fEARful part 13: the bad luck's done, son

[Budbear]

I am about to start my first 15/6 build.
I was thinking to save weight, maximize volume, and ensure air-tightness I would go with strap handles instead of spring-loaded or deep dish.

Is that a bad idea with a 15/6? I would probably be using my kart-a-bag to move it any significant distance. If I do it, should I install them vertically or horizontally?

These might be a viable alternative.
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[smeet]

I use a strap handle on my Fender Twin, weighing in at over 80lbs...but that doesn't mean I like it. The 15/6 weighs in at around 50lbs...I'd personally vote against old fashioned strap handles... I don't find them comfortable, and I always find they twist a bit depending on the angle.

I didn't mean the soft "loop" handles, I meant these: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
And I was thinking one on each side, not one on the top. Is that what you were voting against?

I used strap handles on my 12/6 & 12/sub. They work great with one mounted on the top for a one hand carry. A 15/6 is only 10lbs heavier so the weight shouldn't be a problem. They are a little bigger so I'm not sure where the best place for mounting them would be though.

I don't think I would try a one-handed carry too often, just because the depth of the cab would make it hit me in the side of the leg, or I would have to try to hold it away from my leg which is hard on the shoulder. But it's hard to say what it would feel like before I try it on the actual cab.

These might be a viable alternative.
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Those look interesting, but are they well made and would they rattle?

With all of these surface-mount handles, they are just held in by a few wood screws. Is that secure, or will it eventually start to chew through the wood?

 

[greenboy]

Dayton parts that resemble Penn Elcom ones generally suck.At least in the case of their spring-loaded handles, which are likely to rattle, or rivets sometimes buzz or pop out. Get the real deal!

 

[JGR]

Re the wood screws, on better stuff I've seen them use bolts and t nuts. One thing that I thought was a nice touch on the Berg NV spring handles was that they used bolts w/t nuts on the four corners and wood screws for the other holes.

 

[smeet]

Re the wood screws, on better stuff I've seen them use bolts and t nuts. One thing that I thought was a nice touch on the Berg NV spring handles was that they used bolts w/t nuts on the four corners and wood screws for the other holes.

If I do this do I need to seal the bolt holes somehow, or are they generally airtight on their own?

 

[JGR]

I would think they should be OK - they aren't sealed on the Berg, and Jim went to great lengths to seal the quarter inch jacks on the back, and went the extra mile to put them there in the first place - I think he would have sealed them if it was an issue given the aforementioned attention to detail.

 

[singlemalt]

The GK 1001 is fine, and you can't beat it for loud! I'll be hanging on to that bad boy for stereo rigging with the Zoom, back up, and because it's just too rock solid to let go of.

I would like to cut the weight in half, get a more flexible eq, lose the rack tuner, and rack, that kind of stuff. I like a number of the features on the TC, like the aux in, headphones, programmable presets, tuner, and foot control with tuner display.

Mostly I'd like some variety from the distinct GK vibe, and a compact, light amp that will make the in and out quick and easy. It still needs to have the sack to run a pair of 15/6's!

I'm still intrigued with idea of pushing a straight power amp with the Zoom B9 as a pre amp, but I don't know if that will work.

I'll take a list of suggestions and the 12/6 up to Bass NW and do some research. Here in the sticks it's mostly gazing a gear online. (which I think beats most music stores, I always got worked in stores as a kid, maybe that's why I almost never buy new, or from retailers!)

 

[rpsands]

Take it down to the music store and find out. THe 1/4 should be able to -- 11dBm @ .775vRms = 0 dBm.

The balanced outs, I don't know. It claims 0dB on the output, but it's not referenced.

 

[Lonnybass]

Thanks for the compliments on the cabinets and the basses, fellas. Means a lot!

The first of my finished Fearfuls will go out tomorrow night for a debut with the band. The second one just got a sealing topcoat on the baffle and will be set for assembly and wire-up on Thursday when I get home from the office.

But based on what I have heard in listening to the first 15/6/1 these past few days since completion, I have but one thing to say...

It's probably the single best sounding bass cabinet I have ever heard in my life. Hands down.

First of all, every aspect of every note - and I'm talking literally on the molecular level - literally shoot out of the box like a cannon. Just clear as a damn bell, up and down the neck.

And that brings me to part two...the big fat stupid grin on my face at being able to walk down a 130" B string with absolutely ZERO loss of clarity - just positively incredible sounding. It's ALL there. You don't hear ANY of the nasty thin qualities that most cabinets take on when you start to drop below the typical 50 Hz rolloff point. Instead, it's a matter of hearing and FEELING the low punch, like a really well crossed-over PA rig. Clear as a bell.

Part three...big fat the tube musicality of my Alembic F-1x preamp just sounds so amazing. All the warmth, all the punch, you can HEAR it in a way that is just so tasty. And the clearness really brings out the differences in my pile of basses.

Part four...effects. Ahhh the joy of playing with effects through the cabinet! You can actually HEAR everything that is happening! It's amazing how much doesn't make it through "normal" bass enclosures!

And lastly, just hooking up an Ipod to my rack rig and power amp. Wow. Full range glory. I was hearing things on songs I've listened to a million times that I've never noticed before. I could have sat and twiddled with my EQ all day pulling in and out various instruments as if I were mixing a rock concert. These things are seriously going to be like toting around my own personal PA system.

I can't wait to get the second box wired up so I can hear the pair in stereo!

So, a big thank you to Greenboy for the design and all he has done to advance this project. These things are the real deal and for all intents and purposes blow away any commercial cabinet I have EVER heard or played.

With so much EQ flexibility and capability in there, I'm also thinking it might be helpful to dig a bit deeper on typical problem frequencies and what should be pulled out to eliminate mud or phase issues with PA. I've heard some sound engineers complain about 125 Hz, but would love to hear from you guys since these boxes appear to offer an endless amount of flexibility limited only by the amount of control offered in the rack.

And yes, pictures of the completed SS Lonnybass 2012 coming in the next couple days!

Lonnybass

 

[solarplexus]

The real monsters in which can make big power in a light package and actually sustain it continuously seem to be rackmount units like the Ampeg SVT 7-Pro (current revision), the Fender TB-1200, and the Carvin BX1500 and presumably the B2000 too.

The Carvin BX-1500 is actually a very high quality preamp that's super-flexible, and that's grafted onto a Invalid Link Removed. The B2000 is another style of preamp that's also pretty impressive and somewhat simpler, grafted onto a DCM power amp.

Any of these four and probably some others I've missed, are great alternatives to "separates" built from standalone preamps and high-power pro amplifiers.

Don't forget the Hartke LH1000. That is what I use. Superb with the fEARful.

 

[BurningSkies]

But based on what I have heard in listening to the first 15/6/1 these past few days since completion, I have but one thing to say...

It's probably the single best sounding bass cabinet I have ever heard in my life. Hands down...


So, a big thank you to Greenboy for the design and all he has done to advance this project. These things are the real deal and for all intents and purposes blow away any commercial cabinet I have EVER heard or played.

With so much EQ flexibility and capability in there, I'm also thinking it might be helpful to dig a bit deeper on typical problem frequencies and what should be pulled out to eliminate mud or phase issues with PA. I've heard some sound engineers complain about 125 Hz, but would love to hear from you guys since these boxes appear to offer an endless amount of flexibility limited only by the amount of control offered in the rack...


Lonnybass

Glad you dig your new fEARful! Now you know why these cabs are so divisive here on TB, why many of us enjoy them so much and aren't afraid to say so, and why so many people who have never tried one think its BS and we're all 'drinking the kool aid'.

 

[cableguy]

pour me another glass over here!

 

[JGR]

kool aid is fine, it's that darn mustache it leaves behind that I have a problem with.

 

[Lonnybass]

One additional point I neglected to mention in my post last night...I wonder how many 5-string players would still complain about their bass having a weak B string if they played them through one of these bad boys.

Lonnybass

 

[singlemalt]

I like how my vision blurs a bit when I hit B flat open at the right volume!

 

[Mr. Pickles]

One additional point I neglected to mention in my post last night...I wonder how many 5-string players would still complain about their bass having a weak B string if they played them through one of these bad boys.

Lonnybass

Point well taken. I think many manufacturers would benefit from using a fEARful as a reference unit to design and demo basses and amps.

 

[RASHOSS]

I imagine this has been discussed in previous posts, but there are so many pages of fEARful discussion that I'm a bit overwhelmed. I'd like to have a local woodworker build my 15/6/1, and install the hardware myself, but I don't know how to choose from the available options:

1. What wood should I order from my local lumberyard? I read somewhere about a "new" lightweight foam type material. Is this suggested or do most just go with wood?

2. Regarding available components at SpeakerHardware.com, I have NO IDEA what I want/need from the drop down menus.

I'm assuming:
- fEARful 15/6 Deluxe Kit (without "flatpack" (wood))
- Prebuilt Xover?
- 100v or 250v Shunt Capacitator?
- HF Selection?
- Jack Plate Choice - 2 x Speakon & 2 x 1/4"?
- Handles - Right Angle or Deep D?

What else do I need to think about?
- 8 x corners
- ? x screws (of different lengths)

Am I asking for too much hand holding?

Thank you.

 

[makohund]

1. What wood should I order from my local lumberyard?

1/2" void free plywood, with lots of equal thickness plies. There are a few options there, but that is the key. There are threads on greenboy's forum discussing plywood options and availability. Baltic birch is common, some use arauco or okoume (ok, fixed spelling... surprised I got arauco right the first time).

I read somewhere about a "new" lightweight foam type material. Is this suggested or do most just go with wood?

Unless you're already handy with fiberglass, epoxies, foam boards, and so on... no. That's a pro job. If you want one of those, have Robby (Art of Noise Audio) build you one.

- fEARful 15/6 Deluxe Kit (without "flatpack" (wood))

Yep.

- Prebuilt Xover?

If you plan to build your own using the provided parts, no. If you'd rather it come already assembled and ready to install, yes.

- 100v or 250v Shunt Capacitator?

Up to you. I'd take the 250v, because I'm an overkill kinda guy. But the 100v is supposedly fine up to 1250W (from your amp). Which is quite a bit for a single 15/6.

- HF Selection?

Up to you. If you want a tweeter, choose one. For recommendations, go to greenboy's site.

- Jack Plate Choice - 2 x Speakon & 2 x 1/4"?

Pick what you like. I'd go with just Speakons... 1/4" jacks can be leak-prone.

- Handles - Right Angle or Deep D?

Do you like spring loaded handles like you'd find on an anvil style road case? Or big round inset handles? Take your pick.

- 8 x corners

They come with the kit.

- ? x screws (of different lengths)

In the kit.

Am I asking for too much hand holding?

Maybe a little, but no biggie.

Step one is to read all of the links on the front page at http://greenboy.us. It's all there. And way better than trying to comb through megathreads.

 

[RASHOSS]

Thank you for holding my hand Mako

 

[GizmoTheOne]

New baby's pics and build log :
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Special thanks to Dekker who gave me great service and built the beast for me. It looks and plays awesome

I am especially pleased with using it in live situations... my tone is so much clearer and now I can hear myself all over the stage if the others aren't playing too loud.....