efficient cabs for low power tube amps

[zorf]

love the sound of my 40 and 100 watt tube amps.
love the sensitivity of the older speakers, but they can be fragile.
i'm ok with a bigger box, if needed.
Any modern speakers that would get me there?

 

[kesslari]

Bill Fitzmaurice's designs (BMF) are extremely efficient.
He used to post here, but got tired of dealing with people who thought that "'cuz I say so" is a rational argument.
Try his site - www.billfitzmaurice.com

In fact there are a couple of BFM Jack cabs in the TB classifieds.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

Anything with a JBL E130 in it.

 

[Stealth Fighter]

Anything with a JBL E130 in it.

Or 140. The 130 is a little more efficient, buy the 140 will better handle the 100 watt amp.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

The E130 is nearly four-times more efficient than the E140. I think it is technically a guitar speaker but I'm pretty sure it has been used for bass. Check it out.

 

[AstroSonic]

A 2x15 with Faital Pro 15PR400's in a 6 cf ported cab would almost surely meet your needs.

 

[Korladis]

Anything with a JBL E130 in it.

Or 140. The 130 is a little more efficient, buy the 140 will better handle the 100 watt amp.

The E130 is nearly four-times more efficient than the E140. I think it is technically a guitar speaker but I'm pretty sure it has been used for bass. Check it out.

Um, guys?

love the sound of my 40 and 100 watt tube amps.
love the sensitivity of the older speakers, but they can be fragile.
i'm ok with a bigger box, if needed.
Any modern speakers that would get me there?

 

[webmonster]

The Eminence 3015HO is pretty efficient (I think - I'm no expert!). 101 dB 1W/1m.

 

[vdub75]

Fearful 12/6.

 

[CL400Peavey]

I would take a look at the Faith Pro 15PR400 loaded greenboy Dually. I use one with low powered tube amps, and it is awesome.

 

[Stealth Fighter]

Um, guys?

True to some extent, but hardly five times. More like 5 db. If you read my post I was pointing out that the 140 had higher power handling capacity, and greater excursion (whatever that term is). One-Hundred watts of bass energy may overstress the 130.

Per JohnK:
Their sensitivity (@ 1w/1meter), frequency response, and X/max specs are:
E130: 105db 50hz-6khz 2.54mm
E140: 100db 40hz-2.5khz 3.56mm
K140: 98db 40hz-2.5khz 5.09mm

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/vintage-15-jbl-comparisons-w-soundclips.809918/

 

[Bassmec]

On a par sensitivity wise with the great old James B Lansing k130 is the Altec Lansing 418 series II driver.

It's the Alnico Magnet version of the 421a that Ampeg used in the folded V4b cab, I have a pair in original Ampeg SVT115A Altec option cabs. That's when Ampeg offered that cabinet with a lifetime guarantee on the speaker!

Don't get that today.:-(
It has a little more X-Max but not quite as much as the K140 be warned it's not a lightweight driver as to get that SPL It has an enormous stepped Alnico magnet with a very well focused field gap.

 

[alexclaber]

If you want very high sensitivity from a bass loudspeaker you need a big box, no way around it! But if you're happy with a big cab then there are plenty of options, 6x10", 8x10", 2x15", 4x12" etc. You want light cones and a reasonably high F3, probably high Vas drivers which give you a mid-bass hump for more sensitivity at the expense of very deep lows and/or very accurate response.

 

[Bassmec]

If you want very high sensitivity from a bass loudspeaker you need a big box, no way around it! But if you're happy with a big cab then there are plenty of options, 6x10", 8x10", 2x15", 4x12" etc. You want light cones and a reasonably high F3, probably high Vas drivers which give you a mid-bass hump for more sensitivity at the expense of very deep lows and/or very accurate response.

Yup Alex that's exactly what we want!

A huffing chuffing dirty beast of bass burping, mid bumped honkyness. The sort of thing that makes an old tube amp sound like John Entwistle at the who live at leads but far filthier. are we aloud to say seriously coloured here?.
Studio mains? We already got some.

 

[Bassmec]

Fearful 12/6.

You show me your SPL figures and I will show you mine.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

Bill Fitzmaurice's designs (BMF) are extremely efficient.
He used to post here, but got tired of dealing with people who thought that "'cuz I say so" is a rational argument.
Try his site - www.billfitzmaurice.com

In fact there are a couple of BFM Jack cabs in the TB classifieds.

+1. I'm using a 160w tube amp with a Jack 210, and am nowhere near pushing my amp to its limit. I can get pant flapping with this rig, although I pretty much never need to in this band.

 

[zorf]

thanks for the great suggestions.
Anything other thoughts?

 

[kesslari]

Fearful 12/6.

Um... No.
fEarful's are great sounding cabs, but they are NOT efficient - they need a lot of watts to be happy.

 

[mpdd]

the eminence kappa 115 in my orange seems pretty loud if there are 2 of them

 

[Bassmec]

+1. I'm using a 160w tube amp with a Jack 210, and am nowhere near pushing my amp to its limit. I can get pant flapping with this rig, although I pretty much never need to in this band.

Horn loading has been really quite extensively developed by Altec voice of the Theatre systems.
Bill has cleverly managed to make them smaller without compromising performance by very much.

This would be Altec's attempt at a BFM JACK 115 then.