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Low Down Sound Club: V2
- Thread starter Chef
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Well, I had initially ordered a fEarful designed 15/6tube from LDS, but today I changed my order to two LDS 112s.
I have the LDS 15/6 designed cab already and I am quite happy with it. Seems kinda silly to order the fEarful version as well. The fEarful version *might* be a bit better, but how by how much? The LDS I have is super light at 42LBS and fairly compact, though a bit awkward to carry.
So I decided to get an LDS 112 stack since I really like a good 1-12 stack and my epifani UL112 stack, though nothing to complain about, is soon to be sold. Mainly I find that the UL112s are a bit too wide for my taste these days. I also noticed that they sounded a bit thin at my NYE gig, but that could've just been the room and I could of added some low-end via eq. At any rate, I asked Don to build me some 112s with a nice meaty, punchy bass tone with somewhat subdued highs and high mids. I am trying to get a tone close the epi ps112s, but I want these cabs to be a bit lighter as the ps112s are 37LBS and I'm aiming for these to be no more than 30LBS.
I found some cool brown tolex that looks like this:
I certainly still dig my LDS 15/6 and it will get the nod for alot of my gigs, but I often play in pubs with small stages and for that you just cant beat a 112 stack where you can wedge up that top cab so its firing right at your ears.
And the obsession continues!....
I have the LDS 15/6 designed cab already and I am quite happy with it. Seems kinda silly to order the fEarful version as well. The fEarful version *might* be a bit better, but how by how much? The LDS I have is super light at 42LBS and fairly compact, though a bit awkward to carry.
So I decided to get an LDS 112 stack since I really like a good 1-12 stack and my epifani UL112 stack, though nothing to complain about, is soon to be sold. Mainly I find that the UL112s are a bit too wide for my taste these days. I also noticed that they sounded a bit thin at my NYE gig, but that could've just been the room and I could of added some low-end via eq. At any rate, I asked Don to build me some 112s with a nice meaty, punchy bass tone with somewhat subdued highs and high mids. I am trying to get a tone close the epi ps112s, but I want these cabs to be a bit lighter as the ps112s are 37LBS and I'm aiming for these to be no more than 30LBS.
I found some cool brown tolex that looks like this:
I certainly still dig my LDS 15/6 and it will get the nod for alot of my gigs, but I often play in pubs with small stages and for that you just cant beat a 112 stack where you can wedge up that top cab so its firing right at your ears.
And the obsession continues!....
obviously...you posted the same message 3 times!
love the tolex, btw. i'd go for an oxblood grill rather than black with that, though. that would look real rustic. but hey, it's your cabs.
love the tolex, btw. i'd go for an oxblood grill rather than black with that, though. that would look real rustic. but hey, it's your cabs.
Oops!
Fixed it.
I personally think brown and black will look nice together... plus it will match my bass. I'm going to make a matching rack for my amp with the same tolex.
Fixed it.
I personally think brown and black will look nice together... plus it will match my bass. I'm going to make a matching rack for my amp with the same tolex.
I can't seem to keep it straight regarding the cabs I've played or not! All I can say is, the one 2 x 15/2 x 6.5 I gave a test run to was stunningly good sounding! (the one with the 'drink holder
).
Ya mine shipped yesterday [I hope] and I dropped the drink holder due to not wanting to wait for Don to source the part at a reasonable cost [the sacrifices we make for tone]. Maybe I'll have to break down and get a roadie instead [with a a flat head].
Strongly consider changing your order to one 12/6 and play that for a while to see how it goes. With enough power, one 12/6 is more than enough for a small club! Mine weighs about 35 pounds w/o a tweeter. I'm finding I use it WAY more often than the 15/6, strictly from a oonvenience standpoint.
I kinda figured this is the way it'd turn out
I haven't found many venues that I need half as much sound as my 15/6 produces. People tend to have a skewed idea of how much volume is really needed.That said: I think ::Bassist:: might want to consider the B&C Coaxial 12" speakers. There's a lot to be said for a lot of sound from a small box if that's what you're looking for. They can get down around 25-28lbs IIRC and much smaller than the 12/6.
I did seriously consider the 12/6 stack, but honestly I dont think I need that mid speaker... enough. On my 15/6 I have it almost dialed right off, if it weren't for the concern of damaging the L-pad it would be right off. Sounds great. A single 12, though it would be loud enough, would just be firing past my knees. Been there done that. That stack gets the top 112 closer to my head. On really small stages I use a markbass wedge and prop that top speaker so that its angled right at my head. Works perfectly.
Aside from that I've read the fEarful wiki and dont see any of the 12/6s that actually weigh 35LBS. Not saying it can't be done, just that I'd rather error on the side of caution. I also just prefer the smaller form factor of a standard 112 cab.
I'll be using my 15/6 at a BIG indoor car show this weekend. Heck, I might even add a UL112 to it... infact I probably will.
Even "off" on the l-pad isn't off. It's probably something like -9dB. So there is still a good bit of stuff coming through the mid, even with the l-pad set to "off".
The Eminence Alpha 6 typically used in the 12/6 sounds very different than the 18Sound ND610 (is that the right one?) in the 15/6, to me.
I like the alpha's tone much better.
ymmv, of course
I like the alpha's tone much better.
ymmv, of course
My 12/6 has a 18Sound for the mid. Advice here and from Don was to match it with the mid driver in my 15/6. I think the mid is padded back more in the 12/6. Both cabs sound terrific.
True. I've been told by Don to not turn it all the way down for extended periods or damage may occur.
My point was the 12/6 alone is enough for a small-to-mid size club. You don't need a stack of two separate cabinets. I've played other 112 stacks in the past - Eden D112XLT and Genz Benz NeoX-112T come to mind. A single 12/6 blows both of those stacks away tone wise and often provides way more volume that you'll need. Using the mid driver is key.
So when you are on a tiny stage and your cab is two feet behind you, you can hear it just fine?
This is the situation for me. My left ear is 40% deaf and I use ear plugs to protect what I have left (though depending on stage volume I'll often leave my left one out so I can hear better). My band mates don't use earplugs at all. The result is often I can't hear myself and my bandmates are saying I'm too loud. This is basically only the case on small stages which we probably play 40% of the time. The best solution I've found is to use two 112 cabs... one flat on the ground and the cab on top wedged up to blast in my face. I can hear myself well this way and I'm not to loud for my bandmates. With a single 12/6 I would not be able to get the sound as close to my ears and thus wouldnt hear myself as well. From the soundclips you've posted my tone is fairly close to yours (ie not as much high-mids etc) so that is interesting.
So I'm not saying the 12/6 is not capable of producing the volume I need in small pubs, but the form factor is more of a problem in my particular case. I'd need two to make it work for me.
This is the situation for me. My left ear is 40% deaf and I use ear plugs to protect what I have left (though depending on stage volume I'll often leave my left one out so I can hear better). My band mates don't use earplugs at all. The result is often I can't hear myself and my bandmates are saying I'm too loud. This is basically only the case on small stages which we probably play 40% of the time. The best solution I've found is to use two 112 cabs... one flat on the ground and the cab on top wedged up to blast in my face. I can hear myself well this way and I'm not to loud for my bandmates. With a single 12/6 I would not be able to get the sound as close to my ears and thus wouldnt hear myself as well. From the soundclips you've posted my tone is fairly close to yours (ie not as much high-mids etc) so that is interesting.
So I'm not saying the 12/6 is not capable of producing the volume I need in small pubs, but the form factor is more of a problem in my particular case. I'd need two to make it work for me.
I get what you're saying - you need it to get higher up so you can hear it.
What I'd do is add a sub to your PA, and then use a single tilt-back cab like a monitor If you're not running bass to the PA at all, try in-ear monitors and a personal mixer - far better investment than another stack of cabs. Run a line out from your PA + your bass to the personal mixer, personal mixer out to in-ears, bass cab as "bass main."
I'm kinda weird though in that I am compulsively against having to carry two cabs
Maybe you can get don to use those clamps that lock the cabs together or something.
What I'd do is add a sub to your PA, and then use a single tilt-back cab like a monitor
If you're not running bass to the PA at all, try in-ear monitors and a personal mixer - far better investment than another stack of cabs. Run a line out from your PA + your bass to the personal mixer, personal mixer out to in-ears, bass cab as "bass main." I'm kinda weird though in that I am compulsively against having to carry two cabs
Maybe you can get don to use those clamps that lock the cabs together or something.
How about a Musicians Friend (cheap) amp stand? If you aren't too bass shy ATM, these work quite well for raising and angling small cabinets. I found that using the brackets with the longer side on the bottom of the cabinet works very well for small to medium (2x12) bass cabinets.
The problem is from what I am hearing, he wants one cab aimed at his head for him to hear without making stage volume too loud, but also has to provide sound for the crowd. Hence the one angled out at the audience.
A single amp on a stand is not going to achieve that as once it's aimed up for him to hear it, he's quite possibly not providing the same room sound.
I'm pretty sure the solution here is a one-cab system with the tilt back and a better PA, or in-ears, or just keep doing it the way he's doing it
We rarely have to provide our own PA... maybe 25% of the time.I get what you're saying - you need it to get higher up so you can hear it.
What I'd do is add a sub to your PA, and then use a single tilt-back cab like a monitor
I'm kinda weird though in that I am compulsively against having to carry two cabs
I have thought of the in-ear method, but there are alot of variables to consider doing that such as not hearing the vocals when the monitors are attached to the walls or even the ceiling as they are in one place we play. Or various other configurations where I will be concerned that I can hear the vocals or guitar. Then what happens when the guitarist cranks up his amp for a particular song... and I get all that extra volume into my ears... ouch. I think I'd find it stressful. However, it is something that I still might do in the future.
Currently, I'm finding the two 112s stacked to work quite well on small stages. Of course they work well on large stages too with a little reconfiguration. I was really happy with the 112 stack configuration I've used for the last year or two and thats why I'm investing into some LDS cabs.
Absolutely! It's the mid-driver that makes this off-axis sound dispersion possible. Sound dispersion is greater with a 12/6 than with a 112 or even a 112 stack. I also have some hearing loss and wear ear plugs. All you do it tilt the cab back slightly to lift sound more toward your ears. I had Don build in a tilt stand, but you can also shove a book or other object underneath to accomplish the same thing. Try it with your 15/6.
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