fEARful 12/6/1 build

[charic]

Still really want to try one of the EAD cabs, bit rich for me for the immediate future but I really want to like them (don't like yella though )

[RichardH]

Tell you what - they look a heck of a lot better in real life than they do in photos, and are very well built.

[RichardH]

I think I have just sussed what the difference is. From what Dave's just told me, The EAD mid has a 99.8dB sensitivity, whereas the one in the fEARful is 95dB.

So if I wanted my cab to have that mid content I would just need to look at changing the driver for the 18 Sound one and amending the crossover.

[stevie]

The 95dB of the Alpha 6 should make it a fairly good match for the 3012LF.

Edited July 24, 2012 by stevie

[RichardH]

Indeed. More testing to be done I think, just to satisfy myself that all is well

[RichardH]

Well, decide for yourselves - a short excerpt from the weekend's high jinks with various gear. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCpw04EtQXc]Here's the fEARful in action with an Ovation Magnum[/url] - camera mic overlaoded at various points.

[Musicman20]

Wow, that looks like a very pro build. I hate to make comparisons as it makes me look more vain than I am, but I much prefer that sleek tolex classic look over the Barefaced cabinet styling. This cab above looks very 'finished'.

I am still very interested in one of these. I, and no doubt others, would be willing to pay someone to make one up.

Great thread.

[RichardH]

Well, there are things afoot on the building front. I'll not say any more for the moment, but watch this space!

[mrtcat]

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1342781264' post='1740790']
Doesn't mrtcat on here build them? He also does BFM cabs.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/144296-bill-fitzmaurice-builder/page__view__findpost__p__1291757"]Says so here[/url]
[/quote]

I have indeed built a few of these. I have one myself that I use regularly and it's a smashing cab. I'm afraid I'm not taking any building orders at the moment though as I just accepted a job on a project in Greece building a watersports centre for Uk company Mark Warner. If it goes well will have three more to follow so will be out of UK mon to fri for the forseeable.

[RichardH]

Sounds like fun, Mr Cat!

Well my cab has been snaffled by a friend, so I'll be building another one soon!!

[Kipper]

Any chance of a copy of your CNC files. (Strictly for a self build project)

[RichardH]

I'll have to ask Mike - also, it might be tricky as it will depend what software you're using.

[Kipper]

Richard just checking how your getting on with greenboy and kits etc just herd a little whisper!!!!!

[RichardH]

Very well - it will be made official shortly, but at this point I think I can safely say we'll shortly be the UK's first fEARful authorised builder, and will also be offering flatpack CNC cut kits for those who can't cut straight or source decent ply but like building things

I am just putting some crossover kit prices together and then we'll be ready to roll, I think!

[Kipper]

[u]Good Job [/u]

[RichardH]

....And it's now official. We are now an authorised fEARful builder. Here's the website - more to come on there over the next few months!

http://www.speakerbuilder.co.uk

Edited October 7, 2012 by RichardH

[LawrenceH]

Richard this looks great! I really hope you're going to expand out to cover some of the other GB cabs, the Crazy8 would get a lot of interest I'm sure. Glad to see two ply options too. I have to ask though, would you do thinner than 15mm ply in the poplar for those that are willing to add a few extra braces themselves? I've found the 12mm stuff perfectly adequate once suitably stiffened

[RichardH]

It's a matter of supply. Mike could well order some sheets of 12mm, but the way he buys ply in means it has to be in large quantity, so it will only be when he next needs stock of the usual 15 and 18mm. We can investigate other possible sources I guess, but the costs will be greater again.

[Si600]

Can you give any indication of how much a 1x15 in lightweight ply would weigh and can you do custom cuts?

I'm wondering how well a handle in the top of the box rather than one in each side would work, do you think that the balance would be completely out or it would just be awkward to carry?

[RichardH]

By a 1x15 do you mean the 15/6, the 15/6 tube or the 15Sub?

As a matter of fact, the plans for the 12/6 have been updated recently to have a single top mounted recessed handle. It might be a bit more awkward with the 15s, but it could be looked at. The concern is that the balance point could really only be determined once the cab was loaded, which makes it harder to then cut. Also the mid chamber position means that any handle on the top will need to be pretty much centred - not much chance to have it forward of there, where more of the weight sits. So it might tip forward a bit - though that does give your drivers protection from the rain when carrying outside The other issue is that the 15/6 cab is 30" tall, which means it might be tricky to get much ground clearnace if carrying it from the top - a side handle might be more sensible.

Price wise, we are aiming to offer fully built cabs at very similar prices to our Authorised Builder counterparts in the US - although with a slight uplift as drivers and crossovers are more expensive over here, and we are finishing in high grade Tolex as standard rather than Duratex or any other painted finish.

So a 15/6 or 15/6 tube would be in the region of £740 in 12mm baltic birch, £770 in 15mm lightweight ply. A 15Sub would be around £500 in 12mm BB.

[Si600]

I was thinking of a 15Sub in an only cab setup. Will it cope with a 500w head with the Eminence 3015?

I'll be getting the kit if I do get one as I like making stuff Do you supply instructions, I've never done anything like this before so I'd like advice about filling the box with padding, wiring the speaker in etc etc

[RichardH]

The 3015 is quoted as handling 450W continuous, 900W peak, so a 500W head (is that at 8 or 4 ohms by the way?) should be fine.

As for the kit prices, they're all on the website (see my sig). I can certainly assist with all the other aspects of building the cab, yes.

Have you read up on these beasts? Remember that the 12Sub and 15Sub are not designed as stand alone bass cabs - they are an add on to another fEARful cab to add extra bottom end. The crossover specified for them is designed to roll off above (IIRC) around 6-800Hz, so that it can then let the mid driver in the other cab take over. I can't comment on what would happen if you altered or omitted the crossover to attempt to get a more full range cab out of it - and the 3015LF is an expensive driver to trash!

Edited October 10, 2012 by RichardH

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='RichardH' timestamp='1349884644' post='1831812']
I can't comment on what would happen if you altered or omitted the crossover to attempt to get a more full range cab out of it - and the 3015LF is an expensive driver to trash!
[/quote]

It wouldn't do any damage but you'd get the unfiltered response shown on the datasheet, which IIRC has a big peak just above 1k and then drops rapidly, so it would sound quite clanky but lacking in clarity.

[funkle]

Anyone have a broadband SPL vs frequency chart for one of these builds?

[RichardH]

[url="http://greenboy.us/fEARful/faq.htm#What_is_the_minimum.2Fmaximum_wattage_required.3F"]This is about the only one I have come across[/url] - obviously this is a generated chart rather than a measured response, and is more intended to illustrate the differing maximum power output levels from the range.

Edited November 15, 2012 by RichardH