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Double Bass Acme B2 with Crazy8??

flbass82

flbass82

Guest
Apr 3, 2013
403
20
Florida
#1
Like the title states, has anyone tried pairing the Acme B2 with a Crazy8 on jazz gigs where you just needed a little "extra?" I know that many people have said to be careful with what you pair with the acme due to its unique voicing, but I am curious about this setup.

Oh, and this would be run into my ai clarus head series ii.
 
#3
It's not that simple. You should consider what will be the combined impedance. If your Acme B2 is 4 ohms, then combining it with a Crazy 8 (8 ohms) may drop the impedance too low for some amps. Adding cabs in parallel will only allow you to develop more power up to a certain point. Drop the impedance too low and you'll exceed the current capability of an amp. In any case, what's important here is not so much the additional power developed but the additional sound-pressure level. Thus, my montra, "Think SPL. not watts."

The B2 is not all that sensitive (93 dB SPL/1 watt @ 1 meter). I don't have the sensitivity spec for the Crazy 8 but by combining them, it may be that it is the B2 that would get lost. Remember, every 3 dB corresponds to a doubling of power.

I've posted in much more detail about the complexities of combining cabinets here. You might find it helpful.
 
#4
flbass82 said:
Like the title states, has anyone tried pairing the Acme B2 with a Crazy8 on jazz gigs where you just needed a little "extra?" I know that many people have said to be careful with what you pair with the acme due to its unique voicing, but I am curious about this setup.

Oh, and this would be run into my ai clarus head series ii.
Click to expand...

Fl Bass 82

I've played into the B2 on several occasions, because of their extended low frequency they require more amplifier power, than Andy's other designs. You also didn't mention whether you the 4 Ohm or 8 ohm version of the cabinet. I'm assuming you have the 8 ohm or you wouldn't even be considering connecting the two together.



I'm not sure that adding the Crazy 8 will give you any benefits. Andy's own description states "Accurate. Power hungry. Massive low end". Andy's B1's are great DB cabinets, and I think a better match for your Clarus head as are the Crazy 8's.

Ric
 
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#5
Drurb,
He's using a Clarus which will handle 2 ohms all night. I've used the same amp with two 4 ohm B1's and the Clarus doesn't get warm. My experience running a 4 ohm B1 with an 8 ohm Crazy8 compared to two B1's tells me that the OP's idea is risky to the 8. I don't think Andy would like it. Granted, I've never owned a B2 so maybe it's all theory.
 
#6
Ric Vice said:
Fl Bass 82

I've played into the B2 on several occasions, because of their extended low frequency they require more amplifier power, than Andy's other designs. You also didn't mention whether you the 4 Ohm or 8 ohm version of the cabinet. I'm assuming you have the 8 ohm or you wouldn't even be considering connecting the two together.



I'm not sure that adding the Crazy 8 will give you any benefits. Andy's own description states "Accurate. Power hungry. Massive low end". Andy's B1's are great DB cabinets, and I think a better match for your Clarus head as are the Crazy 8's.

Ric
Click to expand...

I do have a 2ohm capable head, but I am not going to try this after comments and just doing more research.
 
#7
Greg Clinkingbeard said:
Drurb,
He's using a Clarus which will handle 2 ohms all night. I've used the same amp with two 4 ohm B1's and the Clarus doesn't get warm. My experience running a 4 ohm B1 with an 8 ohm Crazy8 compared to two B1's tells me that the OP's idea is risky to the 8. I don't think Andy would like it. Granted, I've never owned a B2 so maybe it's all theory.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know the Clarus can handle 2-ohm loads. I was making a more general statement but I should have made that clearer and mentioned the Clarus specifically. Thanks for pointing that out.

There is absolutely nothing that would be risky to the Crazy 8 by connecting it in parallel with the Acme B2. The combination would present to the amp a load of 2.6 ohms. 2/3 of the total current would be drawn by the Acme (assuming the 4-ohm version) while 1/3 would be drawn by the Crazy 8. The wattage developed across the Acme would be twice that developed across the Crazy 8. That's 3 dB. All one would need would be for the Crazy 8 to be 3-dB more sensitive than the Acme (which it likely is) for them to yield the same overall SPL. This glosses over response and phase differences as described in the link I provided above. That link explains why it's usually not a good idea to combine two different cabs.
 
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#8
flbass82 said:
I do have a 2ohm capable head, but I am not going to try this after comments and just doing more research.
Click to expand...

+1 I own a EA VL 208 and have used a EA VL 210 many times, they also have great low frequency response, like Andy's B2's, which comes at a price. You have to have a powerful enough amplifier to
use them effectively. In a concert hall or acoustically friendly room they sound exceptional, but unfortunately that's not always the case. Those beautifully reproduced lows, can become a problem
when the room you're playing in isn't designed for them. Just my opinion.

Ric
 

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