A lot of talk about the different B-15 cabs lately. A lot of us have B-15's, a lot of have scored one recently, etc. I have two of the three different cab designs as of a week ago, so I thought it would be fun to record them and compare and contrast. As you will see, there are a LOT of comparisons and contrasts.
But first, the speaker was mic'ed on axis with a Shure SM-58 (don't like it? Buy me an RE-20) into an old ART Dual MP tube mic pre (don't like it? Buy me a Neve clone) and into a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard (don't like it? Buy me a Studer 24-track...please!). The bass used was a nifty new SX PJ with fairly dead roundwounds. Not the most expensive bass ever, but sounds like any other PJ. The head was the 1977 head I got last week, plugged into the normal channel. Believe it or not, the recorded sound is very representative of what these cabs sound like in person, and I thought the 58 did a great job of capturing the tone. Maybe after you hear this, you folks may actually quit poo-pooing the 58 as a bass cab mic, because to my ears, it's great. I played 3 identical lines, a walking line, Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her," and a simple little slap line.
First is the original double baffle cab, designed by the great Jess Oliver in 1959. It's a Fliptops exact replica loaded with an Eminence Delta 15A (I would have used the 66 CTS in my original 64 cab but the Delta sounds almost identical and it was easier to use since I need a 4-pin adapter for the 64)
As you can hear, a lot of the differences in the two cabs get minimized, but not entirely. The Thiele cab is still more subdued, with lots of warm fuzzies in the mids and a very pretty high end complemented by slightly deeper lows. The lows aren't quite as apparent on the recordings as in person, but if you listen closely, you can tell.
I have listened to these clips over and over trying to decide which cab I like better, and I think I have to give a slight nod to the double baffle cab. With the Delta, the Thiele is definitely prettier sounding, but without having the benefit of having played the Thiele on a gig, I am pretty sure that the the double baffle will cut through a mix better. And with the CTS, the Thiele cab might as well be a subwoofer. If you're into the bass being a really deep dark sound with very little treble, then you would love the Thiele with the CTS. Like someone who plays a lot of hip hop, old school R&B, or dub would really dig it.
A lot of people say that the B-15 got its modern-day reputation as THE studio bass amp because of the Thiele cab. I have no clue if that's true or not, but judging from this little test, I think the double baffle would be better in the studio because it's got plenty of low end plus more mids so you can feel it AND hear it. But that's just me. Tons of people swear by both of these cabs (and even the much-maligned single baffle cab of 1965-68), and there isn't a bad tone to be had by either. I think they're the number one and two best-sounding 15" cabs of all time.
I'm interested to hear everyone's comments and see what the rest of you think. I'm also interested if people who own either of these cabs thought the recordings I did were a fair representation.
But first, the speaker was mic'ed on axis with a Shure SM-58 (don't like it? Buy me an RE-20) into an old ART Dual MP tube mic pre (don't like it? Buy me a Neve clone) and into a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard (don't like it? Buy me a Studer 24-track...please!). The bass used was a nifty new SX PJ with fairly dead roundwounds. Not the most expensive bass ever, but sounds like any other PJ. The head was the 1977 head I got last week, plugged into the normal channel. Believe it or not, the recorded sound is very representative of what these cabs sound like in person, and I thought the 58 did a great job of capturing the tone. Maybe after you hear this, you folks may actually quit poo-pooing the 58 as a bass cab mic, because to my ears, it's great. I played 3 identical lines, a walking line, Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her," and a simple little slap line.
First is the original double baffle cab, designed by the great Jess Oliver in 1959. It's a Fliptops exact replica loaded with an Eminence Delta 15A (I would have used the 66 CTS in my original 64 cab but the Delta sounds almost identical and it was easier to use since I need a 4-pin adapter for the 64)
As you can hear, a lot of the differences in the two cabs get minimized, but not entirely. The Thiele cab is still more subdued, with lots of warm fuzzies in the mids and a very pretty high end complemented by slightly deeper lows. The lows aren't quite as apparent on the recordings as in person, but if you listen closely, you can tell.
I have listened to these clips over and over trying to decide which cab I like better, and I think I have to give a slight nod to the double baffle cab. With the Delta, the Thiele is definitely prettier sounding, but without having the benefit of having played the Thiele on a gig, I am pretty sure that the the double baffle will cut through a mix better. And with the CTS, the Thiele cab might as well be a subwoofer. If you're into the bass being a really deep dark sound with very little treble, then you would love the Thiele with the CTS. Like someone who plays a lot of hip hop, old school R&B, or dub would really dig it.
A lot of people say that the B-15 got its modern-day reputation as THE studio bass amp because of the Thiele cab. I have no clue if that's true or not, but judging from this little test, I think the double baffle would be better in the studio because it's got plenty of low end plus more mids so you can feel it AND hear it. But that's just me. Tons of people swear by both of these cabs (and even the much-maligned single baffle cab of 1965-68), and there isn't a bad tone to be had by either. I think they're the number one and two best-sounding 15" cabs of all time.
I'm interested to hear everyone's comments and see what the rest of you think. I'm also interested if people who own either of these cabs thought the recordings I did were a fair representation.
