And that is the way of the world now
Just give me the answer. (That I really don't wanna hear anyway)
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Sunn 4x15 cab
- Thread starter The_Conqueror
- Start date
Just give me the answer. (That I really don't wanna hear anyway)
They're fine, if all you want is something big with a wide spread of just presence in the room.
No low end, not much low mids. Plenty of mids, and upper mids.
A better cabinet in the Sunn line would be the 200s bottom. If you need something big and heavy to carry. At least it sounds better.
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‘Both much better options IMO. However, Old is called old for a reason. Don’t ask..LOL!!
I dare say you could walk in to GC blindfolded and without firing up a cab and walk out the door with a better sounding more practically sized lighter cab.
That cab would look cool as heck if you’re in the sort of band where you’re sweating in a motorcycle jacket through the whole gig for a bunch of 15-24 year olds. You’d probably want to be rocking some kind of bi-amp thing with a second amp & cab that actually handles the low end. Run your effects through a guitar amp into this pyramid cab and clean signal through the bass rig.
You’re going to need three semesters of physics classes (or just thoroughly reading & doing the exercises of the whole textbook) before you can even begin to comprehend the physics of why that cab is a terrible bass cab.
I had a 200s with d140F’s. It was nice. There have been a few boomy rooms for which I wished I still had it instead of the fuller sounding cabs I’ve got.
You’re going to need three semesters of physics classes (or just thoroughly reading & doing the exercises of the whole textbook) before you can even begin to comprehend the physics of why that cab is a terrible bass cab.
I had a 200s with d140F’s. It was nice. There have been a few boomy rooms for which I wished I still had it instead of the fuller sounding cabs I’ve got.
I was just trying to keep it in the Doom/Stoner vein that it looked like it was in.
Nope I wouldn't use any of them now. Unless I had to have 'the look' Trouble is I don't have the look myself anymore.
Regardless of the physics of the waveforms crossing, it seems like the physics of the box itself already would make this a nonstarter? The only practical reason for mounting the speakers this way is to get more speakers in a smaller area and increase the area of the baffle to accommodate that. But that inherently means you’re reducing the volume of the cabinet by cutting a pyramid out of the middle or offsetting that with an even deeper and more awkward to manage box.
I don’t think it’s a case of everyone taking the blue pill to come to the conclusion that this design doesn’t offer enough advantages (if it even had any in the first place) to offset the physical requirements to make it work. It’s the same reason as to why we don’t use folded horns anymore.
I don’t think it’s a case of everyone taking the blue pill to come to the conclusion that this design doesn’t offer enough advantages (if it even had any in the first place) to offset the physical requirements to make it work. It’s the same reason as to why we don’t use folded horns anymore.
I was just trying to keep it in the Doom/Stoner vein that it looked like it was in.
Nope I wouldn't use any of them now. Unless I had to have 'the look' Trouble is I don't have the look myself anymore.
‘Me neither.. Remember what I posted about “Old is called old for a reason” I have about 20 years on the manufactures date on those cabs. My expiration date of having a look expired decades ago..LOL!!
Could you give us the 30 second elevator explanation of the physics behind this design?
I, for one, am very interested. Thanks.
Well, if one refuses to learn from those who came before, one must learn the hard way.
Actual physics notwithstanding: we knew in the 80s, when seeking hifi bass, that Sunn cabs were not great for bass guitar in general. Big, heavy and sloppy sounding, with poor bass response and weak power handling.
Sure, I built a massive rig with 4 big drivers and lead sled amplification. But at least it sounded good.
I encourage op to buy this cab as a way to learn without studying.
Actual physics notwithstanding: we knew in the 80s, when seeking hifi bass, that Sunn cabs were not great for bass guitar in general. Big, heavy and sloppy sounding, with poor bass response and weak power handling.
Sure, I built a massive rig with 4 big drivers and lead sled amplification. But at least it sounded good.
I encourage op to buy this cab as a way to learn without studying.
So Anyway, maybe the OP can buy it and let us know how it works out.
I remember seeing one of these in my parent's basement and thinking the speaker arrangement was pretty odd. My guitar playing little brother must have left it there. I had no use for it. Factored in size, weight, trying to get it up the steps and decided to let someone else deal with it.
I remember seeing one of these in my parent's basement and thinking the speaker arrangement was pretty odd. My guitar playing little brother must have left it there. I had no use for it. Factored in size, weight, trying to get it up the steps and decided to let someone else deal with it.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,030
- 5
- 220,910
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
and, if you don’t have an understanding of how it works, you won’t know if the opinion is a reasonable one.
An attempt to widen the mid pattern but at the expense of about 2/3 octave of bottom end.
those speakers directed at each other i'd think would sound muddy..all those long bass waveforms all meeting at one spot, maybe they thought that was a good idea....meh, trial and error.
I'm not really sure what happened here - it seems to me like OP was curious as to what exactly makes this a bad design but doesn't have the technical knowledge to understand a super in-depth explanation and people basically told him to piss off.
Candidly, I have the same question - it seems like a bad idea on its face, having the speakers pointed at each other like that, but I don't know enough to be able to articulate why. I will say that the 115BH has always sounded good to my ears, but that's a single speaker rather than four pointed at each other.
Candidly, I have the same question - it seems like a bad idea on its face, having the speakers pointed at each other like that, but I don't know enough to be able to articulate why. I will say that the 115BH has always sounded good to my ears, but that's a single speaker rather than four pointed at each other.
No manufacturers do that any more, it should tell ya something.
Sounds like a job for ChatGPT, no?And that is the way of the world now
Just give me the answer. (That I really don't wanna hear anyway)
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,030
- 5
- 220,910
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Except that it doesn’t work that way.
I don't think I've ever done this before, but I feel compelled.
Not to diss the sonic smarts on this forum and in this thread (for whom I have boundless respect and admiration — this is the stuff I wish I'd studied instead of English), but in fairness the OP asked 3 curious-layman-level yes-or-no questions. Questions I would ask. Maybe the answers aren't binary, but maybe he would have been satisfied with responses that tried to meet him where he is and this thread would have been less salty.
(For the record, I'm in the "If it sounded any good, everyone would make them" camp.)
In the immortal words of BassCliff, thank you for your indulgence.
Not to diss the sonic smarts on this forum and in this thread (for whom I have boundless respect and admiration — this is the stuff I wish I'd studied instead of English), but in fairness the OP asked 3 curious-layman-level yes-or-no questions. Questions I would ask. Maybe the answers aren't binary, but maybe he would have been satisfied with responses that tried to meet him where he is and this thread would have been less salty.
(For the record, I'm in the "If it sounded any good, everyone would make them" camp.)
In the immortal words of BassCliff, thank you for your indulgence.
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Basically, all of those angles created a sound that, what is the technical term? Oh yes, crap
Every body who went through the trouble to copy that design and released it, had them out for one season then gone I believe.
Somebody in the know, feel free to correct me.
The "salty" responses in my opinion were only reciprocated. Unfortunately it is not a black an white issue, and attempting to explain it as such would be a disservice overall.
Because if you don't understand WHY, do you really understand?
I can't speak to the Sun 4x15 cabinet, but when I was younger I ran an Acoustic 408 cabinet, and back then, the FOH typically needed a little bottom end support. FOH was usually a couple 18s in W bins, or maybe 4 7ft folded horns.
I don't know the technicalities , but all I know, is that 4x15 cab was probably one of my favorite speaker cabs for flat out blasting bottom end in a ballroom. It wasn't that horrible to move for a young guy. Admittedly, now I enjoy thrwoing an elf in my gig bag and showing up with a 1x10.
I don't know the technicalities , but all I know, is that 4x15 cab was probably one of my favorite speaker cabs for flat out blasting bottom end in a ballroom. It wasn't that horrible to move for a young guy. Admittedly, now I enjoy thrwoing an elf in my gig bag and showing up with a 1x10.
