Low Notes and Cabs

[SleazyB]

Hey guys,

was wondering what would haben if you play tunings lower than the cab could handle. Will the cab be silent or would there still be sound ?

 

[lug]

Cabs start rolling off at a certain frequency, they don't just cut off. The "note" you hear is made up of the fundimental plus it's overtones (multiples of the bass frequency) In the lowest notes, most people are hearing the first overtone more than the bass frequency.

 

[rickdog]

Below the frequency range the cab is designed for, the speaker cone no longer transfers energy to the air efficiently. The cone motion is no longer limited by air pressure, and mechanical damage may occur even at power levels well below the cab's nominal power rating.

As @lug said, you can't really hear the fundamental frequency of those very low notes anyway; your ears hear the overtones. So use a high-pass filter to cut out frequencies below the cab tuning.

 

[Wasnex]

Hey guys,

was wondering what would haben if you play tunings lower than the cab could handle. Will the cab be silent or would there still be sound ?

Why not find out for yourself.

Online Tone Generator - Free, Simple and Easy to Use.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Why not find out for yourself.

Online Tone Generator - Free, Simple and Easy to Use.

Be careful. As you go lower and louder you start to get speaker distortion overtones which are at the same frequency as regular string overtones. Pumping up the level will make your speaker start flapping around without making much volume.

Try 160hz at nicely audible level then 80hz then 40hz without changing the volume knob.