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Extension cab advice.


Benplaysbass
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Just bought a new Ashdown Mag c410t-300 and although pretty heavy its a really nice well built amp. But I'm looking at adding another cab to it as quite a few gigs we do out here in France are outside and could do with the little extra ooomph. I know I need to go for an 8ohm cab but what about wattage? As money is a bit tight was looking at a Peavey 8ohm cab which runs at 200watts rms 400watts peak, would this work? or sound rubbish?

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I`d be tempted to keep a look-out on here for a 2nd hand Ashdown 410 cab. A 115 would add depth, but as you say, for outdoor gigs, get as many speakers working for you as possible. 8x10 = plenty.

As your amp is 300 watts at 4 ohms, providing the cab handles more than 150 watts at 8 ohms, you should be fine. And I can`t think of many 410s that wouldn`t handle that.

Peavey gear is very reasonable, sounds good, is heavier than a planet, and is virtually indestructable, so you`ll get value for money. Like everything though, they have their own sort of signature sound, and whether this would work well with Ashdown, who knows. The model quoted would be fine power wise though.

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[quote name='Benplaysbass' post='1320618' date='Jul 29 2011, 04:29 PM']I had thought that the 115 cab would give it the lows.[/quote]
That's what most people would do but some people believe you should never mix driver sizes.

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[quote name='Benplaysbass' post='1320618' date='Jul 29 2011, 04:29 PM']Thanks for the replies, Hadn't thought about adding another 410 cab. I had thought that the 115 cab would give it the lows. I can get a new ashdown 410 cab out here for €250 so might give that some thought.[/quote]

If you like the sound you get now but want more of it then get another Ashdown 4x10. It's a misconception that a 15 will add lows as most 4x10s will produce just as much low end.

IME I've found mixing cabs with different driver sizes to give quite inconsistant results. Sometimes it sounded great, sometimes sh*te. It'll be a step into unknown territory and add other variables like room acoustics and EQ settings and it starts to get complicated.

Edited by DirkThrust
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[quote name='Benplaysbass' post='1320792' date='Jul 29 2011, 08:04 PM']Looking at the Ashdown 410 cab which is 8ohm, its 450 watt is the amp going to have the guts to run it. the cab ashdown recommend is only 250 watts.[/quote]

Should be Ok. I've used 4x10s rated higher than that which start farting out at half the manufacturers rating, and the Ashdown is a budget cab so I would be surprised if it'd handle 450 watts cleanly.

Don't pay too much attention to manufacturers ratings

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[quote name='xgsjx' post='1320798' date='Jul 29 2011, 08:12 PM']Most manufacturers 4x10s produce more lows than their 1x15s.[/quote]
Yes, I've heard that too. You really would expect the opposite to be the case though. You'd expect the average 15" driver to go lower than your average 10" driver because of its lower resonant frequency and greater excursion.

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The Troll's been gorging itself and.............

[quote name='stevie' post='1320884' date='Jul 29 2011, 09:49 PM']Yes, I've heard that too. You really would expect the opposite to be the case though. You'd expect the average 15" driver to go lower than your average 10" driver because of its lower resonant frequency and greater excursion.[/quote]

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[quote name='stevie' post='1320901' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:13 PM']I think this is the first time I've seen anyone resorting to namecalling on Basschat.[/quote]

Let me put it another way without namecalling. I've found that a 4x10 produces more thump, thud, thunk, whump or whatever other unscientific name you call the sound bass players like than a 1x15. IME, YMMV of course.

I'm sure you can make a case why that extra 10 or so Hz of bass extension manufacturers quote makes all the difference.

Edited by DirkThrust
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[quote name='DirkThrust' post='1320906' date='Jul 29 2011, 05:27 PM']I've found that a 4x10 produces more thump, thud, thunk, whump or whatever other unscientific name you call the sound bass players like than a 1x15.[/quote]It's only logical, as the average 410 has more total driver displacement, higher sensitivity and for that matter very often the same tuning frequency as the average 115.
[quote]that extra 10 or so Hz of bass extension manufacturers quote[/quote]More often than not it's a rubbish figure anyway.

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[quote name='stevie' post='1320884' date='Jul 29 2011, 09:49 PM']Yes, I've heard that too. You really would expect the opposite to be the case though. You'd expect the average 15" driver to go lower than your average 10" driver because of its lower resonant frequency and greater excursion.[/quote]
Agreed, you would expect that but it does depend on what make of driver it is though. A cheap 15 will most likely go lower than a cheap 10 as it would most likely have a greater excursion, but with a well built driver a 10 could have as much excursion as any other size & then it's down to all the other parameters & how well the cab has been designed to accommodate the drivers.

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[quote name='DirkThrust' post='1320906' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:27 PM']Let me put it another way without namecalling.[/quote]
Thank you.

[quote name='DirkThrust' post='1320906' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:27 PM']I've found that a 4x10 produces more thump, thud, thunk, whump or whatever other unscientific name you call the sound bass players like than a 1x15. IME, YMMV of course.[/quote]
I accept that's your experience and I haven't said anything to the contrary. I was questioning the statement that most 4x10s go lower than most 1x15s - and explaining why I think it's not always the case. In the same size cab, a 4x10 will be louder but a 15 will go lower. On average, that is. That's my point.

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[quote name='xgsjx' post='1320924' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:45 PM']Agreed, you would expect that but it does depend on what make of driver it is though. A cheap 15 will most likely go lower than a cheap 10 as it would most likely have a greater excursion, but with a well built driver a 10 could have as much excursion as any other size & then it's down to all the other parameters & how well the cab has been designed to accommodate the drivers.[/quote]
I think you always have to try to compare like with like. Yes, you can get hi-tech 10s that will do wonders, and 12s that will outperform many 15s.

Interesting that you bring up the question of driver quality though, because the total cost of the drivers in a 4x10 is about three times that of the equivalent 1x15. Anyone trying to buy a half decent set of 10s is going to be spending over £200. Spend £200, or even £300, on a 15" driver, and your 15" cab becomes a completely different animal.

Edited by stevie
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[quote name='stevie' post='1320974' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:57 PM']I think you always have to try to compare like with like. Yes, you can get hi-tech 10s that will do wonders, and 12s that will outperform many 15s.

Interesting that you bring up the question of driver quality though, because the total cost of the drivers in a 4x10 is about three times that of the equivalent 1x15. Anyone trying to buy a half decent set of 10s is going to be spending over £200. Spend £200, or even £300, on a 15" driver, and your 15" cab becomes a completely different animal.[/quote]
I was comparing just single drivers & not 4 10"s to a 15".
In the OPs case, if he likes the sound of his 4x10 & wants more of the same, then an Ashdown 4x10 would be as close to getting that. Adding a 15" to it alters the sound (as you know, with varying results).

The debate of will a 15 go lower than a 10, it depends on how the cab is tuned. Taking out the equation of how loud you're wanting it to go for a mo, if you managed to perfectly tune a cab for the 10 & a cab for the 15 & both drivers was of a high spec, then both should be able to produce the same frequencies.
Adding in how loud you want it is how much air you can move. So a 15 can move more air, therefore in theory, be louder. You add more than one 10 & you're moving more air, hence more capable of moving more of those lower frequencies. 4 10" drivers covers more area than a single 15, so should move more air & if the cab is tuned appropriately, should move more lower frequencies also.

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[quote name='stevie' post='1320901' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:13 PM']I think this is the first time I've seen anyone resorting to namecalling on Basschat.[/quote]

You missed [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=147377&st=320"][u]this[/u] (post 330)[/url] recent outburst then:

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[quote name='xgsjx' post='1320986' date='Jul 30 2011, 12:30 AM']In the OPs case, if he likes the sound of his 4x10 & wants more of the same, then an Ashdown 4x10 would be as close to getting that. Adding a 15" to it alters the sound (as you know, with varying results).[/quote]

From what the OP has said, I’m not sure he wants more of the same: it sounds like he wants deeper lows. Adding another 4x10 won’t make any difference to the low-end extension. The only way of getting that is adding a cab that goes deep. I've no way of knowing whether the Peavy 15 will do that or whether it will be compatible. But it might, and I wouldn't discount it without trying it out first. Especially as money is tight.

Edited by stevie
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Just my 2p..... if you want to pump it out on an open air gig you don't need more low's you need more low mids to punch through. You need your sound to carry and another 410 would be your best bet.

I'm assuming you don't have PA support, because if you did it wouldn't matter what rig you used!

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