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BFM Jack Lite

hdracer

hdracer

Feb 15, 2009
6,782
3,745
Elk River, MN.
#1
I am looking for some feedback on BFM Jack Lite cabs. The 15 in particular.
Searching here and the BFM site doesn't come up with much, a little on the 10's and 12's but nothing on the 15.

I have been gassing and saving for a GB Dually. I want one light & loud cab to use.
One thing that bothers me about the Dually is that I have to buy it with speakers. I have a pair of 3015's and a pair of 15PR400's. I don't need to spend a lot of money on expensive speakers.

I use a Fender 100T with two TL606's loaded with the 3015's or PR400's. After reading through the recent thread about getting the most out of your low watt tube head I got to thinking about the Jack Lite's.
My plan would be to get two flat packs from Speaker Hardware and make them one unit with rear wheels and a handle. I have built TL606 cabs and have the tools (Brad nailer and power stapler) and clamps needed to do the project.

Opinions on whether this would be a better choice for my needs than a Dually are very welcome.
I play blues, country, blue grass (gangstagrass) and some classic rock. Rarely any PA support.
 
#3
Bill's cabs are more efficient than the Dually. More output for less power. But the tradeoff is less extension, and a cab purpose built for bass vs a, to quote Bill "Jack of All Trades". Both are excellent cabs, but very different executions and voicings. If you're building it yourself, BFM cabs are hard to beat for the buck.

I wouldn't do one unit. Do them separate with latches. You'll find lots of instances where 1 cab will do the job. Jacks are very loud.
 
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#5
lelandcrooks said:
Bill's cabs are more efficient than the Dually. More output for less power. But the tradeoff is less extension, and a cab purpose built for bass vs a, to quote Bill "Jack of All Trades". Both are excellent cabs, but very different executions and voicings. If you're building it yourself, BFM cabs are hard to beat for the buck.

I wouldn't do one unit. Do them separate with latches. You'll find lots of instances where 1 cab will do the job. Jacks are very loud.
Click to expand...
I was hoping you would pop in.
Could you elaborate a little on the voicing of the Jack? I have never heard one except a regular Jack 10 with a MB-200 head. Will it fit with the "old school" sound I need with the limited EQ'ing I have with the Fender tone stack? I use my P5, SG or Jazz basses all with flats.
What will I give up with less extension?
 
#6
The BFM Jacks are horn loaded down to around 250Hz - below about 150Hz they are ported boxes. There is about a 8-10 db difference in output between the ported loaded frequencies and the horn loaded frequencies. With respect to getting an old school (assumed to mean mid and upper bass dominant, with rolled highs) tone from a Jack Lite via EQ, the EQ would have to make up the difference. While the simple approach would be to boost the bass by 8+ db, a less power consuming approach would incorporate boosting the bass (maybe 4-5 db) and cutting the mids and highs 3-5 db.

For what you are after, consider a 215 (or pair!) loaded with Beta (sealed, 2.5 cf) or Delta (ported, 3 cf, Fb 50 Hz) 15a's. Each 15 would be about the same or higher sensitivity (depends on the driver used in the Jack) as the Jack Lite in the bass (ported range of the Jack Lite). Use a well braced design made of 1/2 inch baltic birch or 3/4 inch okoume ($$$). Lots to be said for the Jacks, but this is a viable alternative, and a more direct route to meet your goals (loud with your Fender 100 and old school tone).
 
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#9
lelandcrooks said:
Bill's cabs are more efficient than the Dually. More output for less power. But the tradeoff is less extension, and a cab purpose built for bass vs a, to quote Bill "Jack of All Trades". Both are excellent cabs, but very different executions and voicings. If you're building it yourself, BFM cabs are hard to beat for the buck.

I wouldn't do one unit. Do them separate with latches. You'll find lots of instances where 1 cab will do the job. Jacks are very loud.
Click to expand...
Bold mine.
This is a much better idea than gluing/nailing/screwing the two together. Can always use them as PA equipment in a pinch. Or just use one if that fits the need at the moment.
 
#11
Due to the larger mouth area jack 15's horn starts kicking in like octave below jack 10. Haven't compared the two but just by eyeballing the charts i got the idea jack 15 should sound considerably fatter and smoother.
 
#12
rogypop said:
Due to the larger mouth area jack 15's horn starts kicking in like octave below jack 10. Haven't compared the two but just by eyeballing the charts i got the idea jack 15 should sound considerably fatter and smoother.
Click to expand...
The chart the Bill has shows only the 2515 speaker. Wouldn't a different speaker like a 3015 or PR400 change things? I know that my 606's sound completely different when switching between 3015,PR400 and 15A speakers.
 
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#14
I've never tried a BFM, but my Dually is awesome. I've tried a LOT of speakers, and still own a bunch (nv610, Baer ML212, 2 fEARfuls, SVT212AV, Bag Ends, etc). Of them all, the Dually hits the sweet spot for old school tone with modern fidelity and volume, efficiency, and weight. 60 pounds and close to efficiency and volume of a good 810, with more lows and highs.

The BFM might work really well for what you want, but I think the Dually would for sure.
 
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#15
I built a couple of 3012HO powered Jack 12 Lites for PA Mains duty; they have the full melded tweeter array for that purpose so they'll be a bit brighter than the recommended config for bass.

Since I have a Barefaced cab in my bass rig, I'm quite happy with that and didn't intend replacing those with Jacks, but nonetheless curiosity got the better of me and I tried them out during a rehearsal. I concur with what has been said above - it's not that there is no bass, just that the mids are so efficient that the bass end sounds light without some EQ., but I was able to dial in a good sound, albeit using more Bottom end EQ than normal (not really a surprise when my main cab is a 3015LF powered cab with a 6.5 mid). Since these are 12s, and 3012HO powered that could also contribute to the mid emphasis...I would imagine the 3015s or Faitals would be a bit smoother in the mids.

I certainly wasn't worried about running out of headroom by using more bottom end EQ, yes I know it eats power but these things are so damned efficient they get very loud with relatively little power....way, way louder than my Barefaced cab at the same volume settings.

For PA use I always run them through DSP which has been configured to give flat response in open air. If I was running them in a bass rig, I think I would also run them with DSP to give me the nearest to a full range flat response cab.

My only other observation is that you need to be a reasonable builder to make them, they're a lot more complex to build than a reflex box. Having said that, they're not rocket science and well within the capabilities of a competent woodworker if you take your time...just don't expect to knock a pair up over the weekend.
 
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#17
Jack-lite is state of the art for high efficiency designs.
Another good combination would be a Jack Lite top with a Titan sub.
Take just the jack on smaller gigs, bring the titan and jack for bigger gigs.

Add the line array tweeters to the jack and with the titans you have yourself a stack that matches top of the line FOH systems.
Can't go wrong with such a high quality high output stack.
 
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#18
hdracer said:
The chart the Bill has shows only the 2515 speaker. Wouldn't a different speaker like a 3015 or PR400 change things? I know that my 606's sound completely different when switching between 3015,PR400 and 15A speakers.
Click to expand...
The only audible difference would be broadband sensitivity, displacement limited power handling and hi mid to highs response, but thats outside of the horns bandpass anyway.
 

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