Cab Dilemma

[MYTANGOS]

I'm new to TALKBASS, but have played bass on and off for nearly 50 years. Need advice on a single 15" bass cab for my new Fender fretless Jazz Bass and Ampeg PF-350 - an amp that I REALLY like. Simple controls, good power rating and fits my "old school" blues, soul and jazz playing. I'm using the amp temporarily with a large ported home-made cabinet with an Eminence 300 watt Beta15.
Tried the PF-350 amp with an Ampeg SVT15E - perfect FAT sound, but a little too expensive and heavy.
My selected cabinets are: 1st. Traynor TC115 8 ohm ported 400 watt cab. 2nd: the Ampeg PF-115LF bass enclosure 400w - 8 ohm with rear shelf porting. 3rd: The new Fender Rumble 115 version 3 - a 300 RMS watt 8 ohm front ported cab with a tweeter.
All are similar prices, weight and portability.
Just can't make a final decision.
ANY ADVICE ?????
Thanks BRYAN

 

[telecopy]

Bag End S15. Or two. You will never regret.

 

[MYTANGOS]

Bag End S15. Or two. You will never regret.

Not sure if I can find BAG END in Toronto Canada. Forgot to mention my location. You guys in the USA are very fortunate of the equipment available to you. God Bless America. Thanks for your reply. Will do some BAG END search.

 

[telecopy]

Not sure if I can find BAG END in Toronto Canada. Forgot to mention my location. You guys in the USA are very fortunate of the equipment available to you. God Bless America. Thanks for your reply. Will do some BAG END search.

They make them in Chicago area. Pretty much any bass store with a web site can order them. Fullcompass.com, too. I know it is not best to skip playing through it. But man, they are pretty awesome. Just puts to shame the other combos and cabs I have had over the years. Fender, Randall, Kustom, SWR, TC Electronic, Ampeg. The Bag End just are simply the loudest, clearest, punchiest cab I've heard. There are many others to choose from, including amazing new designs like Greenboy, Barefaced, Fitzmaurice, Baer, etc. Bag End are a terrific mid-priced cab. Solid construction. Great warranty. Like seven years. Their main company, Modular Sound, I think, designs and delivers systems for arenas, etc. I think they know about speakers. Just consider them.

 

[Feral Feline]

OP, you mention the TC115 (60.8 lbs), maybe consider the TC115Neo (39.2 lbs)?
I don't know the price difference, but for the 21.5 lbs difference the Neo Traynor would get my ¢a$h.

 

[MYTANGOS]

They make them in Chicago area. Pretty much any bass store with a web site can order them. Fullcompass.com, too. I know it is not best to skip playing through it. But man, they are pretty awesome. Just puts to shame the other combos and cabs I have had over the years. Fender, Randall, Kustom, SWR, TC Electronic, Ampeg. The Bag End just are simply the loudest, clearest, punchiest cab I've heard. There are many others to choose from, including amazing new designs like Greenboy, Barefaced, Fitzmaurice, Baer, etc. Bag End are a terrific mid-priced cab. Solid construction. Great warranty. Like seven years. Their main company, Modular Sound, I think, designs and delivers systems for arenas, etc. I think they know about speakers. Just consider them.

 

[MYTANGOS]

Your information is much appreciated. Will look into Bag End availability this week. Thanks

 

[MYTANGOS]

OP, you mention the TC115 (60.8 lbs), maybe consider the TC115Neo (39.2 lbs)?
I don't know the price difference, but for the 21.5 lbs difference the Neo Traynor would get my ¢a$h.

Good idea. looked at both cabs earlier today. Close to 90 bucks more for the NEO and I don't mind the slight more weight... My imagination - not THEORY, but seems like slight more weight of bass cab might transfer more audio energy into a room??????

 

[telecopy]

Good idea. looked at both cabs earlier today. Close to 90 bucks more for the NEO and I don't mind the slight more weight... My imagination - not THEORY, but seems like slight more weight of bass cab might transfer more audio energy into a room??????

Well, I don't know about that one.. I think many will refute that notion. But some here do swear by the tone of ceramic magnets. I just don't know.. Neo isn't an option with Bag End. Why? Cost? Resistent to change? Why fix it if it ain't broke? Anybody's guess.

 

[MYTANGOS]

Well, I don't know about that one.. I think many will refute that notion. But some here do swear by the tone of ceramic magnets. I just don't know.. Neo isn't an option with Bag End. Why? Cost? Resistent to change? Why fix it if it ain't broke? Anybody's guess.

Yes - I agree with you totally. Apparently neodymium magnets are a rare earth element and the magnets are produced almost totally in China where the metal is mined. I BET there is quite a potential for rising costs...... Also from my last post - thinking of newer light weight cabinet materials and fabrication of the boxes added to the very light weight woofers compared to my "ancient" memories of monster heavy bass cabs and bins - I'm only suggesting that maybe the shear weight factor may have added to the transfer of vibration right into the floor for real earth shaking bottom. Remembering an old Peavey of mine truly vibrated the entire house. BASS is ACE. Pretty sure I'll get the heavier TRAYNOR cab.

 

[Feral Feline]

The tailing ponds in China from its rare-earth mines used to produce the Neo magnets (as also used in "eco-friendly" hybrid car engines, the biggest market for the dymiums) are scary toxic. Then again, a lot of things we take for granted come at a "scary" cost that we continue to ignore. This thread isn't about that...

The thing that truly shakes the house, Mytangos, is the movement of air, me-thinks. Sure there's TecAmp's "Link Removed" that, were it not on an isolated base, would shake things up without moving air, but it's the air movement that rattles the rafters etc and not the transference of energy from the cab through the floor. Case in point, tonight I was testing my Fdeck HPF-Pre 3 that I just received from a fellow TBer.

Borrowed U-Bass spruce top –> HPF-Pre –> Roland Bass MicroCube RX (17 lbs or so).

I cranked up the volume on both the Fdeck and the little bass amp, its AC adapter powering its dual 2.5w amps for a gob-smacking whopping total of 5w. I'm in a flat/apartment with a solid concrete floor that will not transfer sound/vibrations as easily as a typical N. American home of wooden beams and flooring. Even before I induced feedback, there was an annoying buzz/rattle coming from somewhere near me. I hunted down the offending rattle and killed it by separating a monitor from some other electronics components it was touching. So, 5 watts and I was still rattling a heavy 26" monitor (*not to mention driving my wife, in another room, insane).

Add power & volume (your old Peavey) and yes, the cabinet is going to vibrate, and there will be some transference of those vibrations to the floor whether it's made of wood or concrete, but I'd wager it's still the air movement that's causing most of the shaking of the house. Growing up my friends' had garage bands (cabs on concrete slab) and basement bands (cabs on concrete house foundation) and according to the neighbours and parents, were a menace to crockery, wine glasses & Royal Doulten figurines alike.

Long & McQuade (all funds in Canadian dollars)
TC115Neo.................$515
-
TC115........................$430
___________________
=...............................$85

Cost of a Big Mac meal at a Toronto McDonald's roughly $7-$8.

Skip Rotten Ronnie's 10-11 times and you'll be healthier in more 'weighs' than one!
You might also be able to find a deal, BlindRabbit from Calgary said he saw one last year for as little as 9.


Well, any weigh, that's the weigh I view it: A miniscule increase in price for a substantial back-saving reduction in poundage/kilodamage.

They're both great sounding cabs, at least to my ears, and I couldn't really distinguish a difference sound-wise. Tone Connoisseurs might be able to discern a variance, but I could not.

Sorry for my ramblings, I should shut up and try to get some sleep.

It's a TRAYNOR, I'm sure you'll be happy, it'll sound good and last you a long time!

 

[MYTANGOS]

The tailing ponds in China from its rare-earth mines used to produce the Neo magnets (as also used in "eco-friendly" hybrid car engines, the biggest market for the dymiums) are scary toxic. Then again, a lot of things we take for granted come at a "scary" cost that we continue to ignore. This thread isn't about that...

The thing that truly shakes the house, Mytangos, is the movement of air, me-thinks. Sure there's TecAmp's "Link Removed" that, were it not on an isolated base, would shake things up without moving air, but it's the air movement that rattles the rafters etc and not the transference of energy from the cab through the floor. Case in point, tonight I was testing my Fdeck HPF-Pre 3 that I just received from a fellow TBer.

Borrowed U-Bass spruce top –> HPF-Pre –> Roland Bass MicroCube RX (17 lbs or so).

I cranked up the volume on both the Fdeck and the little bass amp, its AC adapter powering its dual 2.5w amps for a gob-smacking whopping total of 5w. I'm in a flat/apartment with a solid concrete floor that will not transfer sound/vibrations as easily as a typical N. American home of wooden beams and flooring. Even before I induced feedback, there was an annoying buzz/rattle coming from somewhere near me. I hunted down the offending rattle and killed it by separating a monitor from some other electronics components it was touching. So, 5 watts and I was still rattling a heavy 26" monitor (*not to mention driving my wife, in another room, insane).

Add power & volume (your old Peavey) and yes, the cabinet is going to vibrate, and there will be some transference of those vibrations to the floor whether it's made of wood or concrete, but I'd wager it's still the air movement that's causing most of the shaking of the house. Growing up my friends' had garage bands (cabs on concrete slab) and basement bands (cabs on concrete house foundation) and according to the neighbours and parents, were a menace to crockery, wine glasses & Royal Doulten figurines alike.

Long & McQuade (all funds in Canadian dollars)
TC115Neo.................$515
-
TC115........................$430
___________________
=...............................$85

Cost of a Big Mac meal at a Toronto McDonald's roughly $7-$8.

Skip Rotten Ronnie's 10-11 times and you'll be healthier in more 'weighs' than one!
You might also be able to find a deal, BlindRabbit from Calgary said he saw one last year for as little as 9.


Well, any weigh, that's the weigh I view it: A miniscule increase in price for a substantial back-saving reduction in poundage/kilodamage.

They're both great sounding cabs, at least to my ears, and I couldn't really distinguish a difference sound-wise. Tone Connoisseurs might be able to discern a variance, but I could not.

Sorry for my ramblings, I should shut up and try to get some sleep.

It's a TRAYNOR, I'm sure you'll be happy, it'll sound good and last you a long time!

THANK YOU SO MUCH. You are NOT rambling! What a great talent you have for writing. Very, very interesting, by all means. I stand corrected and agree with the low frequency traveling by air movement. There was a time when I was using 4 Cerwin Vegas and 300 watts aside for a NEW years party. The neighbour across the street was complaining of her windows shaking. Would have been the air movement.....
Both Traynor cabs are very inviting to me. I called LONG and MCQUADE today and they have both available, but the salesperson said if I do buy the NEO and if the driver ever needed future replacement, their policy would be to replace it with ceramic. Maybe I'll flip a coin to choose.
Speaking about coin - my new MIM Fender fretless Jazz Bass, deluxe Fender case and Ampeg PF-350 have already set me back over $1300.00. Trying to choose a relatively budget system that will satisfy and appeal to me. Just that last choice of cab is kind of fun, especially with the feedback I'm getting from Talkbass. Thank you Feril Feline - you're Cool. How do you like my cat l'orange on an invisible bike?

 

[Feral Feline]

Purrr. Many thanks for the compliments. I obviously like cats (had a big ol' orange one named "Tang", a Chinese name, not the drink crystals – stupid older brother o' mine), and I'm a keen cyclist, so...
Le Chat l'Orange sur la vélo de l'air c'est FURTASTIQUE!

When you get the cab, post a pic of the whole rig, watched over by your furocious-fab Guard Cat.

 

[MYTANGOS]

My pleasure.
Will post pic, Mr FERAL - I'm CYCLIST too and my long gone orange cat was named TANGO.
Had him 20 years, he ate human food and I talk to his picture every day. Good cat. Liked JAZZ.
In my rig right now, I have an old 1989 Fender Japan Jazz Bass fretless, all black - headstock and tuning keys black too and my home-made cab is an old 5.5 cu. ft. HIFI thick plywood construction and beautiful veneered Electro Voice cab I found down town in an alley. I converted the old box to a bass amp cab by plugging up the original front speaker cut-out and turning the cabinet around, then cutting a new rear panel (which is now my front) and a 15" cut-out houses an Eminence BETA15 300W RMS 8 ohm woofer with a relatively low fs and a black steel grill to protect it. I installed 2 pairs of banana plugs paralleled for additional speakers and for input. (I EXPERIMENTED with a large Electro Voice horn on top, but WAY too loud for audio, better for a bass guitar.) The rectangular port originally on the front (that is now the rear of my bass cab) is still open acting as "rear shelf porting so to speak" and I hung a heavy piece of carpet inside for dampening. My Frankenstein cab is odd, but it sounds great. DEEP LOWS and mids are super. MY NEW CAB DILEMMA is tough, due to the thought of replacing the old beast. Kinda like an old friend.

 

[snarebear]

2nd the bag end cabs.

 

[telecopy]

Yes - I agree with you totally. Apparently neodymium magnets are a rare earth element and the magnets are produced almost totally in China where the metal is mined. I BET there is quite a potential for rising costs...... Also from my last post - thinking of newer light weight cabinet materials and fabrication of the boxes added to the very light weight woofers compared to my "ancient" memories of monster heavy bass cabs and bins - I'm only suggesting that maybe the shear weight factor may have added to the transfer of vibration right into the floor for real earth shaking bottom. Remembering an old Peavey of mine truly vibrated the entire house. BASS is ACE. Pretty sure I'll get the heavier TRAYNOR cab.

My Bag End 15 cabs are about 50 pounds. They are pretty compact. 18x18x15. Well placed handles. The port is in the back. If you put them close to a wall they get pretty bassy. They are tuned to 50 hertz, so they are not really deep, but that doesn't matter, at least to me. I think they made them this way because we can't really differentiate anything with your ears below that. You feel it. So for a cutting sound that you can HEAR, they are good. I don't have tweeters, but they also offer drivers with coaxial tweeters.

 

[MYTANGOS]

My Bag End 15 cabs are about 50 pounds. They are pretty compact. 18x18x15. Well placed handles. The port is in the back. If you put them close to a wall they get pretty bassy. They are tuned to 50 hertz, so they are not really deep, but that doesn't matter, at least to me. I think they made them this way because we can't really differentiate anything with your ears below that. You feel it. So for a cutting sound that you can HEAR, they are good. I don't have tweeters, but they also offer drivers with coaxial tweeters.

Telecopy - 18x18x15 - What a great size cabinet. Especially to own a pair. Nice. Did some Google research on BAG END cabs. Real shame not finding very much in way of availability in TORONTO. Thanks for your response.

 

[telecopy]

Telecopy - 18x18x15 - What a great size cabinet. Especially to own a pair. Nice. Did some Google research on BAG END cabs. Real shame not finding very much in way of availability in TORONTO. Thanks for your response.

Just order them. I got mine from Bass Northwest in Seattle. Call Bag End. They will steer you in the right direction. Great! Another Bag End fan! They SHAME anything you hear at a Guitar Center.

 

[telecopy]

Telecopy - 18x18x15 - What a great size cabinet. Especially to own a pair. Nice. Did some Google research on BAG END cabs. Real shame not finding very much in way of availability in TORONTO. Thanks for your response.

I can't describe the sound I get from a thing (two Bag End S15 cabs) that takes up so little room. I think the people at a grocery store a half mile away can hear me dinking around. They have high sensitivity.

 

[edencab]

Not sure if I can find BAG END in Toronto Canada. Forgot to mention my location. You guys in the USA are very fortunate of the equipment available to you. God Bless America. Thanks for your reply. Will do some BAG END search.

hi Mytango.....if you could stand a 2x15 there is a killer used Peavey w/ Black Widow speakers at the Scarborough L&McQ.....$300
otherwise, I'd go for the Traynor..have played, it is killer gear....let us know what you ever find out about BAG Ends too, would be interested

a fellow Torontonian