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fEARful™ Part Eleven (11)

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#761
You're welcome.

If you have an urgent need, what I would suggest is: Buy the 4 ohm TB153 and resell it if you don't like it. The resale value on those is probably close to 80%.

They're good solid cabs. No way you're going to get a fEarful in less than several weeks (if not more) without building it yourself.

A good second option is to buy the kit from Leland. It'd go together in an afternoon and you're only paying about 100 bucks for his labor in cutting the wood and biscuiting everything for you. Real cheap. And can come with a presoldered crossover.
 
#762
Hey ErnieD; if you find a builder in TX (or close to it) would you please let me know what they quote you for a 15/6/1? I'm down in San Antonio and was ready to pull the trigger on a TB153 too...but then I started thinking about a fEARful (again).

From what I've read, the TB153 is roughly 80%-85% of a fEARful. If the real thing is going to be twice the price it wouldn't be worth it to me. But for "this much more" (amount TBD) it might be worth it.

Thanks for letting me know if you hear anything, and good luck to you.

Mike D
 
#763
mikeddd said:
From what I've read, the TB153 is roughly 80%-85% of a fEARful. If the real thing is going to be twice the price it wouldn't be worth it to me. But for "this much more" (amount TBD) it might be worth it.
Click to expand...

According to the website, a complete 15/6/1 fEarful kit from Speaker Hardware comes in at about $790 plus shipping, including a couple of pints of Duratex and pre-built crossovers. The kit is apparently easy enough for a relatively unskilled woodworker to build in a couple of afternoons.

This compares to the Avatar at $539, finished with LineX. I don't know how the shipping costs compare, but based on the asking prices, the TB153 is certainly the value leader, at $250 less than the fEarful, ready-to-play. It's also a better choice if you're in a hurry.

Still, IMO if you have the skills and the time to bang a fEarful together, you have to consider a few other factors:
- better waveguide
- improved crossover design
- optimized driver placement
- superior midrange driver
- more friendly form factor
- significant weight reduction (approx. 13lb?)
- greater output and better low end response, thanks to proper porting

A lot of us regularly pay double or more for boutique basses and amplifiers, in order to get an extra, what, 5% in performance?

Once again, this is only my opinion, but looking at it that way, the two cabs are much closer in price than it might seem at first glance.

EDIT: adjusted price differential- forgot about a grille for the fEarful.
 
#764
A bass cab with bad box tuning = built to fail

If your budget is that tight and you got no ninja wood-shop skills buy the 12/6 kit with the heavy mid driver and no horn - you can do that for less than $400.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Later you can add a 12/sub, upgrade the mid, add a horn... or not. In any event the woofer will actually work all the way to the bottom of the bass range from day one. Go the TB153 route and the woof will never be right.
 
#766
Foz said:
A bass cab with bad box tuning = built to fail

If your budget is that tight and you got no ninja wood-shop skills buy the 12/6 kit with the heavy mid driver and no horn - you can do that for less than $400.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Later you can add a 12/sub, upgrade the mid, add a horn... or not. In any event the woofer will actually work all the way to the bottom of the bass range from day one. Go the TB153 route and the woof will never be right.
Click to expand...

Actually, the $350 12/6 kit in your link, is hardware only, no lumber. Ninja woodworking skills and access to a table saw recommended for that one.

Still, you raise a couple of excellent points:

A bare-bones 15/6 or 12/6 is upgrade ready, without the compromises inherent in the TB153. You can easily add a tweeter, revise the crossover, or replace the midrange driver at a later date.

Also, the TB153 is down on max output because of the less-efficient box tuning and weaker midrange driver. In comparison, up until the 12/6/1 hits its power limit at about 530 watts, the low end extension is on par with the 15/6, and overall output is only about 3dB lower, watt-for-watt. Plus, the vertical dispersion of the 24" tall 12/6/1 is still going to be better than the 27" tall TB153.

So it would really be more accurate to compare the TB153 to the 12/6/1. In that case, the Avatar pulls off a win on impressive size, but the price gap narrows to about $175, and it still loses out on overall output, low end extension, midrange presence and dispersion. Furthermore, the 63lb Avatar loses big time on schleppage, compared to the lightweight, compact 12/6/1.
 
#771
Foz said:
Good catch on bad link/price - but still looks like you can do the minimal version 12/6 kit for less than $500 - where do you get a $175 price gap - surely you didn't spend that on paint?

Invalid Link Removed

Aint that cheaper than a TB153?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the standard flat pack driver kit still requires the builder to cut handle openings, etc. My quote was intended for someone with minimal woodworking skills, looking to do the fastest, easiest possible fEarful build, and going for parity with the Avatar. That means choosing the Deluxe kit, which includes pre-cut handle openings, and opting for extras like handles and pre-built crossovers.

After using the pulldowns to add a tweeter and appropriate hardware, you still have to add the Duratex, and outsource a grille.

Keeping it fairly simple, I got these numbers for a 12/6/1:
Standard 12/6 configuration $539.95
Ceramic-magnet Eminence midrange +$0.00
pre-built crossover +$27.41
Dayton/Eminence horn, w/prebuilt HF crossover +$69.11
D023 jackplate, for mounting tweeter control +$10.49
2 Leather-look strap handles +$17.53
1 pint Duratex +$14.95
grille (various sources) +$25.00
Total: $704.44

And for a 15/6/1, it looks like this:

Standard 15/6 configuration $614.95
18sound midrange driver +$0.00
pre-built midrange crossover +$27.41
Dayton/Eminence horn, w/prebuilt HF crossover +$69.11
D023 jackplate, for mounting tweeter control +$10.49
2 Leather-look strap handles +$17.53
2 pints Duratex +$29.90
grille (various sources) +$25.00
Total: $794.39

Soooo, that's about $540 for the TB 153, $705 for the 12/6/1, and $795 for the 15/6/1, all prices plus shipping. Turns out I was off slightly- incremental costs for going fEarful are $165 (12/6/1), or $255 (15/6/1).

Note that you could run these prices up by well over $100, by going for the fanciest hardware, the 18sound horn, etc. At the other extreme, bare-bones fEarfuls with plastic D handles, self-wired crossovers and no tweeter would come in at $591 and $691, by my calculations. To be fair, you can also shave $50 off a TB153 by downgrading to Tolex.

Either way, remembering that with the right amp, a 15/6/1 can keep up pretty well with a pair of Bergie AE210's, these prices are an absolute steal....
 
#777
Combining replies...

rpsands said:
I believe the TB153 is actally 1.5 x 22.25. That's my recollection anyway.
Click to expand...

On further investigation, it appears the port on the 410 cabs is 1.5" high; the TB153 port is 2" high. Would still appreciate confirmation from anyone who can physically measure one.


steve_rolfeca said:
... Soooo, that's about $540 for the TB 153, $705 for the 12/6/1, and $795 for the 15/6/1, all prices plus shipping. Turns out I was off slightly- incremental costs for going fEarful are $165 (12/6/1), or $255 (15/6/1).

Note that you could run these prices up by well over $100, by going for the fanciest hardware, the 18sound horn, etc. At the other extreme, bare-bones fEarfuls with plastic D handles, self-wired crossovers and no tweeter would come in at $591 and $691, by my calculations. To be fair, you can also shave $50 off a TB153 by downgrading to Tolex.
Click to expand...

Interesting compilation. Demonstrates Avatar's economy of scale - hard to beat, even when adding your own time at $0/hr. Not to say there isn't a value added when doing a fEARful.
 
#778
KingRazor said:
Does anyone here recommend the baltic birch over the Auraco?
Click to expand...

I know it's slightly heavier, but I have a good track record with Baltic birch, and so that's what I used. The Auraco might be absolutely fine, but I don't mind the slight additional weight.
 
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