• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fearful thread part 15 (/6?)

A heads up on joining the fEARful world is that you will hear different things from your amp. EQ is going to need tweaking, just like a change to any new cab. It will make you listen for what EQ gives you the sound you want vs what EQ gets the "signature" sound of other head and cab combos.

In retrospect, I'd probably consider going to a 12/6 instead of a 15/6. I've found in my travels that the smaller form might be worth the trade in size and output. There is always the option to add a 12/6 or sub later.

If you are dedicated to that head, consider the bigger cabs (15/6, 1212/6). If you are ready to dive in and spend some money on a new head, then consider the modular needs. I'd say if volume is your quest, speaker area is going to yield more results than watts at this point. From 600@4ohms you'd need to go to 1200 to get 3db in volume boost, with comparable cabs. More cone & excursion is going to push more air with the same watts. I'm not sure where the tipping point is for watts vs cone excursion, butim sure someone here can nerd it up on that topic :)
 
Thanks for your feedback, guys. I was having trouble hearing/being heard with a Genz compact 112 with tweeter at 375w. So I brought my big cab (24x24x16) 115 with tweeter powered with 375w...same result, although I felt the on-axis punch better with that cab (which could be the result of the bigger cab surrounding it, not the driver).

Those things being said, plus your feedback, tells me that I should probably go with at least the 15/6 AND a more powerful amp. Based off of what I've read (and my limited understanding), if I powered a 15/6 with 700w, I would get at least a 5db increase over my current 15 at 375, plus a wider dispersion of mids to be heard better (based off of greenboy's woofer chart)
 
Without a small format mid driver, going from a 12" woofer to a 15" decreases the mids when standing off axis. This makes it even more difficult for the other members of the band to hear you.

If weight/size isn't a problem, build/buy a 15/6 and try it with your current amp. Lots of guys have found a single 15/6 with 300 or so watts is enough for their needs. If your experience differs you can then get a more powerful amp or add a cab.
 
Based off of what I've read (and my limited understanding), if I powered a 15/6 with 700w, I would get at least a 5db increase over my current 15 at 375, plus a wider dispersion of mids to be heard better (based off of greenboy's woofer chart)



Keep in mind that being heard is not just about moving air, but which frequencies you are moving. A big muddy mess isn't going to get heard, but you can also cut through with a thin, crappy sound. Cutting through with good tone is the goal :)

To pound 700w into the 15/6, you are going to need a 1400w (@ 4ohm) amp. Unless you plan on rolling a TecAmp BadBull 2000, you may be hard pressed to find an amp of that power. I'm sticking with my bet that you need more speaker area.
 
Thanks for your feedback, guys. I was having trouble hearing/being heard with a Genz compact 112 with tweeter at 375w. So I brought my big cab (24x24x16) 115 with tweeter powered with 375w...same result, although I felt the on-axis punch better with that cab (which could be the result of the bigger cab surrounding it, not the driver).

Those things being said, plus your feedback, tells me that I should probably go with at least the 15/6 AND a more powerful amp. Based off of what I've read (and my limited understanding), if I powered a 15/6 with 700w, I would get at least a 5db increase over my current 15 at 375, plus a wider dispersion of mids to be heard better (based off of greenboy's woofer chart)
One thing to also consider is that different amps have a different "definition" of watt loudness. For example, my gk mb500 is MUCH louder than the shuttle 6 I owned even though its actually rated 100w less.

700w with a 15/6 will be huge sounding. You cannot go wrong with that.
 
Keep in mind that being heard is not just about moving air, but which frequencies you are moving. A big muddy mess isn't going to get heard, but you can also cut through with a thin, crappy sound. Cutting through with good tone is the goal :)

To pound 700w into the 15/6, you are going to need a 1400w (@ 4ohm) amp. Unless you plan on rolling a TecAmp BadBull 2000, you may be hard pressed to find an amp of that power. I'm sticking with my bet that you need more speaker area.
Yup. What about using your 112 + your big cab? Since you already own them no harm in seeing if they match well together.

Also if you add 6db of 150hz (etc) you will cut thru way better.

BTW, there is a Markbass SD1200 for sale in the TB classifieds and it is a very loud amp. It will give you 800w at 8 ohms.
 
I can say 450W (just one channel of my amp) into a 1212/6 can more or less bury the rest of a 5 piece rock band (drums/bass/2 guitars with 3 4x12s/vocal), including the monitors, on an outdoor stage.

At least it did for me this weekend. Sound crew was behind, we didn't get any real soundcheck. I had to turn down quite a bit at first opportunity in first song... I was getting the "holy **** dude") look from everybody of course.

Had great PA equipment support, not so good operators. Weak monitors, guitars unbalanced in FOH, I swear the only mids out there were from my cab, etc. *grumble*. YMMV.
 
I've played a 15/6 outdoors and for a relatively small cab, it puts out a serious amount of sound. The Shuttle 6 is always gonna be a little shy in the lows, and is gonna feel underpowered in a rock band context. I'd start by going with a 15/6, but do you like the sound of your Genz head and just wish it had more gas in the tank? If so, I'd consider getting a good power amp and use the Shuttle as the pre. That way you can take the Shuttle out for small gigs and practice stuff, and add the power amp when you need to take things up a notch...I'm ordering a Crown XTI 1002 this week for that very purpose :)
 
IMG_1158.jpg


My new 12/6 with 18sound mid and mid padding. Okoumé plywood. Total weight (without aluminum grill) 36lbs. With the grill should be around 36.5lbs. LOVE the tone without the padding on the mid. LOVE the tone with it! ;)

The 15/6 was 46lbs with Okoumé which I sold due to space (and overkill for my needs) issues.
 
So, I was in my local Menard's today and their 1/2 " Arauco was about half the price of the 1/2 " birch(didn't say baltic birch so I'm assuming it wasn't). Does that sound right?

The price difference doesn't seem too surprising, without knowing what the birch ply is. More remarkable is that they still have Arauco in stock. That's been disappearing since a fire destroyed the Arauco plant in Chile.