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AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

#1,941
I got to use my 1855 at a jam last night with my ShuttleMax 9.2.

Man, this thing can get LOUD. Really, really, pants flappingly loud. If I ever need more volume than a single 1855 can produce, I'm doing something wrong. Not that I had it cranked for long. I like being able to hear.

As expected, it sounds great and cuts through incredibly well in "full nasty mode". I liked the sound so much I didn't get around to playing with the smoother switches.

The mid chamber's holes in the top and sides make it very easy to hear when standing right next to or right on top of the cab. I'm not going to bother with an amp stand or tilt back thingy, at least for now.
 
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#1,942
Handyman said:
I got to use my 1855 at a jam last night with my ShuttleMax 9.2.

Man, this thing can get LOUD. Really, really, pants flappingly loud. If I ever need more volume than a single 1855 can produce, I'm doing something wrong. Not that I had it cranked for long. I like being able to hear.

As expected, it sounds great and cuts through incredibly well in "full nasty mode". I liked the sound so much I didn't get around to playing with the smoother switches.

The mid chamber's holes in the top and sides make it very easy to hear when standing right next to or right on top of the cab. I'm not going to bother with an amp stand or tilt back thingy, at least for now.
Click to expand...

Don't feed the GAS :)
 
#1,943
Marial said:
I have to second this. I kind of wish my TC212 was 8 ohm. I'm pretty much positive I would never have experienced thermal shut down with my head the cab were 8 instead of 4. So it goes, it's unlikely I'll have to worry about it under normal rehearsal or gig conditions, but it will now be an itch in the back of my mind whenever I play.
Click to expand...

Now that 4-ohm Kappalite 3012LFs are available without a custom order, it is theoretically feasible to do an 8-ohm TC212.
 
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#1,947
Type-55 said:
What is the general consensus on minimum power to drive a TC-112 to full potential?
Click to expand...

Not sure exactly what you mean by "full potential". I've used my TC115 (version 1) with my SWR Electric Blue II 160 watt (@ 4 ohms) head and it sounds great. Wasn't trying to be stupid loud though. Have also used my MarkBass F500 and Genz Benz Streamliner 900. Still need to try my SWR Bass 750, Music Man HD 130 and Ampeg B15 heads. Really interested in hearing the B15 (30 watts) thru this cab but it needs a trip to a tech first.
 
#1,948
The 3012LF needs a little juice to get it going.
I've got an Eden WT-400 and I don't know if that will be enough power.
It's not really about being loud, rather about potential of the driver and headroom needed to make it perform.
The Streamliner 900 has way more headroom than the SWR. So when you use the Streamliner does the sound
seem more relaxed and full, less strained because of the extra headroom?
 
#1,949
Type-55 said:
What is the general consensus on minimum power to drive a TC-112 to full potential?
Click to expand...
IME, 500 watts RMS is pretty much a perfect match with the Thunderchild 112.

The G-K MB500, for example, has a very healthy 500w RMS. With my 4 ohm Thunderchild,that amp would hit the limiter without threatening the woofer. There are a couple more dB when it's paired with larger heads like the Genz 900 or G-K 800 micro's, but at that point you have to be careful. Any of those heads, especially The Demeter,can definitely damage the cab.

So, if you want max output without too much risk of damage, that means a 900 watt head with the 8 ohm version, or a 500 watt head with the 4 ohm ones...

FYI, I was able to push my Streamliner 900 to the point that the yellow LED was coming on occasionally, without hurting my first-gen 4-ohm TC112
 
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#1,950
Type-55 said:
The 3012LF needs a little juice to get it going.
I've got an Eden WT-400 and I don't know if that will be enough power.
It's not really about being loud, rather about potential of the driver and headroom needed to make it perform.
The Streamliner 900 has way more headroom than the SWR. So when you use the Streamliner does the sound
seem more relaxed and full, less strained because of the extra headroom?
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have any problem running the TC112 with the WT 400 unless the band is LOUD. I used to run my pair of Acme Low B2 cabs with a WT 550 and it was great. The difference in volume and sound between the Wt 400 and 550 is probably negligible. Don't have that head anymore so I can't say how it sounds on my TC115. The Acmes are power hungry and they were fine with that head for the volume I was playing at. The drummer was not overly loud, thank you very much and neither were the guitars. The Streamliner is a very full sounding head. Almost too full and in many ways the antithesis to either of my SWR heads or the F500. Again, wasn't playing exceptionally loud while using the Electric Blue.
 
#1,951
It should be pointed out that my 4-ohm TC sounds absolutely stellar with my little MB200.

Mega-wattage is not a requirement, unless you're trying to squeeze the last few dB out of the little guy. Frankly, with cabs this small and affordable, it makes far more sense to carry a mini stack, than to punish a single cab by driving it to its limits.

As amazing as the Eminence 30xx drivers are, they will eventually blow if they're run close to their thermal limits on a regular basis.
 
#1,955
steve_rolfeca said:
IME, 500 watts RMS is pretty much a perfect match with the Thunderchild 112.

The G-K MB500, for example, has a very healthy 500w RMS. With my 4 ohm Thunderchild,that amp would hit the limiter without threatening the woofer. There are a couple more dB when it's paired with larger heads like the Genz 900 or G-K 800 micro's, but at that point you have to be careful. Any of those heads, especially The Demeter,can definitely damage the cab.

So, if you want max output without too much risk of damage, that means a 900 watt head with the 8 ohm version, or a 500 watt head with the 4 ohm ones...

FYI, I was able to push my Streamliner 900 to the point that the yellow LED was coming on occasionally, without hurting my first-gen 4-ohm TC112
Click to expand...

Yeah the MB 200 is amazing for it's rated output. Tone wise it seems like it might be a good match with the smooth TC 112.
The reason for my question is I don't want to drive the amp into clipping and I don't want to damage the driver but still want some output.
So the balance seems to be a 500 watt head into the 4 ohm version. Maybe the GB Streamliner 600 would be a great match.
 
#1,957
Type-55 said:
I would love a pair of the 1203's. The right side of my brain says no way.
I'm hoping the TC 112 would be a single cab solution for practices.
The compact TC 115 would be perfect for me if I could find one used.
Click to expand...
The TC112 is an amazing cab, suitable for a host of applications. If it's not loud enough for your rehearsal situation, I hope that you have good hearing protection...
 
#1,958
I really try not to play too loud. It's the crazy drummers that need more discipline in dynamics.
I always wear ear protection, even is low volume situations.
I've read that a single TC 112 is as loud as a 3x10 cab. Really?
I want loud to mean fullness in tone top to bottom. Not to be interpreted as paint peeling loud.
 
#1,959
Type-55 said:
Yeah the MB 200 is amazing for it's rated output. Tone wise it seems like it might be a good match with the smooth TC 112.
The reason for my question is I don't want to drive the amp into clipping and I don't want to damage the driver but still want some output.
So the balance seems to be a 500 watt head into the 4 ohm version. Maybe the GB Streamliner 600 would be a great match.
Click to expand...

I thought the Streamliner 600 sounded quite good with a TC112 at the New England GTG I attended a few years ago. Not quite my thing, for a few reasons, but a nice match power-wise for sure. The Carvin BX500 worked pretty well for me too. When I was gigging my TC112AF a lot I was mostly using a 1000 watt amp with careful DSP tweaking for limiting and high pass filtering. Worked really well, but eventually I just built my own 500 watter, specifically with this cab in mind. That just feels more sensible to me for this class of cab -- plus the 4-space rack I was previously using is about the same size as the cab!
 
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#1,960
I found the Streamliner too "polite" to be a good match with the first-gen Thunderchild.

It's an incredible piece of engineering, but the broad low mid bump and mid/upper mid trough that help it to smooth out grindy cabs like the G-K Neo 112's, didn't please me when paired with the TC112.

IME, the TC pairs better with heads that have some bark to them- GB Shuttles, G-K MB series, etc.
 

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