Everything you need to know to build the speakers is in the plans – read several times to make sure you don’t miss anything and take your time. Anything else you’ll probably find somewhere on this forum and if all else fails you can always ask. I built these using only basic tools (circular saw, jigsaw, a few clamps etc and a router to round over the edges) and even though I’m not an expert woodworker I got pretty respectable results, so it can be done.
So, why the Jack?
I play guitar in a 5-piece rock covers band that gigs in local pubs (2 guitars, bass, vox and drums). Our PA needs are quite modest (the rooms typically hold 50 – 120 people), basically vocals but in the larger pubs it is useful for us to feed some guitar into the PA and put kick and O/H mics on the drums (both guitarists use Line 6 Flextone 2x12 combos) to keep the onstage volume at workable levels. Most of the rooms we play are long and thin but so far we have had no real need to project sound more that about 10m. Main problems have been vocal clarity and getting a good bass sound at volume that doesn’t swamp the vocal monitors. To date we have been using small rented PAs typically consisting as powered mixer and 12” or 15” loaded reflex boxes (Peavey, Yamaha and EV). I usually augment the powered mixer with a Tapco Mix 260 to help get clearer vocals. We have also used a pair of early powered JBL Eons with a passive mixer – our preferred option until the demise of one of the speaker cones. All of these systems would require a sub if we want to feed bass into them and are very bulky and in some cases, very heavy. I’ve also auditioned an HK Soundhouse One system but the sound from that was far too soggy to be used above modest volumes. I stumbled across the BFM website a few months ago which threw up some possible solutions. The ones that stood out for me were the O12TB and the Jack. The O12TB would have been too big for me to transport so the Jack it was.
So what are they like in use?
I’ve been using the speakers at home with my 4-string bass. I’ve also put my electro-acoustic guitar through them and the electric via a Line 6 POD2 (with and without cab modelling). We also put them through their paces at a couple of band rehearsals to get a better idea of their capabilities, including feeding our bassist’s 5-string (detuned a semitone) via a Trace Elliot AH350 through them.
If you are used to the sound of 12” and 15” reflex boxes then the sound from the J110s comes as a bit of a shock. There is no boominess, no soggy “doof-doof-doof” , just clean and clear with a noticeably strong mid-range. And it stays that way as you get louder. The sound is also remarkably transparent in that you can really hear the instrument/voice with startling detail. The sound I got from the piezo pick-up on my electro-acoustic was particularly good. The basses also sounded great - strong, clear and beautiful detail – really makes you want to scoot up the neck and explore the full capability of your instrument. The only thing to be aware of is that the Jack doesn’t like very low notes at high volume – listen for that tell-tale “clank” and eq accordingly. I’ve also experimented with feeding the bass signal through the variable HPF on a Behringer DSP110 which allowed me to solve the problem with no perceivable detriment to the sound.
Last night I just ran the bands vocals through them (small pub) via a Peavey XR800F powered mixer which I picked up for £200 on e-bay. The results were very gratifying. Biggest problem was gain before feedback as this place was very cramped with low ceilings. We still got to pretty respectable volume levels with remarkably low power settings and the vocals were clean and clear all night. The mid-range response of these cabs is just about perfect for this type of application – pretty much no eq needed. I’m confident that sensibly handled, this speakers will deliver what we need for the foreseeable future, including being able to feed bass in if necessary. There was plenty of power left available if I had needed it. I will also be able to get very good results with only a basic set-up.
What are they like to live with?
In a word – easy. Light, small enough to fit both on the back seat of my roller-skate, and leave enough room for stands, 2 guitars, mixer, 2x12” combo, cables etc. One person can easily set up – even in a confined space. Some of the speakers we have used require 2 people to lift them onto a stand safely – a point not lost on the rest of the band. Most of them would have been a major PITA in the pub we played last night if not unworkable. Also, SWMBO doesn’t object to them – bonus!!
So, the verdict.
In fairness, it is likely to be some time before I have an opportunity to really stretch these cabs, but last night is fairly representative of how they will be used. There is no way I could put together a PA this capable, that sounds this good, is as easy to live with any other way, especially as it cost less than a budget system that frankly would sound crap. I can also use these cabs for just about anything else I need and I don’t need super-expensive equipment to sound good. If you need cabs that you can use for just about anything, can be used in the most awkward environments and are a doddle to live with then look no further.
