I guess they had two lines, one with EVs, one with Edgerton (?) speakers. Mine is the cheaper model. I just liked the cab so I yanked out the original speaker. I'd like to hear the EV version.
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Vintage 15" JBL comparisons w/soundclips
- Thread starter johnk_10
- Start date
I listend to the clips and what I heard is exactly how the E130's sound, they are very loud and bright. I have one JBL E130 mounted in a Ampeg BS 115 cab. And I have a pair of them. My car is smaller and my back weaker so I might throw them up on ebay or maybe trade for a pair of Aguilar GS 112. My back and car would love this. I bought the E130's brand new in the early 80's and they have never been abused or reconed. Am I crazy for thinking of doing this? I have never heard a speaker that sounds like the E130 so I held on to them for a long time.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Has anyone tried an E140 in a Showman Tone-Ring cab? If so how does this combo sound? Could it be used for URB gigs?
Interesting thread. I never seem to let all my JBLs get away, even if they are heavy and (apart from the 145s) not the best deep bass drivers around. Currently, I'm stacking a BagEnd S15-BD (the big ported cab) loaded with a Kappalite 3015LF under a very old big, unported BagEnd115 from the 70s. The unported cab has an E140 and the combination is the bomb - great lows and fantastically defined mids and highs.
Fascinating thread, many thanks to everyone who's contributed.
So, looking on ebay it appears that the D-130s and 140s are much more readily available than the Ks or to a lesser extent the Es. If Im reading this correctly, a D140 is sonically about the same as the K, but with lesser power handling?
My second question involves box volume. Im trying to do a compact build that will fit easily in a small car with a load of other stuff in it. Do the different models react significantly differently to lower internal volume in the cab? Would an E130 be better with its higher sensitivity, for example?
Finally, Sunn did the 2000s and 200s as larger and smaller 2x15 designs. What was the name of the cab that was like half a 200s, and what were the rough external dimensions? I was thinking of emailing Conrad Sundholm if that box was small enough to fit my needs, as I love the old Sunn stuff and have no need in this application for handling much power.
So, looking on ebay it appears that the D-130s and 140s are much more readily available than the Ks or to a lesser extent the Es. If Im reading this correctly, a D140 is sonically about the same as the K, but with lesser power handling?
My second question involves box volume. Im trying to do a compact build that will fit easily in a small car with a load of other stuff in it. Do the different models react significantly differently to lower internal volume in the cab? Would an E130 be better with its higher sensitivity, for example?
Finally, Sunn did the 2000s and 200s as larger and smaller 2x15 designs. What was the name of the cab that was like half a 200s, and what were the rough external dimensions? I was thinking of emailing Conrad Sundholm if that box was small enough to fit my needs, as I love the old Sunn stuff and have no need in this application for handling much power.
According to BFM in an earlier thread the Ds and Ks have essentially identical T/S parameters with the exception of the K's having the higher power handling. So yes, sonically the same, according to JohnK_10 IIRC.
The Ds and Ks are low Q/ high efficiency drivers so you can stuff them into ca. 2 cu ft tuned boxes and have them perform well. I use two D140Fs in a tuned Showman 2-15 which gives each driver around 2 cu ft and it's plenty bass-y for my needs in the styles I use that cab for. Which tends to be classic rock, RnB, country and the like. Dub or metal? Not your first choice of cabs/drivers IMHO.
I believe the E's are a different beast than the Ds and Ks in terms of T/S so I'm not sure how interchangeable those are. Yes, the Es have higher sensitivity but lower Xmax.
Really good to hear that they do so well at lower cu ft. I can probably fit a larger box assuming the shape is done well, but good to know what the minimum is.
having modeled the K and D on WinISD, I've seen no advantage going much over 2 cu ft. They're great sounding speakers, we as bassists don't really have any legacy/vintage holy grails in that department like guitarists do with their old Celestion greenbacks and Jensens. These I believe would qualify 
I've not heard any drivers made today that sound like them, though I've heard the Faital supposedly gets in the neighborhood.
I've not heard any drivers made today that sound like them, though I've heard the Faital supposedly gets in the neighborhood.
The 1x15 cab that was half of a 200s cab, loaded with a JBL D-140 speaker, was called the Sunn Sonic I-40 cab. I believe the dimensions were about 24x24x12 inches.
The sonic I-40 is 24x24x15, the same depth as the 200S and it's big brother the 2000S.
This is a pic of one of my I-40's next to my B15N for reference.
Great sounding cab with an AlNiCo JBL, but I doubt the E series wide ceramic magnet would fit because of the port ducting.
That particular cab is loaded with a K140 to take advantage of the higher power capacity because I sometimes use it wth slightly bigger amps...
This is a pic of one of my I-40's next to my B15N for reference.
Great sounding cab with an AlNiCo JBL, but I doubt the E series wide ceramic magnet would fit because of the port ducting.
That particular cab is loaded with a K140 to take advantage of the higher power capacity because I sometimes use it wth slightly bigger amps...
Whoa, that is absolutely gorgeous EdBass! How would you compare the sound between the I-40 and the B15N? About what are the dimensions of the B15 in that pic?
That pic is from a GTG a couple years ago that I took a bunch of vintage bass amps to.
Those two and my D140F loaded Kustom rig were by themselves in a room separate from the main area, and there was a lot of A/B action going on between them all day, lots of different players and basses, so although not exactly scientific it was a good comparison.
My opinion, and the general consensus overall was that the Sunn rig is louder with more headroom; its a bigger amp, but its also more musical sounding, cleaner and more dynamic, deeper bottom and crisper highs.
The factory CTS equipped B15N has that thick and tasty, warm, comfy "feel good" tone that sits in a mix like a hand in a glove. Its kind of syrupy with a solid bottom and that strong, iconic mid presence without sounding honky.
Its certainly not an accident that vintage B15s are so prolific in high end, pro studios.
Probably the sweetest overall tone was when we plugged the B15 into the Sunn K140 cab; in fact since that picture was taken I have replaced the factory CTS with a D140F in the Portaflex.
BTW, thats not an I-40 head, thats a 65ish Sunn 2 x EL34 40 watt split chassis amp, extremely hi-fi; in fact the chassis(s) on that piece are actually labeled as Dynaco, which is the Hi-Fi amplifier that early Sunns were based on.
The actual I-40 head is identical to the 2 x KT88/6550, 60 watt Sunn 200S, and IMO the disparity in clean headroom and volume between a true I-40 rig and a B15N would be a lot more obvious, although I've never A/B 'ed a 60 watt Sonic I-40 with a B15N.
The B15N cab is 24 x 21 x 14 without the 6 high dolly attached.
I've got two D140F's in a 60's bassman cabinet and have a spare K140F. I would LOVE to find an empty cabinet to put it into, I had it in a Mesa 1 x15 years ago but sold the cabinet to finance more GAS.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
What a truly lovely set of amps and cabs. Beautiful collection edbass!
On the B15 cab, is that sealed or ported?
On the B15 cab, is that sealed or ported?
themacinator
Always looking for the perfect gig
- Oct 8, 2009
- 1,511
- 138
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Babicz FCH Hardware
Maybe this has already been asked. I have an Acoustic 406 Wide. I am wanting to take the old Eminence out and put in two JBL's. I have an E-140 16 ohm. What do you guys think about loading in another JBL 15 that is 16 ohm, like a K-140? Mixing the tones of the two drivers. End up with an 8 Ohm cab.
Reason I ask is I can't find a E-140 16 Ohm that doesn't need a recone.
Reason I ask is I can't find a E-140 16 Ohm that doesn't need a recone.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,638
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- John K Custom Basses
it should work fine mixing the two if you have to. i'd put the K on top since it weighs less.
they're both very conservatively rated at 150 watts continuous (w/ a pure sine wave) and the E140 has a less xmax (3.56mm vs 5.08mm) but it is more efficient than the K140.
they're both very conservatively rated at 150 watts continuous (w/ a pure sine wave) and the E140 has a less xmax (3.56mm vs 5.08mm) but it is more efficient than the K140.
themacinator
Always looking for the perfect gig
- Oct 8, 2009
- 1,511
- 138
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Babicz FCH Hardware
Thanks John, maybe that will get me the best of both worlds. And that gives me some options too. If you know anybody who has a 16 Ohm driver for sale send them my way. Thanks
Hello all, I'm new here. I was surprised to find this thread is teeming with bass players who share my retrograde and somewhat eccentric views on amplification. I am just now completing construction of a reproduction Sunn 200s cabinet. I purchased two JBL-D140F-6 and installed them yesterday.
First test was using my ~1972 Sunn Model T head, and a 1981 Fender Precision Special. I have enclosed a photo of the guts after I installed the speakers.
My first impression was that of an Ampeg B15N, but with twice the power at least.
-Tony
First test was using my ~1972 Sunn Model T head, and a 1981 Fender Precision Special. I have enclosed a photo of the guts after I installed the speakers.
My first impression was that of an Ampeg B15N, but with twice the power at least.
-Tony
