15" VS. 12" and 10" VS. 8" SPEAKERS

[Gus Borden]

It's often said that 15" speakers carry the low end, and that 10" speakers give you the "punch".

But are 12's a reasonable substitute for 15's in terms of carrying the low end and are 8's convey comparable punch to 10's?

Thanks !

 

[alexclaber]

It's often said that 15" speakers carry the low end, and that 10" speakers give you the "punch".

Unfortunately those saying it are making a horrible over-generalisation. The only thing nominal diameter tells you about a speaker is how big it looks! Tone is dependant on numerous different factors and nominal diameter is nowhere near the top of the list in its effect upon tone.

Off the top of my head I can think of a 15" that has more midrange punch than any 12", 10" or 8" you've heard and of an 8" that has more bottom than any 10", 12" or 15" you've heard.

Alex

 

[groove pump]

Yep, I think you need to let your ears make the judgment. I've been very pleasantly surprised by how big and alive a cab with multiple 8's could sound and some 15's out there seem to really bark out the mids. For some reason, I haven't really taken to 12's - can't say exactly why and I also haven't tried everything out there.

I'm a regular 4-string player and I don't look for too much of a hi-fi sound, so I like to play through a pair of 2x10's with the tweeters turned off. After some trial and error, my ears have found a comfort zone with this setup.

 

[Bassmec]

Unfortunately those saying it are making a horrible over-generalisation. The only thing nominal diameter tells you about a speaker is how big it looks! Tone is dependant on numerous different factors and nominal diameter is nowhere near the top of the list in its effect upon tone.

Off the top of my head I can think of a 15" that has more midrange punch than any 12", 10" or 8" you've heard and of an 8" that has more bottom than any 10", 12" or 15" you've heard.

Alex

Like Alex Says in 12" speakers you can go all the way from
Bling ding dangy pling:

As far as Blub blub bluby blub:

 

[JimmyM]

Do you have any that say "shoo-be-do-wop wa-oooooohh" or "rama-lama-ding dong"? That's what I need for Bowzer gigs

 

[Bassmec]

Do you have any that say "shoo-be-do-wop wa-oooooohh" or "rama-lama-ding dong"? That's what I need for Bowzer gigs

Yup!

How about these?

 

[JimmyM]

Excellent! Send 'em on over!

 

[Bassmickeyd]

I've said it before; a good 12" (EVL) in a well made TL style (front ported and loaded) cabinet will do everything your heart desires. Single 12" cabs can be added together as needed and separated across the stage for better dispersal.
15" are slower to respond than 12" speakers and a good 12" will go down as low as any 15" speaker.

 

[Bassmec]

Excellent! Send 'em on over!

Jimmy I think I have unearthed real photographic evidence of the existence of big foot living in LA in the eighties, see far right of picture.
Perhaps you could cast an expert eye over this, my latest important scientific anthropological discovery.

 

[Way Off Bass]

this looks shooped

i can tell from shooping a fair number of whoops in my day

 

[Dirk McQuickley]

I've said it before; a good 12" (EVL) in a well made TL style (front ported and loaded) cabinet will do everything your heart desires. Single 12" cabs can be added together as needed and separated across the stage for better dispersal.
15" are slower to respond than 12" speakers and a good 12" will go down as low as any 15" speaker.

What does "EVL" stand for?

Dirk McQuickley

 

[Bassmec]

What does "EVL" stand for?

Dirk McQuickley

Electrovoice 12" model L
Used in upmarket Mesa Boogie cabs and many others 100Db spl 1 watt 1 meter.
A very impressive driver all round.

 

[Thangfish]

[snip] 15" are slower to respond than 12" speakers [snip]

I have to play a quarter-beat ahead of the drummer just to stay in time, when I use my 15 cab!

 

[greenboy]

I have to play a quarter-beat ahead of the drummer just to stay in time, when I use my 15 cab!

My band uses 18" subwoofers. The kick drum is usually still playing the song we just finished when we've already started a new one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're going to get one hundred 1" subwoofers to time align better.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

What does "EVL" stand for?

Dirk McQuickley

He's probably referring to the EVM 12L, which, BTW, is a guitar driver. It works reasonably well on bass as well, but not nearly as well as modern bass drivers that weigh, and cost, less than half as much.
As for the size versus performance debate, Alex is correct. Driver size in and of itself means almost nothing. The only inherent advantage to a smaller driver/disadvantage to a larger driver is in the midrange dispersion. Otherwise broad generalizations about the differences based purely on driver size are unfounded speculation.

 

[Nook]

Could those speculations be based on "quality" of speakers commonly used in the bass cabinets? Those "slow" fifteens and such...

 

[alexclaber]

Could those speculations be based on "quality" of speakers commonly used in the bass cabinets? Those "slow" fifteens and such...

Any time that a bass guitar speaker is perceived as slow it is solely due to a lack of midrange and treble response where the listener's ears are. The claims that 15"s respond slowly are completely incorrect.

Alex

 

[LCMBassist]

I use a 1x15 and a 4x8. The 8s provide more punch than Mike Tyson on a bad day.

 

[SwamiRob]

Off the top of my head I can think of a 15" that has more midrange punch than any 12", 10" or 8" you've heard and of an 8" that has more bottom than any 10", 12" or 15" you've heard.

Alex

Whatever 15 could you be refering to?!

Like numerous people have pointed out diameters make little difference, the only difference been the one Bill has to mention every time a thread like this comes up.

However, is it cheaper to make larger speakers put out lows and vice versa? It would seem that is the case, either that or pretty much anyone who ever made a speaker is doing things on the cheap. I seem to remember being told by some sound guy that the bassiest sub had a 12" speaker or something, but I assume it costs alot more to make a smaller sub that puts out more lows then a larger one. Is that the case, or is there some other reason that people that make speakers seem to go with the bigger = bassier approach most of the time?

 

[adam precision]

I've got a 15 (orange) and a 4x10 (ampeg). The 15 is punchier than the 4x10 and the 4x10 is bassier that the 15. I am inlcined to agree that the speaker size alone doesn't give your tone type.