Not completely happy with my Phil Jones cabinets.

[Bob Coldwell]

New gear or eq and acoustical suggestions welcome:

About 2 years ago I bought two PJB CAB27 cabinets, mainly for the smallish footprint and the fact that my current band plays small low volume venues.

Before that, I was using a GK CX210, which had a lot more warmth and fullness.

I know the PJB stuff is all about "transparency", but there's a certain "clackiness" that can't get rid of. I'm not looking for SVT warmth, but would like a rounder, yet punchy tone.

My main head is a GK MB500, but I have 2 others that I've also used. Any suggestions on a different head to try? Or tips on speaker placement, etc? How do any of you feel about these cabinets?

I know there is a Talkbass Phil Jones club, but it's just one never-ending thread - not separate posts.

Thanks.

 

[blr2]

In a word, change the cabs to something with larger speakers.

 

[Bob Coldwell]

In a word, change the cabs to something with larger speakers.

Yeah, I think so too. It's the never-ending quest to find something small that sounds big. I was thinking something like a Mesa 115. But they're not cheap.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I'd be all over a Kinetix.

 

[blr2]

Yeah, I think so too. It's the never-ending quest to find something small that sounds big. I was thinking something like a Mesa 115. But they're not cheap.

There are cheaper cabs that sound no less deep. Ampeg, Fender and Hartke come to mind.

 

[vickerekes]

It doesn't seem to be common knowledge, but this is magic to add heft and resonance to speakers...

Thread 'DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim Deluxe : knobs and frequency response'

Jul 16, 2016

Hey,
I got my OCSD cabinet simulator a few days ago (fantastic little unit, I love it ), and I wanted to study how the knobs affect the signal.
So I've made a series of measurements that I'm now sharing, I think you might find it interesting as well.

This will not, in any way, be done in a scientific manner, but helps give an idea of what the pedal does.

The unit has 6 parameters :
High-response
Punch
Mid-response
Cab size
Resonance
(output) Gain (kept at noon for all the measurements)

All the knobs work as you'd expect (clockwise to increase).
Their position range...

• XLunacy
• deluxe dsm noisemaker knobs omnicabsim response
• Replies: 14
• Forum: Effects [BG]

• 

 

[Bob Coldwell]

There are cheaper cabs that sound no less deep. Ampeg, Fender and Hartke come to mind.

Yup. Lots of options. And I've owned several heads and many cabinets over the years. Now I'm in a searching phase again.

 

[ahbass2500]

The various 7” PJB cabs are known for being brighter. They have tweeters where the 5” PJB cabinets do not. If you want more low, you need more than 2 7” speakers.

I am a PJB fan but physics is still a thing. My 2x5” PJB cab does not have nearly the low end or volume of the 8x5” cabinet. That is just how it works.

 

[Bob Coldwell]

Thanks! Do you have one?

 

[Bob Coldwell]

Thanks! Do you have one?

 

[ahbass2500]

Thanks! Do you have one?

If that was directed at me, I do not. I heard they were brighter and did never bought into the 7” cabinets as a result. I recently sold off several PJB cabs and replaced them with two Genzler Array 10” cabinets. I have been very happy with Genzler cabs. Not cheap though.

Still have one PJB Compact 2 and one Compact 8. Prior to getting rid of stuff I had 2 Compact 8 cabinets, 3 Compact 2 cabinets, and briefly had a compact 4.

 

[Geepers]

If you haven’t done so I’d suggest you try 300w Warwick Gnome head and matched 210 cab … powerful full sound, no clackiness, solid build and very affordable

 

[ahbass2500]

OP… have you tried an HPF/LPF? Cutting out extreme lows and dialing off the highs may get you closer to where you want with the existing cabinets. Probably not a perfect solution, but I generally recommend HPF/LPF anyway so might be worth trying before buying new head/cabs (since the HPF/LPF will be useful on the new setup unless the new amp has one built in).

 

[jTrolt]

You owe it to yourself to try a bass array 112 (Genzler+1 vote). Though I made my own, I did use Faital drivers, and I'm confident the sound is very similar.

What you'll retain:
- Transparent, transient attack, with all the upper register definition you could ask for.

What you'll gain:
- Warm, punchy bass with remarkable fullness in a reasonably compact cabinet from a state of the art NEO magnet for lighter weight, longer throw and better magnetic grip on that voice coil. There is a very notable improvement in performance with those drivers. At modest levels with bass EQ boosted, this thing is downright thunderous compared to my old standby Hartke 410XL.
-The array distributes the highs remarkably well, completely eliminating the beamy-ness of a single tweeter, and has a far smoother HiFi grade tonality.

Yes, it's expensive, but I think it absolutely nails what you describe you're looking for.

 

[blr2]

You'll get dozens of recommendations, but my advice is go out there and listen to 210, 112, 212, 115, 410..., just classic configuration cabs. They haven't been around so long for nothing.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I have Mesa 1x15 and it definitely does not have baked in 'warm and fuzzy' tone it is very accurate no mid bass hump or scooped mid's which many like

Markbass has 58R 102P which has Ceramic Drivers and designed for a more warmish vintage tone; I am not a rumble guy but it's baked in tone is pleasing to many both similar to CX210 in price

For what I would consider a step up that may have sound your after would maybe be used Aguilar[DB/GL/SL or Darkglass 1x12 or 2x10 also Genzler NU 112T again more Classic design

 

[Bob Coldwell]

If that was directed at me, I do not. I heard they were brighter and did never bought into the 7” cabinets as a result. I recently sold off several PJB cabs and replaced them with two Genzler Array 10” cabinets. I have been very happy with Genzler cabs. Not cheap though.

Still have one PJB Compact 2 and one Compact 8. Prior to getting rid of stuff I had 2 Compact 8 cabinets, 3 Compact 2 cabinets, and briefly had a compact 4.

I meant do you have that pedal?

 

[Bob Coldwell]

OP… have you tried an HPF/LPF? Cutting out extreme lows and dialing off the highs may get you closer to where you want with the existing cabinets. Probably not a perfect solution, but I generally recommend HPF/LPF anyway so might be worth trying before buying new head/cabs (since the HPF/LPF will be useful on the new setup unless the new amp has one built in).

No, but I've considered getting one. The PJB cabs are good, just not perfect for "my sound".

 

[Aloe]

I owned a s-77 combo and can confirm, it's both very bright and deep. two cab27s would sound even brighter due to non-defeatable tweeters on both. I was able to get a rounder tone using a digital mixer as an input.

do you have a markbass head around? 'hi mid' control on those fills pretty much the missing warmth and the 'old school' knob is good for taking away that very high end (it's essentially a variable lpf).

 

[vickerekes]

I meant do you have that pedal?

Oh, me?
Yes, I do have it: it adds no 'grit' or 'drive', just a very clever bank of tone shapers - genius to my mind!
I use a very HiFi Powered FRFR type cab and it will emulate my warm, old school rigs pretty convincingly.
It's out of production but available used and will allow you to keep your tiny cabs..