Deltalite Walkabout Cabinet?

[V63]

Hi Everyone,

I played through a Walkabout 12" 4 ohm combo yesterday and I really loved it. Very pricey here in Canada though. I'm thinking I'll try to find a used head or Scout combo after I sell or trade my Markbass F500. The thing is I can't find the extension cabs for sale anywhere. Has Mesa stopped making them? This in turn made me curious about a DIY or LDS 2X12. I have a tc electronics BC2x12 cab that might suit if I switch the speakers.

Am I right that Mesa Boogie uses the Deltalite II 2512? Does the cab specs follow Eminence's "Small Vented 1x12 Bass Guitar Cabinet"?
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What does the "Down-Firing Passive Radiator" add to the tone really? Is it skip-able? -I tend to turn down "Bass" on amps a little.
Does the 8ohm version sound different from the 4 ohm version?
Could you recommend a tweeter? -also skip-able?

Thanks

 

[Downunderwonder]

In one breath you're going from reverse engineering a finely tuned passive radiator assisted wunderbox to doing a standard 112. See fdeck diy thread for fine detail of what you can get out of a deltalite 12 or build one of the Eminence free designs.

 

[V63]

Please forgive me for my unfocused musings. I'll check out your suggestions and change the thread title. I guess the question I'm asking is: How much of a Walkabout Scouts tone comes from the head and how much comes from the cabinet and would a similarly sized/tuned cabinet with the same driver sound the same. Does anyone run a Walkabout through a Deltalite cab with very close to the same results as the Scout cab?
Thank you

 

[AstroSonic]

Please forgive me for my unfocused musings. I'll check out your suggestions and change the thread title. I guess the question I'm asking is: How much of a Walkabout Scouts tone comes from the head and how much comes from the cabinet and would a similarly sized/tuned cabinet with the same driver sound the same. Does anyone run a Walkabout through a Deltalite cab with very close to the same results as the Scout cab?
Thank you

Can't blame a guy for trying!

The answers to your questions all depend upon how picky you are. If you auditioned and really liked the tone of a real Walkabout, then you likely are picky enough to hear the difference between the Walkabout head and a diy 2512 cab, a nice head (your choice) and a real Walkabout 112 cab, and a real Walkabout combo. The tone of the head is unlike any other, while the cab is highly engineered, using a driver having the same frame and magnetic assembly as the 2512, but with a different cone and voice coil. The Walkabout driver differs from the 2512 in ways that require different tuning and cab volume, and has mids and highs that give a different tone. While you certainly could put a 2512 into a cab with the same volume and tuning as the Walkabout cab, it would not sound the same. If your ear is sufficiently discerning to hear the fine tone of the Walkabout combo (which it evidently is), then you will likely hear a significant difference. That's not to say that you couldn't get used to the 2512's tone and even like it. For those who don't appreciate the difference, it's a good solution. Or, you may actually like the tone of the 2512 diy cab more than the Walkabout cab. The only way to tell is to go ahead and build... Or you could just watch for a Walkabout 12 cab on the used market (CL or TB Classifieds).

 

[WoodyJ]

I'm on my third (and final) Walkabout cabinet.

Every time I sell one, I immediately regret it. drool

This one, I am keeping.

And regarding the extension cabinets, they are no longer in production. Just before I bought my current Scout cabinet (with the head slot), I called Mesa to see if they might have an extension cab left in inventory to sell. No luck.

The cabs with the head slot are much more plentiful used, I found the last two I've had here in the TB Classifieds. Come to think of it, I sold my original Scout cab here on TB as well. The stock Mesa speaker (Eminence, I believe) works fine. Remember, The Scout cab is designed to be used with a 300W Walkabout head.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I can't recall too many diy deltalite 12 cabs being built.

It's not an overly peaky mid response driver and box tuning mainly effects low mids on down. So apart from Bfm horn jiggerypokery most reasonable boxes shouldn't stray too far in native response.

I think you would have good luck with fdeck medium sized box which he tuned for minimum size / reasonable efficiency, with the same modest low end you describe. To approach the ideal of the genuine article Mesa with bass rolled off you would use a HPF and leave the low bass neutral.

 

[V63]

Can't blame a guy for trying!

...the cab is highly engineered, using a driver having the same frame and magnetic assembly as the 2512, but with a different cone and voice coil. The Walkabout driver differs from the 2512 in ways that require different tuning and cab volume, and has mids and highs that give a different tone.

Dang-it! I looked at the Walkabout thread and a few people seemed to think it was the exact same driver.

 

[AstroSonic]

Dang-it! I looked at the Walkabout thread and a few people seemed to think it was the exact same driver.

No, But it's a very good driver, and may well meet your needs. What's important is a rig that produces the tone you want, and at adequate volume levels. The fact that it's not a real Walkabout cab is ultimately unimportant. Since you know that the Walkabout cab produces the tone you are looking for, and at adequate sound levels, picking one up used seems like a good solution. Or get the Walkabout head and build a 2512 cab. If you are pleased, great. If not get the real cab and either sell the 2512 or keep it as a backup.

 

[Woodstockz]

I can't recall too many diy deltalite 12 cabs being built.

It's not an overly peaky mid response driver and box tuning mainly effects low mids on down. So apart from Bfm horn jiggerypokery most reasonable boxes shouldn't stray too far in native response.

I think you would have good luck with fdeck medium sized box which he tuned for minimum size / reasonable efficiency, with the same modest low end you describe. To approach the ideal of the genuine article Mesa with bass rolled off you would use a HPF and leave the low bass neutral.

When it comes to 12" Deltalite cabs, Prof Deck has done all the work for you, except for the making of sawdust, and gluing together.

His analysis of the DL build is very instructional. Every DIYer should read it.

I built a Deltalite fdeck cab. It sounds great. I plan to build more, in various configurations.