• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Who owns a 15" and why do you use em?

P

peaveyuser

Inactive
Oct 18, 2006
4,349
7
Montreal,Canada
#1
Well after seeing the 410 thread I just thought it would be nice to start one about the 15", which I think gets a bit of lack of love here.

I decided to get one, because it was a good size, and old school tone. In my price range back then I had the options of 210's, 115's, 215's and vintage 810's. The 215 and 810's were too big, the 210 was more trebly and wouldn't be as loud so i thought I play BASS I'm going to go with the old school 115:cool:. Besides I love the smooth tone you can get when i lower highs and mids and raise bass and then the growl when I EQ with mids up, bass a bit up and treble flat.

From Jazz jams with the drummer, to Raining Blood at the mosh part when the bass just kicks in, its perfect!:D
 
#5
My GK 115RBS has a really cool old school tone especially with solid state amps. Growly with a super solid fundamental and not overpowering treble (my playing style is normally a little trebly and clanky from digging in hard so less treble makes it sound better).
 
#6
Nothing can replace the low end and deep character of a good 15" woofer. Years ago I used only 15s, either singly or in a pair. Now I have a 15 and a 2X10. The blend of the two is great, as I get a broader spectrum of pitches and overtones. I keep the tweeter on my 15 turned off, and use just a little tweeter on the 2 X 10.

Eventually I'll get a 12", or possibly two of them, for easier hauling. The one time that I sacrifice on the sound of a 15 is when I have to lug it around a lot. I've heard a lot of positive chat on Eden's web site, about the sound and power from a pair of Eden 12" cabs. I'm guessing that they won't be as nice as 15s, but I expect to compromise for a lighter load. There are plenty of 15" fans at Eden too, of course. Nothing else gets a nice rumble and full sound like a nice, large woofer :D
 
#7
peaveyuser said:
Well after seeing the 410 thread I just thought it would be nice to start one about the 15", which I think gets a bit of lack of love here.

I decided to get one, because it was a good size, and old school tone. In my price range back then I had the options of 210's, 115's, 215's and vintage 810's. The 215 and 810's were too big, the 210 was more trebly and wouldn't be as loud so i thought I play BASS I'm going to go with the old school 115:cool:. Besides I love the smooth tone you can get when i lower highs and mids and raise bass and then the growl when I EQ with mids up, bass a bit up and treble flat.

From Jazz jams with the drummer, to Raining Blood at the mosh part when the bass just kicks in, its perfect!:D
Click to expand...


I LOVE my Bag End S15-CUS. It was used a several hours ago at the River Rock Jam in Entiat WA.

It is small, light, loud and sounds GREAT!


Joe-Ent-BagEnd.jpg



It was hotter than heck but I sure sounded good!

:D

Joe.
 
#8
210 and 115 has been the perfect match up for me. I used to use a single 15" trace combo, but that couldn't deliver a clear sound for me. I've used my Eden head through a 410, and I love the sound, but it lacked that little bit of oomph you get from a 15. I like to play with a deep, smooth tone, and I don't get that from a 410. Playing through a 410 gives a more growling kind of sound, which is great sometimes, but I can still get that from the 210/115 combination if needed :)
 
#9
I run 2 1x15 cabinets because they sounded the best to me. It was more "I like that" over any kind of well thought detail over mids, bass, treble, punch, etc.

I can get any kind of sound I had wanted to achieve out of my speakers, and I liked the amp/speaker configuration more than other units I had tried.
 
#10
Here's the first of my new super-lightweight 15" designs, the Barefaced Bass Compact, on its first outing (finish not yet applied obviously). Comfortably handling 550W from my PLX3002, with ~6dB of bass boost from my U5, and filling a ~200 capacity venue with fat sound with no PA support. It weighs about 35lbs btw.

Alex
 
#11
I have good results -- and results the best suit my ears -- using 15" speakers.

The treble I can achieve using my amp's high-end EQ and a "full range" 15" is the type I find most pleasing, and the bass frequencies have a more natural tone to me. Using the clear-voiced Precision naturally helps with note clarity. Make no mistake, I think that a good 4X10 can get the low-end across just fine (and certainly an SVT cab is just awesome sounding), but the nature of the 15" speaker is preferable to me.

Note, too, that I am a rock player who never solos and rarely ventures above the 10th fret of any string unless it's the start of an octave-long swoop down the neck. My tone combines a basis of thick, round "Motown" low-end with a top of somewhat ratty low-to-mid-midrange, which to my ears is best reproduced with 15s. Newer developments in 15" speaker response has only enhanced this approach for me.

Lowbrow
 
#12
JimmyM said:
I use one since I discovered that there are 15" cabs I actually like. But I also use a 12" and 10"s occasionally as well, so I guess I like all speakers.
Click to expand...

I like all speaker sizes too.

As was also stated, I find that nothing gives the low rumble and punch of the big speakers. I'm not a big fan of the clicky clacky high end tone.

My arsenal includes 18's, 15's, 12's, and 10's
 
#13
I set my Shuttle 30 10T on top of my SVT 115e cab. I used to set my Eden CXM 112 and a GK 400Rb on top of it. I just wanted to move a little bit of air and add in some extra lows on top of my normal, mid-range heavy tone.
 
#15
I should point out that although I do enjoy thick fat bass sounds some of the time I also play a lot of chords, go right up the 24th fret and regularly spend long periods of time beyond the 12th. Not averse to a good slap either. Do not underestimate what a really nice 15" speaker can do!

Alex
 
#17
Lowbrow said:
I have good results -- and results the best suit my ears -- using 15" speakers.

The treble I can achieve using my amp's high-end EQ and a "full range" 15" is the type I find most pleasing, and the bass frequencies have a more natural tone to me. Using the clear-voiced Precision naturally helps with note clarity. Make no mistake, I think that a good 4X10 can get the low-end across just fine (and certainly an SVT cab is just awesome sounding), but the nature of the 15" speaker is preferable to me.

Note, too, that I am a rock player who never solos and rarely ventures above the 10th fret of any string unless it's the start of an octave-long swoop down the neck. My tone combines a basis of thick, round "Motown" low-end with a top of somewhat ratty low-to-mid-midrange, which to my ears is best reproduced with 15s. Newer developments in 15" speaker response has only enhanced this approach for me.

Lowbrow
Click to expand...

Are we related?!!! :eek:
 
#18
alexclaber said:
Here's the first of my new super-lightweight 15" designs, the Barefaced Bass Compact, on its first outing (finish not yet applied obviously). Comfortably handling 550W from my PLX3002, with ~6dB of bass boost from my U5, and filling a ~200 capacity venue with fat sound with no PA support. It weighs about 35lbs btw.
Alex
Click to expand...
Alex, what speaker did you use in your compact 15" cab.
 
#19
acleex38 said:
I set my Shuttle 30 10T on top of my SVT 115e cab. I used to set my Eden CXM 112 and a GK 400Rb on top of it. I just wanted to move a little bit of air and add in some extra lows on top of my normal, mid-range heavy tone.
Click to expand...
I've used a GK 400rb for a long time now and was thinking the Genz Benz 3.0 Shuttle (head only) would be just that little bit of extra volume or headroom that I could use from time to time. So...how do you like the 3.0 Shuttle after using and knowing the 400rb ??

Staying on topic: I use to have an Eden D115XLT. It was the best 15" cab I ever played through. It is a traditional sized box. Meaning pretty big. It sounded IMO, better than the Powerhouse Mesa 15" which is also a nice cab. It's just that the Eden was that good!! Wish I just hung on to it.
 
#20
I play a 15" for a couple of reasons. One-It's the only amp I own right now. Back when I was in high school, my mom bought me a 120 watt 15" combo for my birthday, which broke a few years later, and has since been converted into a 600 watt handling cab, which I hook the Behringer BX3000 I picked up for $80 to. The reason I originally went with a 15" was because I played through a 2X10, a 1X12, and a 1X15, and just liked the punch behind the 15". When I get some money saved up(after my pedal board is done), I'm going to build myself a 2X15 cab and a 4X10 and use that.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back