AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

[Smallequestrian]

A few hours ago I finally finished getting those home-audio speakers ready to make their debut at next weekend's show in Newport Beach, California. Dang those things took me several times longer than expected... like that never happens.

Going to make it a point to check them out while I'm there next week!

 

[maisbass]

Just purchased the tc112 in the classifieds (v1). So if all goes well, I'll be selling off my lds and ml112 soon.

Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[steubig]

Wow, thank you, Steubig! Man I really appreciate your going to that much time and trouble to generate and post side-by-side comparison recordings of my two 112 cabs.

i like what you do and it seemed like an interesting exercise that might help some people. it really didn't take *that* long . . .


i really like the hathor 1203.

 

[maisbass]

Yes thanks Steubig. Your clips were evident that the TC112 had a bit more bottom than the 1203, which appealed to me, and made me pull the trigger on the TC112 in the classifieds.

However I'm still interested in the 1203 due to its weight and size as well. So if I dig the TC, it's quite possible I will be contacting Duke about the 1203 as well. Is the 1203 8 ohm only or can it be 4ohm as well?

Thanks.

 

[MarkA]

Just a quick note to thank nostatic and steubig for the clips. Appreciated.

 

[maisbass]

Just a quick note to thank nostatic and steubig for the clips. Appreciated.

+1

 

[steubig]

okay . . . i'm maniacal.

todd needed to hear some ebony, so i did that. fretless and high strung (D to Eb).

mark wanted to hear the switches being different, so that's part of it.

four new files (06a–d): both switches down, bottom switch up, top switch up; both switches up.

same deal, looped a little bit played through the amp (kept the tone controls the same as yesterday, i think) and moved the switches.

same link, at the bottom of the page.

i also recorded a bunch of effects through the hathor only . . . i guess i have no life.

 

[christw]

I think it might be time to put my TC118 up for sale for something more overdrive friendly... like a Hathor.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Going to make it a point to check them out while I'm there next week!

Sweet!

Room 920, Electra-Fidelity (owner Tony Chipelo is a longtime customer who has become my first dealer). Inventor Jim Romeyn will be there - the configuration we're using is something he came up with, and it beats me at my own game (room-friendly, reverberant-field-friendly design).

Jim is familiar with my bass cabs, he's played acoustic guitar through several of them. I am sorry I'll miss you!

However I'm still interested in the 1203 due to its weight and size as well. So if I dig the TC, it's quite possible I will be contacting Duke about the 1203 as well. Is the 1203 8 ohm only or can it be 4ohm as well?

I haven't tried doing a 4-ohm 1203, but it's theoretically possible. We'd have slightly higher efficiency than the 8-ohm version (in addition to the increased voltage sensitivity), with a corresponding reduction in low-end energy. Tradeoffs, always tradeoffs.

 

[Matt Morgan]

Just a quick note to thank nostatic and steubig for the clips. Appreciated.

Yes, thank you for fueling my obsessive desire to have a pair of 8 ohm, TC112v2 cabs. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

 

[steubig]

 

[nostatic]

I haven't tried doing a 4-ohm 1203, but it's theoretically possible. We'd have slightly higher efficiency than the 8-ohm version (in addition to the increased voltage sensitivity), with a corresponding reduction in low-end energy. Tradeoffs, always tradeoffs.

I'm not sure I'd go there (then again, while I'm a doctor I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night ). Seems to me the size of the box wouldn't really be able to put the extra power to work, and if you're losing some low end then really no advantage. To me the cabinet extends low enough, but just enough. If it rolled off a bit higher I think it would miss some of the magic. A reference point would be the Tecamp XS112 cabs I had. A pair of them would peel paint off the walls but they were missing something in the low end.

 

[nostatic]

Yes, thank you for fueling my obsessive desire to have a pair of 8 ohm, TC112v2 cabs. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

There are a lot of good cabs, but a handful of what I would consider "great" cabs depending on what you're looking for. Duke right now is making two variations on the theme that fall into the latter category. I think the H1203 is perfect for the small/light/ballsy category. Nothing really close except maybe the Berg CN112. The Baer ML112 is another one of the "great" cabs but is a much bigger/heavier box (but still reasonable). The TC112 is somewhat unique wrt the more flat response curve, ability to extend low (and tunable), and have a small form factor. Then you've got MikeA's cabs doing their thing. Some really talented builders making great options for players right now.

 

[maisbass]

I haven't tried doing a 4-ohm 1203, but it's theoretically possible. We'd have slightly higher efficiency than the 8-ohm version (in addition to the increased voltage sensitivity), with a corresponding reduction in low-end energy. Tradeoffs, always tradeoffs.

Thanks for the reply Duke. I definitely would not sacrifice low end.

 

[MarkA]

Duke, I want to make sure that I understand you correctly: Are you saying that a 4 Ohm 1203 would have less low-end beef/extension than the 8 Ohm version? I was thinking a 4 Ohm version might go nicely with my Walkabout. I do feel tied down by that amp's 300W @ 4 Ohms/ 165W @ 8 Ohms power rating (though it'll reportedly do 450+ @ 2 Ohms), but I have, finally (after trying different tubes and rethinking the EQ), got it dialed in and sounding soooo good... at least at home. I haven't had it out for awhile, but want to, soon (just got an fDeck Series III hpf to go with it). I do have bigger (and costlier) amps with more juice, but if I could get the volume I want out of this, with the same feel, dynamic range, and clarity I've got now at low volume, I could see several pieces of gear going.

If the 4 Ohm version simply has a different response curve but can get the same extension/sound with a bit more low-end EQ, that doesn't seem a big deal. If it actually has less low-end handling/extension, then maybe not...

I know that one could always use two cabs, but it would be nice to be able to use one at something approaching its potential (though I would then be limited to using the one 1203 with any of my digital heads, which only go down to 4 Ohms).

 

[steubig]

i def would not want to lose some low end. but then i have low b stuff i deal with.

mark, listen back to the files i posted. i didn't change any settings on the amp at all. the volumes seemed pretty close to me. maybe 8 ohms will be okay? dunno. i saw todd today and was remarking that the hathor didn't seem to be appreciably lower in volume than the tc. admittedly, i was more in doing than listening mode on these, so i may need to revisit . . . (and i don't know what the difference in power between 4 and 8 ohms is on the puma 500.)

 

[Mike Arnopol]

I was talking to Duke the other day and there might be a small change in the works that would give a little more strength in the low end.

I suggested that he offer it in 4 ohms for just the reason you're saying Mark. I'm trying to help getting the 1203 established in the upright market. (why I don't know---hurts my sales!). If there was a backpack and the ability to drive it with smaller, lower powered amps---I think that the DB players would flock to this puppy!

You have to remember---this cab uses the 3012lf which has no problem with 300 watts. There are a lot of little amps that don't do 300 at 8. My little EA Doubler says it does---but it doesn't.

 

[maisbass]

Going by what has been stated here, it seems I would be asking too much out of a 4ohm 1203. I'm looking for that compact schlep on the subway with my Glock and one 4ohm cab. The problem for me is that the Glock at 8ohms does not put out enough clean power for my gig (I discovered this gigging with my Glock and ML112), hence searching for the compact 4ohm.

I'm hoping the TC112 will do the trick. At least it's smaller, and lighter than the ML112, and it's 4ohms.

However it would be nice if a 1203 at 4 ohms would cut it, but not at the expense of losing bottom.

 

[IntrepidCellist]

Conveniently, the TC112 is narrow enough to easily fit between the turnstiles on the NYC subway.

 

[maisbass]

Conveniently, the TC112 is narrow enough to easily fit between the turnstiles on the NYC subway.

Good to know. Thx.