• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Big E Speakers Part 4 - Quadraphenia

#3,501
Any of you guys ever experiment with stereo rigs? I've been doing a lot more textural and synth work lately. In particular my new Prophet 6 sounds incredible in stereo (in my headphones), but it feels lacking played through my mono rig. The Bodai 110 reproduces the frequency content beautifully (which is not a thing you can say about most loud speaker design). I'm wondering if maybe a pair of powered Bodai 18's would work as a 'stereo bass rig'? All of my tone shaping and preamp duties are done by my pedals anyway, makes my amp sort of redundant. I figure I could stack them vertically for a more standard mono bass rig, but then split them apart for more interesting stereo synth duties when the gig calls for it (or in my home studio setting). What are your guys thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Superbird and spiritbass
#3,503
Proton Lenny said:
Any of you guys ever experiment with stereo rigs? I've been doing a lot more textural and synth work lately. In particular my new Prophet 6 sounds incredible in stereo (in my headphones), but it feels lacking played through my mono rig. The Bodai 110 reproduces the frequency content beautifully (which is not a thing you can say about most loud speaker design). I'm wondering if maybe a pair of powered Bodai 18's would work as a 'stereo bass rig'? All of my tone shaping and preamp duties are done by my pedals anyway, makes my amp sort of redundant. I figure I could stack them vertically for a more standard mono bass rig, but then split them apart for more interesting stereo synth duties when the gig calls for it (or in my home studio setting). What are your guys thoughts?
Click to expand...
As far is I know, there's a MAS 18 (two or three-way, depending on whether or not you get the tweeter, but without the separate mid chamber of the Bodai or Flex cabs) and a Bodai 28 and 38 (with the separate mid chamber), but no Bodai 18. (Doesn't mean that there isn't or won't be one, just that I'm not aware of it if there is. There is a powered MAS 18.)

As a single cab, I think you'll get more of the 3D depth of field and detail from your Bodai 110 than from a MAS 18, but I think a pair of MAS 18 would work beautifully for stereo stuff and would be louder, together, than your 110, as well as a little deeper and more impactful in the bass. This is based on my trial of the Bodai 110 and two "late prototype" MAS 18s at Mike's place over the summer. I thought the 18s sounded very good with bass and with recorded music, but were just a bit sibilant/harsh with vocals (I think we listened to a Chaka Khan track with Nathan East on bass -- not sure if I posted about that or not). Mike said that he was aware of it and that the final version of the crossover would be tweaked by Duke LeJeune. I haven't heard the final version but, based on the other examples of Duke's crossover work that I've heard (my Hathor 1203 and the crossovers in certain MAS cabs), I'd be surprised if it was anything less than first rate. The B-string through the tiny stack of the two 18s was crazy -- deep and dynamic, but natural feeling.

Even without the tweak, I found the sound from the 18s to be more pleasant and detailed -- and certainly more capable in the lows -- than many powered speakers and stage monitors that I've heard.

This was listening in mono (and with passive cabs). If stacking the cabs, I don't know whether it would be better to feed them a mono signal or a stereo signal. It would be best to ask Mike about that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spiritbass
#3,504
Proton Lenny said:
Any of you guys ever experiment with stereo rigs? I've been doing a lot more textural and synth work lately. In particular my new Prophet 6 sounds incredible in stereo (in my headphones), but it feels lacking played through my mono rig. The Bodai 110 reproduces the frequency content beautifully (which is not a thing you can say about most loud speaker design). I'm wondering if maybe a pair of powered Bodai 18's would work as a 'stereo bass rig'? All of my tone shaping and preamp duties are done by my pedals anyway, makes my amp sort of redundant. I figure I could stack them vertically for a more standard mono bass rig, but then split them apart for more interesting stereo synth duties when the gig calls for it (or in my home studio setting). What are your guys thoughts?
Click to expand...
If you already have a Bodai 110, why not buy a 2nd?
 
#3,509
I have one. Everything you like about the 12 just bigger and fuller. Honestly I like my Bodai 12 for practice/really small rooms. The 15 for medium/large rooms and obviously outside venues. I don’t have as much gig time with it as I would like but I played them back and forth with mike when he was developing them and again after I had both with MarkA. I thought the 15 would be overkill when mike first started talking about developing it, it’s a one cab all you need can that you can always turn down or feed less power.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3rdcurve
#3,510
thumbs&fingers said:
I have one. Everything you like about the 12 just bigger and fuller. Honestly I like my Bodai 12 for practice/really small rooms. The 15 for medium/large rooms and obviously outside venues. I don’t have as much gig time with it as I would like but I played them back and forth with mike when he was developing them and again after I had both with MarkA. I thought the 15 would be overkill when mike first started talking about developing it, it’s a one cab all you need can that you can always turn down or feed less power.
Click to expand...

Curious, I was just checking the website and the 115 is listed any longer.
 
#3,512
3rdcurve said:
Soooo, how many Bodai 15 users do we have out there? Any gig and/or tone reports? Comparisons to other cabs (MAS or otherwise)? I have done the 10s and 12s.......just curious as to how the 15 acts in a manipulated waveguide context.
Click to expand...

It occurred to me on the drive back from Rosebud, that this would be the next model you'd probably be checking out. It also occurred to me the day before you listed your 110 Bodai cabs (seriously!) that you might be ready to investigate another vortex flavor. ;) ;) ;)

I plugged my Super J5 into the Reeves and fired up the Bodai in my living room. My left ear went wonky yesterday (cold/infection) and is still not right, but my right is fine - I love the way the mids and highs meld in the vortex and come out so juicy and sweet!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3rdcurve
#3,513
spiritbass said:
It occurred to me on the drive back from Rosebud, that this would be the next model you'd probably be checking out. It also occurred to me the day before you listed your 110 Bodai cabs (seriously!) that you might be ready to investigate another vortex flavor. ;) ;) ;)

I plugged my Super J5 into the Reeves and fired up the Bodai in my living room. My left ear went wonky yesterday (cold/infection) and is still not right, but my right is fine - I love the way the mids and highs meld in the vortex and come out so juicy and sweet!
Click to expand...

Glad you like it! To me, that’s where the magic lies. Super sweet overdriven tones can be had as well !
 
#3,516
It is a good thing that the Bodai makes it so easy to hear what you're playing, because my hearing is not back to normal yet. It brings a beautiful mid to high-end presence (without getting shrill) in areas that would be "off-axis" for directly radiating drivers. It is amazing to hear the full range response of your speaker cab when standing beside it. Once again, I wasn't sure that the rig could get any better, and it did. :cool: Thanks again to @3rdcurve - the Bodai is a keeper!

EYDIvbC.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: wave rider, tombowlus, Superbird and 1 other person
#3,517
spiritbass said:
It is a good thing that the Bodai makes it so easy to hear what you're playing, because my hearing is not back to normal yet. I brings a beautiful mid to high-end presence (without getting shrill) in areas that would be "off-axis" for directly radiating drivers. It is amazing to hear the full range response of your speaker cab when standing beside it. Once again, I wasn't sure that the rig could get any better, and it did. :cool: Thanks again to @3rdcurve - the Bodai is a keeper!

View attachment 2846132
Click to expand...
You are quite welcome!

I haven’t yet decided which way I will go next.
A. Back to a pair of 110s
B. 110 for small/medium and 115 for big
C. Pair of 112s

The 110 is so dang easy to move and the pair sounds massive! Yesterday I rehearsed with the BNA 1822 with a bridged QSC RMX 1450a, barely had it off idle. That said, a single Bodai was able to handle the same scenario but the Mesa Subway was about at its limit. The 1822 is sealed and punchy, but still rolls off the low lows and high highs. Bodais sound “bigger” and more “open”, while the 1822 seems “thicker” and “warmer”. The clips of the Bodai 112 remind me more of the 1822. My band is starting book gigs for 2018 and have a couple outdoor hits scheduled. I want to make sure I have plenty of cab.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: wave rider, Alphaman, spiritbass and 1 other person
#3,518
thumbs&fingers said:
I have one. Everything you like about the 12 just bigger and fuller. Honestly I like my Bodai 12 for practice/really small rooms. The 15 for medium/large rooms and obviously outside venues. I don’t have as much gig time with it as I would like but I played them back and forth with mike when he was developing them and again after I had both with MarkA. I thought the 15 would be overkill when mike first started talking about developing it, it’s a one cab all you need can that you can always turn down or feed less power.
Click to expand...

Do you recall what the specs where for the Bodai 15?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back