Low Down Sound Cab Club started!

[Jared Lash]

The wait for my LDS 15/6 just got a little harder. I've been looking for a good deal on the TecAmp Puma 1000 and saw that Dr. Bass had them for a reasonable price. I knew they were having some issues with cabs but I figured they could still ship amps if they had them in stock. But my email wasn't responded to.

So I contacted Brian Barrett at the Low End Bass Shop who responded right away and gave me an even better deal. Good Stuff.

I think I'm going to make some changes to what I originally asked Don for. Instead of recessed handles I may go with a strap so I can carry the cab in one hand and I'm pretty sure I'll go with his spray on bedliner over the tolex. My only question is whether or not to include a tweeter. I'm not a huge slapper or chord player, but I do use both of them somewhat.

This should really be a great setup when I get it altogether.

Stambaugh or ACG ---> Puma 1000 ---> LDS 15/6

 

[rpsands]

I really am a fan of the spring loaded side handles, which is what I got. Works great.

The tweeter don uses is pretty nice and runs around 30 bucks.

I would spend the extra and get an 18 sound XD125 horn, I think.

The cab sounds great without a horn (Mine doesn't have one), and makes great chord sounds without one as well. Having one would be cool if you have the funds though

 

[Jared Lash]

Yeah, I'm not a huge "tweeter guy" but I think it'd be better to get one and not use it than not get one and regret not having it.

 

[coolrunner989]

My thoughts exactly. I've been slow about finalizing my order for lots of reasons, but I'm going to send him another email tonight.

 

[Blues Cat]

Jared I would go with recessed metal imho. Mine's 50 lbs w/recessed. I had Don mount them with about a 47/53 CG, so the cab balances very nicely in one hand.

I had spring loaded handles on a 21"w cab and when carrying it w/handles out it was right about 30" wide with your knuckles exposed. It was a deal breaker for me.

 

[billhilly66]

I ordered my 15/6 with a tweeter and had Don put an on/off toggle on it. It's been off since the first gig.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I ordered my 15/6 with a tweeter and had Don put an on/off toggle on it. It's been off since the first gig.

Is that because you don't like the sound of a tweeter, or this tweeter in particular?

Seems like a lot of bass players don't need a tweeter, and that including this option adds about 10 pounds to the cabs. Why bother buying the option if it's not used? Especially when you can save weight. I'd call the tweeter useless baggage for those who don't use one.

 

[billhilly66]

I don't need it mostly. I play an EUB at other gigs and thought the tweet would be cool for that but I've left the cab at my house gig cause everyone likes it so much. I guess I need another one.................

 

[KJung]

Is that because you don't like the sound of a tweeter, or this tweeter in particular?

Seems like a lot of bass players don't need a tweeter, and that including this option adds about 10 pounds to the cabs. Why bother buying the option if it's not used? Especially when you can save weight. I'd call the tweeter useless baggage for those who don't use one.

10 pounds! Where did you get that figure?

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

10 pounds! Where did you get that figure?

Well, maybe eight pounds. Seems like LDS compact 15/6 cabs weigh about 42 and the 15/6/1 design are almost 10 pounds more. I'm probably exaggerated the latter figure a bit, but the meaning is the same: why would anyone want to pay more for a tweeter if it's not used and if the cab weighs more? The gear is starting to get cluttered with doodads, like cars in the 50s with fins, or cars in the 00s with spoilers. Useless junk.

 

[KJung]

Well, maybe eight pounds. Seems like LDS compact 15/6 cabs weigh about 42 and the 15/6/1 design are almost 10 pounds more. I'm probably exaggerated the latter figure a bit, but the meaning is the same: why would anyone want to pay more for a tweeter if it's not used and if the cab weighs more? The gear is starting to get cluttered with doodads, like cars in the 50s with fins, or cars in the 00s with spoilers. Useless junk.

That's probably an apples to oranges comparison, since those cabs are all 'one offs' and contain different drivers, hardware, dimensions, etc.

I see very little downside (except maybe a pound of weight) to include a tweeter with attenuator on a cab that would allow you to hear the full range of your instrument. However, +1 that if you know you like the sound of one way cabs, then the 15/6 or 12/6 would be a 'better execution' of that more paper cone, organic tone.

As long as the three way cab sounds virtually identical to the 2 way cab with the tweeter dialed down, and that the cost and weight increase is minimal (I would assume a pound at the most, and $30 to $75 depending on the tweeter and crossover), I would include it, if for no other reason resale value.

 

[alexclaber]

A tweeter will add about 2lbs. The major difference in weight between different fEarful versions is due to plywood type and thickness. Hardware choices also make a significant difference.

Alex

 

[greenboy]

That's probably an apples to oranges comparison, since those cabs are all 'one offs' and contain different drivers, hardware, dimensions, etc.

I see very little downside (except maybe a pound of weight) to include a tweeter with attenuator on a cab that would allow you to hear the full range of your instrument. However, +1 that if you know you like the sound of one way cabs, then the 15/6 or 12/6 would be a 'better execution' of that more paper cone, organic tone.

As long as the three way cab sounds virtually identical to the 2 way cab with the tweeter dialed down, and that the cost and weight increase is minimal (I would assume a pound at the most, and $30 to $75 depending on the tweeter and crossover), I would include it, if for no other reason resale value.

Duke LeJeune just completed schematic and measurements on a high-pass-only tweeter crossover based on my concept and sims. It can be done with a cheap (but good) compression driver and a 6" x 6" waveguide that's incredible. The works probably weighs in around 3 pounds not subtracting the 6" x 6" chunk of plywood that goes bye-bye. That's about as light as it gets for quality, and even a lot of the inferior stuff weighs nearly as much or more.

If you are seeing cab weight discrepancies it comes down more to plywood species, bracing (you need more if you really drive these cabs to their full potential, and PORTING AREA CROSS-SECTION, which also needs to be very large if the cabs are to be driven fully.

 

[KJung]

Duke LeJeune just completed schematic and measurements on a high-pass-only tweeter crossover based on my concept and sims. It can be done with a cheap (but good) compression driver and a 6" x 6" waveguide that's incredible. The works probably weighs in around 3 pounds not subtracting the 6" x 6" chunk of plywood that goes bye-bye. That's about as light as it gets for quality, and even a lot of the inferior stuff weighs nearly as much or more.

If you are seeing cab weight discrepancies it comes down more to plywood species, bracing (you need more if you really drive these cabs to their full potential, and PORTING AREA CROSS-SECTION, which also needs to be very large if the cabs are to be driven fully.

+1 I would think that sort of 'hi pass' thing for the tweeter would be key, so that the mid driver is still allowed to run full range. That would allow you to dial in a bit of sparkle (or not!) that nicely sits on top of the inherent full tone of the 15/6 or 12/6 or whatever.

 

[greenboy]

A tweeter will add about 2lbs. The major difference in weight between different fEarful versions is due to plywood type and thickness.

I don't think anyone has used other than 12mm (1/2"). But some of that Finish/Baltic Birch can be incredibly heavy/dense and I've been trying to steer people away from it because my bracing gets 'er done and then some... But...

 

[greenboy]

+1 I would think that sort of 'hi pass' thing for the tweeter would be key, so that the mid driver is still allowed to run full range. That would allow you to dial in a bit of sparkle (or not!) that nicely sits on top of the inherent full tone of the 15/6 or 12/6 or whatever.

Yep. And we've sacrificed very little in terms of off-axis response - only in the area the ear is way way more sensitive in has that happened, and that's probably a good thing for most players.

Ages ago when I first researched the fEarfuls and talked about this, I noticed that the Em Alpha 6 and the 18 Sound 6ND410 both fall off very much the same, as if there was already a tailored low-pass. So all we had to do was come up with the corresponding high-pass to match it. It's very integrated compared to conventional 2-way tweeter implementations - and it actually works very well with attenuating as it doesn't favor the frequencies at the crossover point too heavily. It's a high crossover point so no shrill resonance from the compression driver intrudes in the midrange.

On or off or anywhere in between, it stays out of the way of the cone yet butts up to its response very nicely.

 

[Passinwind]

I don't think anyone has used other than 12mm (1/2").

Except for that one guy...

It was scrap wood, couldn't help meself.

 

[greenboy]

Except for that one guy...

It was scrap wood, couldn't help meself.

Actually on review I discovered there was one other as well, who used 15mm (5/8") Finish/Baltic Birch... the stuff varies in weight somewhat but even by BB panel standards, that must have been a heavy one!

 

[billhilly66]

I can't see obsessing over the difference between 2 or 3 or 10 pounds. The tweet in my cab added a few pounds to it and I don't use it often. So what? It's my cab and that's the way I wanted it. Useless junk indeed! Who is to say what is useless on MY cab?

Lot's of folks have cabs they rarely or never gig with. Mine stays at the club and gets gigged every week. Are we sure we want to have a "useless junk" debate?

 

[KJung]

I think that is mine if it's a 3012HO/6ND410/Tweeter with the Duratex finish. I just spoke with Don on Monday and was told he was just waiting on the crossover (1.2KHz lo/mid, 4.0KHz mid/hi) and should have it done later this week. It's an 8 ohm cab 24"h x 17"w x 15.75"d using the fEarful 12/6 design tuned to 52 Hz. If this is the one Don brings over I'll be interested in your thoughts.

Here you go!

Don and I are both a little time crunched today, so we just did a quick playing test and took a snap of it. Beautiful looking and sounding cab. It is quite different from the other similar (i.e., mid driver loaded) cabs I've had the pleasure of playing recently and that I posted about. Not suprisingly, with the higher tuning, the more mid oriented 12, and the tweeter, it is very bright and more 'mid punchy' than deep when set flat (I was using the F1 and Sadowsky). However, it takes EQ very well, and dialing the mid and tweeter to around 9 or 10 o'clock and just bumping up the bass boost on either the Sadowsky or F1 one 'click' really fattened it up. It took the bass boost with no problem.. tight and punchy. It sounds VERY high SPL to me, and very 'PA cab like'. From your tone goals and planned usage that Don described to me, you should be quite happy.

Honestly, I dig the deeper voiced woofer, since there is so much sound coming out of the mid driver anyway, but this component mix works quite nicely also!