• 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: Pt 2

Status
Not open for further replies.
#22
3rdcurve said:
Thanks for clarifying Mike, I was unaware that there was much usable under FS. Looking forward to pics and a review of the new 8x5!
Click to expand...

Apropos of nothing, this reminds me of the Bag End ELF system which supposedly went down to 8 hz using sealed cabinets. The whole trick was using the sub Fs portion of the frequency response.
 
#23
Mike Arnopol said:
No---I'm sure you know a lot about speakers.

These just do some weird things. I might be a few hz off, but it was definitely 45 hz or below.We get usable response below fs. The speaker sees very different loading than with other cab types.

The interesting thing is that the first incarnation of the 45 (before any were shipped) the -3db point was a bit over 50hz. And I was getting a small hump from 150 to 280hz. We changed a few aspects of the vortex (don't know what else to call it) and the hump disappeared---and we had better bass extension.

With the 5" based cabs the low end feels more like the super 15 cabs=---not in volume, but low end character. Big sounding B string, but much tighter than the super 15's. Much better low end control.

With the 6's and up---you have the same lows as the 5's but have more of a sense of a functional fundamental underneath. It's subtle, but very noticeable.
Click to expand...

Have any of you plotted impedance versus frequency yet, Mike? I expect it to vary with voltage/SPL.
 
#25
Mike Arnopol said:
Working on our first 3 way. 12" 3012lf with two 5's and two Ciare super tweets..
Click to expand...
cybersnyder said:
Is that the bass super cab?
Click to expand...
Mike Arnopol said:
I hope so.Trying to make a powered version.
Click to expand...

Good gravy, I'd like to hear that, though I'm not sure if the form factor will end up being for me. Would be nice to compare it to the 5" and 6.5" based cabs and see how it stacks up. A powered version could be interesting. Downside: It's an amp you can't take and use with another cab. Upside: You don't have to carry around an amp, just a pre-amp of some sort. Question: Can you run a powered cab off another amp? Say you really dig the feel of your old tube amp, or the internal amp fails.

Mike Arnopol said:
With the 5" based cabs the low end feels more like the super 15 cabs=---not in volume, but low end character. Big sounding B string, but much tighter than the super 15's. Much better low end control.

With the 6's and up---you have the same lows as the 5's but have more of a sense of a functional fundamental underneath. It's subtle, but very noticeable.
Click to expand...

Ah, this seems to me a significant difference, even if subtle. The next time I'm able to hear these cabs (this summer, I hope, if not sooner), it's something I'll be listening for. Right now, based purely on the verbiage in the preceding thread and this one, I think I'd like the high end of the 5s better, but the lows we'll have to see (and feel). Between this, the crossover tweaks, and the 3-way mentioned above, you guys have been moving so fast on this stuff. I'm glad, actually, that I didn't pick up a cab this last summer (well, glad I didn't totally replace my rig -- one of the little 2x5s would have made a sweet practice cab, I bet, and let me get more familiar with a Big E at leisure) and not just because I'd have had about zero chance to gig it (work, life -- not relevant to this thread!). I'm just really looking forward to hearing what these cabs sound like and seeing how they respond 9 or 10 months of frenzied product development after I heard them the first time.

Cheers for all your good work, Mike.

Addendum: My first successful use of the multi-quote feature. Yay me!
 
#26
MarkA said:
A powered version could be interesting. Downside: It's an amp you can't take and use with another cab. Upside: You don't have to carry around an amp, just a pre-amp of some sort. Question: Can you run a powered cab off another amp?
Click to expand...

Some powered cabinets give you the option to plug another cabinet into them. Some also give you the option of bypassing the amp and plugging "straight" into the speakers.

It is possible that "they" will set theirs up the same way.
 
#31
Not sure. Tomorrow night is house backline then I have 3 gigs on Sat. I'd like to A/B on a gig and Sun is a yacht club hit that isn't the best place for that. The next farmers market gig would be ideal since I have a bunch of stage space. I'll figure something out. Let me know if you want to swing by before my gig on Sun (hit at 2:30, so maybe noonish?) to check it out.
 
#36
Some teaser pics comparing size with the ML112. Nice construction by Mike - very solid build. Son has his piano lesson right now so sonic comparisons will have to wait. I did get the pizeo mounted on the upright though so I'll have another data point.

4x6-1.jpg


4x6-2.jpg


4x6-3.jpg


4x6-4.jpg
 
#38
by the way---test it both ways---horizontal and vertical. I like it on the floor (horizontal) with something to tilt it up a bit. I would have used one of those fold-up tilts but I guarantee it would buzz.

Oh Shite! Tom and Steve of Big E are going to kill me---they had these really nice name plates made---I'll put one in the mail tomorrow!

Love the Jule and Demeter!

One more thing---expect to see some sawdust blow out when you play. I use a compressor to blow it out but there's always a little bit more in there!
 
#39
Here are a few preliminary thoughts. This is just running in my home studio with the amp pictured. I usually reserve full judgement until I gig something as that is my acid test.

Amp is Monique into Demeter. Basses were my Yin Yang Deluxe, Rob Allen Deep 4, and Shen upright with KK Bass Max (just installed by me - and I'm a returning upright player so my chops on that are pretty suspect at the moment). My comparison is the Baer ML112 cab which I've done about 30 or so gigs with.

The two cabs have very different voicings. If I had to put words to it:

Baer: controlled lows and low mids, fairly forward mids and upper mids, nothing above about 7K (by design).

4x6: thicker in the lows and low mids, more relaxed in the mids, more air up top.

The basses reacted differently as well. I'm typically not into thick and wooly low mids and I like a fairly aggressive upper mid area. Hence me liking the Baer. With the Fodera, the 4x6 sounds a lot thicker down low. With the Baer I tend to dial in a bit of bass on the preamp. With the 4x6 instead I dialed up a bit of upper mid (the "middle" setting on the Pope preamp - I think it is around 800-1K). Running flat the 4x6 has more meat, the Baer more bite. Both take EQ well.

At first I preferred the Rob Allen through the Baer. Those basses have a ton of low end going on and benefit from control down there as well as forward mids. A little "too much of a good thing" with the 4x6, though I could eq that and interestingly found myself missing some of that low warmth when switching back to the Baer.

The upright sounded better through the 4x6. In general I hate amplified uprights but the 4x6 works really well with it. The Baer I had to pretty radically eq to get a sound I liked.

The 4x6 will get stupid loud with tons of low end. Seriously.

I want to try the Puma as I think the taste control would really play nicely with the 4x6. I'm going to do a bigger listening test maybe this weekend and will gig the 4x6 as well. Also I know that running horizontal is probably the preferred orientation but I really prefer vertical rigs, hence me running that way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back