OT: High Frequency Drivers

[cdawzrd]

Wondering if anyone around here has the kind of experience to help me out...

 

I'm thinking about adding a HF driver cone to my Avatar 1x15 bass cab, to be driven separately in a bi-amp fashion (no crossover).

 

(a) has anyone done this? any tips / things to avoid?

 

(b) does anyone recommend where to buy from, and what driver to buy? I've seen a couple of eminence ones, but I'm not sure how "much" of a driver I'd need... The bi-amp output will probably only be 50watts for the high side. I don't want to make too much change to the cab, so I'd prefer something small, if it can still work effectively.

 

Any other info/warnings would be appreciated

[MacBradley]

You should post this in the bass forum. This forum contains guys that have primarily guitar setups.

[Kayzer]

Jep we just want to talk about Guitar effects! You are not welcome

[cdawzrd]

pshh. I've gotten speaker advice here before. I've been using guitar effects for much longer than I've been using bass effects

[Servant]

I've built a lot of proprietary boxes over the years. What exactly, and I mean exactly, are you trying to accomplis and maybe I can help with some recommendations? Tell me everything you can possible think of about what you have currently and what you want to achieve sonically.

[cdawzrd]

I have an Avatar 15" bass cab. It's not listed on their website, so for dimensions I'd have to go measure it, which I can later. It's running an Eminence Gamma 15" bass speaker. I'd been running it with a single channel amplifier, but I just bought a GK biamped bass head, which can do 460watts to the woofer and 50 watts to the tweeter, which is optional. I'd like to add a tweeter to my cab if possible, to improve high-end response, as it would help with the kind of music I play. The GK has its own built in crossover, and can supply 50w at 8 ohms to the tweeter, from 5khz up, with a hi-cut switch that will cut out about 10khz if I desire (supposedly to emulate paper cones with a metal physical cone). I am competent with modding, and feel quite comfortable cutting a hole in the cab to mount a tweeter, but I don't know *that* much about speakers, so I need to know if this is a good idea, and if so, whether it makes a big deal where I put it, or if I can just stick it in one of the corners like I see the tweeters on most cabs.

 

What other information do you need?

[Servant]

Based on what you've said, and you may not want to do this, but I'd build a seperate enclosure for the tweeter. I'd do this for two reasons:

1. Doesn't hurt the value of the original cab or mess with its current freq response.

2. Let's the little fellow become optional just like a pedal. Sin'ce it is bi-amped out - you'll have to use dual speaker cables anyway so it won't be that big of a deal.

Having said that, it really doesn't matter all that much if it's in the original enclosure as long as it is baffled slightly to allow for some free air behind it and to help reduce vibration on the driver inself.

Since the amp is designed with a X_Over and some level controls of sort we won't have to worry about that.

Anyway, the next part will deal with what sort of dispersion you want to have out of the HF driver. Basically, I would use a lens similar to this one (which should still be small enough to mount in your existing cab if a separate cab isn't an option). You can rotate the horn to get the dispersion how you like it - e.g. more horizontal or more vertical as you see fit.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=270-314

For the money, this driver is one of my favorite choices for non-critical applications. It is exceptionally clean for a 1" driver and does a very good job or staying smooth. I don't think you'll want a 2" driver in this application.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=290-446

Pick out one that matches you impedence (8 - I think I matched it right in the link) and wire it normally to a 1/4" or speakon or whatever you prefer. If you go Speakon, spring for the Neutrik NL4MPR which is the 4-pole round flange model. They look great on cabs of all types.

In your single 15" enclosure I would shoot for a top corner if I could. In a 2 or 410 situation, dead center is best. Remember to allow substantial room for the horn driver on the inside when cutting. They are a bit larger than you might think. Most cabs have really bad super-tweeters or piezos in them that I invariably end up removing for sanity's sake. The Eminence will give you none of the icepick-in-the-ear syndrome we all hate.