Author Topic: Bass Guitar Frequencies and Speakers (Read 380 times)

yahyabb · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2004, 12:39:42 PM »

Nigel;
If size and weight are not a factor, you might consider a full range 18 cabinet and a 2-12. This combination works very well if you have a stiff amp driving them. Pushing a good 18 cabinet is not an easy task.

Yahya

811952 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2004, 07:50:32 AM »

I've been using an 18 in a folded horn a la the acoustic 360/370 series. It sounds like crap up close in a small room, but the sound really develops in a larger room (I've been using it at basketball games with a band band). That said, I've heard a 4-10 in the same space produce a clean fundamental B. It all depends on the cabinet, placement and the space. I prefer a front loaded and ported 18 for lows/mids with a 2-10 cabinet for the mids/highs, and none of the parts weigh more than I can carry. :-) Also, I think these days you can pickup a used 18 for a song, so to speak. In fact, my brother has a Carvin 18 folded horn (with a Black Widow driver) he'd like to get out of his basement. I can ask him what he wants for it if anybody is interested..
John the he plays through old junk one

poor_nigel · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2004, 11:11:08 AM »

Well, it is 2004 and I have done some shopping around. I am far from speaker poor and have lots of everything JBL, from ring radiators to 18's, short-throw and long throw. But it is time to build a new rig this year, just cause I wanna. I have checked all kinds of places and went over all kinds of specs and price lists.
This guy from QSC is selling lots of JBL 2450H 2 drivers with neodymium magnets for only $700 a pair, warranty still intact, on eBay. Cool beans. I bought two pair for my new rig. He is also selling a bunch of 10 and 12 pairs of JBLs, as new for low prices. Great, I just cut a deal with him for four pairs of 10 2012H for a grand.
For lows I shopped hardests and have decided on some Electrovoice EVX 180Bs, which I have seen for as low as $430 apiece (Retail is around $700-750 I think), plus shipping. They have the best specs, and have kevlar cones, if that interests you, for under $1,000. Speaking of Peavey, their lowrider 18 have very good specs too, and can be had for around $200 each - what a great deal. I chose the EVs because they resonate @ 29Hz, lower than a B string. Plus they seemed the best deal for everything I wanted, except the low weight of neodymium magnets - but hey, the boxes will be huge and heavy, so forget that!
As far as amperage goes, I think I will just pick up a set of Stewart Worlds and tri-amp em. I have been working like a dog this tax season, and I deserve a big perk.
I build my own boxes, and since oak plywood was selling for $59 a sheet, when regular one-finished-sided was going for $50, guess what they will be made out of. The tops will end up looking a lot like Eden 4-10 cabs, but with dual horns (I never run singles as diaphragms are soooo out rageously priced!) and the bottoms will just be 28 cubic foot short throw ones that kind of match the tops. 28 cubic feet??? Oh, that's cause they will have two 18s in each. I want some BOTTOM end! Maybe I will zip across the boarder and get some birch marine grade plywood - Why not make em to last?! Yep, Christmas is coming late this year, but a merry one it will be. Plus I will have a fun summer building them all. Thanks for the input and directions pointed.

811952 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2004, 05:28:14 PM »

Thomas,
I vaguely recall the days when I played in bands that allowed me to use that much equipment. Very cool indeed. I would love to hear it when you've gotten everything built and tweaked! Of course, I should be able to feel it from over here...
John

wideload · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2004, 08:32:31 PM »

I remember the old days...
when I wished I had 2 Acoustic folded horns instead of just one so I could use them for headphones! I still love the sound, as long as I'm outdoors with a deep stage.
Larry

thebass · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2004, 04:02:24 AM »

Just an input to the original question:

I think the low frequency response of speakers is not the main concern (ok, ok, please stop beating me ;-). Have you ever asked yourself why your beloved Alembic sounds so good on a small guitar combo size amp or even on a small radio ? It's the harmonics that makes the sound ! Even with amps and cabinets which are not able to reproduce anything below 50Hz you still hear the E1 and below. The fundamental is always the same but the number of harmonics and the level of them makes the specific sound. I guess this is the reason why so many bass players (including me) prefer 10 over 15 or 18 speakers. The 10 speaker has a much better high end roll of and reproduces the harmonics much better. Of course, his is just my personal preference.

alembic76407 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2004, 06:59:10 AM »

you guy got me thinking, maybe my big amp (Tornadic Thunder) need's some 18s to help the lo's and a butt load of 8s to punch up the hi's, and a gig where I can use all of it, O YA!! and a Peterbuilt with 2 Roadie's , but I do love the late 60s and the early 70s for bass amp technology, bigger was better, when your amp was as heavy as a Buick and needed it's own zip code.

David T (The Loud One) (also with the bad back)

son_of_magni · « **Reply #22 on:** February 08, 2004, 08:50:04 AM »

Werner is exactly right about the harmonics. Of course a guitar player would be using 10's for the fundimentals, but for a bass 4x10's is usually perfect for a hot punchy midrange sound. But if you really want a bottom end that will make the walls move you need to add something like a 1x18.

palembic · « **Reply #23 on:** February 08, 2004, 11:46:14 AM »

Brother Thomas,

you actually going to build that rig yourself. I guess you did the same thing brother David TT???
Gosh ...it seems so ...well ...huge to do?!?!
I think when I would touch that construction it would definitely ends up by a big BANG and ...that's it!
Really admirable what you guys can do!

Paul the not so handy one

henri_lopes · « **Reply #24 on:** February 27, 2004, 12:11:16 PM »

The reason why Beyma uses portuguese instead of spanish is because Valencia (Spain) borders northern Portugal and they have a different dialect wich is very similar to portuguese.