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Making the 1x15" sound more articulate?

isky

isky

Supporting Member
Jul 6, 2008
334
456
Madison, WI
#1
Hi,
Somewhat of a layman question - I plug my Ibanez RB850 straight into a Kustom III and I use a 1x15 cab. I do like Kustom's punch and warmth and those RB850 pickups are also a hell of a factor and yet the big speaker seem to sound a bit too wide and sloppy and lacking detail. (I owned a Kickback 12 before).
My question is - can I make it sound more focused (like a 10" or 12" speaker) by using a compressor?
Let me know, thanks.
 
#12
Well long answer is that it depends on which 15 he has. A low wattage sealed 15 like the Bag End mentioned is quite the different animal from a 500w ported one. In any case sittin' on the floor pointed at his ankles isn't gonna do it. I'm not a fan of raising bass cabs so I'll stick by my recommendation of a second cab on top. I have a 1x15 similar to that Bag End and run a vertical 2x10 (SVT210AV) on top so that I can actually hear it. Even in rehearsals a single 1x15 or 2x10 cab often isn't enough and rarely adequate at a rock gig. I suppose a pair of 1x15 stacked would be better than one but still not quite tall enough IMO. The OP mentioned having a 12" kickback combo before, it's hard to get that sound from a head+cab rig that isn't tilted back (tough with a head on top) or has a tall cab (or two stacked).
 
#13
I'm with one of the original comments. Granted, twiddling with knobs will help, but I run two 8" speakers on top of my 15" and I think it sounds even better. Without any actual knowledge, it feels like smaller speakers can bounce quicker or tighter or whatever. There must be a reason that speakers are different sizes. They could all be 1" big, which would make them cheaper and lighter and make my hands look bigger.
If nothing else, the second cab allows me to rest my drink closer to my hand.
 
#17
Bow tie said:
I'm with one of the original comments. Granted, twiddling with knobs will help, but I run two 8" speakers on top of my 15" and I think it sounds even better. Without any actual knowledge, it feels like smaller speakers can bounce quicker or tighter or whatever. There must be a reason that speakers are different sizes. They could all be 1" big, which would make them cheaper and lighter and make my hands look bigger.
If nothing else, the second cab allows me to rest my drink closer to my hand.
Click to expand...
At least this part makes sense.
 
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#18
Bow tie said:
I'm with one of the original comments. Granted, twiddling with knobs will help, but I run two 8" speakers on top of my 15" and I think it sounds even better. Without any actual knowledge, it feels like smaller speakers can bounce quicker or tighter or whatever. There must be a reason that speakers are different sizes. They could all be 1" big, which would make them cheaper and lighter and make my hands look bigger.
If nothing else, the second cab allows me to rest my drink closer to my hand.
Click to expand...
There IS a reason speakers are different sizes, and it has nothing to do with drinks ;) It's efficiency. For example, it's easier to build very efficient and loud subs using a couple 18"s than several 10"s. Phil Jones cabs are a perfect example. They use a bunch of 6" speakers, and they do sound good and have good low end, but it takes a whole buttload of them to do what a single 15" and a tweet can do. But just taking a look at the different specs of Eminence's different speakers proves that there's no such thing as a signature 15" sound or a signature 10" sound. If there was, all cabs using the same size speakers would sound identical.
 
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#20
Dave W said:
^^^That's a broad generalization that I wouldn't agree with. Speaker sizes don't tell you anything other than the size of the speaker. A Bag End S15D has a ton of definition and articulation.
Click to expand...
Very true. My current rig is a LittleMark III through a MarkBass 1x15 and 4x10. I usually bring the 4x10 alone to small/mid sized gigs but one time I brought my backup cab, a 1x15 SWR, and was amazed to hear better articulation and clarity using the same settings I always use on my Little Mark head.

regarding knob settings, it's true. Adjusting the EQ on your head, as well as fine tuning with the knobs on board your bass, can make a world of difference.
 
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