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AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

#6,601
The switches are a nice addition to tailor your sound to a certain voice they provide.
That being said not everyone will agree with the preset frequencies the switches allow you to adjust.
But with the addition of the port plugging option, Duke's cabs offer more adjustment than just about
any cab on the market, before you have to touch your preamp controls.
 
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#6,602
Plus, while tone controls are handy and can sometimes lead to beneficial results, they sometimes screw things up - even as you are trying to fix other things. Duke's crossover designs, the components he uses, and the implementation of his switches have - in my experience - lead to more consistent and reliable results than trying to fix things with EQ. That being said, not all tone stacks are created equal, and some can do a better job than others of fixing what you want to fix, without mucking up other frequencies.
 
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#6,603
Ain't that a fact.Hit it on the money.. ..

PS I hate EQing to fix tuff. but its what we have become used to over decades of doing. It's a hard habit to break...

tombowlus said:
Plus, while tone controls are handy and can sometimes lead to beneficial results, they sometimes screw things up - even as you are trying to fix other things. Duke's crossover designs, the components he uses, and the implementation of his switches have - in my experience - lead to more consistent and reliable results than trying to fix things with EQ. That being said, not all tone stacks are created equal, and some can do a better job than others of fixing what you want to fix, without mucking up other frequencies.
Click to expand...
 
#6,604
Duke's answer, above, regarding speaker thermal and mechanical limitations was some high-quality info delivery. Nicely explained and much appreciated; thank you!

In other news, today I tried driving my Birdhaus 48 with the little Dean Markley guitar amp chassis (model K-20; 15 watts @ 4 ohms) that I used to use as a sort of bottom-feeder "Marshall plexi-esque bass preamp." But today I skipped the line out jack and power amp part of the equation and just cranked the 15W internal amp up and drove the cab directly. Sounded really good! Pretty much the same sound I have tweaked up in my normal Zoom bass preamp using its Marshall Superbass model, actually, and happily, when the little Dean Markley's post gain knob is floored, it compresses a little bit and even has a pretty similar response/feel to what I normally use. The Birdhaus is efficient enough that the 15 watts feels loud for practice--enough to rattle sheetmetal file cabinets and framed pictures--but not painfully so. It wouldn't keep up with rock drums, of course, but it could probably gig a small venue with acoustic guitars and maybe a drummer with brushes.

Since the Dean Markley has a guitar-specific 3-band passive EQ, with a bass frequency center that is probably too high for bass, I found the pluggable ports very useful: at home it sounds a little congested with the one or both of the ports plugged and I can't EQ my way around it with the onboard EQ...not enough control in the right place. But with both ports unplugged and the treble and mids floored, it sounds really great. I'm on the drive channel but with the gain down low, maybe 9 o'clock, and it's only 15 watts, so I don't have to worry about lack of speaker excursion control by running the ports open. They just serve as sort of a last-stage low-end-response shaper. Once again, variable port area to the rescue!

I wish I had some low volume or acoustic jam buddies to try it out with, but if nothing else, this will save me toting my power amp back and forth from home to practice, and I will be sure to try the Dean Markley next time I have to record some bass. Cool!
 
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#6,605
Some loud power trio nonsense tonight. No second cab necessary.

IMG_20171121_194852.jpg
 
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#6,608
Lowendtech said:
Nice, but 2 J basses now?:woot:
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Thumper said:
Curious about the change from Fodera to Sadowsky, is the reason for the change explained anywhere? Just curious, I personally never bonded with either despite how great they are. Also, wasn there a Rob Allen in the rotation at one time?
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Not so much a change as me trying some new things. I still have the YYD and the Undstandard fretless, as well as the Rob Allen. I rotate what I take out on gigs depending on the ensemble. I'm working through what the JJ basses have to offer, but really dig the 4'banger. One of the main features is 7.7 lbs so I can play standing on a gig with no discomfort. The YYD isn't bad at 8.8, RA is 6.8 :D
 
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#6,610
noahw1 said:
Where was this? I'd love to see you play sometime. Trip in Santa Monica, perhaps?
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yup - i'm a regular offender there, though I won't be there in Dec. Should be back in Jan with some lineup - always changes.

Last night was first time for this power trio, doing open jam. This is what happens when guitarist says, "play something and we'll figure it out" :D

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#6,615
Snaxster said:
:laugh:

True. But the reviews were GAS-inducing.
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Actually, now that I read nostatic's post more closely, there may have been more substance to the effort than I originally thought. I am not above (and am often below) grade-school humor, but I think I'll stop before we take this thread down the drain, fecund soil though this be.
 
#6,620
mexicanyella said:
Isn't this supposed to be kind of a high-end thread? Like, I'm probably the only guy playing a Squire Affinity P through an AK cab? This thread is making me feel insecure now; staking out the lowbrow end of the spectrum is part of my identity, man!
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See the fretless P-bass in my avatar photo? Squier Affinity body with a Mighty Mite neck, both used. Upgraded the pickups and pots, but played it without those upgrades for a good while and got lots of compliments on the sound. I have and have played "nicer" instruments (haven't owned any Foderas or Sadowskys, though), but I still dig that little P-bass.
 

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