BillFitzmaurice.info

Would a Lab 15 work well in a Tuba 45? It seems like a logical decision solely based on vd/$.

Thanks

T45 is designed to work with 10 and 12 inch drivers. The LAB12 has the best Vd/$ of the recommended drivers, 2.9cc per dollar. However some of the budget driver options are up quite a bit from there. Such as the GRS 12PT-8, which comes in at 7.2cc/$. Although, two of these drivers would only have 63 more cc than a single LAB12. So, they're completely outclassed by the LAB12. But, two cabs loaded with the cheapo drivers would outperform one LAB12 loaded cab, and could be upgraded to premium drivers at a later date.

For any cab that can use it, the 3012LF get's the nod of approval more often than the LAB12, simply because of the 14.4 pound weight reduction and performance would be nearly indistinguishable. 3012LF is 2.4cc/$


(disclaimer: Prices used for calculating Vd/$ are a couple years old and may not be 100% accurate anymore. But, the indicated trend should be relatively accurate)

Thanks for the reply. My logic is that the T45 has an option for a dual lab 12 like the T60.... Lab 12 and Lab 15 are very similar drivers. Current prices, Lab 15- $335, 2-lab 12 - $520.

mj90210 wrote: ↑Tue May 09, 2023 8:33 am Thanks for the reply. My logic is that the T45 has an option for a dual lab 12 like the T60.... Lab 12 and Lab 15 are very similar drivers. Current prices, Lab 15- $335, 2-lab 12 - $520.

A 15in driver won't fit.

While panel 5 could certainly be moved over to make room for the LAB15, I'm fairly certain the LAB15 mounting depth dimension wont fit in the driver chamber. You'd have to get real creative to shoehorn a LAB15 in there. Not impossible. However, also not practical.

Any of the designs can be made in multiple driver versions. The only reason a 2x15 T60 isn't mentioned anywhere is, the resultant cab would be unreasonably large.

I've been down the thought path many times, how to maximize Bill's designs and get the most out of a build. It's fun to think about. After building a few of them, I've come to realize (for me anyway, everyone's different) how effective it is to build at least one as outlined in the plans before thinking about what I'd do differently. Not always, but most of the time, Bill has it worked out pretty darn well and there's really very little left on the table for further maximization. I don't want to say you're wasting your time, but I will say the time would be better spent pondering the number of cabs you'll build... which is the most effective modification to your system you could possibly make.

I see you have T60's already and a bunch of other builds, so you're not exactly new to all this. But, I'll add this for the general reader; if you intend to use them outdoors, you'll get wayyy better results with a Titan.