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The Acoustic Club
- Thread starter The Owl
- Start date
So, diagnosis requested:
Finally threw some drivers in this 406W cab that's been sitting around the space: KappaLite 3015s. Ran my 370 in, and... lame. Muddy, midrange-y, distorts above two (like, "afraid for the speakers" distorting), even when I plug into Input 2.
Wrong drivers? Amp issue? Turns out I'm not an Acoustic guy?
I might try the same experiment with an empty 106 I have, see if the different box yields different results...
Finally threw some drivers in this 406W cab that's been sitting around the space: KappaLite 3015s. Ran my 370 in, and... lame. Muddy, midrange-y, distorts above two (like, "afraid for the speakers" distorting), even when I plug into Input 2.
Wrong drivers? Amp issue? Turns out I'm not an Acoustic guy?
I might try the same experiment with an empty 106 I have, see if the different box yields different results...
Is your bass active or passive?
In those days basses were low output compared to modern instruments which easily overdrive the inputs.
What combined impedance are the speakers?
How efficient are the speakers themselves. The higher the number the better. Part of ACC's strategy was super efficient drivers yeilding 'dangerous' output levels when maximized.
I've got a 106 and the original drivers are off getting reconed... I'll post results, just for the sake of comparing notes.
(I haven't used the cab yet, the speakers were blown when I got it.)
Midrange, that seems to be just the nature of your driver. Maybe its just a bad match, new style vs old. Also, why throw in expensive neo speakers when the cab is so heavy on its own? I would look out for a nice pair of vintage EV 15b or JBL K140/E140s. If thats not an option, a pair of Eminence Legend CA158s will certainly sound great too
Bass: passive 80s Fender Jazz Bass Special. Decent, but not "screaming" output.
Cab is wired for 4ohm total load (2 x 8 ohm drivers, parallel)
3015s are pretty damn efficient. Over 100dB, if their specs are to be believed.
It's what I had, and I've liked them for other vintage-y applications. I may grab some 158s to see what's up.
Check the frequency response curve:
https://www.eminence.com/pdf/Kappalite_3015.pdf
It has lots of mids and highs, high efficiency there, but no real lows. Shoots down from 150 Hz, already at <85 dB at 40Hz. Surely this speaker will never produce thundering low end, not even in a nice cab like the 406w. It was never designed to do so.
https://www.eminence.com/pdf/Kappalite_3015.pdf
It has lots of mids and highs, high efficiency there, but no real lows. Shoots down from 150 Hz, already at <85 dB at 40Hz. Surely this speaker will never produce thundering low end, not even in a nice cab like the 406w. It was never designed to do so.
I was perhaps a bit too fast with my interpretation. When modelling in WinISD it doesn't look too bad
The drivers would certainly benefit from a higher cab tuning, more in the range of 45 Hz.
These are K140s in the 406w
I seriously need to check the vent dimensions in the 406w. The 31.25 Hz reference from earlier in this thread needs to be double checked, because it seems so low.
The drivers would certainly benefit from a higher cab tuning, more in the range of 45 Hz.
These are K140s in the 406w
I seriously need to check the vent dimensions in the 406w. The 31.25 Hz reference from earlier in this thread needs to be double checked, because it seems so low.
That was my reference - I'd taken measurements of my cab (including bracing and port dims) and done some math into WinISD to get that. Port measured (from memory) 25"W x 1.5"H x 8"D.
Recovered from my nephew who didn't use it...
The Acoustic B115, added casters to it and my old Peavey from 1978?
The Acoustic B115, added casters to it and my old Peavey from 1978?
Acoustic 406 Transducer - Advice on possible replacement speakers needed
So the cab is 40 Hz, seems more logic. In a 31 Hz cab, my E140s should sound like crap, while at 40 they perform well
Just finished my DIY rig, and also resurrected a Peavey 118D BW cab from the dead (blown speaker), that I picked up for free a couple of days ago. Made a plywood 2-piece support to host a 15" driver in the 160 L cab. It is currently tuned to 55 Hz, might still do something about that later. Just dropped a K140 in there. A set of wheels and cleaning up the grill will finish the job. Maybe paint the steel trims in baby blue 
My 120 top, made from a 125 combo, is too wide, even for this monstress and ugly cab. Just tested it shortly, its 12PM now lol, it does sound niiiice. You can never have enough Acoustics and JBL loaded cabs ;-)
My 120 top, made from a 125 combo, is too wide, even for this monstress and ugly cab. Just tested it shortly, its 12PM now lol, it does sound niiiice. You can never have enough Acoustics and JBL loaded cabs ;-)
Thanks, I'm still try to locate the pic of the old setup with the massive MarkBass and newer Acoustic stuff....
I downsized, but it looks like I'm upsizing now...
Edit found the pic...
I downsized, but it looks like I'm upsizing now...
Edit found the pic...
Last edited:
sorry, been away for a bit. Um, YES!! the original ALtecs! and they sound amazing. Paid $200 for it and a Gen 2 150 7yrs ago. With the 370, it's a beast. True story....one day home alone , cleaning rehearsal space, neighbors gone. I thought, hey Ill crank the 370 up to 3 (never had it above 2,). Was lost in the bath of sound with my eyes closed, I open eyes to se my wife standing about 5 ft in front of me screaming...I couldn't hear a word she said. Lol. it moved the entire china cabinet upstairs about 1 foot and half,only one plate broke ..lol.
LOL!! Wow.
Sorry you had to incur wrath, but it sounds like it was kinda worth it!
Thanks for the reply, the one I got has original (I'm told) Eminence alnicos, off getting reconed. Don't know if it'll handle the 370, but it came with a 140 that needs attention also. They look to be a mated pair, gonna have to decide if I want to keep it or not. Money tightness may dictate a sale, we'll see if it ends up in the classies here.
Ha I like that story!
When I got my 301 home for the first time I was in my music room with with the door shut (!) and I was gradually getting it up louder and louder. I didnt have my 370 yet I was using my SM400..so Im in the bath of bass with my back to the door and didnt know that my wife had been screaming at me.... she had to jab me to get my attention. Now that I have the complete 371 stack I never go over 2.
Back in the day I had a V4B head with matching 215 folded horn bottom. My bandmates and I were renting a detached house and we would practice loud in the middle room of the basement. The neighbours hardly heard the band, they just heard me. Plates and glasses would regularly fall and break, salt and pepper shakers would fall into the fryer, pictures from the wall.....
Some interesting correlation here between ACC cabs and screaming wifery... lol.
