Avatar TB153 vs Trace 1518 for a mid-priced standalone 15" cab??

[JimFog]

Hey,

Looking for a decent, but not too pricey standalone 15" cab to run with a Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 and passive J and P(flats) basses. Generally, I prefer a deep, old-school tone, and tend to turn tweeters all the way off on cabs I use with them.

Any thoughts on these, as a comparison? I can probably get either used for under $500, which is my range right now.

Thanks!

 

[will33]

You're looking at 2 completely different classes of cabs there. A fullrange, wide bandwidth 3-way and an old school 115.

The Trace is a good sounding 1-way cab and might better fit your goal since you mention running a P with flats. The Avatar is full range, the topend of which you'll shut off, but has a woofer that can smoke the Trace if you have enough power.

 

[dspellman]

Hey,

Looking for a decent, but not too pricey standalone 15" cab to run with a Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 and passive J and P(flats) basses. Generally, I prefer a deep, old-school tone, and tend to turn tweeters all the way off on cabs I use with them.

Any thoughts on these, as a comparison? I can probably get either used for under $500, which is my range right now.

Might as well add the Carvin BRX15.3 (3-way) to that list at $479 new:

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Link Removed

 

[billfitzmaurice]

Might as well add the Carvin BRX15.3 (3-way) to that list

I'd only do so if Carvin posted the specs on the woofer, specifically xmax. The 9.6mm xmax of the 3015LF in the Avatar translates to 6dB higher output than the average fifteen. 6dB translates to one TB153 can go as loud as two average 115s.

 

[lomo]

TB153. Easy choice. Very easy IMHO.

 

[CL400Peavey]

TB153. Easy choice. Very easy IMHO.

+1

 

[JimFog]

Hmmm.....that seems fairly unanimous.

 

[Rocker59801]

I have a TB153. It is excellent !!!
It blows me away the amount of clean lows it can produce.
It handles every room I have used it in without breaking a sweat.

 

[will33]

It has far and away the highest output potential of the bunch and is a case where a move to a 4 ohm cab actually makes sense as it can actually make something of the power increase. Along with a wider range, dispersion and all that. You'll be surprised how much content you'll still have from the mid even playing flats. The tweeter likely isn't needed, can just turn it down.

 

[Blues Bass 2]

TB153. Easy choice. Very easy IMHO.

+2 Great cab , the mids alone are worth the price but the bottom end is awesome . It can handle most gigs by itself easy and you can hear it better all over the stage too .

 

[JimFog]

Ok, ok. Uncle!! I give!!

TB153 on it's way, as we speak.

Thanks so much for the advice!!

 

[lomo]

Get the 4 Ohm and definitely the 3015LF driver!!!!

 

[Downunderwonder]

I was reading the original 153 was laughed out of production for having all the speakers sharing the same enclosure. The replacement model got nearful TB tick of approval.

 

[xUptheIronsx]

Ok, ok. Uncle!! I give!!

TB153 on it's way, as we speak.

Thanks so much for the advice!!

I am jealous. Great choice! Love my Avatar 4x10...I personally don't like 15's, but the Avatar 15's i have heard are slowly changoing my mind

 

[JimFog]

Get the 4 Ohm and definitely the 3015LF driver!!!!

Yessir! Done!

 

[ErnieD]

how you like that 9.0 with your TB153.

I have a 4 ohm, TB153 and usually use a Streamliner 900 with it. I get alota good punch with that rig with '08 Am St P5 w/Chromes.

Recently tried my MAG 300H Evo II head with the TB cab at a small club gig. Only about 300 watts with that head but Man! what a great sound/tone/feel I was getting with my Skyline JoBo 5 w/Sad flats. Guitarist/drummer said they really dug it alot.

Good luck with yours.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

I was reading the original 153 was laughed out of production

It wasn't called a 153, which I assume means 15 inch 3-way. It was another same old same old cookie cutter fifteen loaded cab, which the world needed about as much as it did another 4x10.

 

[nick98338]

I'm also thinking about getting a TB153. I'm thinking that I would probably not want the tweeter on for most of the music I play. The description, on the Avatar web site does not mention if there is a tweeter control of any kind. Could one of y'all enlighten me?

 

[Blues Bass 2]

I'm also thinking about getting a TB153. I'm thinking that I would probably not want the tweeter on for most of the music I play. The description, on the Avatar web site does not mention if there is a tweeter control of any kind. Could one of y'all enlighten me?

Yes , there is a control for the tweeter . With the mid the tweeter is pretty smooth anyway but you can turn it down .

 

[will33]

Yes , there is a control for the tweeter . With the mid the tweeter is pretty smooth anyway but you can turn it down .

This^^

IMO, the reason a lot of bass cab tweeters sound harsh, aside from some them just using just plain cheap tweeters, is that they're often passed either too low, not steep enough or both. The harshness comes from them trying to play stuff that's down at the bottom end of their range. With the 6 filling the gap, the tweet should be playing the nice clear higher stuff that's more in it's "sweet spot" and not getting overworked.


I can get a pretty darn nice wide range bass sound using an 18 and one of my PA tops. They also have a 6 filling in the middle with the tweets passed up high. I can leave a whole lot more highend in the sound and have it sound musical and nice, not harsh in anyway, because that tweeter is working up in a range it's supposed to be.

Anyway, food for thought. The Avatar's have an adjustment for the tweet. You should also find that a slice of the sound you're used to hearing from bullet tweeters will be instead coming from the topend of the paper cone 6 and have a completely different, and nicer character to it.