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Beta tester wanted for lightweight 2x12

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#81
greenboy said:
I'm certain that Duke is aiming for a smooth curve at the low end, and good power response that makes the sound off-axis much like it is on-axis.
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Yup, that's pretty much the game plan!

And Brad, thanks for the words of encouragement.
 
#82
DukeLeJeune said:
I keep using the word "lightweight", which of course is a relative term; what's lightweight in one application is too heavy in another. In this case the weight is 36 pounds, which is lighter than some but not as light as others.
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You know, as much as the ultra-light cabs like the Genz Benz stuff and the Markbass have a lot on the ball, I'm done trying to shave pounds off to that degree. 36 lbs. is very light as it is, and if you have a few extra inches of box, it can make all the difference between a satisfying tone and one that doesn't quite hit the mark. And as much as I like and respect the folks at both Genz Benz and Markbass, having speakers mounted in very small boxes represents compromises I don't want to make. OTOH, I don't need the 30 hz response that your third and biggest cab offers, but it will find an audience for the same reason that the Ampeg 410HLF cab is so popular. But I just don't have any more interest in owning the lightest cab you can get when it sounds so much better to make the box a little bigger.
 
#84
JimmyM, yeah I could do more with a bigger box... we'll have to wait for the lightbox's beta tester to get an idea about whether or not it's capable of "satisfying tone". I tried to set the low frequency response so it can be boosted a bit without becoming boomy, and did this by not starting out with an upper bass hump to begin with. I'm hoping that by siphoning off some wattage into bass boost, a nice-sounding, thicker tone can be created in a fairly lightweight package - my theory being that with the current generation of microheads, packing lots of watts doesn't add much to the carry-in weight.

About my "30 Hz " cab... well, I don't think I claimed THAT much extension! Probably said I had one in the works intended for people tuning below low B. I was shooting for -3dB at 41 Hz, so we'd get the first overtone at full power or close to it, hopefully with adequate power handling at the lowest frequencies. Unfortunately, after taking a long second look at the excursion implications of fundamentals down in the 20's, I'm having to re-think that project.

rbonner, now you've got me totally confused. Didn't you place an order for sixty of my lightweight cabs back on Page 1??

Seriously, is the primary cause of lightweight cabs "walking" off the stage vibration caused by its woofer's movement? How much of a problem is that, in practice? I seem to recall Zac of foamcore ultralight fame posting that he didn't have this problem with his cab, but then maybe he only plays in fancy joints that have level stages.
 
#86
DukeLeJeune said:
JimmyM, yeah I could do more with a bigger box... we'll have to wait for the lightbox's beta tester to get an idea about whether or not it's capable of "satisfying tone". I tried to set the low frequency response so it can be boosted a bit without becoming boomy, and did this by not starting out with an upper bass hump to begin with. I'm hoping that by siphoning off some wattage into bass boost, a nice-sounding, thicker tone can be created in a fairly lightweight package - my theory being that with the current generation of microheads, packing lots of watts doesn't add much to the carry-in weight.

About my "30 Hz " cab... well, I don't think I claimed THAT much extension! Probably said I had one in the works intended for people tuning below low B. I was shooting for -3dB at 41 Hz, so we'd get the first overtone at full power or close to it, hopefully with adequate power handling at the lowest frequencies. Unfortunately, after taking a long second look at the excursion implications of fundamentals down in the 20's, I'm having to re-think that project.

rbonner, now you've got me totally confused. Didn't you place an order for sixty of my lightweight cabs back on Page 1??

Seriously, is the primary cause of lightweight cabs "walking" off the stage vibration caused by its woofer's movement? How much of a problem is that, in practice? I seem to recall Zac of foamcore ultralight fame posting that he didn't have this problem with his cab, but then maybe he only plays in fancy joints that have level stages.
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LOL! I have to agree that it's highly unlikely in practice. I used to try it at my house with my Markbass combo, but it never budged. Now if you get a big loud cab and put a microhead on it, it's very possible that said microhead can be vibrated off the top of the cab if it doesn't have feet that stick to it. Lost a lot of beers that way over the years ;)

And sorry if I misrepresented the big cab you made, Duke. I must have misunderstood what you said about it. Sometimes details sail by me.
 
#87
DukeLeJeune said:
rbonner, now you've got me totally confused. Didn't you place an order for sixty of my lightweight cabs back on Page 1??
Click to expand...

Jezus Duke, I'm laughing so hard right now I've got tears in my eyes and can hardly read the darn monitor... I checked back into the thread to say...

Da** It Duke, Where's my 60 cabs?

It sort of took all the fun out of it now, but the jokes on me... :hyper:

The funniest thing I had happen was a cab turned AROUND on stage. It was a big teen club gig, huge HS stage with concrete parquet floor that was super hard and smooth my fender cab's nail in metal feet provided no control and all of a sudden I wasn't hearing my bass very well... The drummer yelled BOB! I turned around and my cab had turned almost a full 90 and was pointing at him.

The top of the rack on my big amp vibrates like a drumhead. You cannot put ANYTHING up there. A pen will bounce about 3" off the top... A beer would look like the Atlantic during a hurricane.

Rog on the bracing and construction, Ken... And then four feet on the bottom that stick like suction cups to the floor. It has to take 100# of force to break the cab loose after the night but it only weighs 6# for the load out. :D

BOB
 
#88
Glad you enjoyed that, rbonner! I got a brief mental picture of Darth spraying beer from his respirator...

Okay now I can see why you cautioned about walking cabs! I don't know if the plastic corners I'm using would be as slick as metal feet, probably not quite, but combined with the light weight I think you have a valid point.

Suction cups... hmmm... what could my marketing department do with that? "Buy Duke's cabs - the only ones that REALLY SUCK!". Whadda ya think??

Maybe little no-skid rubber feet would be the more practical solution. I'm sure there are some in a box somewhere in my basement.

Seriously now, thank you very much, rbonner. You pointed out a potential problem, as well as the solution - namely, using feet that won't slide.

Now back to the workshop... only fifty-nine more cabs to go...
 
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