Noob Seeks Advice- Which Cab for Bass?

[Count Bassie]

Sounds like a dumb question maybe, but that's where the info comes from! But, I'm looking at losing (selling) a big rig- a Sunn 300T with 215 cab- and trimming down to a more efficient one. Quick info on my sound, etc.: I'm playing reggae, blues, and sloppy garage-pop; I'm mostly into an old-school, dark-ish thump with some growl... not into "sizzle", "zing" or "poppping sounds", like some of you snappy cats (even though I love Larry Graham's playing)! I recently put LaBella Nylon-Wounds on my Peavey Dyna-Bass Unity and love them! I also prefer 15's in my cabs.

I hear nothing but raves about the BFM cab designs, most especially the Omnis for bass. But the description of the DR line has me wanting to know more, so I'm looking for some veterans' opinions here.

I'm looking at the Omni 15 TB, or the DR 250. Anyone care to chip in some advice? I have a decent wood-shop available and I do carpentry for a living. We do sometimes run mouldings and pre-build parts for installation, so I am pretty well acquainted with the use of shop and hand power-tools. A higher degree of dificulty is not going to be too much of an issue, I don't think.

So I'm listening... thanks!

[Tom]

How low and fat does your bass need to be?

Omni 10s are powerful growlers, but don't have the low-end authority of the O15.

[bgavin]

Hey Count, nice to see you here from TB.

The O15 is your ticket. Either lowboy or tallboy, your preference for layout. The results are the same. DR and O10 are not the ticket for your sound. Neither has the bottom you want.

Build the O15 exactly as shown in the plans, and you will wind up with a loud, deep sounding cab. It is still full range, and quite articulate. You can either omit the tweeters entirely, or better is add a switch to disable them. On and Off is much easier to deal with, than "oh crap, I shoulda installed the tweeters."

[Count Bassie]

Thanks for the replies Tom, bgavin. Hey bgavin, I noted your name around here, good to hear from you man.

My answer is reggae/dub fat, authorative. So it's the O15 then? Fine, I know you've read my drivel before and I think you've got the answer there dude.Thanks much! And I like the switch idea actually. I don't just do reggae... sloppy garage-power-pop as well!

If I might impose further just one more time again: Do you say an Ashdown Superfly would be enough to power the O15 Tallboy? I've also been offered a Shuttle 6.0. I currently have an 80 lb Sunn 300T, which I wouldn't mind losing for something lighter...

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Do you say an Ashdown Superfly would be enough to power the O15 Tallboy? ...

Yes and no. You could configure the cab to power the woofer with one power amp, the mid and tweeter with the other, and it would work very well, probably louder than what you have now. OTOH the recommended Kappalite 3015LF will take a full 450 watts with no mechanical compression, so the 180 watts the Superfly can put into it won't drive it to full power. But chances are you'll never need to put more than 100 watts into the 3015LF anyway.

[Count Bassie]

...Yes and no. You could configure the cab to power the woofer with one power amp, the mid and tweeter with the other, and it would work very well, probably louder than what you have now.

That's a very cool idea.

OTOH the recommended Kappalite 3015LF will take a full 450 watts with no mechanical compression, so the 180 watts the Superfly can put into it won't drive it to full power. But chances are you'll never need to put more than 100 watts into the 3015LF anyway.

What if I put in a 4 ohm speaker?... Is there a limit on what I can put in it?

[bgavin]

Build to the plans.
No exceptions, no deviation.
The 3015LF is THE best driver available today. It is also THE best driver for the O15.
The Alpha 8MRA is THE best driver for the midbass. Nothing else will work properly.
Do not bi-amp. Build the filter network exactly as shown. Use the throat fillers.

When built to the plans, this box will make a ton of noise. It will get down for your dub, and you will be a happy camper.
Second-guess the plans, and the world will end. You will be unhappy.
Your girl friend will leave you for another woman, and they won't let you watch.
The Other Guy will be elected President.

So, you can see there is a lot riding on you following the plans to the letter.

[Rick Auricchio]

Use the throat fillers.

What throat fillers? There aren't any in my omni15TB plans. Are they only in the lowboy model?

You can either omit the tweeters entirely, or better is add a switch to disable them.

Since the 1001HF tweeter isn't a piezo, wouldn't switching it off affect the crossovers?

Count, the 3015LF and 8MRA are 8-ohm drivers. You probably asked about 4 ohms for greater amp output. At best, doubled wattage would only get you 3dB louder. It's far less important than common belief.

I love my omni15TB; it's just what I need for a loud, well-balanced cab for larger venues. I built it without a tweeter and am very happy with it that way.

[Count Bassie]

Well, we don't want any life-altering disasters, so I guess I'm going to have to get on with building to spec! Thanks guys for the solid ground- and for the colorful rendition of the scenario that will surely result from deviation, bgavin! I'll be sending off for plans here pretty shortly. Tallboy or Standard Omni... depends on whether I keep this old Sunn or find a smaller head I suppose. But okay then!

Much obliged!

And right Rick, I was thinking of 4 ohms for that reason. But if I'm going to do this, I'd better just take it easy and do it right. I'll be making an amp move soon, either keeping the big tube head or rescuing my narrow self and doing a smaller head- and save the Superfly for the coffee-house gigs and living room jams!

Last one: Is it not particularly important to have an amp that gives it's full headroom at an 8 ohm load, since the cab is 8 ohms? This may be a tad redundant, since I think I can infer some of this info from Bill's response above- I'm only asking to have it made very clear what this cab does with the amp's signal.

For instance- a Yorkville 400B gives up a rating of 400 "rms" at 4 ohms. I reason I'll get 200 "rms" at 8 ohms. Can I still knock out a wall of windows with this amp run into the Omni 15?

[LelandCrooks]

Yes. The volume difference between 200 and 400 is only 3db. The efficiency of the cab will more than make that up.

[Count Bassie]

Wow. That's uneard of! Well, not here I guess... Crazy man, I have to do this- thanks Leland.

This is all pretty enlightening: The fact that we 'pro-sumer' bass players are running around comparing power ratings of this and that head/cab combo to fill a room (esp. without PA support) seems to become a little mislead in light of all this speaker-efficiency business. This kind of efficiency just isn't the standard offering.

Off to place a plans order. I'm very interested in seeing the results of this!

[Rick Lee]

Well, all I'll say is- nice username, dude!

[Count Bassie]

Well, all I'll say is- nice username, dude!

Thanks! ...in reggae bands they call the bass player by the generic term "Bassie". Funny, on the Ken Smith site I was asked to use my real name in lieu of the above. Not only was it actually policy, but Ken was worried that some of the patrons might get upset! Glad you're not upset...

[Rick Auricchio]

Count, I went ahead and ordered a pair of plans: O15TB and Omni10, saving a few bucks in the process. Bill also throws in plans for building a panel-jig attachment with orders for 2+ plans. (It isn't like I need an omni10.5, but as soon as I find a super deal on a 2510 driver, I can't resist. Heck, I've got the Duratex and the plastic corners...what better reason to build it?)

I like the Ken Smith forum anecdote. Talk about dumb. Not only is Count Basie dead, but his name isn't even spelled the same as your username. What does he do when someone else named "Ken Smith" wants to join his site? Sheesh.

The o15TB built to plans is 20" wide, which might be wide enough for your tube head. If not, you can build the lowboy model. You have to order the desired version of the plans.

[Count Bassie]

Hmmm... might be a good idea to order the Omni 15 and the Tallboy version. I don't know if I'm keeping this tube head (25.5" wide, I think) or not. Selling it and getting a less expensive amp would make the whole thing easier ($$$), but there's that nagging thought at the back of my rumpled head that I'll miss the sound of the danged behemoth. Anyway if I do keep it I can build the Tallboy version for the Superfly!

Glad you liked the story Rick. Yeah, I thought it was a little silly myself, but hey. It is Ken Smith! (... or is it? This is the internet...)