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AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

#881
Ok---I think I can post this. I have NO commercial involvement with Audiokinesis. He's one of my biggest competitors. Figure this is just good karma.

While the 1203 may not be the most exotic, fancy shmancy cab on the planet---I think it's one of the smartest designs in bass cabs out there. I can't begin to compete with it for what it does. It's the size of a 10 with the volume and presence of a super 12. And the voicing is EXACTLY what one needs in an electric bass cabinet.

What I was mentioning to Duke was that it's a perfect candidate for a cool backpack case. I've been working with Studio Slips and think they could make a fully zipped bag with either a shoulder strap or two straps to function as a backpack. Leave enough room on top for a micro amp and you have the ultimate portable setup. Man---the New York gigging players would be lining up for this puppy. Ok--I haven't played it but I KNOW what it sounds like. I'm using the same woofer, same exact filters, crossovers and 3 incher in my cabs. Duke in his usual stupidly generous fashion has allowed me to use the filters like this in my cab. With the filters engaged it will sound great with upright. I'm sure of it.

Wait a minute---what the heck am I thinking---

This cabinet sucks

And Duke is a miserable human being.

Ok--now I feel better.
 
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#883
So gig 4 of 4 in 4 days was in a hotel lobby, high ceilings, tends to be boomy. Playing a different piano trio plus vocalist and the piano player is...umm..."busy." First set I played fretless and was happy with my tone - I could hear everything just fine. After the set my friends said things were a bit of a mush in the low end (mostly due to the keyboard player imho). My adjustments were to cut the bass on Monique down to about 9:00 (I was running flat - typically with the Baers and Foderas I run about 3:00), added some mids and switched to fretted. The keyboard player also cut the bass on his rig. Big thumbs up next two sets for tone.

I'm sold on the 1203. The outdoor gig actually sold me - the hotel gig just sealed the deal. Now trying to figure out the companion. Stueart came by and picked up the second one to work with this week/weekend, then I'll run the pair next Tue at a Steely Jam gig which will be a totally different set of challenges.
 
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#885
Duke, I wonder about getting a little badge made up for your cabs. I remember you talking about metal ones being very expensive -- don't many cabs just have plastic ones glued on? I'll look closer at my Bergs, but the sort of expense you were talking about for metal badges in times gone by just seemed astronomical.

IMO, a badge would bring a little something to the look of your cabs. Your logo is pretty cool - seems to me you should be using it...
 
#890
SuperFunkyPete said:
Duke, I wonder about getting a little badge made up for your cabs. I remember you talking about metal ones being very expensive -- don't many cabs just have plastic ones glued on? I'll look closer at my Bergs, but the sort of expense you were talking about for metal badges in times gone by just seemed astronomical.

IMO, a badge would bring a little something to the look of your cabs. Your logo is pretty cool - seems to me you should be using it...
Click to expand...

If you look at my pic in post #811 you'll see one of my very humble DIY attempts at badging, just meant as a proof of concept thing. I ran some 'what-if' pricing a few places, and found that small runs in what I'd consider to be a nice enough spec were pretty danged expensive. I'm sure Duke would do a much nicer one if and when he made it a priority. I've had lots of people assume that I built the cab and just wanted to discourage that notion a little. Not so sure a DIY badge accomplishes that though...Link Removed

Edit: here's a low-res rendering of the graphic I printed off of:

AK%20Logo.jpg
 
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#892
Yep. I love hitting a new venue with my anonymous-looking midget stack, and then proceeding to blow their minds. The tiny faceplate on my MB800 only adds to the effect.

Still, I can see that no-name cabs don't do much for Duke's marketing presence. I try to make up for it by telling anyone who will listen about his work, and I always point them to the AudioKinesis website.
 
#893
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I kinda wanted to see how nostatic's test runs went without chiming in all along the way. Also I've been scrambling to get some new home audio speakers ready for an audio show, which it taking about four times longer than expected, and have been slowed down on that (and other projects) by back problems. The home audio thing has commanded priority on my build time, but that's almost done.

Nostatic, thank you VERY MUCH for your commentary and videos. Also very much appreciate the comments of steubig and Mark.

And of course thank you Mike. Mike has called me up several times in the past few days with great ideas for how I can make my products better. His idea for a backpack for the Hathor 1203 is just one example. He even called up Susan at Studio Slips to talk to her about it.

I did get some metal badges done, they're going on the home audio speakers only at this point because they cost a lot. My brother (who designed the logo) had them milled for me out of solid aluminum. I do need to get some more affordable ones done, but haven't yet.
 
#895
Mark Sacchetti said:
Can we see what they look like!
Click to expand...
If you're talking about the badges, they really don't show up well in pictures, or at least not ones I've taken. The high areas are textured and the low (milled-out) areas are smooth. They're rather under-stated, as badges go.

If you're talking about the home audio speakers, you can get an idea at this link:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125924.0

Hopefully we'll have a better photo soon.
 
#897
DukeLeJeune said:
I did get some metal badges done, they're going on the home audio speakers only at this point because they cost a lot. My brother (who designed the logo) had them milled for me out of solid aluminum. I do need to get some more affordable ones done, but haven't yet.
Click to expand...

Check your email Duke, just sent you some info on a laser etching jobber who does some pretty cool stuff.
 
#898
Duke, the speaker is gorgeous! Personally, I prefer an understated logo/badge. If something is of proper quality, you'll look at it more closely and/or ask to find out what it is. If something is ostentatiously branded it's generally a red flag for me.
 

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