EA cab question

I've got a CXL 112.I'll try to give you some insight.

(1)Quality materials and engineering cost more. Euphonic has lots of both.Plus the EA transmission line technology is more costly than port designs.

(2)It's not plastic - more like a very hard vinyl. It's a LOT better than the standard carpet material that most manufactures use.This too would add to the cost.

(3) I'm from the school of "You can't have enough power" (for tone and headroom). I drive my CXL112 with a 500 watt Eden amp. The EA sucks up a lot of power. I would suggest that 350 watts is the minimum if you want to use the cabinet to it's full potential.Unless you're careless you wouldn't blow one of these up with 1000 watts.

(4) It's talked about because it provides three things:
(a) Clear uncolored tone - very flat and very wide frequency response
(b) Big volume sound in a small, light cabinet
(c) Reasonably priced if (a) and (b) are what you're looking for.

 

Don't worry about the corner protection.It doesn't need it. The EAs are built like a tank.The "vinyl" covering is WAY tougher than that carpet stuff. Ever spilled a beer on a carpet cabinet?
EA vs Epifani.....hmmmm.Epi is a fabulous cabinet but doesn't have quite the flat clarity of the Euphonic. Now, that's not a a good or bad thing.Some people think the EA is too sterile sounding. But those who want flat clarity might find the Epi a little too colored in the midrange.For me the EA is better because I use it for upright and electric. I think it's the best upright cabinet out there...period.The Epi would not be my choice for upright. On electric I don't hear "sterile" in the EA but I can understand how others might.To those the Epi would be a better choice.
If your frame of reference is an Ampeg SVT then Euphonic would be downright "sterile".

 

It is not that expensive. Compare it with SWR, Ampeg and other top of the line manufacturers and the difference is minimal. Remember, the price at the EA site is suggested retail. There are some reasons that EA's cost what they do. There is no of the shelf software to design TL cabinets. The R&D is extremely expensive when dealing with TL cabinets. It might be the primary reason that other companies don't do it (they really don't know how either). EA's cabinet construction, including the baffles for the TL, the combination of Epoxy Resin/Polyurethane, integrated handles, proprietary design speakers, the use of lightweight imported Italian Poplar Ply (40% weight reduction), etc are expensive. Many companies buy speakers off the shelf - not EA.

As I said earlier, it is a combination of Epoxy Resin and Polyurethane. The covering does not pill, does not pick up cat hair, does not smell like a bar when your done gigging with it and can be cleaned by a damp cloth

Although it is difficult to blow the speakers, you must be careful of the application. I beleive the CxL-110L is rated from 48hz. If you boost the low frequencies on your amp 15-20db, you run the risk of blowing the speaker.

Here is a quote about the transmission line (much like in the Bose acoustiwave radios)that might explain the advantages of big sound in the small box idea of the EA cabs

You can also see the the sensitivity (SPL's)of the EA cabs really blow other cabinets away. The design of EA cabinets is backed up by sound physics principals. It works well and there is science to back it up. And again they are not that much more than other cabinets that perform far worse than the EA's

Mike

BTW - I am an EA endorsed player

 

I had two CXL-110L's and a 350w into 4ohm head. Just before that I had two SWR 12" bass monitors. besides some sound problems with the 110's I also missed the fullness of 12's so when the technical problems with the 110s was deemed 'normal' I still decided to return the 110s and get a 112L. $635 is alot of money and I'm thinking I could almost get 3 gs-112s for the price of two ea 112s!, but I'm gonna wait and see how they sound.

You are more likely to possibly damage speakers with too little power going into a cab versus the cabs being run by an amp bigger than the cab rating. you will get distortion more easily from a smaller amp, with the big amp your more likely to reach a "too loud" volume before too much distortion is going into the cabs!

 

Hey Mike - Thanks for the stuff on transmission line design.

 

I was remiss in mentioning that the quote is from the Davidson Speaker Comapny's web site. I think that the explanation of how you get a broader, full bandwidth and controlled sound out of the Transmission Line is a really key element in making EA such a great cab for bass players

Mike

 

Mcrelly
I sold my GS112 to get a CXL112 and like the EA a lot better. The aggie is no slouch but its scooped sound seemed to always get lost in any kind of dense mix. The EA cab has tighter bass, fuller mids, nice highs and is much louder too.

 

That really speaks to a fundemental problem when buying a speaker cabinet (unless of course you play solo, as I do). You don't hear the bass in the environment you will be playing it in - no kick drum, no guitars, etc. We love that real big bottom of certain cabs when we hear them in the store. It is that same bottom that gets lost in the live mix.

The full bandwidth response of the EA cabs ensures that you will be heard as well as felt.

I am not talking about the GS112 in particular. I think that they sound great as well, just more so about the process of auditioning a cabinet. It would be great if we could play them on a few gigs first

Mike

Mike

 

The cool thing is that with out the carpet covering, they will not smell as much like cigarettes after gigs...



I had a VL 110 (10, 5 and horn)... Great Cab!! Carpet covered (older line)... wished I never put it up on eBay.


ps, got Aggie GS112 the other day, love it... getting another to keep it company on gigs.

 

Oops, I forgot to mention that the cabinets are made from imported Poplar Plywood (40% lighter than Birch) and the outer coating is a combination of 3 coats of Epoxy Resin and a top coat of polyurethane.

Mike

 

It sure is refreshing to see a cab that's covered in something other than carpet!! And as a bonus, they sound fantastic. An iAmp350 through a CXL-112L is tonal nirvana.

 

It took me a while to get use to carrying my CXL-110's because they were a little rough on my hands. I had to turn then on their side to fit better on my carrier. kinda like holding a big square volcanic rock! I guess its good for stacking rather than a smooth surface cab.

 

Last week at the NAMM show I saw the new finish on the cabs. Still a bit "pebbly" but much smoother than even my 112 which was shipped in February

Mike

 

Wow, something to look forward to! I tried the CXL-110, but returned it because of a funny sound deemed "normal" by JD so I'm gonna try the CXL-112L.

Anyday now, they tell me! The price is a little steep for me, even when I got the 110's so I'm just gonna get one for now.