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Anyone have experience with the Cerwin Vega B-36-MF?

cass misri

cass misri

Jan 2, 2023
35
63
#1
I currently use an acoustic 370/301 right now, and the sound is amazing. The only problem is the size of the thing, it’s pretty intimidating for anything short of a large performance. I found some Cerwin Vega B-36-MFs and I think they have the same 18” folded horn, plus a 12”, which I could pair with the same 370 head I use now.

Anyone have anything to say about these cabinets, size/sound wise? I haven’t heard much about anyone using them.
 
#2
It's not the same LF horn as the 'W'-type found in the Acoustic cab, but the performance is probably pretty similar; both horns originated with Gene Czerwinski of Cerwin-Vega. B-36s (without the MF driver) were a real staple of disco installations in the late '70s and early '80s -- they offer a lot 'thump' in a small-ish package, but it's not much of a 'full-range' cab. Of course, it wasn't intended to be, and the 12" mid driver would address the problems with MF response that all folded horns have, but I don't know that would make it a decent bass cab. I think that if you like the sound of your 301 cab, you'd probably like the B-36, especially if you feel the 301 is lacking in clarity or midrange focus. Since the 12 is just a mid driver, you could replace it with a modern, high-performance driver without worrying to much about enclosure volume and tuning. If you really wanted to hop up the performance, you could bi-amp the cab instead of using the 400Hz passive crossover, but of course that's quite a big jump from using your 370 head.
 
#7
for no technical reason I’ll share that I met a bunch of Cerwin Vega folks at a music industry party in topanga canyon a few decades ago.

They were extremely cool people in that California technical redneck kind of way. You may or may not know the type but they are v important to musical instrument and aerospace progress.
 
#10
I had one as part of a bi-amped rig(Yamaha PB-1 pre, QSC power amp)in the mid-80’s. Worked fairly well, the front-firing 12” did OK in offsetting the long-throw boom of the 18”. The shorter but deeper aspect of the cab was a bit weird in terms of transport, but not impossible. I got it up and down stairs, it was a workout, but I moved on.
 
#11
cass misri said:
I currently use an acoustic 370/301 right now, and the sound is amazing. The only problem is the size of the thing, it’s pretty intimidating for anything short of a large performance. I found some Cerwin Vega B-36-MFs and I think they have the same 18” folded horn, plus a 12”, which I could pair with the same 370 head I use now.

Anyone have anything to say about these cabinets, size/sound wise? I haven’t heard much about anyone using them.
Click to expand...
Well I had one for many years and it was amazing when I was playing backyard parties people 2blocks away could feel the bass it has a nice smooth low end along w/ tight upper mid bass different heads gave the cab diff characteristics in a good way kinda hi def bass system more than an SVT cab wish I had today.
 

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