replacing speakers

Eminence makes the Kilomax.

>Do all speakers have the same depth or could some kind of cab air pressure thing go wrong?

Nope, there are lots of different 'depths' to speakers.

Yes indeed, some kind of 'air pressure thing' could indeed go wrong and it might sound nasty. There is an entire branch of engineering devoted to that 'air pressure thing'.

 

Do you want to replace the speaker because it's blown, or because you don't like the way it sounds?

If it's blown, get a replacement from your friendly neighborhood Behringer dealer. If you don't like how it sounds well....that's a little more complicated.

In theory, a speaker cabinet (including the size of the ports) is designed for a particular speaker, based on that speakers Thiele-Small parameters, which are basically a bunch of measurements of a speakers physical and electro-mechanical properties. Given the huge number of 15" speakers available, the chances that the Kilomax 15 would be a proper replacement for your Behringer are pretty slim. If you can find out the Thiele-Small parameters for the speaker you have, then you could find a replacement.

Sorry for getting long winded.

 

With all due respect, putting a Kilomax 15 into a Behringer cab is like putting a turbocharger on a lawn mower. Much more productive uses for your money exist in the bass world, IMO.

 

Yeah, but it sure cuts the grass fast. Ask Tim Allen.

You're right, of course. A Kilomax is intended for high-power PA, not electric bass, and using one with less than 2,000 watts behind it's about as useful as a screendoor on a submarine. Before investing $300 in a driver that's totally unsuited for what he wants to use it for he needs to spend $29.95 on a book about loudspeaker design and learn why you can't just toss any speaker into any box. Recommended are books by Dave Weems, Vance Dickason or Ray Alden.

 

Well, the cab is simply wood box, with a certain volume and specific ports, right? If he finds an appropriate driver that would perform well with the specs (cab internal volume/port size) but higher excursion limits/power handling, it could make sense to replace a crappy OEM driver in that cab.

It'll require some research, it might be more worthwhile to spring for lumber and design a box around a good driver, but there's no reason he can't run the numbers for a bunch of quality drivers to try to find a good match for the existing cab. Good opportunity to change the cab impedance at the same time too, if that's an issue.

Put the numbers for the cab through a good cab design program, figure out the small/thiele parameters needed, go looking for appropriate drivers, see what's available, how it compares to the stock driver. No harm in looking.

Big difference in a "cheap amp" which relies on lots of cheap components, and a "cheap cab" which has wood like everyone else, and cheap drivers.

Randy

 

The Kilomax is not really designed for musical instrument amplification; the highs roll off pretty quickly since it's primarily meant as a PA subwoofer. Eminence makes plenty of other 15" speakers designed specifically for bass, and any one of them will probably sound much better than whatever shipped with the Behringer. Buy one, pop it in, and if you don't like the way it sounds, buy a different one, and you still won't have spent as much money as you would've on the Kilomax. For the price of one of those, you could look at getting a fairly nice used combo that works out better all around then the Behringer.

 

But that's the point, isn't it? Right now all he's sure of is that his box will take a 15. Before going out and buying a new driver based on the assumption that if it costs $300 and will take 1250 watts that it must be better than what he has already he needs to take the time to educate himself to the extent required that he can make an informed decision.

No doubt about it, but only if it is with something that will actually improve things.

I don't see trial and error as the best route either sonically or economically.

 

i agree, as i have been down that road before (trial and error). blew a $200 speaker in forty five minutes because the box dimensions weren't correct for the speaker.

my suggestion is the same as above: read up on what exactly you need, the tech specs for your box, and what you can put in it. otherwise, you're going to blow (both figuratively and literally) $200-$300 needlessly.