No more 15s for me!

[alexclaber]

Speaker diameter has an influence on the sound, I do believe. While you can do a lot with manufacturing methods and cabs to bridge the gap, I still feel a slower response in 15"s and a quicker response in 10"s no matter who makes them or what cabs they're in.

'Quickness' in response is predominantly a function of voice coil inductance, and secondarily BL (magnetic field strength) vs Mms (moving mass).

The belief that 15"s are slower then 10"s is based on inaccurate anecdotal evidence where bassists hear more midrange off-axis with a 10" and therefore believe the attack is quicker.

Alex

 

[JimmyM]

Well, you know more about it than me, for sure, but as the old saying goes, "If I hear it, it's real to me." Yes, you can get fooled sometimes, but as a general rule it's served me well.

 

[pedro]

Well, you know more about it than me, for sure, but as the old saying goes, "If I hear it, it's real to me." Yes, you can get fooled sometimes, but as a general rule it's served me well.

LOL!! You know Jimmy I recently asked in another thread if there was a difference between 'perceived' vs. 'actual' volume.

 

[JimmyM]

LOL!! You know Jimmy I recently asked in another thread if there was a difference between 'perceived' vs. 'actual' volume.

Yeah, didn't you start a big cluster**** of a thread with that?

I love the fact that there are so many variables with sound. It keeps things interesting.

 

[pedro]

Yeah, didn't you start a big cluster**** of a thread with that?

I love the fact that there are so many variables with sound. It keeps things interesting.

Well it probably did to some extent but in all fairness I did start the thread by stating upfront that I probably wouldn't understand the answer - and I was right. I reckon I'm just too old and too dumb to make any sense of it.

 

[JimmyM]

If Bill FM ever wrote a book called "Speaker Science For Dummies," I'd buy it.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Maryland, huh? I think I'll pass. My band had some trouble in Maryland

Too easy... I'll pass.

Anywho, hey, I own a double baffle B-15 cab. Nothing slow about it, either. But in general, 15"s do have certain characteristics, and so do 10"s, and so do 12"s, 8"s, and 18"s. You can make different drivers behave somewhat uncharacteristically, but the underlying characteristics of a certain driver size will still be there.

Like slow for a 15? Not IME.

This is why I don't use "general" cabs, Jimmy. None of my 15's are slow and like you've I've heard a bunch that are... so I don't use the sterotypical ones.

I took a modular approach for my main rig and wouldn't gig with either of my Nahas cabs by themselves... but together they, like you, rock.

 

[zenlowend]

I have tryed every configureation,410 +115,2-15 210,410+215,and have settled on the 2 410 cabs.
It has the punch,drive and that "ever wanting" low bottom!

Our band plays in drop"C" so we need that low bottom throwing straight out at the croud.


I have researched the idea of an 810 and the amount of AIR in which the 10 inch speakers put out is almost twice that of a 15.

I also see alot of pros using this configuation so im sold as of now.

Bradley I play tuned to low C and I had the exact same problem you are describing. No cabnet truly nailed that low note with out sounding a bit flabby. Then I played through a Berg NV610. It not only hit that low C but it hit it with authority! Mids cut through great and you don't even need a horn for crisp highs. My advise is to go try one. Oh and also I can tell you for sure you need heavy guage strings 110e or larger(I use 115e)
Hope this helps.

 

[pedro]

If Bill FM ever wrote a book called "Speaker Science For Dummies," I'd buy it.

Yea well I'd have to wait for the sequel 'Speaker Science for Morons.'

 

[alexclaber]

Well, you know more about it than me, for sure, but as the old saying goes, "If I hear it, it's real to me."

Fair enough but don't use this to build up the "JimmyM big hypothesis on speakers" because you're using poor data and logic and just end up misdirecting the even less well informed.

Alex

 

[billfitzmaurice]

It's not just about air though, alot of it's about the speed at which the speakers respond. .

All drivers respond at precisely the same speed. The only variable that can be attributed purely to cone size is the angle of midrange dispersion.

 

[Pandafist]

So, does that mean that tens have a more focused mid-ranged dispersion, making them "quicker" or "punchier"?

I've tried all combinations of cabs and have found no absolutes in response based on speaker size. IMO, it seems like the room your in makes as much, if not more, of a difference than the cab you use.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

So, does that mean that tens have a more focused mid-ranged dispersion

Just the opposite.

IMO, it seems like the room your in makes as much, if not more, of a difference than the cab you use.

True, in the lower frequencies.

 

[pedro]

Originally Posted by Pandafist
So, does that mean that tens have a more focused mid-ranged dispersion

Just the opposite.

Is that due to the speakers itself or is it at least partly to do because most cabs w/ 10's tend to have them side by side?

 

[JimmyM]

Fair enough but don't use this to build up the "JimmyM big hypothesis on speakers" because you're using poor data and logic and just end up misdirecting the even less well informed.

Alex

I hardly think so.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

Is that due to the speakers itself or is it at least partly to do because most cabs w/ 10's tend to have them side by side?

It's the product of the driver. Smaller drivers have a wider dispersion angle. Placing them side by side narrows the dispersion angle, however, so you can end up with a pair of tens that have narrower dispersion than one fifteen via that design error.
Which is just one more reason why broad generalizations over the effect of driver size are inherently flawed. With drivers as with other tools what you use is far less important than how you use it.

 

[pedro]

Remind me again Bill, a wider dispersion angle would be a good thing for bass?

 

[billfitzmaurice]

Remind me again Bill, a wider dispersion angle would be a good thing for bass?

It's a good thing unless you have a specific reason for wanting most of the audience rendered unable to hear what you're playing the same way you hear it. I suppose if you really suck there could be some benefit in that. :

 

[pedro]

It's a good thing unless you have a specific reason for wanting most of the audience rendered unable to hear what you're playing the same way you hear it. I suppose if you really suck there could be some benefit in that. :

Hey wait a minute which one of my bandmates has been talking to you about my playing?

 

[SwamiRob]

All drivers respond at precisely the same speed. The only variable that can be attributed purely to cone size is the angle of midrange dispersion.

I was gonna sat learn something new every day, but it seems like something's disproven to people every day on here

What the reason behind the less apparent attack in a generalised 15 compared to a generalised 10 then? To my ear it doesn't seem to be a frequency response thing, because there always seems to be a notable difference even when the highs are cranked through a 15, they just seem (in general) to have less of the cutting edge that 10s (generally) have.