hey guys, I am throwing around the idea of getting a new cab. I currently have a Carvin Redline 810 ab and I love the sound of it but I blew one speaker and I'm worried that I a going to start blowing more and more sine I am now playing in Drop B and I'm playing lower frequencies than the cab is designed for. Can someone give me any advice for a cab designed for even lower frequencies??
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new cab for down tuning
- Thread starter sinbad7
- Start date
- Sep 5, 2011
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- Uncompensated endorsing user: fEARful
Ampeg 410HLF or 610HLF. About as low as it can get.
Protect your speakers with an HPF in your FX loop. Everything below 30 Hz is irrelevant anyway
Protect your speakers with an HPF in your FX loop. Everything below 30 Hz is irrelevant anyway
- Sep 5, 2011
- 774
- 130
- Disclosures
- Uncompensated endorsing user: fEARful
- May 9, 2008
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- Proprietor Springvale Studios
Quite right! Down tuned?,nwithout it you are bound to damage drivers from unloading them at VLF.
What is vlf? Very low frequency? I can't afford and ampeg, too expensive right now. Can you tell me how a high pass filter will help with low frequencies. Ive had my carvin cab for ~10 years so I've never looked at anything else and now I'm overwhelmed by the amount of brands!!
If you are playing metal I find that in lower tunings you don't need massive amounts of bass, mainly because it doesnt really help the mix it just makes things muddy. I'd suggest dialing in less bass and more low mids and it'll make things easier on any cab.
- Sep 5, 2011
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- Uncompensated endorsing user: fEARful
From my (limited) point of view there's a certain frequency limit on the low band that does not add anything useful to your sound. 30Hz or lower are hardly audible and your amplifier uses a lot of strength to amplify that, while noone hears it actually.
with a HPF you can clean up the lowest bands and tighten up the sound a bit. It also protects your speakers from accidental BOOMs from switching on/off.
Using 30hz as your high pass point you eliminate the useless (VLF) frequencies. This protects your drivers from over excursion (damage) and the amps from trying to amplify frequencies outside the range of your bass. Highly recommended for low tuning and any larger PA.
I do play in a metal band, and not just a super heavy breakdown metal, but more of an August Burns Red metal, so its more thrashy. I do have a pretty bright tone while still maintaining that really low, stomach bouncing lows when I hit that low B. Just for knowledge, my current set up is a Carvin BX500 and a barhinger sonic maximizer pushing a carvin RL810.
- Sep 5, 2011
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- Uncompensated endorsing user: fEARful
If you have blown a speaker I guess you just pushed to much of power through the cabinet. And from what you describe, I guess you roll in the lows alot, and that blowed your cabinet.
What do you think happens to frequencies < 40 Hz that are pushed into the cabinet? They do not simply disappear
What do you think happens to frequencies < 40 Hz that are pushed into the cabinet? They do not simply disappear
You are playing through a BX500 and an 810 and are blowing drivers? Many would just say turn it down, however the real answer to your question is buy another identical 810. The BX500 will run at 2 ohms so 2 cabs would give you more volume. Do invest in quality ear protection, and use them.
- May 9, 2008
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If your cab is incapable of handleing any power at all below 40 odd Hz why would it not be really sensible to avoid the cabinet getting any power below the frequency that it can handle.
By using a cheap and simple high pass filter.
PS. Turning down the bass on the amps EQ would help, but it's not a sharp enough filter to properly protect your speakers without affecting your bass tone, you need 24dB per octave or steeper HPF.
Seriously though, if you need more volume (you are blowing drivers...) get another 810. On the other hand if $ is an important part of the equation and space won't always allow 2-810's then investigate and learn about HPF's. This option is the least expensive and will allow you to get more out of the cab you have, while also protecting your drivers from damage from over-excursion at the lowest notes.
- Sep 5, 2011
- 774
- 130
- Disclosures
- Uncompensated endorsing user: fEARful
As much as I would love to get another 810 cab, its no where near logical for me. Volume is not an issue at all either. that little bx500 kicks some serious ass. I play most gigs with my volume at about 3, so I don't need to add another cab for volume. I'm new to actually looking at frequencies so bare with me on that. Like I said, my mix is usually on the higher end. The amp's bass is set to 0 and the eq is flat on the low end so I'm doing what I can with what I have to avoid dropping super low. I'll look in to the HPF. I really just wonder if it was mostly age and very aggressive use over those 10 years that blew the speaker.
another vote for a HPF. general TB word around the campfire is that 50 or lower is worthless. all you are doing is killing your speakers to create sounds you don't want to hear, and stomping over the kick drum range. you should be able to drive the existing cab louder with less chance of blowing a speaker.
