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Neo vs. regular magnet: Tone difference?

fireincairo

fireincairo

Jul 8, 2008
706
2
#1
I've got an Avatar B410 cab, but it's the older one with the Kappa magnets. It sounds really good, a bit better than my neo b212 to my ears, fatter and punchier. Anyhow, if I were to swap out the Kappas do you think there would be a significant tonal difference? Am I just preferring the configuration, or is it the regular magnets making the difference?

I'm considering doing one of the following:

A) sell kappa b410 and buy a neo B410

B) sell the kappa speakers and replace them with the $75 Eminence Basslites you can find here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

C) just lug this brick around and don't complain just because the neo 212 is featherlight and fun to carry

Thoughts? Opinions? What would you do in this situation?
 
#2
Ceramic drivers tend to have a lower freq response, more bottom. I think most Neos are rated down to around 50Hz or so. Avatar's Neos are custom made though. They have a longer voice coil to lower the freq response. I loaded a 610 cabinet with Neos I bought from Dave at Avatar. They were very affordable, sounded incredible, and made the cabinet much lighter. If I were you, I would see if I could find someone with a 410 Neo cab you could trade or order 4 Deltalites from Dave and then you have both, just swap em when you want a different sound.
 
#4
Yeah, ceramic is my choice in the end. I tried Mesa's new Powerhouse cabs, which are neo. I like the old Diesel cabs better. Fatter bottom, but they do weigh a freakin' ton. Bass Player Magazine did a review on Avatar's Neo cabs, a 410 and a 212 to be specific. The reviewer mentioned the 410 being punchier but the 212 had more midrange and projected into a room better.
 
#5
Hmm... Yet another "ceramic vs. Neo tone" thread... :hmm:

If this one holds true to form, it'll attract responses from a mix of players - some of whom claim they can hear no difference between ceramic-magnet drivers and Neo-magnet drivers, while others claim to hear a significant difference...with ceramics being better. Plus of course posts from the usual engineers, system designers and assorted other tech types who can point to data that "proves" no difference in tone.

(Sits back with a bag of popcorn to watch the fireworks ensue... :p)

MM
 
#6
levis76 said:
Bass Player Magazine did a review on Avatar's Neo cabs, a 410 and a 212 to be specific. The reviewer mentioned the 410 being punchier but the 212 had more midrange and projected into a room better.
Click to expand...

Sorry to butt in, but the review in question was actually from Bass Guitar magazine - not Bass Player. And it was conducted several years ago - before Dave Noss started using new long-throw woofers in his 1x12 and 2x12 cabs - such as he'd already been using in his 2x10 and 4x10 cabs. These newer 12" Neo drivers reportedly sound deeper and phatter than the previous version - just as the current 10" Neos sound deeper and phatter than the version that preceded them... :hmm:

MM
 
#7
Motor Amplifier interaction is a real phenomenon. Depnding on the amplfieir topography and the motor design ,suspension, cone wieght etc even given identical performance charecterisitcs I could see differences in tone.I have heard Neo cabs with different heads and the same heads on similar cabs using various motor assemblys and there is something to the comments about differences in sound.

Play what you like.
 
#10
There are cabs with neos that sound amazing. There are cabs with neos that sound like refried ass. Heard much the same out of cabs over the years regardless of what magnet the speakers used.
 
#13
fireincairo said:
I've got an Avatar B410 cab, but it's the older one with the Kappa magnets. It sounds really good, a bit better than my neo b212 to my ears, fatter and punchier. Anyhow, if I were to swap out the Kappas do you think there would be a significant tonal difference? Am I just preferring the configuration, or is it the regular magnets making the difference?

I'm considering doing one of the following:

A) sell kappa b410 and buy a neo B410

B) sell the kappa speakers and replace them with the $75 Eminence Basslites you can find here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

C) just lug this brick around and don't complain just because the neo 212 is featherlight and fun to carry

Thoughts? Opinions? What would you do in this situation?
Click to expand...

+1 to all the above posts.... you cannot generalize 'neo versus ceramic' by comparing a single brand execution. There is just as much variation in the sound of neo loaded cabs as there is in traditional heavier cabs. Some of each sound good to me, and some of each sound like dog to me.
 
#14
fireincairo said:
I've got an Avatar B410 cab, but it's the older one with the Kappa magnets. It sounds really good, a bit better than my neo b212 to my ears, fatter and punchier. Anyhow, if I were to swap out the Kappas do you think there would be a significant tonal difference?
Click to expand...
The magnet material has no bearing on the situation. Other driver parameters do. In the case of the Kappa Pro 10, which is what I assume you're referring to, they were intended for PA midbass use, and have a low Qts, which results in high sensitivity in the midbass and midrange, but poor sensitivity in the low end. Swapping out to a higher Qts driver, which most neos happen to be, will fatten the bottom end, assuming they are properly matched to the cab.
 
#16
billfitzmaurice said:
The magnet material has no bearing on the situation. Other driver parameters do. In the case of the Kappa Pro 10, which is what I assume you're referring to, they were intended for PA midbass use, and have a low Qts, which results in high sensitivity in the midbass and midrange, but poor sensitivity in the low end. Swapping out to a higher Qts driver, which most neos happen to be, will fatten the bottom end, assuming they are properly matched to the cab.
Click to expand...

thanks
 

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