AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

[slagheap]

With my 1203s & AmStd P I start with all switches " up " for the clearest, most dry gravel P Bass tone. If the song requires something a bit more round & bottomy, " smoother, " ( or if the clarity seems too revealing of faulty technique or lack of practice time with a particular tune, ) I begin to experiment with the " down " positions and always come up with something suitable. Haven't begun to mess with the ports & plugs, but anticipate doing so in the future and I'm sure that will be interesting.

 

[nostatic]

Here in Texas, I'm thinking, we don't need no stinkin' switches...

I'm in Houston right now, was at Johnson space center. I saw lots of switches today

 

[Marial]

An act of congress... hmmm... would it help if I made the switches toggle left and right instead?? Just set them according to the audience demographic...

Depends on your definition of 'act of congress". Up, down, left, right.... they could all work depending on your flexibility.

As we say in the Breeders thread...

#nopolitics

 

[tombowlus]

Thank you Tom, that's what I would have thought would work best for upright bass, being the hi-est fi-est settings.

Relative to the Thunderchild 112, did you miss more the mids, or the highs?

On my old Kay, and in the context that I play it, I didn't miss anything. That being said, I would think that for a more pure jazz or orchestral tone, I'd miss the sweet high end of the TC.

 

[Turn Em Loose]

I run them both up, did with electric upright and the rob Allen. But I'm profoundly lazy so it takes an act of congress for me to change the switches..

HA! I'm the same same! Both switches up for both EB and URB, and I'm lazy!

 

[Turn Em Loose]

I have a question or two particularly for those of you who have played double bass through the Hathor 1203 (comments from electric bass players welcome as well):

1. What switch settings do you usually use for the mids (bottom switch) and highs (top switch)?

And,

2. If you have the highs running fullrange (top switch up), ideally would you like a more extended and/or smoother top end?

Thanks!

1) Both up.
2) I don't need more top end. Don't need less, either! Or if I DO need less I control it at the bass (EB) or amp (URB).

 

[steubig]

i'm finding that i like the mids switch down. i'm not playing upright, but i am going for a non-trad ebass sound. the highs switch can be up or down depending on bass or style of music.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

I run them both up, did with electric upright and the rob Allen...

HA! Both switches up for both EB and URB.

I don't need more top end. Don't need less, either! Or if I DO need less I control it at the bass (EB) or amp (URB).

Thank you both very much!

On my old Kay, and in the context that I play it, I didn't miss anything. That being said, I would think that for a more pure jazz or orchestral tone, I'd miss the sweet high end of the TC.

Very helpful. Thanks!

When I play recordings of double bass, I like 'em better through the Thunderchild, but I wasn't sure if the pickups used when you gig have as much top-end extension as an expensive studio microphone.

i'm finding that i like the mids switch down. i'm not playing upright, but i am going for a non-trad ebass sound. the highs switch can be up or down depending on bass or style of music.

Thank you! Do you have a preference between the mids on the Hathor 1203 (switch down of course) and the mids on the Thunderchild 112?

 

[steubig]

Thank you! Do you have a preference between the mids on the Hathor 1203 (switch down of course) and the mids on the Thunderchild 112?

interesting question. i think i came to the hathor mids switch being down and the highs switch being up as it more closely approximated the tc112v1 with highs switch up. (well, the hathor has a little bit more apparent high end, but i wonder if that has to do with the dispersion from the horn versus the 3-inch driver.) for mids . . . in general, i think the tc blurs a little bit more (more interaction in the overtones) when playing close voicings with 7ths, 2nds, 3rds and the like. (that's a good thing.) so i guess i prefer the tc a little big because of that. the high-end sheen is mo betta on the hathor.

caveat: i'm not as astute as many of these guys. after a while it gets into, "uh, that's the sound i like."

 

[DukeLeJeune]

interesting question. i think i came to the hathor mids switch being down and the highs switch being up as it more closely approximated the tc112v1 with highs switch up.

Totally makes sense.

(well, the hathor has a little bit more apparent high end, but i wonder if that has to do with the dispersion from the horn versus the 3-inch driver.)

I looked at my measurements and actually the 1203 has a pretty substantial peak at about 12 kHz... in fact, I should be claiming 14 kHz top end extension instead of 12 kHz. My guess is the 3" cone's emphasis in that region is what you're hearing, plus if yours is a first-generation Thunderchild with the rectangular horn (pardon my lousy memory), then its dispersion in the vertical plane is not all that great.

for mids . . . in general, i think the tc blurs a little bit more (more interaction in the overtones) when playing close voicings with 7ths, 2nds, 3rds and the like. (that's a good thing.) so i guess i prefer the tc a little bit because of that.

I'll try to figure out what would contribute to that interaction between the overtones you're talking about. Thanks for letting me know!

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Hey @DukeLeJeune, the mids switch down is "flat"? And the mid switch up is "adding upper mids"? Or do I have that wrong?

BTW: That 1533 is just rockin' my world! Well....My basement world. I don't know if it's the fact that it's a 15 or if it's the two 3's or the crossover or what. But man.....I love it!!

I'm going to use it NYE but then after that who knows. I've been so busy with life this Fall (some of it good and some of it not-so-good) that I have not been hustlin' gigs. And it really REALLY shows for 2017. It ain't lookin' good for the ol' Diaper Geni.

The rugrats: "Daddy, I'm hungry!"
Me: "Shutup and eat your dog food. Put some water in it to make a gravy. And it'll make your hair nice and shiny."

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Hey @DukeLeJeune, the mids switch down is "flat"? And the mid switch up is "adding upper mids"?

Conceptually, that's it.

Actually down isn't quite "flat", but it's something that I think sounds better than "flat" for electric bass.

BTW: That 1533 is just rockin' my world! Well....My basement world. I don't know if it's the fact that it's a 15 or if it's the two 3's or the crossover or what. But man.....I love it!!

Thank you sir! Maybe I should go after the basement cab market?

Me: "Shutup and eat your dog food. Put some water in it to make a gravy. And it'll make your hair nice and shiny."

Mom tells me that I was raised on Jim Dandy dog food. Apparently I refused baby food once I'd had a taste of what the dog was feasting on, and sometimes she just didn't have the energy to fight with me about it. I don't remember if there was gravy involved.

My hair was indeed nice and shiney!

 

[Snaxster]

Maybe I should go after the basement cab market?

That right there is quotable.

Snaxster's first derivation of LeJeune's 'basement postulate': If it sounds good on the stage, it will sound good in the basement.

 

[steubig]

I looked at my measurements and actually the 1203 has a pretty substantial peak at about 12 kHz... in fact, I should be claiming 14 kHz top end extension instead of 12 kHz. My guess is the 3" cone's emphasis in that region is what you're hearing, plus if yours is a first-generation Thunderchild with the rectangular horn (pardon my lousy memory), then its dispersion in the vertical plane is not all that great.



I'll try to figure out what would contribute to that interaction between the overtones you're talking about. Thanks for letting me know!

that 12k vs. 14k thing makes sense to me (as in maybe i'm hearing that). does that mean the lower range on the highs switch is also higher?

how do the hathor 15s work in that regard? 12 or 14?

yes, i have the tc112v1. with the large rectangular horn (not the butt cheeks).

i think the mids thing i'm talking about happens with only a few amps or having to really tweak the mids on other amps (or so i'm finding using my tecamp puma 500/bonaifide, which do it really well, and nostatic's mesa d-800+, which i've borrowed for a few days and needs more working to get that quality). i think it's a really beautiful sound.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

that 12k vs. 14k thing makes sense to me (as in maybe i'm hearing that). does that mean the lower range on the highs switch is also higher?

No change to the lower range on the highs switch... with the highs (top) switch down, my cabs are gently rolling off north of about 3.5 kHz. That seems to me to be high enough to take advantage of the better dispersion of whatever mid or tweet is in play (as opposed to the beamy top end of a big cone), but low enough to reduce string noise and/or make the cab more "dirt friendly". That being said, I am open to suggestions, as you guys are the experts on what bass players want.

how do the hathor 15s work in that regard? 12 or 14?

For anything using the 3" cones, I should have claimed 14 kHz top end instead of 12 kHz top end. I'll try to get the changes up on my website before too long.

 

[maisbass]

Hey @DukeLeJeune ,

My three cents...

To answer your switch position question. Obviously this is dependent on the style of music, instruments, fx, etc.

On my main gig I play 85% electric bass and 15% synth bass with my korg r3 keyboard. We play a wide range of music from 50's to present, but mostly concentrate on dance r&b music, and 80's new wave synth pop. I also use a Future Impact synth pedal to cop some of the 80's stuff instead of using my keys.

Considering all stated above I find it best with both the 1203's and TC112v1 top switch up bottom switch down. Honestly I also prefer this configuration with my electric bass as well. I have found with the 1203's in full nasty mode (both switches up), it can be a bit much for my ears over a 4 hour gig. Also this mode doesn't always play nice when using some lush fx and synth fx. I especially don't care for that setting when playing my korg r3 as well. It just adds a bit too much bite. Definitely need a smoother sound. If I were doing a metal gig or a Rush / Yes type of gig, well then 1203's in full nasty mode is perfect.

Sometimes I wish the 1203 had a bit more top end extension, but in the end, I think I prefer the TC112 more anyway due to the lower and higher end extension it provides, and due to the mids being a bit smoother.

When I play my classic rock gig, my Nordy VPJ5 gets the call paired with the 1203's in full nasty mode because I'm looking for that aggressive mid bark that both the bass and 1203's provide.

So to make a long story long (lol), I really think it depends on the music your covering. But I agree it is great to have options and I'm glad you offer them on your cabs with a flick of a switch.

 

[slagheap]

Hathor. 1203s. D800. sounding. so. good. tonight.
thnx Duke & thnx all who post in the AK thread ( Tom Bowlus' input on the 1203s got a little extra consideration - i figured he hears a helluva' lot of different gear. )

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Hathor. 1203s. D800. sounding. so. good. tonight.
thnx Duke & thnx all who post in the AK thread ( Tom Bowlus' input on the 1203s got a little extra consideration - i figured he hears a helluva' lot of different gear. )

Uhhhh.....Pics??

C'mon, man. You know the rules.

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Thank you sir! Maybe I should go after the basement cab market?

If I don't hustle up more work I'm in that "market"!

 

[steubig]

No change to the lower range on the highs switch... with the highs (top) switch down, my cabs are gently rolling off north of about 3.5 kHz. That seems to me to be high enough to take advantage of the better dispersion of whatever mid or tweet is in play (as opposed to the beamy top end of a big cone), but low enough to reduce string noise and/or make the cab more "dirt friendly". That being said, I am open to suggestions, as you guys are the experts on what bass players want.

imo, it's all useful. i was messing around with these a quite a lot the last few days, as i was comparing two amps and using both the tc112v1 and hathor 1203 to do it. one thing that stuck me is that the more pronounced kids on the hathor masks the low end some—that might be why people thought the hathor1533 had more low end.

For anything using the 3" cones, I should have claimed 14 kHz top end instead of 12 kHz top end. I'll try to get the changes up on my website before too long.

i just want to know these things because of my little project . . .