AudioKinesis 1x12 Cab Part Two

[Vic]

No physical harm, but it kind of defeats the purpose of getting a high-tech cab with exceptionally good dispersion characteristics...

Then I'd say it does do harm (I didn't specifically call out only physical harm ).

I wasn't sure if the horn dispersion pattern would be severely affected by laying on its side or not. Sounds like it would be. Of course the speaker doesn't care.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

I've been using larger heads (SWR and others) with small-footprint cabs for years, without incident. It's a simple thing to move the existing feet if required, or install an extra set in the area between them.

You know, I didn't think of this until just now, but it might be feasible to put rubber feet on the top of the cab. I use #8 x 3/4" coarse thread screws just driven into the soft Italian Poplar plywood to hold the feet onto the bottom; you could do the same thing on top. With the handle popped down, the bottom of a big amp would rest on the feet. I haven't seen enough big amps to know whether or not this would actually be feasible, so just tossing it out there at this point.

Also, as you indicated, the dispersion pattern of the horn is optimized to be wider in the horizontal plane than in the vertical, so laying the cab on its side would compromise that. Not saying someone can't try it, but the pattern with normal orientation is 90 degrees in the horizontal plane and 50 degrees in the vertical, crossed over roughly where the woofer's pattern is roughly 90 degrees (in both planes). So with the cab on its side, the horn's pattern width in the more-important horizontal plane would be only 50 degrees.

(Actually the woofer's pattern is a bit less than 90 degrees in the crossover region, but I don't think anybody has noticed it to be a problem.)

Duke

 

[Kael]

If Kael really wanted to do his Thunderfunk a favour, he could start placing it on a stand or small table, so that it isn't subject to vibration transfer from his cabs....

Good idea. Would you talk to the 8 other guys my red dirt act and convince them to yield the extra stage space?

 

[Passinwind]

Good idea. Would you talk to the 8 other guys my red dirt act and convince them to yield the extra stage space?

I've used my Quiklok stand with rack gear with my TC cab right underneath it a few times. Works fine and doesn't take up any extra onstage footprint space to speak of. One more thing to carry though...

 

[KJung]

Is there any harm in laying the TC112 on its side? And yes, the 750 is the same as the 550 as I recall, and if it's different, it's not by much, and would probably be bigger, not smaller would be my guess... but I think they're the same.

Per the above, you don't want to do that.

However, the Thunderfunk has those nice feet on the opposite side of the handle on the side of the amp, and it would set on its side just fine next to the cab. I forgot about those side feet.

That being said, Duke designed this cab to work optimally (both aesthetically, physically and mechanically) with a wide variety of micro heads. If I was really looking for the ultimate small rig that performs more like a medium sized rig, I'd pony up for a head that physically pairs well with the cab. With a nice micro (again, you can get the LMIII or F1/F500 within spitting distance of the Thunderfunk550 tone), you truly have a 'one trip wonder'!

IMO.

 

[shrigg]

You know, I didn't think of this until just now, but it might be feasible to put rubber feet on the top of the cab.

How about running the TC upside down? Its built-in feet would support the amp...

 

[babebambi]

Ok, let's have some fun, lol
You can put the cab on top of the amp too

 

[KJung]

Ok, let's have some fun, lol
You can put the cab on top of the amp too

One of the funniest gear things I ever was was a guy at one of our GTG's who had a massive Peavey tube amp (it was called the 400 or something... literally dwarfed an SVT). He used a single Bergantino HT112 with it, and just set the cab on top of the head. The head was literally twice the size and three times the weight of the cab.

It sounded killer!

 

[Vic]

One of the funniest gear things I ever was was a guy at one of our GTG's who had a massive Peavey tube amp (it was called the 400 or something... literally dwarfed an SVT). He used a single Bergantino HT112 with it, and just set the cab on top of the head. The head was literally twice the size and three times the weight of the cab.

It sounded killer!

I'm betting that was the "Classic 400" Seen'em. Pretty cool head, really, but way too massive for my tastes.

 

[Kael]

I'm betting that was the "Classic 400" Seen'em. Pretty cool head, really, but way too massive for my tastes.

+1. I'm not normally a tube head guy, but I really liked that head. I used to share a backline with a guy who gigged one. Didn't like the weight of course, but it had enough power to stay clean at loud.... no make that LOUD volumes if you wanted it to. He moved that head for a Mesa 400+ and I think he got the short end of the stick on that one honestly.

 

[KJung]

I'm betting that was the "Classic 400" Seen'em. Pretty cool head, really, but way too massive for my tastes.

That was it. I believe the head approached 100 pounds. It made the Glock Heartrock and the DB750 we had there seem like micro amps when we picked them up.

Funny as heck, with that monster head screaming through that little bitty Berg.

 

[tombowlus]

Not to get too far OT, but for a visual reference, here's a shot of not one, but two Classic 400's (both with the front panel removed) sitting on top of a Whappo, Jr.

 

[Lee Barker]

Elsewhere I have commented on this room--a local coffee shop (Green Plow Coffee Roasters)--and how difficult it has been to get the sound right. Lots of hard surfaces, a long narrow space that, for the first half of travel from the stage gets narrower! Getting the bass right has been as difficult as each of the other parts of the amplification puzzle.

Last night was the shortest sound check ever.

What you see is a GenzBenz 6.0 on a 110Shuttle cab atop the object of my auditory affection. The 110 kept the percussionist aware of what I was doing; the TC did the important stuff.

It was an incredible night. Not just the blend and transparency of the sound though.

In attendance was the visiting father of a friend who was a longtime San Francisco bassist until a crippling stroke. He sat right in front of me, knew every song we did (jazz standards) and was so delighted and gracious and involved in the music that it was difficult for me to give the rest of the folks fair eyetime.

These two things, the equipment and the connection with another kind-spirited musician, made me proud to be a part of the bass playing community.

 

[JimmyM]

Too bad TB doesn't have a "like" button, Lee. I'd definitely hit it for that post!

 

[loopee]

In your photo you show a GB with an 8 ohm cab and the TC is 4 ohm.....isn't that a NO NO?

 

[lomo]

In your photo you show a GB with an 8 ohm cab and the TC is 4 ohm.....isn't that a NO NO?

A head stable down to 4 Ohms is fine at 8, but not less than 4.

 

[Lee Barker]

In your photo you show a GB with an 8 ohm cab and the TC is 4 ohm.....isn't that a NO NO?

Thanks for bringing that up...I had not thought of Ohmossity in my quest for solving the sound issues.

Add it to the checklist, Jeeves!

 

[lomo]

Oops-now I see, 8 Ohm cab AND 4 Ohm cab....my bad.

 

[Derek Kiernan]

What you see is a GenzBenz 6.0 on a 110Shuttle cab atop the object of my auditory affection. The 110 kept the percussionist aware of what I was doing; the TC did the important stuff.

Did you try seeing how he could hear you with just the TC? That's part of the beauty of the wide dispersion. I'm not sure where you would gain benefit with the Shuttle speaker, maybe you liked the additional volume? 45 degrees off-axis with the TC is quite pleasant for monitoring or audience.

Nice story!

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Thanks for bringing that up...I had not thought of Ohmossity in my quest for solving the sound issues.

Add it to the checklist, Jeeves!

The Thunderchild presents a rather "gentle" 4-ohm load; it only barely dips south of 4 ohms at one frequency (about 1.8 kHz ballpark as I recall), and most of the time it's actually a bit north of 5 ohms. Perhaps more important, the phase angle of the impedance curve is relatively benign. So combined with an 8-ohm cab, it's not as nasty a load as one would normally think. And some amp manufacturers (Genz Benz for instance) build in a bit of extra margin in case their amps see a particularly nasty 4-ohm-rated speaker, in which case, as you demonstrated, you can get away with it as long as you don't push the amp too hard.

Now please don't tell anyone that the Thunderchild might more accurately be called a "5 ohm cab", because who in their right mind would buy a 5 ohm cab??