Modes of Construction

[Tim Hall]

I'm going to build my first speaker cab here soon, and am waivering on my design approach. Most cabs seem to be little more than a box. I keep sketching up things that look more like furniture...you know those old stereo consoles with legs?

Can somebody tell me if there's any reason why my cab shouldn't be constructed more like furniture than a crate? I won't be gigging with this...strictly for playing in the living room.

[nico.verduin]

I'm going to build my first speaker cab here soon, and am waivering on my design approach. Most cabs seem to be little more than a box. I keep sketching up things that look more like furniture...you know those old stereo consoles with legs?

Can somebody tell me if there's any reason why my cab shouldn't be constructed more like furniture than a crate? I won't be gigging with this...strictly for playing in the living room.

There is no reason why a cab should not look like a nice piece of furniture. The box needs either a closed or open back (both are out of sight). For the rest it is a matter of experimenting with the total volume and the wood being used. Remember that for a guitar, wood likes to "sing".
Regards
Nico

[Tim Hall]

Thanks Nico. I was thinking of going with a detuned design. In one of Kevin's books he says ceramic and AlNiCo all sounds the same, but I repeatedly hear people say they like the sound of AlNiCo speakers (which is what I have) in an open back design.

Does anyone have any theoretical objection to placing an AlNiCo speaker in a detuned cab? Or any experience with this scenario? Or am I thinking way too hard about this?

[Tim Hall]

Detuned 1x12 Console

[Enzo]

Speaker design is speaker design, it really is more than just a box. In the sense that a guitar is more than a slab of wood with some wires stretched across it. There are many books and tutorials on speaker design.

One thing I would point out though is that the hifi speaker is designed for wide flat response to best REPRODUCE the prerecorded music played through it. On the other hand, the guitar amp is part of the instrument and is designed to PRODUCE original sound, not reproduce anything. The guitar amp is most certainly NOT flat and will have a sound all its own. That is why people play a Marshall or Fender or whatever - for what it adds to the sound. You would never hear someone say of a PA system or a recording deck that they want it adding or diminishing parts of the audio band.

Speakers can surely be dressed up nicer. In fact the "worship" market often has PA speakers in colors like white or cream or fake wood grain so they look more at home up on the pulpit. One of my all time favorite amplifiers - appearance wise - was the Mesa Mark 2 or was it a 3, with the nice polished wood grain dovetail jointed cab and the woven cane grille. Classy.

Speakers couple with the floor, so while your up on legs design might sound great, you might want to listen to a conventional cab on the floor, and then lift it onto a kitchen chair or something to emulate the leggy perch and see if there is enough difference to your ear to matter.

My dad had a console stereo he really loved. He'd talk about how great a "tone" it had. I thought it was awful, he'd dial all the treble off so the bass really stood out. And of course there was little power so all that bottom was really more like 250. Muffled and boomy, but he liked it, so I never made any negativity. The thing was a lovely piece of furniture though.

[Tim Hall]

Speakers couple with the floor, so while your up on legs design might sound great, you might want to listen to a conventional cab on the floor, and then lift it onto a kitchen chair or something to emulate the leggy perch and see if there is enough difference to your ear to matter.

Good bit of advice...I suppose this was the real question. Thanks.