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210 or 112?
- Thread starter 15000volts
- Start date
- Dec 18, 2000
- 13,201
- 340
- Disclosures
- greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc
OK, simply using nominal speaker diameter to determine how much air is moved ignores so many variables that it's pointless. First, the nominal diameter (10" or 12") ignores the surround. Plus it totally ignores the shape of the cone which has a big impact on how much air is actually moved. Then, because not all 12" speakers are made to move the same amount within the magnet gap, they don't move as much air. And, these calculations totally ignore the cabinet. So, simple speaker size doesn't tell you anything about how it's going to sound. When we buy a speaker cabinet we're buying the entire system, not just some drivers in a box (well at least we hope so- some of the stuff out there is pretty iffy).
Now there might be some very general and vague conclusions we might be able to draw, but I suspect it's more marketing than physics. Because people expect cabinets with 12" speakers to sound a certain way, manufacturers might be inclined to voice the cabinet that way. But, in reality that's too much design work for most mass-market companies so they just make a box that's similar to everyone else's box and put a speaker that's pretty similar to everyone else's in the box.
It's come down to this. Unless you're pretty conversant with speaker specs and have a lot of experience listening critically to a lot of different boxes while knowing their specs, just about every advertised speaker cabinet (remember, it's the whole system you're hearing) is pointless. Efficiency? A rough idea, but unless each and every cabinet you're considering includes the frequency(ies) over which the spec was measured, it's meaningless. Frequency response? Again, every cabinet you're considering would have to list the spec based on exactly the same measurement, and express the result in the exactly the same parameters. +/1 3db WHERE? Or what about power rating? All it tells you is what power will cause the voice coil to melt, but you'll trash the cones well before that if you're not listening to what's coming out of the speakers.
The only specs that I pay attention to now are physical dimensions, weight, and price. Everything else is only determined by my ears when I play MY basses through MY amps.
John
Now there might be some very general and vague conclusions we might be able to draw, but I suspect it's more marketing than physics. Because people expect cabinets with 12" speakers to sound a certain way, manufacturers might be inclined to voice the cabinet that way. But, in reality that's too much design work for most mass-market companies so they just make a box that's similar to everyone else's box and put a speaker that's pretty similar to everyone else's in the box.
It's come down to this. Unless you're pretty conversant with speaker specs and have a lot of experience listening critically to a lot of different boxes while knowing their specs, just about every advertised speaker cabinet (remember, it's the whole system you're hearing) is pointless. Efficiency? A rough idea, but unless each and every cabinet you're considering includes the frequency(ies) over which the spec was measured, it's meaningless. Frequency response? Again, every cabinet you're considering would have to list the spec based on exactly the same measurement, and express the result in the exactly the same parameters. +/1 3db WHERE? Or what about power rating? All it tells you is what power will cause the voice coil to melt, but you'll trash the cones well before that if you're not listening to what's coming out of the speakers.
The only specs that I pay attention to now are physical dimensions, weight, and price. Everything else is only determined by my ears when I play MY basses through MY amps.
John
wow, you've managed to put one of my dream rigs and bass in one photo. well done. i could consider a fearful cab, indeed. they're available already built as well, right?
Most of my favorite cabs have been loaded with 12s. My least favorite cabs have been loaded with 10s.
I realize this means nothing and has more to do with individual cabinet design than anything else but it keeps me interested in 12s.
Also, the Bag End S-15D is one of the best 1x12s ever
I realize this means nothing and has more to do with individual cabinet design than anything else but it keeps me interested in 12s.
Also, the Bag End S-15D is one of the best 1x12s ever
It comes down to how far it moves air, not just what area.
Show me a square foot of air.
guys, I don't really care for all the maths you're fighting about. I won't even be really pushing my amp. If I go for cab X that gives moves less air than cab Z, i'll still have headroom to make up for that.
Sorry, man, but everyone's ears "lie". The only issue is whether that bothers you. Not saying it necessarily should; I'm perfectly happy labouring under any number of illusions most of the time (like "42 is the new 21", for example), but there's nothing to be gained by pretending they're not illusions. "Psychoacoustics" is a term that gets bandied about rather a lot here, but the basic premise is undoubtedly true -- our acoustical sense (as with all the other approximately 9-21 senses) cannot be isolated from all the other senses (even under experimental conditions), and even less from our cognitive processes without which we would obviously be unable to interpret any data.
All that said, if your 12s make you and your listeners happy, then rock on.
Signed:
A Fellow Twelver.
