12" Speaker for small bass amp

[wlb]

Someone gave me a small pevey bass amp .It needs a speaker . It was originally cut for a 15" speaker but is only about 1.5 to 2.0 cu.ft. interior size . Seems to small for a 15" speaker . I was thinking of a 12" . It only has 65 watts of power . I was looking at the Eminence Basslite S2012 . It has a neo magnet so it will be light but I'm having problems modeling it on WINisd . I know Pevey's arn't the best amps for deep bass but a good speaker can help . Would this be a good idea or would something else work better ?

[jefffluker]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

I did some modeling of the Basslite in WinISD. Assuming the published TSP are accurate, this driver will transduce flatly down to 50 Hz, with an f3 at 36.5 Hz--perfect for bass guitar, but 5.6 cu.ft. are needed. Modeling @ 2 cu.ft., the response begins to roll off at 100Hz, down 8.3 dB at 40 Hz. Possibly usable with heavy EQ.

None of the 15s I modeled are flat to 40 Hz in 2 cu.ft. The Peavey Low Rider and Dayton PA385 have similar curves, both @7dB down at 40 Hz. The Dayton PA380 has a similar curve and costs less.

[wg_ski]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

I know Pevey's arn't the best amps for deep bass but a good speaker can help .

Because they usually make the boxes too small for deep bass. A sealed box that goes flat to about 60 has a pretty good tone for a bass amp. Not exactly thunderous, but useable and probably as good as you'll get in the space. The more efficient the driver you choose, the higher the low end cutoff.

[billfitzmaurice]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

Because they usually make the boxes too small for deep bass.

Just about every manufacturer does. The average bass player has no understanding of how speakers work, and they mistakenly assume that stuffing as many drivers as possible into the smallest cab that will fit them is a good idea. The manufacturers don't go to great lengths to dissuade that notion. :rolleyes:

[zobsky]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

Well, I know someone is going to come after me with a torch and pitchfork for suggesting this but there's always the option of isobaric loading eg. https://www.orangeamps.com/products/...ker-enclosure/ .

[jefffluker]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

lol...no pitchforks! Looks like a neat design.

[billfitzmaurice]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

Well, I know someone is going to come after me with a torch and pitchfork for suggesting this but there's always the option of isobaric loading

If you want to pay the price of a 2x12 while getting the output of a 1x12 it's a perfectly fine option. :rolleyes:

[wlb]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

I have heard some of the 4-10 cabinets out there and they sound pretty good but at my age and with a bad back I need something light and portable and not sound like I'm playing through a mid-range speaker with the woofer disconnected .

[wlb]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

The Dayton PA310-8 looks about as good as any to put in my bass amp now that I got the new version of WINisd working . Is it better to lower fs tuning to get a lower bass shelf .Looks like it mite be easier to eq ? More of a gradual roll off .

[Face]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

When using a 12" driver with smooth response and roll off, is a HF driver still required for an electric bass?

[wlb]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

When using a 12" driver with smooth response and roll off, is a HF driver still required for an electric bass?

I have seen high frequency horns used with 10" bass speakers . I would say if you like a lot of snap and sizzle on your bass sound a horn would be best . Large woofers become very directional past 2 khz.

[billfitzmaurice]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

I have seen high frequency horns used with 10" bass speakers . I would say if you like a lot of snap and sizzle on your bass sound a horn would be best . Large woofers become very directional past 2 khz.

+1, but most commercial cabs use tweeters with a crossover between 3.5kHz and 5kHz, leaving a full octave or more response hole even on-axis, let alone off-axis. They do so because it would cost more to crossover at 2.5kHz or lower where they should be. It's sad but the state of the art with commercial electric bass cabs hasn't advanced much since 1980.

[kevinr]

Re: 12" Speaker for small bass amp

I have a 1.5 cu. ft. cabinet that originally housed a 12 inch Eminence woofer but replaced the baffle and installed the Eminence Basslite 10 inch woofer . Light weight and good sound for bass guitar.
You could remove the amp and reinstall it, and the speaker in a lighter cabinet made from marine plywood from a good lumber yard. Those Peavy MDF cabs are heavy.