• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

most efficient cab for low freqs *in production*?

#21
Dr. Bass or LDS. Both make quality cabinets similar to the fEarful (though DRB's version is a bit small, it does OK because of his access to quality OEM closed back midrange drivers).

LDS even has a relatively short wait (4 weeks or so I believe?:) most of the time.

If you mean, "What can I buy in guitar center that is efficient and goes low?" I would suggest you try one of the Genz Benz cabinets. They use quality drivers and often bigger boxes than you see from most companies (see the Neox 212T).

They don't go super low, but they go fairly low, and are loud. The Uberbass stuff might be good too, but I haven't tried it.
 
#23
spode master,

you REALLY need to comment on what the two LAB12 of the Redstar can or cannot do ; }

Meanwhile, I'll suggest that while finally some manufacturers offer some very capable LF drivers as options, they put 'em in too small of boxes with too high of tuning and too little frontal port area to actually make big LF content. They are like most cabs that are big on midbass humps without any gain in LF extension.
 
#24
I've been doing a bunch of reading on the web based on the many recommendations so far. BTW thanks for those recommendations! At this point the units that seem to come closest to what I was describing are either dedicated subwoofers from EV or JBL (thanks Bill!) that top off at around 220 Hz, or certain full-range cabs from EV. The EV TX1152 Invalid Link Removed in particular looks very appealing to me.

A couple of notes about Dr. Bass and LDS: they both make excellent-sounding cabs, and they both are clueless about low frequency cab tuning. Don't get me wrong, I currently use an LDS and I'd happily use a Dr. Bass, for circumstances where I want good tone and good construction at a reasonable price. But they are not actually serious players when it comes to the science of cab tuning, and the specs posted on the Dr. Bass website don't add up to reality unfortunately.

The Meyersound stuff looks great, but I couldn't find any non-powered units on their website which boasted good efficiency.

Keep 'em coming folks! If you know of any specific PA-application cabs that I should look into, pipe up. Thx!
 
#25
svtb15 said:
What do you consider a low powered amp as you said in the post...
To me, 600 watts is low powered. but i love headroom.. Some guys will think it overkill. but 600 is about average to me.
How portable does it have to be?
Click to expand...

Good questions. I was leaving those details open because I didn't want to limit the field any more than I "had to". Also because I did hope that some good options would pop up for a range of lower-powered applications, not just my own.

In my particular case "low powered" means a 50 W tube amp in the TB classifieds that I'm coveting. :D Portability is a non-issue for me at this time because I've gone back to being a full-time BSEE student and part-time worker, with a family, meaning I have no time to be in a band or gig anywhere, so it's just for my own enjoyment at home for now. I expect to be able to get back out and gigging about three years from now. :eek: Well, at least I have something to look forward to.

Ideally whatever I end up with will be of a weight and size that one person can carry it without too much danger of a hernia, so maybe under 120 lbs would be good... and not a giant equilateral cube. :p
 
#26
bongomania said:
The Meyersound stuff looks great, but I couldn't find any non-powered units on their website which boasted good efficiency.
Click to expand...

I don't know what your upper freq. range is (more than likely you need something more) but this is 101 db spl @ 1w/m with 2 15s and will push 135 db @ 1m on axis.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Most of Meyer Sound equipment will have subs cutting off completely at a little over 100hz. It doesn't sound like that would be what you are looking for, but if you ever get to a 2 cab setup, they would be the best sound you could imagine, FWIW.
 
#28
Regarding efficiency in the bass region, assuming competent design the bass efficiency is largely set by the enclosure size.

For example, let's say a 3 cubic foot ported box allows me to achieve 97 dB at 80 Hz. So if I build a 100 dB efficient speaker in a 3 cubic foot box, it will be -3 dB at 80 Hz. If it's a 103 dB efficient speaker, then it's -6 dB at 80 Hz. And if it's a 97 dB efficient speaker, then it's "flat" at 80 Hz.

So at the risk of overgeneralizing, my answer to your question is "assuming competent design, the biggest cabinet you can live with will be the most efficient in the bass region, pretty much regardless of what the efficiency is above the bass region."

You mentioned that you have your eye on a 50-watt tube amp. Depending on the output impedance (damping factor) of the tube amp, the impedance curve of the cabinet may or may not be something to take into consideration.
 
#29
Since this is strictly a home-bound rig, for your ears only, you could try using a couple of [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] mounted to a small platform, along with a small full-range cab to handle the non-booty shakin' frequencies......

Also, you could use the bass shaker platform along with some decent in-ears for playing at 3AM without waking the wife and kids............
 
#30
As far as more "traditional" speakers, if efficiency and low end response are the priority, you're going to be looking at very large cabinets.

As such, they don't really transport well........ so what you're looking for is products in the "installed sound" sector of the pro sound world...... stuff for movie theaters, clubs, etc. where there are no plans to pack up the PA on a regular basis.

I had a look at JBL's site, and Invalid Link Removed looks like what you're looking for..... 102db sensitvity, 30-150Hz +-3db...... fantastic response, but it's REALLY big and REALLY heavy........
 
#31
Alternately, if size/portability really isn't an issue at all, you could use your garage as a speaker cabinet, just close the doors and seal it up real good, mount 15 or 20 EVX 18's right into the side wall, cut the ends off of some 55 gallon drums and use 'em for ports.......

Don't worry that the speakers aren't actually in the house with you, you'll be able to hear it, I assure you....... and be sure to warn the neighbors.. :)
 
#33
YO I just started reading this thread..I was very interested in this subject as well then I went to the link provided to Delaney, Lol I am sure they have great stuff but My "single box solution" I'm sure is "smaller" than a .....

"New - SH 64 with CLF DATA
Single box solution with very high output in a small
cabinet. SH 64 contains 4 - 15" woofers, 4 - 4" mids and a 1.4" high frequency driver.
More information coming soon!"

I don't think I could move that even 20 Years ago!!!

back to :hiding: mode Capt. Kirk
 
#34
A previous poster mentioned EV and I have a lot of first hand experiance with EV 18" folded horn subs of around 2001 we used to move 2 of them to every gig for the PA and my bud would run my bass into them and I do think it was fairly awesome. These are the same subs I saw Stanley Clark use SIX of, 3 per side in a stereo, tri amped rig on a "small" gig In Oakland a few years back.

oh yea the Meyer sound stuff FFFFNNNN awesome...ouch$$$$ :crying: EV is "Afforadable" :pand moveable!!!


peace....Capt.K
 
#37
BruceWane said:
Also, you could use the bass shaker platform along with some decent in-ears for playing at 3AM without waking the wife and kids............
Click to expand...

+1! These things are GREAT!!! I'm surprised we don't all have one (I don't have neighbors, so I don't need it, but you city guys!)

Bongo, this may really and truly be something for you to consider if you haven't tried it out yet. You "hear" a lot of lower freqs with your skeletal system, not your ear( you prob know this?), and this thing just transmits that to your bones without moving air and making it public.
 
#38
bongomania said:
I will eventually buy/build a fEarful, no doubt about it. But lacking the free time or patience for that, I'm wondering what is the most efficient cab available in current production, that still has actual good low end extension rather than just a bump in the lower low mids?

I understand that in order to get "low and loud" you have to sacrifice "small and light" and for purposes of this thread, that's fine. So weight and size are not a consideration (within reason :)).

I am not asking for the mythical 0dB down at 20 Hz, either. But let's say "better than average" projection of "lower than average" frequencies.

The reason for the emphasis on efficiency is I would plan to use this cab with a relatively low-powered amp.

Your suggestions?
Click to expand...

bongomania,
I haven't tried one myself, but the first thing that came to mind when I read your question was Basson stuff. If you have a chance you might try one of these:

http://www.bassonsound.com/b210b.htm

Bagend stuff also comes to mind, and perhaps Epifani and Bergantino.

As a side note, I'm not a big believer in the accuracy of efficiency specs on cabs (besides, they are often at 1kHZ... who knows what's happening down at 30Hz?). I am a believer in trying as many cabs as you can until you find what you're looking for.

Also, I've come to the realization that there just isn't that much energy in the 30-50Hz range for bass guitars... thus I trust my ears much more than the published -3dB low frequency specs for cabinets. That isn't to say I ignore the specs, I just don't base my decisions solely on them. Once I stopped trying to find a "ruler flat frequency response" cabinet and just trusted my ears, things became much easier for me. However, this approach is very time consuming.

Good luck in your quest and let us know what you end up with. Don't forget to use a compressor when you play :smug:

mozar
 
#39
This bad boy may do the trick. :D
They claim 105db sensitivity and range of 26hz -19khz
AND it "only" weighs in at 119lbs.
The only thing it fails at for your requirements are the low power thing. I'm sure it would need some juice to get it going.

It may be a bit extreme, but check out some of their smaller cabs like the 215 or 410. The SPECS look good, but once again, true world is not always the same....

Link Removed
 
#40
The thing about listening-based decisions is that (a) our ears and brains constantly fool us, with some fascinating and mysterious tricks, into hearing what isn't there; and (b) if all I wanted was a cab that sounds nice and deep, there's metric ***loads of them easily found. That's not my issue. :)

OTOH specs do lie, more often than not. Only a small number of (mainly PA-installation) companies provide specs that can be trusted. So I certainly don't rely on specs to make my decisions generally.

So what's a person to do? Well, this forum has a few experienced cab designers, EE's, and ERB'ers onboard, so I figured I'd ask them for a recommendation based on their technical expertise. That's what I was hoping this thread would achieve. :)

I have a decent idea of how to read EV's published charts, but if someone has a page/site they could link to which is like a lay-person's tutorial on comprehending published speaker/cab response charts, that would be a big help to me and many others I'm sure.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back