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AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...
- Thread starter Thor
- Start date
- Nov 24, 2008
- 4,343
- 7,163
- Disclosures
- Owner & designer, AudioKinesis; Auth. mfg, Big E (Home Audio only)
Interesting idea... I hadn't really thought of that.
We'd have to pick which voicing we want, and "smooth" is considerably more expensive to do than "growly".
Well who the hell wants to be smooth when you can be growly for less.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,075
- 46,022
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
I think I've mentioned that idea in passing (who, me) before, given that I so rarely use the switches or port plugs (or the banana terminal input). And as usual, I'd vote for "accurate" over either smooth or growly. But I can also see economy of scale dictating that one build spec per cab might be your best bet.
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I prefer smooth, but accurate would be dandy since I like my smoove or growl to come from the bass.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,075
- 46,022
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Interesting.
I had the chance to pair my TC112v1 with another Thunderchild last year, at a GTG in Toronto. We drove them with a pair of G-K MB heads. The stack was louder, but I can't say it sounded better.
Every other cab I've ever had, sounded better in pairs. I think it's because they were a bit weak on the low end, and needed the coupling effect to sound their best.
In contrast, all the frequencies are already there with the Thunderchild. It has so much booty (without sounding boomy or inaccurate), that I sometimes use the port plugs to tame it in difficult halls.
- Nov 24, 2008
- 4,343
- 7,163
- Disclosures
- Owner & designer, AudioKinesis; Auth. mfg, Big E (Home Audio only)
If the goal is "keep the cost down", neither my Hathor nor my Thunderchild cabs are really optimized for that. Both series give a fairly high priority to meeting their respective tone goals. And particularly in my more recent cabs from both series, those tone goals include the permutations that the switchology brings.
If the end goal is a switchless, lower-cost general-purpose electric bass cab, starting with more of a "clean slate" may result in a more cost-effective solution.
Wouldn't that just put you in the position of 'making what everyone else makes'? Seems to me that what differentiates Audiokinesis from the rest is exactly what's now being considered for removal. That doesn't make a ton of sense of to me, though I suppose it could provide a gateway drug to the wonderful world of your cabs.
Nutdog gets it! A 1505 should be allowed to run free. I can see maybe a switch to reduce the output of the mid because, then you are forced to turn up the amps treble which therefore makes the woofer growl even more. People really don't understand that it is sometimes the limitations of regular cabs that force you to do things that get you the tone you want.
I agree with this but it would/might bring more people into the Audiokinesis family. I myself would love a small 15 cab with a paper cone mid driver and Dukes build quality and CS. I don't know of any cab builder doing this style of cab. Remember small and light is the key.
Well, I think if anyone can figure out a way to make a more affordable, 'traditional', cab that still sounds amazing, it's Duke.
I just happen to love the hi-fi smoothness of the Thunderchilds. Somehow the sound is pristine but still full of soul. With the Hathors there is the option of grittiness that so many like. Given that he's still a one-man operation, maybe the lower-tier cabs could be farmed out to someone else to construct if he finds a design he's comfortable with.
I just happen to love the hi-fi smoothness of the Thunderchilds. Somehow the sound is pristine but still full of soul. With the Hathors there is the option of grittiness that so many like. Given that he's still a one-man operation, maybe the lower-tier cabs could be farmed out to someone else to construct if he finds a design he's comfortable with.
Not to answer on behalf of Duke, but...
In my observation, the reason why Duke can make a business "go" of it by building and selling bass cabs is because he focuses on the high end, and boutique quality. This allows him to charge a premium, and thereby enjoy a reasonable enough profit margin to offset his inability to benefit from larger economies of scale, such as GK and Ampeg are able to do, for example.
Once he goes down market, even by a modest degree, he simultaneously compromises his strategic market advantage while reducing his profit margins - thus requiring him to build even more cabs, more quickly, to try to compensate quantitatively what he just gave up qualitatively. As a one-man show, performing all or virtually all of the labor himself, how's he ever going to find the time and energy to do that? And why would he ever want to?
MM
- Nov 24, 2008
- 4,343
- 7,163
- Disclosures
- Owner & designer, AudioKinesis; Auth. mfg, Big E (Home Audio only)
Gateway drug - I like that!
I'll shoot you a message, you're sort of in a unique position to evaluate what I have in mind because of the cabs you've used.
