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Peavey 1516 questions

complexprocess

complexprocess

Jan 13, 2003
332
6
43
Vermont, USA
plaguesociety.com
#1
There's a somewhat beatup Peavey 1516 at a local shop for $150, which seems to me like a real good price. I should mention that I own a peavey sessionbass head, so 'the peavey sound' isn't going to be a dealbreaker for me. I've got a couple of queries about the 1516:

I can't imagine any reliable cab selling for TOO much less than $150, is this a pretty fair deal, assuming everything's functionally ok? I don't see enough of these available to make a good guess.

It's rated for 200 watts, and I've heard the 1516 generally sounds better biamped than full range. How exactly does this work? 200 watts @ 4ohms full range, 100 watts at @ ohms from each channel biamped? That seems pretty logical, but I don't know for sure and I can't find a manual online.

Now, I'm not looking for the perfect rig or anything. I'm pretty much looking for a cheap increase of speaker area (currently using a 112) until I get out of school in May, at which point I'll be able to work full time and be a little more choosey about my sound. In the meantime, I'll be using the cab to practice with a metal band I'll be joining shorty. Also, for what it's worth, I have a Johnson J-station and the 1516 model generally sounds pretty good to me (with pretty much any amp model.) At least I think that means I won't HATE the sound.

So, I suppose my final question is, given my situation, and assuming it sounds acceptable, would you drop $150 on one of these?
 
#2
I'd drop $150 on one. I had one for a year or two and it sounded OK. I't's got a 15" Black Widow in a box that's a little too small (common enough) with a pair of 8" Eminence guitar speakers for the top end.

You can drive it fulll range if you don't have biamp capability (I think it's crossed over at 250hz) and it gets fairly loud for it's size. I would think of it as more hifi than metal, but it should do anything you'd want. The 8's are a lot smoother than a horn tweeter.
 
#5
I had one several years ago. I used a SWR SS180 head with it. I really liked the clarity of it compared to the other Peavey stuff I had used. $150 sounds too high for that cab. I am sure you should get it for less. Also, the cab is typical Peavey, Bullet proof!!! I traveled to all sorts of shows (about 100) with this little cab and it never failed. They are nice clean and a good deal.
 
#7
complexprocess said:
That's all good to hear. Assuming it all works when I try it out I'll try to talk them down a little, but probably take it regardless.

So am I right in assuming that it's 4 ohms full range, 8 per "side" biamped?

Thanks for all the quick feedback.
Click to expand...

I believe it's 4 ohms either way, but I can't guarantee it.
 
#9
So am I right in assuming that it's 4 ohms full range, 8 per "side" biamped?
Click to expand...

If you are worried about overpowering the cab, I wouldn't be. I threw quite a lot of power at mine when I had it, in both bi-amp and full range. I never heard any problems, and I don't believe Heavy Duty has had any problems with it since then. HD, what do you power it with now?
 
#11
farboozle said:
If you are worried about overpowering the cab, I wouldn't be. I threw quite a lot of power at mine when I had it, in both bi-amp and full range. I never heard any problems, and I don't believe Heavy Duty has had any problems with it since then. HD, what do you power it with now?
Click to expand...
Actually, I had thought about trying a 112 on top and just using the 12 and the peavey's 15, without the eights. Mostly, I was just asking out of curiousity.

Alas, when I went back to the store last night it was gone. Curse my indecisive nature. I should have bought it on impulse.
 
#12
I may be able to pick one of these up for pretty cheap (well, I think it's a 1516; the guy listed it as having 2 10s). I'd be using it with a Firebass, and I'm a little afraid it'd be kind of wimpy for the amp, ie, I'd be overpowering it.

Any more thoughts on this cab as a standalone? I'd be using it to gig, running it full range (no bi-amping).
 
#15
i_got_a_mohawk said:
I've never played one that I like (but the ones ive tried have always been beaten to death).

Try it out and see if you like it.

Don't let the price put you off :)

(heck, I got my peavey 215 for £75, and it's by far the best 215 i've ever played!)
Click to expand...

Haha, the cheap price is one of the selling points--I'm broke! I love Peavey for the simple fact that it's cheap and no-fuss. My fear is that it's been beaten to death, as you say, but we'll see. Hopefully I can arrange to try it out.
 
#17
Caca de Kick said:
I had one of these too for many years, and it was stupid letting it go. I sold mine with a 100w Century head for 275 back in the late 90's.
It really did sound pretty good and get rather loud for it's cab size, I'd snag it for that.
Click to expand...

I'm looking for loud and relatively small, so that's a good sign.

I've been looking for just a 115 one of the older, slimmer models (a 115BVX, for instance, won't fit in my trunk). My main concern is that these speakers aren't really rated for the watts I could--potentially--throw at it. Just turn down, I know, but then my main concern is simply being heard.

Another thing, the cab I'm looking at doesn't have a grill, but rather independent speaker covers, something which others I've seen don't seem to have. Would this be an aftermarket mod, or did Peavey produce 1516 likes this? (Makes me think it may be a later model and therefore in better shape?)
 

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