Speaker size ??

kidvett · Post by **kidvett** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:38 pm

Hello all,

Last night I had a chance to try an amp set up. Ampeg B1RE head with a 4 x 10 Ampeg Classic cab. I couldnt get a decent low end response !! Whatever I tried, with the help of a Tech 21 driver, I was not getting a good sound on the E string. No punchy / deep sound as I'd like it to be...I was playing the 4003. Cranking up the volume or gain resulted only in ``mud`` ( distorted & bad sounding ) on the low scale....

But those mid & high were superb !! I was able to get exactly what I wanted...Bottom line is I was quite dissapointed on this set up...

Is it wrong to say that 10 inch speakers are good for mid / highs and that I would be better served with 15 in for the low tones ?? Entwistle used to split his signal to send the low ones to large speakers & high ones to smaller....if I remember correctly....

At home I use a B200R with a single 15 inch ( and horn ) and I get the low end I like...

I would like to hear opinions on this ``speaker size issue``...

Thanks

Marc

geddeeee · Post by **geddeeee** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:02 pm

Yes!!!! 15 inch for low end beef. 10's for mid/high.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:04 pm

Everybody says 15"s are a dying breed but I still like 'em.

My ideal setup is bi-amped with a 15 & a 4x10, but our current practice space is a bit tight for that. We should be getting new digs soon so I can hook em all back up.

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:09 pm

I'm running a Yorkville combo with 1x15. It's got all the punch and low end I need. I even played it at an outdoor festival a couple weeks ago.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:13 pm

I have Mesa Boogie Diesel series cabs with one 2x10 and 2-1x15's. Great all around tone. I've tried plenty of different combos and this setup gives me the tone I've been looking for.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:24 pm

An 8 x 10 Ampeg has all the low end you'd ever need or want. It's not the size of the speaker so much as the design of the cab and the amp that's driving it. If you want deep get a tube amp and an 8 x 10 SVT cab. 4 x 10's are not my favorite cabs. I would use an 8 x 10 before I'd use a 4 x 10 and a 15, much more cone area, more efficient and deeper tone, just heavy as heck. An 8 x 10 will out do both a single 4 x 10 or a 4 x 10 with a 15.

bigbajo60 · Post by **bigbajo60** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:29 pm

It's interesting to me that speaker size popularity has 'pendulum'd' from 15's in the '70's to 10's in the 80's to combinations of the two in the 90's.

I personally have begun investigating the possibility of going from my pair of Acme 2x10's (very bassy!) to a pair of 2x12's. So far, the 2x12's I've tried out (Genz-Benz & GK) have sounded nice and full with plenty of 'oomph'.

What I'm really interested in hearing are the Mesa-Boogie Powerhouse 2x12's!

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:44 am

I am one of those that went from 15" speakers to 10" speakers and back. I get plenty of high end from the two cabinets I use without the bleeding high end favored by many who use tweeters in their rigs.

morrow · Post by **morrow** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:46 am

A single fifteen with flats gives me the old school thump that I am looking for .

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:56 am

I'm using an Ampeg B2RE with a 2X10 and a 1X15 cab. It has all the bases covered for me.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:01 am

I have tried them all.. I really like the Ampeg STVHLF410 cabinets. The thick wood and the ports at the bottom pump a ton of extra bass out. However at a 110LBS each, it's not for everyone.

jon · Post by **jon** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:27 am

One Ashdown ABM 1 x 15 and one Ashdown ABM 4 x 10 (with switchable tweeter - sorry Jeffrey) covers everything I need.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:57 am

it is not just the speaker size ... it is the speaker design and the cabinet design as well ... some 10s are subwoofers and have no high end at all and some are midrange speakers ...

if you really want low end a folded horn 18 cabinet with 10s for highs is a great solution ... or better yet mike your rig and run it into a big pa ... then you can get down to 20hz ... your won't just hear the low end you will feel it ...

ram · Post by **ram** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:00 am

Jeff is dead on... late 70's someone had a folded horn with 2 15s (I think Ampeg or Acoustic had an 18 - man I wish I had a good memory) - anyhow that was like cathedral pipe organ lows. You would feel them! Line feed or mic’ed thru a big PA and you get similar effects with the low end using conventional speaker cabs.

Depending on the size of the venue, I run ROS and use 2x15 for the neck pickup and 4x10 for the bridge pickup. At rehearsal I run the 4x10 usually. Smaller places I will usually just go with the 4x10 setup - and get all the low end I need.

But this, like neck profile, is a very subjective arena. I like what I am running now but always have an eye/ear open for other possibilities.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:20 am

yeah them folded horns do pack a wallop, a couple of feet past the stage.

That 4x10 should be sufficient, not as thumping as a 15.

Is this a new cab-maybe the phasing of of the drivers is off.