Curious how many players actually use them. Every cab that I’ve had that had one I turned it off. I think they sound horrible, but maybe it’s just me. I just bought a Carvin 2x10 with a non working horn. I replaced a blown capacitor on the crossover and it still doesn’t work. It’s more of an ocd thing because quite frankly it sounds good without it. I just like having my gear in good working order. I’m tempted to just leave it. I’ve only got $100 into the whole thing anyway.
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Cabinet horns
- Thread starter picker1974
- Start date
I like the versatility but in cabs I have with “horns” or tweeters for high frequency , I typically turn them off
I’d rather have mid range drivers ; more in line with range of electric bass
I’d rather have mid range drivers ; more in line with range of electric bass
You need to find out what caused that capacitor to blow to fix the problem.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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I use mine 100% of the time and wouldn't even consider buying a cab without one. And beyond that I still boost treble substantially via my onboard preamps in many cases. Vive la difference!
I disabled the horn in my Eden D210T almost 25 years ago and haven't missed it. In fact, a while back I picked up a second-hand Eden D115T and it took me almost 2 years to even realize that the tweeter was defective, because I just turned it off as soon as I got it!
I doubt I’ll ever know because I bought it second hand. I did however do the 9 volt battery test to the horn leads and it makes noise, so I’m assuming the horn is actually good. It’s the crossover that is suspect. If I’m feeling ambitious this weekend I’ll break out my meter and start tracing circuits on it to see if I can find the culprit.
Ime, some good, some bad, a few are actually great.. . My favorite are coax
I would much rather have one and not need it,than need it and not have it. I tend to run them about midway up.
The only problem is if I want to use a heavier OD/fuzz but not get the super in your face Rhonda Smith sound, I need to turn them off, which requires going behind the cab and also having a cab with otherwise good mids that reach up at least into the 4k or so range. One of these companies one day is going to realize this problem and just spend the $5 on adding a footswitch jack to the input panel to bring the tweeter in or out and make a killing being the only one doing it for a while. Using something like a ground control, you could easily have a tweeter switch as part of a preset. So for your bright funky Marcus Miller stuff, tweeter is on. Then you go into doom metal and it turns off the tweeter, turns on your sub octave and fuzz, etc...
So yeah, some of them sound less than great, but I have good cabs that have good sounding ones. But I have to usually just use a compromise setting in between bright cleans and low passed dirt. I'd probably keep them closer to the 3/4 range than 1/2 otherwise.
The only problem is if I want to use a heavier OD/fuzz but not get the super in your face Rhonda Smith sound, I need to turn them off, which requires going behind the cab and also having a cab with otherwise good mids that reach up at least into the 4k or so range. One of these companies one day is going to realize this problem and just spend the $5 on adding a footswitch jack to the input panel to bring the tweeter in or out and make a killing being the only one doing it for a while. Using something like a ground control, you could easily have a tweeter switch as part of a preset. So for your bright funky Marcus Miller stuff, tweeter is on. Then you go into doom metal and it turns off the tweeter, turns on your sub octave and fuzz, etc...
So yeah, some of them sound less than great, but I have good cabs that have good sounding ones. But I have to usually just use a compromise setting in between bright cleans and low passed dirt. I'd probably keep them closer to the 3/4 range than 1/2 otherwise.
I think a well integrated crossover with a compression driver, or even a run of the mill eminence apt80 sound really good, and can really help with note definition. If I used any distortion, (I don't) I can see how they wouldn't work. I always wondered why GK never offered a real crossover and tweeter in their MB combos even if you had to pay a little more, because if they did, I'd probably buy one. The peizos in those things sound horrid awful.
I've felt like one would be helpful for some time. That's what I like about TB: finding the courage to do something someone else has done. Anyone else use Google to check the originality of their wild ideas or jokes?
The horns in my Berg cabs are quite nice especially with upright, I used to also have a Berg NV115 it's a 6" mid an that was great too
On my Eden 2x12 I kept it "almost off". Literature for that cab said to never turn it off for some reason so I kept it as low as it would go without the knob be dimed in the off position.
I was never sold on horns or even midrange drivers in bass cabs until i got a Fearless 2x12. The horn in that I keep at about the ten-11 o'clock mark.
I use them but padded usually around 6dB. The Selenium D250-X GW is a great replacement for bass and costs just shy of $40.
D
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The tweeter in my Markbass 210 I turn completely off, but I like the compression horn in my Ampeg 115HE on at the -4 setting.
How did you determine the capacitor was blown?
If it looked burnt, the problem is likely beyond the leads of the cap, and the capacitor was just a victim.
I replaced the horn in my GK 2-12 neo with a 6.5” speaker (using the proper crossover).
I like the results.
I have a Markbass combo and I’m ok with the horn for BG, but roll the treble way off for EUB.
Many players don’t like the harsh character of some horns as well as the beaming effect of them also. The Genzler Bass Array cabs use paper cones in a line Array column in front of the woofer, giving wide dispersion and smooth mid range and high frequency response. Game changer in cab design IMHO.
I've always turned them off. Not only did I not care for their sound, I found them to to be hissy when you're not playing. My Rumble 15's go from dead quiet to having a line noise hiss when the tweeter is turned on. Same, but quite as bad with the Ampegs I've owned.
IMO:
No matter the amount of 10" speakers, zero horn.
4 or more 12" one horn for every quintuplet just to add a wee bit of HF...a weeeee bit.
Just picked-up a MB212 and MBP212 extension; with both horns "Off," it is just a tad stuffy, but with only one preset horn on in only one 212, it adds the wee bit that treble/high mids adjustments alone just don't allow that little bit of "shimmer."
When I had a 410 a few years ago, I would always shift/turn tweeter/horn towards negative end of spectrum. But IMO, if a player likes "clang" then a horn can help to shave/accentuate it.
...and/or if they like more sparkle such as harmonics/slippity slap bling blam YouTube demo videos...
Just sayin'.
No matter the amount of 10" speakers, zero horn.
4 or more 12" one horn for every quintuplet just to add a wee bit of HF...a weeeee bit.
Just picked-up a MB212 and MBP212 extension; with both horns "Off," it is just a tad stuffy, but with only one preset horn on in only one 212, it adds the wee bit that treble/high mids adjustments alone just don't allow that little bit of "shimmer."
When I had a 410 a few years ago, I would always shift/turn tweeter/horn towards negative end of spectrum. But IMO, if a player likes "clang" then a horn can help to shave/accentuate it.
...and/or if they like more sparkle such as harmonics/slippity slap bling blam YouTube demo videos...
Just sayin'.
