truck bed liner coating, metal grill, an Eminence KL3015LF, an 18 Sound 6ND410, and a tweeter. The crossover is Passinwinds design but with an L-pad on the mids and the tweeter is HPd at 4.5 with an attenuator. Ok, cool now how does it sound?
I hooked it up at the house and played it through my back up rig to break it in and it sounded great but we all know that for some reason, residential housing is designed to have decidedly different acoustics than any live music venue anywhere in the world. So off to the gig it goes. I have a house gig in a big ol Texas honkytonk that would seat around 1500 if you could get em to sit down. We have a fairly large stage and a 6 piece band. My review is based on 2 weekends with the cab in this club. Im running an Alembic F1X into a DBX 160XT into a bridged Crown K2 and I used a Modulus Q-5 with Bartolini pups.
Here's the set up at the gig.
The first week I set it up before the gig and the guys all thought it sounded great while I was messing with it. This cab has WAY more of a hifi or uncolored sound than the early Eden rear ported 410 cab I was using on this gig which accentuates the low mids. When we kicked off the 1st set, it became apparent that this cab is an entirely different animal than the Eden. It sits down in the mix as compared to the Eden which tends to slice through the mix like a chainsaw and has the sound guy griping that Im blowing the stage and messing with the mix. The tone of the fEarful was outstanding with tons of tight bass way down where I couldnt get it before.
After the first week, I ended up rethinking my EQ. Everybody in the band loved the cab because of the great tone and the fact that it sits MUCH better in the mix and keeps me from seeming too loud. Everybody that is except the drummer who said he wasnt getting the definition he was used to from me. I pointed him in the direction of the monitor board but did change my EQ. The F1X has the Fender tone stack so I went with the 2-10-2 EQ as a place to start. WOW! A little tweaking from there and Im in tone heaven. This cab is incredibly sensitive to EQ changes!! By the end of the second week, I had the rest of the band (even the drummer) and several folks from the crowd complimenting me on my tone. Something is definitely up when the steel guitar player tells you she got all tingly when I stomped on the OD and envelope filter during a funky medley where she usually ignores us and does her nails.
Rethinking the EQ
Yeah, Id buy it again. In fact, Im probably going to order another one without the tweeter and with the mid driver on the other side so I can stack em. At 54 pounds, its a better looking cab than the Eden, its as loud or louder although not as harsh, and the tone is absolutely the best Ive played through. I did have to rethink my EQ settings and Ill have to set the rack off on the drum riser because it was vibrating my beer(s) off the rack and then my rack off the cab as the night went on. Small concession to make for tone like that. Thanks to Greenboy for the cab design, Passinwind for the crossover design, and to Don and Ralph from LDS for the excellent build quality.
