Hey lm a new user to the site, and was wondering if anyone could help me with info on building a new 15' cabinet. I am currently using a 70"s 135 fenderbassman amp with a 4x10 cab, l need a bit more volume. Would appreciate any advice & specs
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Info on building a 15" bass cabinet
- Thread starter bodybassplayer
- Start date
Well.... I'm no expert... but here goes:
Unless you can build, rebuild, and tweak and re-tweak your cab to sound good with the 410 you may be in for some bad experiences. Most 115's won't handle the same power as a 410 - if you want a boost in volume a second 410 with near Identical specs could be the ticket. Much better chance of getting more of what you like without risking too much - IF you do the cab right / buy a matching 410.
The consensus on this site seems to be that mixing cabs is a crapshoot - you can't guarantee the combination will sound good.
Unless you can build, rebuild, and tweak and re-tweak your cab to sound good with the 410 you may be in for some bad experiences. Most 115's won't handle the same power as a 410 - if you want a boost in volume a second 410 with near Identical specs could be the ticket. Much better chance of getting more of what you like without risking too much - IF you do the cab right / buy a matching 410.
The consensus on this site seems to be that mixing cabs is a crapshoot - you can't guarantee the combination will sound good.
You can get free plans from Greenboy, or very reasonably priced plans from Bill Fitzmaurice, at the links below. If you're going to build your own cab, I'd highly recommend using one of these tried-and-tested designs instead of designing your own from scratch. There are several threads in the amps forum about these cabs that will probably answer most of your questions (how they sound, how loud they are, build difficulty, etc.) Good luck!
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http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/index.html
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http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/index.html
I want to build a 15" 8ohm bin to add to my bass setup, which is a 135 bassman currently using a 4x10, 300wat 8ohm cab. l play a vintage telecaster bass & need a bit more volume, can anyone advise me on specs to building your own cab! And why is it unadviseable to mix 4x10 & 15"cabinets, lm looking for some more bottom end on my sound. Cheers
Thanks man, l like experimenting with equipment so building another cab is a bit of a project, lv heard of sealing cabinets on the inside with tar paint works, but l want some existing tuned dimensions to work with. lm finding it hard to buy a good quality low powered bin to match my 135 valve setup, l dont want to go over 300wats so if l can get the right specs will build it myself.Cheers
Check the Amps forum, and more specifically the FAQ at the top.
If you like the current tone, it's best to add a 2nd identical cab...so another 410. Especially if you want more volume. 4 10" speakers are going to be louder than a single 15" speaker, everything else being equal.
It's a misnomer that a larger speaker size gives you more low end. There are many factors at play and the size of the speaker has little to do with it.
It's inadvisable to mix a 410 and a 115 because the single 15 is going to take half of the wattage of the amp by itself, whereas the 410 will divide it up 4 ways between each speaker. That makes the 115 the weakest link in the chain and can easily be blown.
I also would not worry about the wattage rating of the cab at all, unless it's like 50w.
I can only assume that you are just completely ignoring the advice that has already been given to you?
In my opinion it's advidable to let the 15 take this half.
The 15 is in this case loud enough to be heard beyond the 410 cab.
In all other case the 15 would be to weak and therefore needless.
This depends on which 15 speaker type is used.
I prefer voice coils with diameter 2,5" or above.
A voice coil 2,5" that takes half of the amppower is hardly threatened to be blown up!
Suggestion:
Emminence Kappalite 3015
voice coil: 3"
SPL: 100.8 db
Voice coil diameter is not nearly important as knowing displacement and sensitivity.
There are very few single 15's that can keep up with a 4X10.
Unfortunately there is no way to balance power handling, sensitivity, and frequency response of any two different commercial cabs based on the manufacturers published specs. Mixing a 410 and a 115 compounds these issues, and increases phasing problems.
A 410 and 115 pairing is never a good solution.
There is no need to do it.
...datasheets!
Group delay and phase can be calculated.
Some difference in delay or phase between two indepent systems does not to operate immideatly problems like erasement of frequencies.
I would say,
If you compare systems without any consideration then the result can be anything.
Tell that to anyone who has blown a 15" speaker when paired with a 410.
Pray tell which manufacturers actually produce these?
Because running two different cabs in parallel makes them independent?
You are right, so why are you suggesting investing in building an untried cab to pair with an existing one? Its a crap shoot. Pairing a matching cab to the one he has is a sure pairing.
Example:
EV Eliminator i-series:
i-Top: vented cab
i-Sub: bandpass cab
Both in parallel the sub runs up to frequencies of the top.
The top plays down to frequencies where the sub does his job.
Phase and delay of each system are not the same.
It is noticable that it is like that.
But EV did not spend any crossover to the systems.
The sub is intended to work as a boost in this case!
But:
The sound of the hole system is superier when each system is powered via crossover.
But then needs in that case more technical equipment and more amppower!
ok, I wouldn't suggest anybody building a cab by DIY when proper skill is missing.
EV Eliminator i-series:
i-Top: vented cab
i-Sub: bandpass cab
Both in parallel the sub runs up to frequencies of the top.
The top plays down to frequencies where the sub does his job.
Phase and delay of each system are not the same.
It is noticable that it is like that.
But EV did not spend any crossover to the systems.
The sub is intended to work as a boost in this case!
But:
The sound of the hole system is superier when each system is powered via crossover.
But then needs in that case more technical equipment and more amppower!
ok, I wouldn't suggest anybody building a cab by DIY when proper skill is missing.
We are not talking about bandpass cabs, or operating with a crossover so that each part of the system is working within different parts of the frequency spectrum.
We ARE talking about you suggesting using different cabs with different drivers operating full range.
Never a good idea, and very poor advice.
We ARE talking about you suggesting using different cabs with different drivers operating full range.
Never a good idea, and very poor advice.
Some practical experience:
Hartke 3500 amp
Hartke: 410 cab
Warwick: 15 cab
I plyed this stack for a couple of songs on stage.
The sound was powerfull and very clear. I liked it.
Some time later I played this stack again, but it was halfed down to the 410 cab.
I missed a little bit the obsolete 15 cab. The powerfull sound had gone a little bit.
Other situation:
GK1001RG
GK210 cab
WW 15 cab
The Sound had much power but I disliked it.
What I disliked was the sound coming out from the GK 10" speaker.
Far to hard in all frequencies !
There was no chance for me to adjust a sound that I liked!
But in both situations I could not notice any problems with phase or group delay!
Hartke 3500 amp
Hartke: 410 cab
Warwick: 15 cab
I plyed this stack for a couple of songs on stage.
The sound was powerfull and very clear. I liked it.
Some time later I played this stack again, but it was halfed down to the 410 cab.
I missed a little bit the obsolete 15 cab. The powerfull sound had gone a little bit.
Other situation:
GK1001RG
GK210 cab
WW 15 cab
The Sound had much power but I disliked it.
What I disliked was the sound coming out from the GK 10" speaker.
Far to hard in all frequencies !
There was no chance for me to adjust a sound that I liked!
But in both situations I could not notice any problems with phase or group delay!
A chair as a stand for the 410 works the same way.
Phasing is a lot more noticeable when you are standing out in the audience. If you are using a PA to carry the room, then you wouldn't need a full stack anyways.
that's right.
But we talk also about problems with phase and group delay.
I tried to give an practical example that even EV does not bother to much with such things.
Try to imagine:
somene asks for help cause he want's his Top cab give more bottom in low frequencies with 18" bandpass cab.
The answers would be as follows:
...no, never, not possible, much to much problems with phase and group delay, and interaction of frequencies, ...and so on.
But both systems together sound fine! Exeptional some odds and ends. But that's nothing to talk home about.
I know a lot of bass players who prefer the combination of different speaker sizes, others don't want it.
And in addition to it all, many combine different cabs and different brands.
I think the problems that derive from phase and group delay are bigger discussed. Bigger as it really is.
In over 40 years, I've never met anyone who has "blown a 15" speaker when paired with a 410", and that used to be, and probably still is, a quite common pairing.
I'll continue taking my advice from engineers who actually design and build speaker cabs, but thanks anyway.
Then you have not read on this forum enough.
Tons of threads that usually start off with "Why did I blow my 1X15"
