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Folded horn cabs?

E

eno50

Jan 31, 2009
566
23
North of Memphis
#1
Anybody use them anymore? I used to see them alot on outside gigs,but not anymore.
Years ago I had a jbl 15" folded horn cab that i used every now and then when we played at parks(outside Gigs) I did once use it in a club only because I blew my other cab and had no choice ( people in the back of the room would let you know if there was to much bass LOL).
I guess it is just old technology now days, I remember seeing bands like grand funk railroad,black sabbath, mountian back in the early 70's all had some FH cabs.
I was just wanting to know if anyone still uses them?
 
#4
Oh yea. I use the (vintage) Acoustic 371 rig. It's the 370 head and 18 Cerwin Vega in the 301 folded horn cab. Very nice. Lots of warmth. On this, you do have to be careful of the folks on out in the room. Either keep that in mind or add you another "regular" cab. The other that I use is the (vintage) Sunn. Same speaker as the Acoustic, but folded cab is very different. With it, I use the (vintage) Sunn Coliseum head. Very serious thunderous bottom with this rig. The Coliseum head was designed to be used with 2 of these cabs and I have them both. But trust me, you only need one. :cool:
 
#5
Oren,

I also use an old Acoustic 301 with the folded 18. Absolutely LOVE the sound of it. We're a Motown/Funk/Disco band, and for some reason it's just right for what I want. I play a Sadowsky 5, with flats, through an old, beat up, Acoustic folded horn cab that I paid $99 for at a pawn shop. How's that for an odd combination?
 
#6
I have several of them; all new designs.

The old designs left a lot to be desired, i.e. they used huge drivers, had short horn paths, and were generally poor performers. The JBL scoops and Acoustic seemed to be the most popular for back then. Both are so Last-Century, they are not worth hauling about. No bass horn is full range by itself. Additional midrange and tweeters are required.

The primary reason back then was lack of full PA support. Today's bass horns are ideally suited for PA support. You need big boxes to get big noise. Most sound men will cringe when they see you loading in a big bass horn. The last thing they need is on-stage competition (read: interference) with their subs.

For a single backline cabinet, consider building one of Bill's Omni15 full range. This is as close as you are going to come with a single cab, full range, big bottom and easy to move about. These are quite loud and very articulate.
 
#7
I've been using a tweeterless Bill Fitzmaurice DR250 for several months now. I was kicking around selling it for a while, just because I like to switch my gear around and try out different things fairly often. A recent string of gigs has since nixed the selling idea, though. I've had a fantastic time using this cab in small to medium sized clubs. I've run with no P.A. support using this cab and heads as low-powered as about 150 watts! (Although I did push that 150 watts into grindville.) With a higher wattage head such as the SWR 750 I have, the sound is pure, clean, and loud. What the heck else am I going to use that even comes close to touching that kind of volume and clarity in such a small package?!
 
#8
I used to play thru a Sunn Coliseum 118 folded horn back in the 70s.

Was 'spose to be paired with a second matching cab upside down to make a huge 2x18 configuration.
Entwistle played thru it when their equipment truck rolled on I-5 on the way to Seattle ('72?).
This one rig filled the Seattle Center Coliseum, now called Key Arena.

I had one cab and Evan Sheely of Bass NW had the other. Sold it to Joe Preston in '90.
 
#10
phil jones makes a folded horn cab with 16 5" piranha drivers. it's at the very top of my list of things i don't need but so desperately want.

PJWeb-P16H.png



[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#12
jastacey said:
I had a Ampeg V$-B cabinet, it was a W-style, with 2 15" in it and it has a very full woody sound to it ... kinda like a string bass sound to it, was the same size as a 8x10 cabinet ... wish I never sold it !!!
Click to expand...
I owned both, and the V-4B W-cab with two Altec 421A's was substantially deeper than an SVT cab. It was really huge in fact. Sounded great, but I wouldn't want to have to move it now.
 
#13
I use to have an Acoustic 360, in fact it was my first real bass amp. 18" Cerwin Vega Folded horn cab, had it's own distinct sound, but by today's standards would be considered very muddy sounding - even with the treble all the way up. It took 30" minimum for the sound to develop and it would fill any room. It was a classic, there's no doubt about that.
 
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#14
chunkstyle said:
phil jones makes a folded horn cab with 16 5" piranha drivers. it's at the very top of my list of things i don't need but so desperately want.

PJWeb-P16H.png



[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

"With a 12 foot long, rear-folded horn, the 16H can reproduce any fundamental-even the deadly F# string below the B with ease and finesse. Sixteen 5” Piranha drivers deliver force equal to the cone area of a 4 x 10 or 2 x 15 cabinet but with the combined motor strength equal to the best 8 x 10 enclosure. Dynamics, clarity and grunt that are beyond belief."

NetWeight 245 lbs / 111 kg

Good Lord! :eek:
 
#15
Back in the late 70's early 80's I had a little Peavey folded horn with an 18" Black Widow. It was no more than 3 feet high and had tilt back wheels for easy moving....even though it wasn't outrageously heavy. That little cab kicked serious butt....one of the cleanest and loudest cabs I've ever had. I've looked around, but I haven't come across one on the used market. I think they only had them in their line up for a couple of years.
 
#16
smaynor,

I love the 301 cabs. They're my overall favorite of the Acoustic big boys. I have recently acquired a second 301 that needs some TLC, but I'm thinking that it may be a similar situation as the Sunn cabs where one is way plenty enough. Your band's music style sounds like stuff that I like. Got a website or sound-clips? I'd love to take a listen.

ryco,

I don't doubt that the one Sunn cab filled a large area. It puts out massive amounts of bottom. When I can get the band room cleared enough, I'm going to put the 301 cab and the Sunn cab together and see what damage that setup can do. Whadda you think? :cool:
 
#18
Oren Hudson said:
ryco,
I don't doubt that the one Sunn cab filled a large area. It puts out massive amounts of bottom. When I can get the band room cleared enough, I'm going to put the 301 cab and the Sunn cab together and see what damage that setup can do. Whadda you think? :cool:
Click to expand...
I hope you have a large room! One thing about the folded 118 cab was onstage it was vry boomy. It would shake the hell out of my body, but the actual sound would take a while to develop. I switched to a 215 and was much happier.
But in yer case it sounds like fun!!
 

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