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Big E Speakers Part 4 - Quadraphenia
- Thread starter kesslari
- Start date
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
And I'm firmly in the "if it ain't broke..." camp.
My B28 is more than sufficient, and if I want to use the 38 stack (B28 + 1,8) well then...
My B28 is more than sufficient, and if I want to use the 38 stack (B28 + 1,8) well then...
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,950
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Tom, I was really curious about the 4x5 tower with the megabuck tweeter that you wound up with. How do you like it?Tell me about it...
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- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,950
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
It is very transparent and super smooth. I have not done a good A/B against my other MAS cabs, but I need to do so.
I had some trouble hearing myself on a large stage with my overkill "dual-Bodai 112" rig so I did some checking today, and it turns one of that one them was wired out-of-phase.
It's an easy check: plug one end of a Speakon cable into the cab, unscrew the other end, pull back the strain relief and expose the wire terminals; from there, touch a 9v battery to the wire terminals (positive to black wire) and see whether the cone pushes out (correct) or pulls in (reversed).
It's an easy check: plug one end of a Speakon cable into the cab, unscrew the other end, pull back the strain relief and expose the wire terminals; from there, touch a 9v battery to the wire terminals (positive to black wire) and see whether the cone pushes out (correct) or pulls in (reversed).
My first clue that it wasn't just stage mud (I thought I was in a "valley" of the subs' "power alley" as they were positioned R/L) was that the QSC3602 driving them was belching out some serious heat.That pair will slay now that they are in phase with each other!
And yeah, just running it at a medium level is now nearly bowel-looseing. Didn't realize how much *SLAM* I should have expected!
That has got to slay! I think that is the only amp that could possibly usurp my Reeves. I'd love to hear one pushing my 110 Bodai's.
I see your 210 Flex with two 110 Flex's:
This was a smokin' rig! I was careful not to stand in line with those tweeters (I prefer rear-firing!). I still have one of the cabs for my enjoyment at home. It has been my 'reference' cab for years.
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The Shaw was was modeled after and sounded like a 150 watt (four KT-188's) B-15 - a beautiful sounding beast.
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edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
What mods happened for this cab? I'd like to know as well.
I finally had to swap out one of the 10" speakers and discovered that the Eminence model used in these cabs has changed a bit since they were built. Still works great (and for awhile, I only had one functional speaker, which still put out a huge amount of low end!), but I had to drill new mounting holes and I'm not sure that the specs are 100% the same as the old one.
I don't know this for sure, but my impression is that the Flex cabs, once released, didn't get tweaked the way some of Mike's other cabs did. I recall the following versions:
Aside from that, I think they stayed pretty much the same, though I am aware of Mike doing a few mods by request for a few people (including me), as follows:
I ended up keeping my MAS 112 -- I dug it and it was a more practical cab for me at the time -- but the Flex was probably the best "I don't need a PA" cab I've played, not just in the sense of being able to get loud (lots of cabs can get loud), but how full and good it sounded out in the house and how even and audible it was on stage and in the house without needing to blow out the stage. (That said, a 210 Flex is not a small space, low volume cab, IMO, though the top/110 on its own might manage that -- @spiritbass could speak to that better than I!)
EDIT: One could always ask Mike. If you do, feel free to point him to this post (and please follow up here if you learn anything of interest).
- 110 Flex.
- 210 Flex (single cab). I'm not aware of any tweaks to this one (at least not anything major). I think it stayed pretty much the same since it was released.
- 210 Flex Mod(ular) -- a 1x10 top with the mid drivers and tweeters plus a 110 sub. Together, these were functionally the same as the 210 Flex (single cab -- a modular 210 Flex).
Aside from that, I think they stayed pretty much the same, though I am aware of Mike doing a few mods by request for a few people (including me), as follows:
- Some guy in a really loud band wanted a 310 Flex Mod (top and two subs, I think). I remember Mike talking about it and I believe that, in addition to adding another 110 cab, the crossover might have been tweaked accordingly.
- For my 210 Flex Mod and at least one other (mine was not the first), Mike modified the crossover and added a switch so that, when running the top cab solo, the sound would be a little thicker than otherwise.
- For my cab, just before I sold it, Mike mentioned wanting to try different 6.5" mid drivers in it -- he thought the result would be a little smoother and more balanced overall. I thought the stock drivers sounded great, but he seemed to think these would be an upgrade, yet. I told him to go ahead with it -- he wasn't charging me for the upgrade and wanted to satisfy his own curiosity -- and he did report liking the result even better than the stock configuration, but I never got to hear it with the new drivers: the cab sold and shipped direct from Mike before I could try it. If Mike tried these drivers in another Flex cab, I am unaware of it.
I ended up keeping my MAS 112 -- I dug it and it was a more practical cab for me at the time -- but the Flex was probably the best "I don't need a PA" cab I've played, not just in the sense of being able to get loud (lots of cabs can get loud), but how full and good it sounded out in the house and how even and audible it was on stage and in the house without needing to blow out the stage. (That said, a 210 Flex is not a small space, low volume cab, IMO, though the top/110 on its own might manage that -- @spiritbass could speak to that better than I!)
EDIT: One could always ask Mike. If you do, feel free to point him to this post (and please follow up here if you learn anything of interest).
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Mike did do an upgrade on my first Flex. He'd originally utilized a piece of blanket for damping somewhere in the woofer chamber and came up with something better, but I don't remember specific details... 
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
I got the original FlexMod, and "the Flex was probably the best "I don't need a PA" cab I've played, not just in the sense of being able to get loud (lots of cabs can get loud), but how full and good it sounded out in the house and how even and audible it was on stage and in the house without needing to blow out the stage." is spot on.
I just wanted something smaller and lighter... I wound up with the B28. I still have the FlexMod top. I don't sell it because MAS cabs resale is low.
At some point perhaps I'll do a gig where I bring both and A/B them. Plus I've wanted to try the Flex Mod with my 1,8... but just haven't done it.
I just wanted something smaller and lighter... I wound up with the B28. I still have the FlexMod top. I don't sell it because MAS cabs resale is low.
At some point perhaps I'll do a gig where I bring both and A/B them. Plus I've wanted to try the Flex Mod with my 1,8... but just haven't done it.
