Speaker size and volume.

[jonsparrow91]

In my search for a lightweight combo (see the Markbass thread) I've been investigating the TC Electronic BG250 series.

All of them push out 250w through their own speakers, no cabs needed, and theyre both light and dirt cheap. Naturally I'm interested. I'm particularly fascinated with the BG250 208 which has two 8" speaker, leading me onto the topic at hand:

I've read several comments and reviews that say the 2x8 combo won't be loud enough to play a gig, and that I should get the 12" or 15" version instead. But here's the pickle: two 8" speakers have about 10 more square inches of surface area than a 15" speaker. Surely this means the 2x8 would be [b]more [/b]suitable, or am I missing something fundamental?

Cheers.

[xgsjx]

I think you've miscalculated something. A 15" has more surface area than 2 10"s (which has more than 2 8"s). But there's another parameter to take into account, how far the driver travels back & forth (xmax).
The chances are the TCE combo uses the same brand of drivers in the 2x8 as it does the 1x15, therefore the 1x15 is most likely the louder.

This isn't to say that the 2x8 is not gigable, far from it. I've gigged with a 1x12 30 watt in the past, though the venues were not noisy affairs.

[jonsparrow91]

I've redone my maths and yup, I was way off. Geometry was so much easier in school.

so a 15" speaker has an area of 176.71"[sup]2[/sup] while two 8" speakers have 100.54"[sup]2[/sup]. I was doubling the radius rather than the final area.

So you think that would be enough for a pub rock gig? I've no interest in playing metal or punk live (much as I love to listen to them, I just lack any charisma onstage.)

[xgsjx]

I don't know if it would be loud enough in any of it's formats, you'd need to try one out.
I know for pub rock, the Markbass 121 & 102 & the AER Amp 1 are loud (I've used them).

[Prime_BASS]

If budget was tight and I had to get something like a combo, I would make it a 15" with at least a 100 or so watts.

[jonsparrow91]

What about the 12" BG250?

[No lust in Jazz]

[quote name='spaz91' timestamp='1394927401' post='2396894']
In my search for a lightweight combo (see the Markbass thread) I've been investigating the TC Electronic BG250 series.

All of them push out 250w through their own speakers, no cabs needed, and theyre both light and dirt cheap. Naturally I'm interested. I'm particularly fascinated with the BG250 208 which has two 8" speaker, leading me onto the topic at hand:
[/quote]

Hi, you might want to confirm this - it was pointed out to me at Bass Direct that the 2 x 8" combo requires an extension cabs for its full 250W.

[Phil Starr]

Well the two eights are just about the same area as a 12" driver. It's possible with a single 12 to create 120dB @ 1m which is roughly as loud as a drummer so it is also possible that these two eights will produce the same level. The manufacturers claims are all about maintaining the 'sound' of bigger cabs. Again technically this is not a problem my 5" hi fi drivers have no problem reproducing the 32' pipe organ sounds on some of my records, far lower than anything a bass will do. The problem is in doing loud and deep with small speakers. It's just about possible with a single 12 or 2x8 so you'd need to check it out, they have one in Mansons in Exeter if you can get down there. Listening to the sound on the website they sound pretty good but I would say characterised by an open top end rather than deep bass, which is much as you would expect from 8" speakers. the only way to resolve this is by listening.