AudioKinesis Cabs V!!!!

[steve_rolfeca]

Yeah, I remember reading that. But I think my tonal goals may be different, and I've read where others dig the pairing. I'm not trying to cut through a dense mix right now.

I'll probably need to audition several heads to see which floats my boat. I'm really wondering more about pros/cons of running a higher powered head thru the TC.

Conventional logic would say Streamliner 600 with the Thunderchild 112, and 900 with the 115.

However, I tried a 600 with my TC, and it hit the yellow light a little too easily for my tastes. It compressed on big hits in a way that I found disappointing in comparison to the 900.

I really liked the open, effortless headroom I got from the TC112AF/SL900 pairing. The big Streamliner's are the best high-passed and limited 900 watts you'll ever run into. I flashed the yellow light once in a while, enjoyed the "tube give" of the limiter, and yet nothing bad happened to my Thunderchild. It's a tough little cab.

That said, you do have to be careful. I ran the low end a lot leaner than most people do (220 mids cut, not boosted, and bass at 9 o'clock), and I have good dynamic control.

It all comes down to "know thyself". If you tend to run whatever you have to the max, no matter how loud; if you are heavy-handed; if you've blown cabs in the past; if you use a lot of compression (sustained wattage instead of brief peaks), then the 600 is a safer bet.

 

[whirledpeas]

Conventional logic would say Streamliner 600 with the Thunderchild 112, and 900 with the 115.

However, I tried a 600 with my TC, and it hit the yellow light a little too easily for my tastes. It compressed on big hits in a way that I found disappointing in comparison to the 900.

I really liked the open, effortless headroom I got from the TC112AF/SL900 pairing. The big Streamliner's are the best high-passed and limited 900 watts you'll ever run into. I flashed the yellow light once in a while, enjoyed the "tube give" of the limiter, and yet nothing bad happened to my Thunderchild. It's a tough little cab.

That said, you do have to be careful. I ran the low end a lot leaner than most people do (220 mids cut, not boosted, and bass at 9 o'clock), and I have good dynamic control.

It all comes down to "know thyself". If you tend to run whatever you have to the max, no matter how loud; if you are heavy-handed; if you've blown cabs in the past; if you use a lot of compression (sustained wattage instead of brief peaks), then the 600 is a safer bet.

Thanks for the valuable insight. Hmm, decisions decisions...

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I found the Streamliner 900 sounded too dark with my Thunderchild 115. I tried lots of EQ variations with an Empress ParaEQ but to no avail. The SL was a big disappointment with the TC, but it was a perfect match for LDS 12/6 and 15/6 cabs I used to own.

On the other hand, my all tube Old School Amps Model One sounded terrific with the TC115. So did my Euphonic Audio iAMP Micro. Could have been just a matter of taste and preference, but some amps serve better purposes. It's best to avoid forcing square pegs into round holes unless you don't mind wasting time on TalkBass looking for ways to file off the sharp edges.

 

[Mark Sacchetti]

Ordered a hathor 1544 . Looking forward to hearing it. I have a tc112af and love it. I use a WW head and a F1 with that cab. Just bought a Th500 for my P5 bass and I'm hoping it will pair up nicely with the hathor.

Is anyone using the Aggie TH with the hathor?

 

[KJung]

Ordered a hathor 1544 . Looking forward to hearing it. I have a tc112af and love it. I use a WW head and a F1 with that cab. Just bought a Th500 for my P5 bass and I'm hoping it will pair up nicely with the hathor.

Is anyone using the Aggie TH with the hathor?

Haven't heard the Hathor, but every bone in my body says the TH500 and that cab with a P should be stunningly good!

 

[Mark Sacchetti]

Just got off the phone with Duke. The Hathor cab is ready to ship. Should be here in a week.
Looking forward to hearing it.
A thanks to Duke for his patience and kindness in our conversations.

 

[nostatic]

Got the TC212 composite yesterday and did some quick A/B/C testing. *Huge* sounding cab. We'll be doing a direct comparison with a TC112 on Saturday but from my sonic memory this is a different league. Incredible amount of meat on the tone. Still not sure that it is my tone as I've gone a different direction since ordering it but kudos to Duke and Mike for an incredible design and execution. Pics shortly.

 

[mam1862]

I got one on order from Mike as well. Looking forward to getting it and hearing your review.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Got the TC212 composite yesterday and did some quick A/B/C testing. *Huge* sounding cab. We'll be doing a direct comparison with a TC112 on Saturday but from my sonic memory this is a different league. Incredible amount of meat on the tone. Still not sure that it is my tone as I've gone a different direction since ordering it but kudos to Duke and Mike for an incredible design and execution. Pics shortly.

Thank you!

Yeah, my intention was to shoehorn a lot of cab into a fairly small footprint. And then Mike's ultralight composite build takes us into rather sparsely-populated territory as far as power-to-weight ratio goes.

 

[nostatic]

quick and dirty picks. First just the TC, then the temporary stack of death with BigE 4x6 on top and Baer ML112 beside. Will get more pics Sat during the cabpallooza.

 

[yinghock]

Can I ask how much does the TC212 weigh? Both standard and composite. Thanks!

 

[steubig]

quick and dirty picks. First just the TC, then the temporary stack of death with BigE 4x6 on top and Baer ML112 beside. Will get more pics Sat during the cabpallooza.

cabpalooza!

rawk!

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Can I ask how much does the TC212 weigh? Both standard and composite. Thanks!

The wooden TC212, which I build, weighs 47 pounds. My recollection is that Mike's composite version came in at 40 pounds.

 

[nostatic]

I think the composite is closer to 30 than 40 lbs. surprisingly light but sounds massive.

 

[yinghock]

Thanks for the info

 

[Mark Sacchetti]

Received my Hathor today! Been playing it for a couple of hours. Using the TH 500 head and my P5 passive bass with nordy pup's.
Initial impressions are that it's throaty with a sweet midrange. The lows are tight and dark sounding. It has that old school vibe going on.
I love the weight of the cab!
I'm going to cycle through my basses and amps.
Definitely a different palette to play with.
Thanks again to Duke for building an excellent product!

 

[foderaman]

I think the composite is closer to 30 than 40 lbs. surprisingly light but sounds massive.

I think you are right on closer to 30 than 40!It seems as light as my TC112 Duke Model.I seem to prefer the tweet switch in the down position.I take this is attenuated a tad?

 

[nostatic]

2.5 hours of Cabpallooza this afternoon with steubig. NOTE: non-scientific and totally subjective session. The players:

ML112 (pair)
TC212 composite
TC112
BigE 4x6

Monique/Minnie
Puma 900
ShuttleMax 12.0

Random Foderas (4 and 6, fretted and fretless), Rob Allen Deep 4, Shen SB190 with KK BassMax piezo. We tried most every combination including some mix/match with the cabs. The short stories:

ML112 - most articulate, best "rock"cab by far (of course depends on what you like)
TC212 - huge sound - made the TC112 sound small by comparison. More relaxed in the mids, more "hi-fi" and sweet.
BigE 4x6 - best with the upright, more of a low-mid push, and it has some really interesting things going on with dispersion.

Lot's more minor impressions with them. Really three very differently voiced cabs. We also tried some of them vertical, horizontal, and L-configuration (though not the TCs). Subtle differences, steubig like the L-config best, I'm still clinging to the vertical.

Actually the surprise hit was the ML112 with the BigE 4x6 on top, stacked vertically. Kind of a yin/yang thing going on there - articulate upper mid cut with the Baer, some low-mid push with the BigE. Sounded huge and nasty together.

 

[steubig]

i'll chime in on the cabalooza.

first, big fun (thanks todd—and thanks to your better half for dealing with a lot of loud lowend sound in the house for a number of hours).

what todd says pretty much is our consensus.

my addenda:

1. wish the baer could turn the small speaker (don't know the size) down a little as it's just a little too much for me. brilliant cab though.

2. the tc212 sounds great. too big/much for my needs. i like my tc112 fine and today made me think about getting another (as opposed to having a 212). if you need a very clean, loud cab with a lot of low end, the 212 could be something to look at. (i'm not really a rocker or fusion guy, more of a sorta jazzer . . . or something)

3. as todd says, the big e/baer combo was pretty amazing. kinda of a brilliant reese's cup thing.

4. i have some further comments on some of the more interesting aspects of the big e cab we tried, but that's probably best for that thread.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

TC212 - huge sound - made the TC112 sound small by comparison. More relaxed in the mids, more "hi-fi" and sweet.

the tc212 sounds great. too big/much for my needs. i like my tc112 fine and today made me think about getting another (as opposed to having a 212). if you need a very clean, loud cab with a lot of low end, the 212 could be something to look at.

Thanks for the report!

Did ya'll try the port plugs? Curious as to what effect that would have, in practice, on the overall impression of hugeness.