BillFitzmaurice.info

I did a search for ‘tailgate’ systems here and it seems like the Jack cab is the most favored. I like that there is a Lite version for weight savings, which is certainly worthwhile for portability, even considering the more difficult build. I think the J15L provides what I’m looking for when on the beach, boat pulled up on a sandbar, etc.

My question is for more nearfield listening, with cab sitting on tailgate with people gathered in a 10ft tent next to the truck, would something like the Curved SLA provide better off axis response and more ‘refined’ sound? Perhaps it could also be loaded with pro drivers for this type of use. That will come at the cost of much less bottom end of course than a J15L, so will have to be utilized with a sub, which could be fired towards the bed of the truck or into SUV with hatch open. My overall concern is will the J15L have a sense of ‘harshness’ when relatively close to it like many PA cabs I’ve heard do, and not able to hear any real low end until cranking it up as well?

Power would be a 100 watt amp. Would primarily be used for a Bluetooth audio application.

What would you build that would ‘check off the most boxes’ for up close to the tailgate and up to 100ft away on a sandbar?

Stick with the Jack and turn it down.

Yep.

With the Kappalite 3015 and 20 tweeter melded array, how much would you have to spend commercially for equivalent performance of the J15L?
I saw on the Jack page it referenced $899 and up based on driver choice.
How many cumulative hours should the average woodworker devote to building this cab?

I’m trying to justify the flat packs for the future, since time is limited. Lead time may be 3-4 weeks, but the actual time building will be far less I’m guessing.

AFAIK there are no 15" front loaded horns with 120 degree dispersion tweeter line arrays on the market, so there is no commercial equivalent. The EVH-1152S is a 15" front loaded horn, but it doesn't have a 120 degree dispersion tweeter line array, and at 143 pounds it's not exactly lightweight. Its street price is $2999. I built the original prototype over the course of two weeks, working no more than two hours a day, and I didn't have instructions to follow.

That is incredible, $3000 for a single 15 cab, plus the weight and less dispersion. Defeats the mobile/tailgate applications at 140+ lbs.
So that would be the ‘best’ single 15” driver cab you can think of that would ‘attempt’ to go head to head with the J15L?

Still blows my mind how expensive pro audio is relatively speaking, especially passive cabs.

Ok. Good to know. Ten to fourteen hours then give or take to build one.

Google '15 inch horn loaded speaker'. 95% of what will come up is 15 inch direct radiators with horn loaded HF drivers. Once you filter those out you'll find there isn't much out there, and none of them are inexpensive.