• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass 8" speaker recommendations

neddyrow

neddyrow

www.simmerinstew.com
Apr 21, 2011
2,309
3,136
Cortland, NY
#1
i've got a talented friend down the road who wants to build me a cabinet. I have been having great luck with my 2x10 and even stacking a second on vertically at bigger shows. The problem I am having is that some of the places I play, the sound gets a little boomy. I see that many of you jazz guys are playing with 5,6 and 6.5" speakers. I'd like to try a cabinet that has 4 - 8" speakers in a vertical column. I am curious as to what the best 8" speaker would be for a DB. I have liked the eminence 10" but have a feeling that there is something more suited to a DB. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
#3
Oops. Sorry. DB.

I am looking at the eminence beta 8 alpha 8 and the patriot 8. All a little different. Seems the beta with a sealed back or the patriot might work. I plan on putting these in a sealed cabinet.
 
#5
I've got a pair of older single 8" yamaha PAS pa monitor speakers (the hard plastic cabinets) that I loaded these faital pro speakers into. Excellent for double bass. I always use a high pass filter in this scenario, orginally an fdeck, and more recently the one on my Grace Designs Alix preamp. Otherwise you risk blowing drivers. Sometimes I use just one as a bass monitor. I think this might be the driver that Audiokinesis uses in the 4x8 Birdhaus cabinet they build.

http://www.usspeaker.com/faital pro 8fe200-1.htm

EDIT: Looks like Audiokinesis uses the 16-ohm version of the Faital 8PR200.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: neddyrow
#6
I looked at Faital. They seem like a good match. Specifically the 8RS250. Low frequency, can handle 200w and is made for low distortion and a clean sound.

But at $170each, this is going to get expensive fast! Maybe the fe-200s MRPC recommended will do a decent job at a fraction of the cost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MR PC
#7
If you've liked those SVT 210's vertically, using eminence or faital in a vertical 4x8 sealed cabinet will be an interesting experiment. This won't be a whole lot different than the old Shure Vocalmaster. Peavey, Yamaha. ect pa columns which always worked pretty well for low volume DB after everyone stopped laughing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ric Vice and neddyrow
#8
my builder friend suggested that we use one-ply walnut...anyone use this for cabinets?

seems like a good choice - solid and pretty...and not as heavy as walnut boards.

the plan is to stain the wood about the same color as the shoe polish finish on my upton standard
 
  • Like
Reactions: MR PC
#11
Keep in mind that the book sound you are getting from the 2-10 has little or nothing to do with driver size. Phil Jones Bass makes cabs with 5" drivers that will break your rib cage.

With bass it is all about cabinet tuning. Is your friend factoring that In? Does he know how to to speaker physics/math or is he just a good "cabinet maker"? That 8" driver cab could wind up being more boo.y than your 10" driver cabs depending on the inner dimensions, sealed/ported/vented, what size and placement of any ports or vents, etc. Driver size has little or nothing to do with it. In fact, every 4-10 cab I have ever owned had more low frequency response (more boomy) than any 1-15 cab I have ever owned.

Good luck with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: neddyrow
#12
yes.... he and i are aware of the driver size myth and the importance of the cabinet itself.

we have started looking at the conversions for cab size using some of the links on the BG side. it is going to be tough since we don't want a ported cab and want to shade a little on the smaller size of the box. plus most of the info we have looked at focuses on 10", 12", 15" and 18" cabs. it may take a few tries to find the smallest most effective cab size but, its more of a fun project to spend quality time with my buddy.

i do like the phil jones setup you mentioned ... that is kinda what i am going for!

like i said, i'm happy with my setup overall, just thinking outside the box....pun intended ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: MR PC
#13
neddyrow said:
yes.... he and i are aware of the driver size myth and the importance of the cabinet itself.

we have started looking at the conversions for cab size using some of the links on the BG side. it is going to be tough since we don't want a ported cab and want to shade a little on the smaller size of the box. plus most of the info we have looked at focuses on 10", 12", 15" and 18" cabs. it may take a few tries to find the smallest most effective cab size but, its more of a fun project to spend quality time with my buddy.

i do like the phil jones setup you mentioned ... that is kinda what i am going for!

like i said, i'm happy with my setup overall, just thinking outside the box....pun intended ;)
Click to expand...

Then, by all means have fun! If you get a chance, share your findings with the bass guitar side as well. They (we) would probably find it very interesting. Thanks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: neddyrow
#14
neddyrow said:
yes.... he and i are aware of the driver size myth and the importance of the cabinet itself.

we have started looking at the conversions for cab size using some of the links on the BG side. it is going to be tough since we don't want a ported cab and want to shade a little on the smaller size of the box. plus most of the info we have looked at focuses on 10", 12", 15" and 18" cabs. it may take a few tries to find the smallest most effective cab size but, its more of a fun project to spend quality time with my buddy.

i do like the phil jones setup you mentioned ... that is kinda what i am going for!

like i said, i'm happy with my setup overall, just thinking outside the box....pun intended ;)
Click to expand...

I believe most of the good speaker makers have the specs available for optimum box sizing on each speaker. That might be very helpful.
 
#16
ok....thread revived.

we are now in the planning stage. we both got delayed with life. the project is back on. we decided on a 3x8 over a 4x8 setup and are using baltic birch instead of MDF. now i have a few more questions:

1) should we wire in series or parallel?
2) is a crossover needed if we are using 3 of the same drivers?
3) i want the cabinet to be sealed to get a tighter sound but most cabs i've been looking at like MAS and other upright devoted cabs, they are ported. should i look into changing our design to add a port?

any help would be appreciated

thanks
 
#17
neddyrow said:
I have been having great luck with my 2x10 and even stacking a second on vertically at bigger shows. The problem I am having is that some of the places I play, the sound gets a little boomy.
Click to expand...

If you’ve been having great luck with that cab, I’d go with the HPF suggestion or suggest that you raise the cab off of the floor. Unless you’re intent on having another cab, of course.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Povl Carstensen
#18
I have 2 hpfs. One fdeck and a custom built hpf and lpf from broughton audio. They work great for most shows. I'd like a new cab and nothing I see out there is really what I am looking for. The Ampeg is a good cab but still sounds like a BG. Even with my Ten2 and hpf, I'm still wanting something better.

Like I said, I have a friend who owes me a big favor and wants to build me a cab. So I'd really like some help with the design.

I just want to try something new. Nobody makes a 3x8 so I need help with the design. If it sounds bad, we will redesign. I'm a science teacher by trade and am itching to experiment.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back