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AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

#2,261
iamthebassplayr said:
Was lucky enough to get down to Santa Cruz and pick up a Monique and M700 from Jule Amps. The cab hunt begins-- Really interested in Duke's cabs. Just can't decide if I should pull the trigger on a 1203 now, or wait a bit and hear how the 15xx is killing! Rough life.
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My current gigging rig is a Monique, Crest ProLite 2.0 and two 1203 cabs. This rig is beyond fun! Monique is great, with tone for days. Then there is the Sensitivity adjustment!

You add Monique to a couple of 1203's with that impressive mid, and you get a real powerful rig.

If that's not enough, add the two switches on the 1203, and you can handle anything! No problems getting a great mix no matter what the venue.

Good luck with your decision.
 
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#2,262
99Z3 said:
I am a huge 15's fan! I have H1203's and I feel that they are massive for what they are! I too would be very curious about the 15's myself! I even would like to hear the H1855's!
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At a recent GTG in Toronto, I was surprised to find that I preferred both the first and second generation TC112's over an Arnopol composite (first-gen) TC115.

All three cabs sounded awesome, but something about the 15 masked some of the low end growl and detail that the twelves brought out.

My impression from other people's comments about the 1855, is that it's a whole different thing, with way more grunt and articulation than you would expect from such a large driver...
 
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#2,266
Willy B said:
Do you know long the wait is?
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For Jeff's cab, I think about 6 weeks. I should have the cut boards and a home with a workspace 3-4 weeks from now, and can get caught up.
 
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#2,267
Thanks! I was curious, as I plan on ordering one in the near future. The Hathor 1203 has been on my radar a while now, hearing nothing but good things. I had resigned myself to the thought that I wouldn't get to try one, that I'd stick with my current cabs and not buy any more gear but, when one came up for sale in the classifieds, I couldn't help myself. Got it last week and paired it with my Mesa Walkabout and I was blown away- I noticed a vast and immediate difference in the sound compared to my other cabs. It has really opened my eyes to what a speaker cabinet can do. So now, of course I want a second one.
 
#2,268
steve_rolfeca said:
At a recent GTG in Toronto, I was surprised to find that I preferred both the first and second generation TC112's over an Arnopol composite (first-gen) TC115.

All three cabs sounded awesome, but something about the 15 masked some of the low end growl and detail that the twelves brought out.

My impression from other people's comments about the 1855, is that it's a whole different thing, with way more grunt and articulation than you would expect from such a large driver...
Click to expand...
I sent my down payment to Duke last week for my Hathor 1855 or as spell check called it Hater 1855 !! Duke got a kick out of that!!I plan on it being a standalone cab for me should be Killer like the other cabs I have from Duke and Mike A.
 
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#2,269
steve_rolfeca said:
At a recent GTG in Toronto, I was surprised to find that I preferred both the first and second generation TC112's over an Arnopol composite (first-gen) TC115.

All three cabs sounded awesome, but something about the 15 masked some of the low end growl and detail that the twelves brought out.

My impression from other people's comments about the 1855, is that it's a whole different thing, with way more grunt and articulation than you would expect from such a large driver...
Click to expand...

I agree as far as the 15. I was never a fan of that driver.I'll tell you why. The QTS (damping) of that driver was initially stated as something like .34 which to me, is at the edge of what I like in reflex cabs. The higher the number, the less damping. For sealed boxes you want high because the spring of air provides the control. But that Kappalite 15 always sounded too loose and under damped to me. Well---quess what? Eminence changed the spec on that driver to a QTS of .46. I felt vindicated. I was wondering what was wrong. Don't get me wrong---a lot of guys like that. Actually, with two ports plugged I liked it better. IMO, .46 is more of a sealed box damping. Steve----I agree 100% with your findings. I loved the TC212. I forget what Duke's up to these days but I seem to remember something about a 212 with cone mids. With Duke's expertise, and as a fellow cab builder---that would scare me! I use drivers from the same series of Faitals and even without hearing it, I could see that the 1855 would have more growl and control than the TC115---but seriously, if you plugged ports I think that the TC115 would have more focus and growl.I think that that 18 is a different animal---it's not cone size, but the balance between the cone mass and power of the motor. And the Faital 1060 series has some serious horsepower in the motor department! And a 4" voice coil---much less thermal compression. Now if I could talk Duke out of any further 212 nonsense----
 
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#2,270
BTW, in other ways that composite TC115 is six different kinds of awesome. It's very loud and very full, it looks really sharp with the recessed corners and the red finish, and it weighs about the same as my little 112!

Deb, the owner, often takes it on the subway. Try doing that with an equivalently loud conventional retail cab, like a 2*15 or 3*10...
 
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#2,274
99Z3 said:
That is awesome to hear! I am looking forward to seeing how they will sound on a stage, but the first date isn't till the 24th of July as it stands right now.
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I love playing that rig outdoors. We have an excellent FOH support. Our sound guy is great. But being able to really open it up outdoors is a lot of fun! Sounds great without breaking a sweat. On my regular gig, house band in a theater, I barely see the drivers move. I actually saw some movement today.

People still can't get over how light they are. Bass cabs are supposed to be heavy I guess. :)
 
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#2,275
dmrogers said:
\

People still can't get over how light they are. Bass cabs are supposed to be heavy I guess. :)
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I know.. I told the guys that I am practicing with.. to pick up the cabs.. LOL.. they about hurt themselves! And I was right, when I arrived and walked in with them, I got that look from them of, umm "he thinks those are going to be good enough?!!!!!!"
 
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#2,276
Mike Arnopol said:
I agree as far as the 15. I was never a fan of that driver.I'll tell you why. The QTS (damping) of that driver was initially stated as something like .34 which to me, is at the edge of what I like in reflex cabs. The higher the number, the less damping. For sealed boxes you want high because the spring of air provides the control. But that Kappalite 15 always sounded too loose and under damped to me. Well---quess what? Eminence changed the spec on that driver to a QTS of .46. I felt vindicated. I was wondering what was wrong. Don't get me wrong---a lot of guys like that. Actually, with two ports plugged I liked it better. IMO, .46 is more of a sealed box damping. Steve----I agree 100% with your findings. I loved the TC212. I forget what Duke's up to these days but I seem to remember something about a 212 with cone mids. With Duke's expertise, and as a fellow cab builder---that would scare me! I use drivers from the same series of Faitals and even without hearing it, I could see that the 1855 would have more growl and control than the TC115---but seriously, if you plugged ports I think that the TC115 would have more focus and growl.I think that that 18 is a different animal---it's not cone size, but the balance between the cone mass and power of the motor. And the Faital 1060 series has some serious horsepower in the motor department! And a 4" voice coil---much less thermal compression. Now if I could talk Duke out of any further 212 nonsense----
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Mike (or Duke)
Is that the 4 ohm driver that Duke used in the TC115 cab for a time, now discontinued, or another? If so, I can confirm that it tightens up a lot with 2 ports plugged. I haven't gigged it with all 4 plugged - might try it to see how it compares.
 
#2,277
Yeah---my criticism is with 4 ports open. When you close two it's a different animal. The speaker is almost behaving like a sealed box---but with good extension. I've run Duke's cabinets that I've played with one port plugged on the TC112 and two on the TC115. You might have to goose the bass a small amount and maybe give up the tiniest bit of headroom because of it. I think that one (of the many) genius things about his cabs is the ability to change port tunings. I've always preferred this type of tuning. Kindof like sealed box control and ported efficiency/extension. As I said, you may give up the smallest bit of efficiency and ultimate volume---but I think that those tradeoffs are worth it. The TC212 I would run as is---punch and extension for days.

For me, plugging all ports is a bit much of a good thing. BTW---Duke can correct me on this if I'm wording it incorrectly, but with some ports plugged, the bass curve has a slow dropoff---like a sealed box---hence the need to goose the bass a bit---but because the box tuning lowers, the cabinet remains loaded to a lower frequency, so you actually can get more extension in the low end.

The more I think about it---the high QTS of the Kappalite 15 actually becomes an advantage with this cab. You can get a big enveloping low end with all ports open, and a close-to-sealed box envelope with two closed. Actually---the more I think about it---because the QTS is sitting between optimum for ported or sealed---it's kind of like having the option of a sealed or ported box in the same cab!
 
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#2,278
Have to clarify something. I was talking to Duke today. The woofer that I was hearing in the TC115's is a custom 4 ohm woofer. My addled brain did know that. It is a bit of a hybrid between the 3015 and 3015LF. Just like the 12 in the original TC112's. So the specs are different. Lower QTS. Maybe not as low as I like but better than the LF.The 3015lLF that I was listening to was in another designer's cabs.

I still love his cabs with half of the port area closed!
 
#2,279
Mike Arnopol said:
Have to clarify something. I was talking to Duke today. The woofer that I was hearing in the TC115's is a custom 4 ohm woofer. My addled brain did know that. It is a bit of a hybrid between the 3015 and 3015LF. Just like the 12 in the original TC112's. So the specs are different. Lower QTS. Maybe not as low as I like but better than the LF.The 3015lLF that I was listening to was in another designer's cabs.

I still love his cabs with half of the port area closed!
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So Mike what is the 15 Driver in the Composite TC115 that was created by you?I bought it from Ken Jung about a year or so ago so it was one of your early builds?It is a 4 ohm cab.Is this the one you like best with 2 ports closed and what ports do you like best with your TC212 Comp cab ?I know for sure you used Stock 3012 LF,s in it.
 
#2,280
Your 115 has Duke's custom Kappalite 15's. Now this is just my taste---I like a tighter bass response---I'm kindof a pizzicato funk/R&B/fusion guy. Most of ,my notes are stopped. With the 212 I ran 'em open.
 

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