15" cab for PJB Briefcase

[Makten]

I only play at home nowadays, and since I recently moved from an apartment to a house, I don't have to care too much about keeping the volume down anymore. Thus, I've started looking for something a bit beefier than my PJB Briefcase. Not that it's not loud enough, but it still sounds like a "small speaker" (because it is).

So, browsing around among Ampeg PF-20T and other nice things, I got the idea to simply start with a larger cab for the PJB. I suppose the kind of hi-fi quality of the Briefcase is largely caused buy the speakers rather than the amp itself, and since leaning more and more towards retro, "round" sounds, I could possibly solve that issue as well. Maybe.

So, what to look for? I don't want the largest and heaviest cab there is, because the house is very small (rather a cottage). But I want nice, fat low end, so a 15" or maybe 12" seems like a good idea. It doesn't have to be able to handle a lot of power, so SPL and "farting" at ridiculous volumes won't be an issue.

Obvious and common cabs to look for would be Ampeg and Fender, but I have no insight at all in their lineups.
I live quite remotely in northern Europe, so not much to try in the local stores unfortunately.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I only play at home nowadays, and since I recently moved from an apartment to a house, I don't have to care too much about keeping the volume down anymore. Thus, I've started looking for something a bit beefier than my PJB Briefcase. Not that it's not loud enough, but it still sounds like a "small speaker" (because it is).

So, browsing around among Ampeg PF-20T and other nice things, I got the idea to simply start with a larger cab for the PJB. I suppose the kind of hi-fi quality of the Briefcase is largely caused buy the speakers rather than the amp itself, and since leaning more and more towards retro, "round" sounds, I could possibly solve that issue as well. Maybe.

So, what to look for? I don't want the largest and heaviest cab there is, because the house is very small (rather a cottage). But I want nice, fat low end, so a 15" or maybe 12" seems like a good idea. It doesn't have to be able to handle a lot of power, so SPL and "farting" at ridiculous volumes won't be an issue.

Obvious and common cabs to look for would be Ampeg and Fender, but I have no insight at all in their lineups.
I live quite remotely in northern Europe, so not much to try in the local stores unfortunately.

I was going to suggest a Mesa 112 or 115 but they are hard to get your hands on. They are being shipped there but a lot of them have been spoken for from folks on waiting list. Maybe contact a local dealership to put you on a list.

Then there are the local makers. Markbass, GR, Jad Freer, Ashdoen, Blackstar, Orange.

The Ampeg and Fender cabs might be plentiful.

 

[Makten]

Just found an Ampeg SVT-15E locally. They seem very well regarded and might fit the bill. A bit expensive at ~400€, but that is to be expected when you're not in central Europe or the US.
It's heavy though, at 32 kg. But SPL is a very low 98 dB/W/m, which should be nice if I want to push a small tube amplifier in the future.

What do you say?

 

[DJ Bebop]

Just found an Ampeg SVT-15E locally. They seem very well regarded and might fit the bill. A bit expensive at ~400€, but that is to be expected when you're not in central Europe or the US.
It's heavy though, at 32 kg. But SPL is a very low 98 dB/W/m, which should be nice if I want to push a small tube amplifier in the future.

What do you say?

Don't know about the exchange rate but a used one here is about $250-$300 US right now. Its only 200 watts so it should be fine with the Phil Jones and any smaller tube amp 200 watts or less. If that is in your budget and there is nothing better right now or you are in a hurry and just can't wait, get it. If you can hold on, wait.

Here in most of the big cities we are awash in used gear. Like you though, as you get away from the big commercial centers its harder to locate a variety of used gear and one has to get what is available at the time.

Oh and EBS amp brand, I see you are in Sweden

 

[Lo-E]

EBS, Markbass and Warwick all make nice sounding cabs that are easy to get a hold of in Europe. I’d start there.

 

[Makten]

Don't know about the exchange rate but a used one here is about $250-$300 US right now. Its only 200 watts so it should be fine with the Phil Jones and any smaller tube amp 200 watts or less. If that is in your budget and there is nothing better right now or you are in a hurry and just can't wait, get it. If you can hold on, wait.

Here in most of the big cities we are awash in used gear. Like you though, as you get away from the big commercial centers its harder to locate a variety of used gear and one has to get what is available at the time.

Oh and EBS amp brand, I see you are in Sweden

Well, since there only seem to be ONE in the whole country (and none on Reverb globally???) and it fetches ~600 new, I think it's not too bad.

Think I'm gonna get it and see. Maybe this will be one of those useless threads where the OP decides something before actually getting much advice.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Well, since there only seem to be ONE in the whole country (and none on Reverb globally???) and it fetches ~600 new, I think it's not too bad.

Think I'm gonna get it and see. Maybe this will be one of those useless threads where the OP decides something before actually getting much advice.

Then…

 

[Redbrangus]

I can't help thinking you'd be paying something of a premium for it being imported from North America. I think you should be patient and not make a decision based on it being the only thing available at the moment; maybe something else more reasonable will turn up if you wait. I'd be keeping my eye out for Markbass or EBS cabs, as previously mentioned. OTOH, the Ampeg would serve the purpose well enough, and I'm not there to evaluate what the used market is like, so maybe you 'pays your money and you makes your choices'. I hope this helps.

 

[el murdoque]

Here's an odd answer to your suggestion: Barefaced one10.

This cabinet is tiny, and it is light. However, it is my absolute favorite thing for home practice. It has a rich and full sound, the voice is more geared towards oldschool warmth, and it can sound absolutely huge at lower volumes.
I sold my one10 to fund the purchase of a Barefaced 12" cabinet, and while the 12" is much more useful for me because it's loud enough for loud gigs, it's not as grand in the home. The 12" feels like it needs significantly more power to "wake up" and sound lively. When I have that level of volume, the plates in the kitchen cupboard start shaking when I hit a G.

With the one10, I felt like driving an ampeg 8x10 hard.

Just for comparison, I did try the PJB C4 cabinet against the one10 and found that the PJB is larger, heavier, but has less bass and sounds more sterile.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Here's an odd answer to your suggestion: Barefaced one10.

This cabinet is tiny, and it is light. However, it is my absolute favorite thing for home practice. It has a rich and full sound, the voice is more geared towards oldschool warmth, and it can sound absolutely huge at lower volumes.
I sold my one10 to fund the purchase of a Barefaced 12" cabinet, and while the 12" is much more useful for me because it's loud enough for loud gigs, it's not as grand in the home. The 12" feels like it needs significantly more power to "wake up" and sound lively. When I have that level of volume, the plates in the kitchen cupboard start shaking when I hit a G.

With the one10, I felt like driving an ampeg 8x10 hard.

Just for comparison, I did try the PJB C4 cabinet against the one10 and found that the PJB is larger, heavier, but has less bass and sounds more sterile.

One10 / One10T (passive or active)

Barefaced Audio, One 10 bass cabinet. Capable of gigging with a live drummer! The ultimate light weight, portable bass cab that doesn't sacrifice tone. It seems ludicrous that something so tiny could be useful and not just as a practice cab. But it is useful and rave reviews are coming in thick...

barefacedaudio.com

 

[matthewbrown]

I only play at home nowadays, and since I recently moved from an apartment to a house, I don't have to care too much about keeping the volume down anymore. Thus, I've started looking for something a bit beefier than my PJB Briefcase. Not that it's not loud enough, but it still sounds like a "small speaker" (because it is).

So, browsing around among Ampeg PF-20T and other nice things, I got the idea to simply start with a larger cab for the PJB. I suppose the kind of hi-fi quality of the Briefcase is largely caused buy the speakers rather than the amp itself, and since leaning more and more towards retro, "round" sounds, I could possibly solve that issue as well. Maybe.

So, what to look for? I don't want the largest and heaviest cab there is, because the house is very small (rather a cottage). But I want nice, fat low end, so a 15" or maybe 12" seems like a good idea. It doesn't have to be able to handle a lot of power, so SPL and "farting" at ridiculous volumes won't be an issue.

Obvious and common cabs to look for would be Ampeg and Fender, but I have no insight at all in their lineups.
I live quite remotely in northern Europe, so not much to try in the local stores unfortunately.

I love my GR, but it was definitely a splurge.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...the house is very small (rather a cottage).

What color is your house? I looked up Swedish cottage on Google; all the photos of them seem to be red.

If that is the case, perhaps something ike this would fit in and have a lot of WAF (assuming you have one).

 

[Wasnex]

The Briefcase sounds good, but is not very loud, especially if you want some fat. Using the Briefcase with a bigger speaker is something I actually considered as I needed a fairly loud battery powered rig.


The limiting factors are the minimum impedance the amp can run and the power handling of the speaker. I believe the original Briefcase was rated 110W at 4 ohms, 65W at 8 ohms, and 40W at 16 ohms. So the power handling of the cab is probably not a factor. AFAIK the internal speakers are 4 ohms, so they must be disconnected when using an extension cab.

An important secondary factor is the efficiency of the speaker. Many cabs have a sensitivity rating expressed 1W/1m. Basically this means 1 Watt is a applied and the resultant SPL is measured at a distance of 1 meter. From there you assume the SPL increase 3dB every time the power is double.

If you will always run on wall power, I would prioritize choosing a speaker that makes the most out of available power. 4 ohm drivers are often a bit less efficient than there 8 ohm counterparts. So don't assume its best to get a 4 ohm cab.

The decibel difference between 65W and 110W is 2.3dB. So if an 8 ohm cab has 3dB higher sensitivity than a comparable 4 ohm cab, the 8 ohm cab will play louder with available power .

Formula
Calculated SPL = 10Log(Usable Power) + Sensitivity at 1W/1m

Let's assume an 8 ohm cab with 97dB sensitivity and a 4 ohm cab with 94dB sensitivity.

• Calculated SPL 8 ohm cab = 10Log(65) + 97 = 115.1dB
• Calculated SPL 4 ohm cab = 10Log(110) + 94 = 114.4dB

The 8 ohm cab is louder, but 0.7dB is a very small difference.

One additional factor. If you run the amp on battery power, it will draw down the battery faster pushing the 4 ohms cabs at a higher power level.

FYI, The OM says the internal speaker are 4 ohms with sensitivity of 92d 1W1/m. At 110W the calculated SPL is 112.4dB.

Hope these ideas help you make an informed choice. Good luck!

 

[Makten]

Then…

View attachment 7283130

Did it.

First impressions is that the midrange is much nicer than the PJB combo. Very close to what I've had in mind. However, the bottom is not very deep at all, and I suspect that the amp simply has a low cut filter not to overwhelm the internal speakers. Might look into that next...

 

[Makten]

I love my GR, but it was definitely a splurge.

I have no idea of what a "GR" is.

The Briefcase sounds good, but is not very loud, especially if you want some fat. Using the Briefcase with a bigger speaker is something I actually considered as I needed a fairly loud battery powered rig.


The limiting factors are the minimum impedance the amp can run and the power handling of the speaker. I believe the original Briefcase was rated 110W at 4 ohms, 65W at 8 ohms, and 40W at 16 ohms. So the power handling of the cab is probably not a factor. AFAIK the internal speakers are 4 ohms, so they must be disconnected when using an extension cab.

An important secondary factor is the efficiency of the speaker. Many cabs have a sensitivity rating expressed 1W/1m. Basically this means 1 Watt is a applied and the resultant SPL is measured at a distance of 1 meter. From there you assume the SPL increase 3dB every time the power is double.

If you will always run on wall power, I would prioritize choosing a speaker that makes the most out of available power. 4 ohm drivers are often a bit less efficient than there 8 ohm counterparts. So don't assume its best to get a 4 ohm cab.

The decibel difference between 65W and 110W is 2.3dB. So if an 8 ohm cab has 3dB higher sensitivity than a comparable 4 ohm cab, the 8 ohm cab will play louder with available power .

Formula
Calculated SPL = 10Log(Usable Power) + Sensitivity at 1W/1m

Let's assume an 8 ohm cab with 97dB sensitivity and a 4 ohm cab with 94dB sensitivity.

• Calculated SPL 8 ohm cab = 10Log(65) + 97 = 115.1dB
• Calculated SPL 4 ohm cab = 10Log(110) + 94 = 114.4dB

The 8 ohm cab is louder, but 0.7dB is a very small difference.

One additional factor. If you run the amp on battery power, it will draw down the battery faster pushing the 4 ohms cabs at a higher power level.

FYI, The OM says the internal speaker are 4 ohms with sensitivity of 92d 1W1/m. At 110W the calculated SPL is 112.4dB.

Hope these ideas help you make an informed choice. Good luck!

The SVT-15E is definitely loud enough. It's just getting a bit too much with the amp at 12 o'clock, and at my usual volume it's at 9-10 AM or so. Would not be enough with a band though, but that was never the thought. And I won't ever run the PJB on batteries.

 

[Wasnex]

I have no idea of what a "GR" is.

GRBass – Pure Sound

www.grbass.com

 

[Wasnex]

The SVT-15E is definitely loud enough. It's just getting a bit too much with the amp at 12 o'clock, and at my usual volume it's at 9-10 AM or so. Would not be enough with a band though, but that was never the thought. And I won't ever run the PJB on batteries.

Sounds like you are good to go!

 

[matthewbrown]

I have no idea of what a "GR" is.


The SVT-15E is definitely loud enough. It's just getting a bit too much with the amp at 12 o'clock, and at my usual volume it's at 9-10 AM or so. Would not be enough with a band though, but that was never the thought. And I won't ever run the PJB on batteries.

Among other things, GR makes bass cabs. Cabinets – GRBass

 

[agedhorse]

Just found an Ampeg SVT-15E locally. They seem very well regarded and might fit the bill. A bit expensive at ~400€, but that is to be expected when you're not in central Europe or the US.
It's heavy though, at 32 kg. But SPL is a very low 98 dB/W/m, which should be nice if I want to push a small tube amplifier in the future.

What do you say?

98dB/1W/1M is not very low, in fact it’s quite high (especially compared with the speakers in your combo)

 

[Makten]

98dB/1W/1M is not very low, in fact it’s quite high (especially compared with the speakers in your combo)

Maybe I'm used to guitar speaker figures. Whatever, the internal speakers are about as loud as the SVT at the same volume.

Right now the rig looks like this. It's used for guitar as well, and I'm running a bit of "bi-amping" with the Marshall connected in dual with the PJB for bass too (sometimes). Pardon the rats nest of cables and pedals.