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Cheap "Flat" cabs


Bigwan
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Hi all,

I'm thining of supplementing/replacing my rig with a modelling rig with the Line6 Bass Pod XT at the center. To do this successfully I'd like to buy a flat/uncoloured cab and I'm looking for suggestions. I've heard of people using Mackie SRM450 PA speakers but I'm concerned they wouldn't handle the low end. I know there are the usual ACME/ACCUGROOVE suggestions to consider, but getting an ACME is awkward (importing) and ACCUGROOVE are prohibitively expensive at the minute. I'm really looking for something cheap to check that it'll all work well.

Any ideas folks?

Cheers

Ian

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Usually not, but probably will on this gig.

[quote name='The Funk' post='35971' date='Jul 23 2007, 03:47 PM']Well, if you don't turn off the speaker simulation in the POD, you may as well go through PA speakers.

But don't you gig with PA anyway?[/quote]

[quote name='Hamster' post='35988' date='Jul 23 2007, 04:21 PM']Something like these? - [url="http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/Omni12.html"]Omni12[/url]

Hamster[/quote]

Bill gets a lot of love here and at talkbass, but I've never actually heard or used any of his designs (although I have bought the plans for the omni12 in the past when I was in cab building mode!). Would the omni12 be considered to be a "flat" cab? It could be the answer, although it's slightly bigger than I was hoping for!

Edited by Bigwan
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[quote name='Bigwan' post='36223' date='Jul 24 2007, 07:22 AM']Would the omni12 be considered to be a "flat" cab? It could be the answer, although it's slightly bigger than I was hoping for![/quote]

It is one of the flattest. Mottlefeeder from BT/BW was kind enough to let me try his out and the sound was very even through the range of the bass
and the dispersion was amazing. He also had printed out some SPL charts and the O12 has a very flat response compare to other Omnis and DR's.
It is a big cab but it doesn't weigh a lot for its size.

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[quote name='Bigwan' post='35966' date='Jul 23 2007, 03:45 PM']Hi all,

I'm thining of supplementing/replacing my rig with a modelling rig with the Line6 Bass Pod XT at the center. To do this successfully I'd like to buy a flat/uncoloured cab and I'm looking for suggestions. I've heard of people using Mackie SRM450 PA speakers but I'm concerned they wouldn't handle the low end. I know there are the usual ACME/ACCUGROOVE suggestions to consider, but getting an ACME is awkward (importing) and ACCUGROOVE are prohibitively expensive at the minute. I'm really looking for something cheap to check that it'll all work well.

Any ideas folks?

Cheers

Ian[/quote]

Hi Ian,

I am in the process of doing the same thing myself actually, and I have just the thing.

I am going to run my Bass POD XT into a power amp (undecided which one yet) and will place my Aphex Aural Exciter in the middle to compensate for any loss of harmonics from using the amp modelling. In my search for a clean, uncoloured cab, so that the amp modelling I have set up on the POD comes through the best, I will be looking to get hold of a Tech Soundsystems ND410 cab:

[url="http://www.tech-soundsystems.com/eng/10er/410.html"]http://www.tech-soundsystems.com/eng/10er/410.html[/url]

Our very own Dood had two of these badboys, and not only are they light as you like (can lift them with one hand), they are also very clear and flat. From what I remember there was a little mid range scoop, but nothing too drastic (Dood, perhaps you can advise?) and nothing a slight tweat wont compensate for.

They are almost like PA speakers, but with excellent bass response - so this is my recommendation for a Cab to run with the POD.

Cheers

Luke

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Hey Luke!

Yes.. to be honest, having played with my Epifani cab, I even reckon the Techs have the edge.. especially with the top end. They aren't cheap, but they certainly aren't the ridiculous boutique prices of *the competitors*. I loved the Tech cabs loads! Very PA like and light as a feather!

Thomas! Its not toooo late! I will accept an endorsement deal from you! lol

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[quote name='dood' post='36350' date='Jul 24 2007, 12:58 PM']Hey Luke!

Yes.. to be honest, having played with my Epifani cab, I even reckon the Techs have the edge.. especially with the top end. They aren't cheap, but they certainly aren't the ridiculous boutique prices of *the competitors*. I loved the Tech cabs loads! Very PA like and light as a feather!

Thomas! Its not toooo late! I will accept an endorsement deal from you! lol[/quote]

If that's the case then I'm sorted from the off! I have the tech 4x12 version of dood's 4x10!

Excellent!

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To get truly flat response a cab must either have a dedicated midrange driver or some very sophisticated engineering, if not both, and you will have a hard time finding either of those qualities in an inexpensive cab. As for size, good bass response at high levels requires a reasonably large cabinet, though not necessarily a heavy one. But again, the engineering required to build a cab that's large, lightweight and still inert won't be found in an inexpensive product.

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Hi Bill. I was hoping you'd see this post. If I were to build one of your cabs and disregarding size (within reason!) which of your omni series cabs would be the 'flatest'. From a VERY brief look at your website I'd assume it was the omni 15 full range cab - would an 8 ohm Kappa 15LF eminence driver be suitable for this cab? If size were a more pressing concern, would an omni 12 be suitable for what I'm looking for?

Cheers

Ian


[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='36506' date='Jul 24 2007, 06:26 PM']To get truly flat response a cab must either have a dedicated midrange driver or some very sophisticated engineering, if not both, and you will have a hard time finding either of those qualities in an inexpensive cab. As for size, good bass response at high levels requires a reasonably large cabinet, though not necessarily a heavy one. But again, the engineering required to build a cab that's large, lightweight and still inert won't be found in an inexpensive product.[/quote]

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[quote name='Bigwan' post='36552' date='Jul 24 2007, 03:09 PM']Hi Bill. I was hoping you'd see this post. If I were to build one of your cabs and disregarding size (within reason!) which of your omni series cabs would be the 'flatest'. From a VERY brief look at your website I'd assume it was the omni 15 full range cab - would an 8 ohm Kappa 15LF eminence driver be suitable for this cab? If size were a more pressing concern, would an omni 12 be suitable for what I'm looking for?

Cheers

Ian[/quote]
The O15 is the flattest to the lower reaches, but most will find that the LF extension and power of the O12 most adequate. When it comes to modeling it's the midrange that's critical, and that's where commercial cabs are the most dodgy. The Kappa 15LF is fine for the O15LF. 20" wide versions of both these Omnis will be available soon, so if you fancy a tallboy rather than the present versions wait until you see the TallBoy versions offered.

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[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='36605' date='Jul 24 2007, 10:37 PM']... so if you fancy a tallboy rather than the present versions wait until you see the TallBoy versions offered.[/quote]


Tallboy eh? The sonic equivalent of [url="http://www.museum-explorer.org.uk/show.php?page=exhibit_photo&no=3715"]this[/url]? :)

Sounds like a very interesting development.

Edited by ShergoldSnickers
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[quote name='Bigwan' post='35966' date='Jul 23 2007, 03:45 PM']...getting an ACME is awkward (importing)...[/quote]

Not really. You just buy it direct from them as usual, they post it to the UK and when it arrives you pay a tax bill of about 20-25% to HM Customs. With USD/GBP above 2.00 on the high street, the exchange rate makes the cabs extremely good value even once import costs are included. Alternatively, if you can DIY the Omni 15 tallboy is an appealing choice.

Alex

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Hi Alex,

I was thinking about this earlier and really the size of the normal Omni15 shouldn't be much of a problem (so a tallbay shouldn't be required). It's almost identical in size to the cab I'm currently using, although about 13lbs heavier going by bill's info on his website. That isn't really a great deal considering how light my current cab is. I'm going to give this a bit more thought. I'm leaning towards the Omni15 at the minute as I'm a sucker for overkill (not the band!), but the omni12 is still a possibility (I did buy the plans for the omni12 just after their release, but have subsequently lost them in a hard-drive crash, so i'll have to see if bill can re-supply them to me - any chance Bill?). Having thought more about it I think the DIY route appeals to me more than importing a cab. I've tried DIY before but that was for a 'normal' ported cab. The results were excellent for such a simple build, and the driver in that cab is suitable for use in the omni15, so I'm partly there already!

Cheers

Ian

[quote name='alexclaber' post='36901' date='Jul 25 2007, 03:19 PM']Not really. You just buy it direct from them as usual, they post it to the UK and when it arrives you pay a tax bill of about 20-25% to HM Customs. With USD/GBP above 2.00 on the high street, the exchange rate makes the cabs extremely good value even once import costs are included. Alternatively, if you can DIY the Omni 15 tallboy is an appealing choice.

Alex[/quote]

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[quote name='alexclaber' post='38918' date='Jul 30 2007, 12:49 PM']New TallBoy Omni 15 now online:



[url="http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/Omni15.html"]http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/Omni15.html[/url]

Alex[/quote]
Yeah baby....look at that!

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Do you guys know if the plans for the omni 10.5 are included with the plans for the omni 10 or do you have to buy them separately? As a small cab solution it would be pretty hard to beat!

I like the look of the Omni 15, especially the Tallboy. I think that could be the answer to my original question!

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