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Building a 2x18 Cab

#21
Well, I'm gonna go with a 2x15, the 18 just seems like too much, you know? And what I'm talking about doing is building two 15 cabs in one enclosure, kinda like how Ampeg has the baffle system, I'll have the two 15's separated from each other. Also, in your opinion, for a nice warm, growly bass tone, ported or no?
 
#22
You could do a pair JBL E155 18" drivers in 4 cubic feet total internal volume.

The drivers weigh 26 pounds each. There is no bottom in this rig, but there isn't any bottom in the Ampeg either. You can expect an F3 around 75 Hz. These drivers are quite efficient and make a lot of noise per watt. They do not exceed Xmax at full rated input power.

Response (on-axis) is suprisingly good for an 18" driver. Probably due to the chrome dome. I built one of these in the QB3 alignment, but haven't bothered to fully test it.
 
#24
there's this monstrocity! it has been built!
20090830-staind1.jpg


brusabass.com » Johnny April's rig (Staind)
 
#27
I think that dual 3015LF rig would be fun to build, totally doable, could be designed to match 8x15-ish dimensions, and likely have more bass than every cab you or your buddies have ever heard.

A separate "top" for the mids and highs (maybe even a 1x10 guitar combo?) could round things out for a MONSTER rig, and YOU will have built it.

IMO scrap the 18's idea and take advantage of the advances in driver technology.

If you want to eschew the mid/top consider the 3015 (non-lf)... its no slouch and isnt a dedicated sub.

Either way, BRACE that SOB real well!
 
#29
40 years ago Sunn had a half-horn type cab using a Vega 18 that was not that big, but very deep ... it was meant to be used as a pair, the top one inverted opposite the bottom one to complete the horn ... I have seen them around used on occasion, actualy pretty inexpensive ... certainly not a recommendation, just a bit of a memory jar that I recall these ... I actually built my own front loaded 18's using the same speaker, and they looked fantastic, very professional ... but sounded like crap ... just a loud rumble that shook everything for blocks ... I was 17 years old and thought I just needed to build a box, had no idea of matching a cab to a speaker, let alone tuning it ... I should have bought the boxes Sunn had ... or at least a cab mfr'd with the proper proven specs ...
 
#30
OP, have you ever played out of an 2x18 cab before? (or even a 1x18). There are many things that look good on paper or might even sound good on youtube, but in real life (or with your rig) will not be satisfactory. I know you probably hear "go try it yourself first!" from us about near everything, but hear us out on this one. You can impulse buy a 5-string, you can get a fuzz pedal on a whim, but you don't just buy a 1x18/2x18's cab without hearing one lol. Start calling around and see if any stores by you have one to try.

Keep in mind, there are plenty of 2x15 cabs out there that have massive bottom end and could very well get your thirst for thump quenched. I have a Kasino Snake Eyes 2x15 that I put two Eminence Legend 15's in and they sound amazing and QUITE bassy. Once I get my amp cranked up, they really open up and rumble the house. Have two 15's in a cab could probably get you better dispersion and thump than a single 1x18...not to mention the extended range, giving you more articulation. If you want a louder version of your 4x10/1x15 portion...I suggest you do the math on this.

Obviously the tone will be different, but you will be in the same ballpark. You like 4x10's + 1x15....you have an 8x10s....so two of your favorite tone stacks would be 8x10s and 2x15s. Use your 8x10's and get a 2x15 that gets as close as you can to it.
 
#33
if the whole point of all this is to put another cab alongside the current 8x10, why would anybody suggest anything besides the matching cab, another 8x10?
 
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#35
walterw said:
if the whole point of all this is to put another cab alongside the current 8x10, why would anybody suggest anything besides the matching cab, another 8x10?
Click to expand...

because the 18"s go lower than the 8x10. you can add another 8x10 but it wont go lower, it will just reproduce what its already doing louder. some 18's will reproduce the bottom fundamental you feel at big volume and thats what makes bass exciting to me.(im speaking of the bass you feel,not what you hear) not all 18's are created equal. thats why some people say they sound muddy and have no high end. the cabs ampeg made for me are the same size as an svt except 8 inches deeper. im using electro voice evx180b's. i agree with the pros that you should properly figure out the internal volume of the cab, but i just went for it and it is far beyond my expectations. i used to have the folded horn acoustic 301, thats what got me on this path. some people say this or that will work just as good as 18's, but stack up three 4x10 cabs next to one of my double 18's and the winner is obvious. my band tunes way down and my tone exists below the "bass" of the guitars, so i am not suggesting this would work for everyone. good luck with the quest.
 
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#36
thanks for posting my rig pic ! just note that only the 18's and 2 horns are running, the 8x10 are just there for looks, (although they are working cabs for back up) my band didnt want just the 18's because it looked too small compared to the guitars 4 fullstacks lol. my cabs are sealed.
 
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#37
staindbass said:
thanks for posting my rig pic ! just note that only the 18's and 2 horns are running, the 8x10 are just there for looks, (although they are working cabs for back up) my band didnt want just the 18's because it looked too small compared to the guitars 4 fullstacks lol. my cabs are sealed.
Click to expand...
If you don't mind me asking... why are the mics placed where they are? Usually I thought mics should be off-center (not right at the center) of the cone, and in the horn?
 
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#38
Ray Salamon said:
If you don't mind me asking... why are the mics placed where they are? Usually I thought mics should be off-center (not right at the center) of the cone, and in the horn?
Click to expand...

Taking a stab at it.

I mic my bass speakers on center too for little one off recordings, etc. It gets the full response of the speaker up into the mids/treble. This works fine on a bass speaker, it's guitars that can sound pretty harsh doing it that way. Those JBL horns of his can handle being passed quite low as well. Between the two mics, I would assume much of the frequencies are covered and catch most of the entire rig sound, along with a DI for the deepest of lows.
 
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#39
Also, if you listen to a Staind record, there's plenty of low and high but not a lot of content competing in the vocal range. You can play the music loud and still have a conversation without yelling at each other. There are plenty of other recordings where if you turn it up enough to enjoy, you end up yelling over it if you have to talk to someone.

Different approach to mixing.
 
#40
will33 said:
Taking a stab at it.

I mic my bass speakers on center too for little one off recordings, etc. It gets the full response of the speaker up into the mids/treble. This works fine on a bass speaker, it's guitars that can sound pretty harsh doing it that way. Those JBL horns of his can handle being passed quite low as well. Between the two mics, I would assume much of the frequencies are covered and catch most of the entire rig sound, along with a DI for the deepest of lows.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. I don't know a lot (really, hardly anything) when it comes to mic'ing anything. That makes sense. Maybe I'll grab a couple of mics and make a few recordings in different places just to see what I hear too. Thanks for that :)
 

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