Preference For Sealed Cabs? Why?

[will33]

Well, gee---than someone should tell that to John Dunlavy who was one of the most respected speaker designers in audio who's testing lab rivaled virtually anything out there. His speakers (in the late 90's) routinely were regarded as the best of the best in Stereophile and Absolute sound. But I'm sure that an amateur bassist on TB would know better.

Cabinet designs are compromises. IMO sealed boxes sound better----but---to get them to the point where they do sound better requires compromises that I for one an unable to live with. (size, weight, low sensitivity)

Didn't they name a comet after that guy or something?

It would be cool to have your own comet.

 

[will33]

any HiFi speaker designer who says that is not an engineer, does not understand physics, and should not be designing speakers.

These statements are way too absolute to apply to something that is half science and half art.

 

[FunkySpoo]

I don't care how a cab is built as long as it sounds like what I want. I have ported and sealed cabs and I like them all. Now who you should ask is Johnny A from Staind (staindbass). He hates ported cabs. He says the low end sounds like it's puffing to him in a ported cab. I don't get it, but I don't have to

I agree. I generally don't care about all the tech stuff. I go by the "if it sounds good, it is good" rule. I had an Eden XLT410, loved it. I now have a Bergantino NV215, love it to.

 

[dukeorock]

so you ask us the question... have a perfect AB testing set up.... and aren't telling us what the craic is from your point of view!!! !

My testing set up is far from perfect! All I did was take two cabs that are very close in size, weight and power handling and place them next to one another at my shop. I grabbed a few different amps and basses and played them, and listened. Then I brought over a couple very talented friends who work in audio (a
studio tech and a bass player) to see what they thought. Again, the differences weren't observed to determine a 'winner,' but to observe the differences! Then I did the same thing at a 4 hour, 3 sets gig, except only one amp was used as well as one upright (Blast Cult) and one electric (Dingwall Super J/P4).

The reason I'm being vague at all is because I don't think I've thrown enough variables at the two cabs, side by side, to make a determination that would be of any real value here yet, so I started this thread hoping others would share their own observations. And that's happening, so I'm very pleased

This will be an ongoing experiment, and it's been a lot of fun so far!

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

If we put as much time into selecting a spouse as we do bass cabinets, there would be no divorce. WAIT - that means there'd also be no TB Classifieds. Carry on...

 

[Luke the Fluke]

I sometimes wonder if my more technical posts on here leave readers infinitely baffled! Even if that's not the case, are they left in a state of acoustic suspension?

yeah the acoustic foam between my ears means none of it resonates for me

 

[lastnotleast]

I read (maybe in these forums) that a ported cabinet is more efficient but a sealed cabinet is more consistant throughout the frequency range.
I prefer sealed and the "old ears" theory might have something to do with it as I started in Jr. High playing a Wurli rewired for lefthand bass through a Fender Showman.

 

[canadian*eh]

If we put as much time into selecting a spouse as we do bass cabinets, there would be no divorce. WAIT - that means there'd also be no TB Classifieds. Carry on...

No if we spent that much time looking for a spouse we would never settle....... We would want to try out as many as we could...... And do a/b testing. We would argue over which was more refined....... Or if old school or modern was the best.... If they Had a better bottom end extension.... Complain about the mid humps or lack of top sizzle...... Ask questions about how to stack them or if mixing sizes works or is a crap shoot...... I think you get my point :-O

 

[Luke the Fluke]

No if we spent that much time looking for a spouse we would never settle....... We would want to try out as many as we could...... And do a/b testing. We would argue over with was more refined.... Had a better bottom end extension.... Complain about the mid humps or lack of top sizzle...... Ask questions about how to stack them or if mixing sizes works or is a crap shoot...... I think you get my point :-O

Bill Fitzmaurice has plans you can buy for Horny ones. Just sayin'

 

[kringle77]

It sounds to me like more folks are going back to the old sealed cab after running on the latest and grwatwst cab trends of the last few years. I did the same thing myself. The good sealed cabs are.very pre-voiced to work live and keep players out of trouble sonically.

 

[AstroSonic]

I read (maybe in these forums) that a ported cabinet is more efficient but a sealed cabinet is more consistant throughout the frequency range.
I prefer sealed and the "old ears" theory might have something to do with it as I started in Jr. High playing a Wurli rewired for lefthand bass through a Fender Showman.

The cab design only impacts the lowest frequencies (typically below around 200 Hz). The sensitivity of the driver above that range is not affected by the cab design. Therefore, ported cabs are not more sensitive than sealed cabs. However, this is only really true for medium Qts drivers - those that can be used in either design. The lower Qts drivers that work best in ported cabs are generally more sensitive than the high Qts drivers that work well in sealed cabs.

Since cab design does not impact the frequencies above the low bass, the 'consistency' throughout the frequency range is not related to the cab design. However, the strongly peaked upper-bass typical of many ported cabs can cause a lack of note to note consistency.

 

[dukeorock]

It sounds to me like more folks are going back to the old sealed cab after running on the latest and grwatwst cab trends of the last few years. I did the same thing myself. The good sealed cabs are.very pre-voiced to work live and keep players out of trouble sonically.

That's possible! I think we can all agree that there is no such thing as 'best' when it comes to gear. I've heard great players who really inspire and move me playing what I'd consider to be pretty shoddy gear. I've also heard uninspiring, mediocre players using the 'best' gear out there, and everything in between.

For me personally, I play a ton of gigs on many different stages. This year I've done arenas, outdoor festivals, horrible little punk rock clubs, tourist trap honky tonks, etc, all on the same tour. I play upright and electric. I have no desire to bring multiple rigs to deal with all the variables. I bring one, sometimes two cabs, one backup amp, one electric bass and one upright bass. So, for me it's been a search to refine my rig to deal with all the variables. Fortunately, I also find it very fun to keep testing and refining my ideas

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

There is some irony about the agony of choice. For bassists who are plugged into a DI and projecting through FOH, it doesn't matter what cab you use. Maybe it does if you mic the cab and exclusively send that signal to FOH. As for on-stage sound, many bassists are using IEMs so again, doesn't matter. It especially doesn't matter that much if you're wearing musician's custom molded earplugs that block most of the finer points of all this high end gear. As for the audience, FOR SURE they will know if your cab is sealed or not!

 

[dukeorock]

There is some irony about the agony of choice. For bassists who are plugged into a DI and projecting through FOH, it doesn't matter what cab you use. Maybe it does if you mic the cab and exclusively send that signal to FOH. As for on-stage sound, many bassists are using IEMs so again, doesn't matter. It especially doesn't matter that much if you're wearing musician's custom molded earplugs that block most of the finer points of all this high end gear. As for the audience, FOR SURE they will know if your cab is sealed or not!

I could be full of it, but I think if I love my tone, I play better and that's great for the audience. I also find with the right gear, my onstage and FOH sounds are more easily in sync. Ideally, FOH just needs to take my sound and set the correct volume in the house mix. Sometimes it actually happens! I also do tons of gigs where I'm not in the house at all, so I need a rig that carries a 50-200 cap room sufficiently

 

[Sundogue]

I find it interesting that the general consensus among many is that the sound only matters to the audience.

Maybe I'm wrong but as a bass player, I too can hear my bass. I matter. A LOT. I play bass because I love the sound and feel of it. I do it more for enjoyment than money, so I want it to be as pleasurable as I can possibly make it for myself, and hopefully that carries over to the audience. The sound matters to me. It is not my profession yet if it were, I care too much about my own self to just go to work every day and simply "do my job" without enjoyment.

For me, to only care what the audience wants without any consideration for myself would make playing music worthless for me. I can get any job I don't like.

 

[Mike Arnopol]

It sounds to me like more folks are going back to the old sealed cab after running on the latest and grwatwst cab trends of the last few years. I did the same thing myself. The good sealed cabs are.very pre-voiced to work live and keep players out of trouble sonically.

I like that. The keeping out of trouble. I agree. Very little low bass is better than bad low bass. People can rant and call me names but I'm sorry---I don't like ported cabs. I don't like the quality of the lows.I've always (until recently) built ported cabs. Again--worthwhile compromises. Maximum volume and extension in a much smaller cab. With a sealed cab, I like the envelope of the notes better. And it's not just because there isn't the extension to get you in trouble. It's all about the envelope of the note for me. In the living room or garage---most cabs do well. But at volume on a gig--I have trouble getting the envelope that I like with a ported cab.. I've played the best of the reflex cabs and just don't like the low end definition. Too much overhang--at concert volume. I feel now that ported designs aren't worth it for the compromises in the envelope of the notes.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I'm totally into the argument that we should play what pleases us. If I look at the numbers, 90%+ of the total amount of time I play the bass is in my home studio, so personally it's very important that I love the tone I'm hearing. I have bought and sold many amps and cabs (and dare I say, basses) to find the tone I love. Sometimes the gig will require dialing in the sound differently for optimal work with the band/venue. No problem. But I want to please me first because it's my ears that are hearing most of the notes I play. So sealed or not, by all means buy whatever you love!

 

[Mike Arnopol]

I agree with Mark and Sun. I'd rather have both sound great, but will definitely lean toward---if a compromise is necessary---to have a better stage sound first. Even if my sound in the house isn't as perfect as I'd like it---if I love my sound I'll play A LOT better. And the band will sound better. I also agree that if you have a great stage sound and the sound guy isn't an egotistical moron----you give the sound guy a reference point. On double bass, so many guys get terrible stage sounds. And many of the sound guys aren't that experienced with a good DB sound. So they assume that the terrible on stage sound is what you want in the house.

 

[CL400Peavey]

There is some irony about the agony of choice. For bassists who are plugged into a DI and projecting through FOH, it doesn't matter what cab you use. Maybe it does if you mic the cab and exclusively send that signal to FOH. As for on-stage sound, many bassists are using IEMs so again, doesn't matter. It especially doesn't matter that much

This is one of the reasons I want my tonal color from my amp, and not my cab. I have had almost every sound guy who has taken my DI signal come up to me and tell me that they didnt have to do anything with my sound, because it sounded like what was coming off the stage. No fighting with the PA. Just good sound out front.

 

[CL400Peavey]

I like that. The keeping out of trouble. I agree. Very little low bass is better than bad low bass. People can rant and call me names but I'm sorry---I don't like ported cabs. I don't like the quality of the lows.I've always (until recently) built ported cabs. Again--worthwhile compromises. Maximum volume and extension in a much smaller cab. With a sealed cab, I like the envelope of the notes better. And it's not just because there isn't the extension to get you in trouble. It's all about the envelope of the note for me. In the living room or garage---most cabs do well. But at volume on a gig--I have trouble getting the envelope that I like with a ported cab.. I've played the best of the reflex cabs and just don't like the low end definition. Too much overhang--at concert volume. I feel now that ported designs aren't worth it for the compromises in the envelope of the notes.

Maybe I missed something. Are you no longer building ported cabs?