| Black Widow 15 [message #333] |
Wed, 07 February 2001 00:15  |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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Last week I bought a Black Widow 15 for my cascade 1x15 cabinet. When I first put it in I was disappointed because I was getting a lot of flat flubbering distortion when I played at the same volume and tone setting I had used with the CTS 15. Tonight I backed the bass from full down to 3 o'clock...much better....distortion gone...punch and volume back with more bottom than the CTS on full bass setting. Still not quite the sound I was looking for....back to the basement to turn mo'knobs! BC
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #335 is a reply to message #333] |
Wed, 07 February 2001 05:59  |
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Brad, is the BW the same ohms? One thing I might suggest is to check the cabinet speaker mounting board for flatness, an recheck the tightness of the nuts, BW speakers are aluminum baskets with a much smaller voice coil gap and needs more care in mounting. I might try and swap the speakers with the other cabinet and see if you get the same results. I just compared my 115 altec cabinet with a 2x12 JBL D120F series cabinet and a 2x12 cts cabinet. For playing bass, the 2x12 JBL cabinet won it hands down. More punch, volume, and tone. I was suprised. Same results with guitar. I have a cabinet that had the BW 12" speakers in it and it sounded to sterile and not breakup. They are 4 ohm speakers that I wired in series. Again just my opinion. Deb and Randy heard all my cabinets last saturday with the exception of the 2x12 BW cabinet. They both agreed the 2x12 JBL cabinet sounded the best for both bass and guitar. Don
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #336 is a reply to message #335] |
Wed, 07 February 2001 14:53 |
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interesting to finally hear about this... I have been able to get near cost prices on the Peavey speakers so I was seriously considering getting some bass 15s...I"ve heard them in PA cabs being absolutely throttled and was quite impressed...but I"m gonna be in wait n see mode now while you guys get this figured out...so far the 15Altec and JBLs seem to be impossible to beat...but their prices are still in the ouch range!.. I am committed to stepping up to some nice Crown power amps on my PA rack this season and I know that'll mean better speakers in my 2x15 cabs...which are what I use for my subs.. I know this is a bit different appllication from actually playing bass thru them...I need very clean, tight, gut thumping bass..right now I have nice warm round wall shakers...but they don't slap you in the chest...pls keep us informed on the progress...ET!
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #342 is a reply to message #336] |
Thu, 08 February 2001 17:48 |
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ET, I forgot to mention when Randy and Deb came over last saturday, we did a lot of testing the 2x12's and the 115 altec. We did test out a 2x15 cts and a 2x15 that I have loaded with the BW 15's. The BW cabinet was far better sounding, the punch, better bottom, and overall sound not to mention the volume increase. We tried it with the 118FH, course it took all the marbles. we got sidetracked and we didn't try the 2x15 JBL cabinet I have. I'll just have to buy a bass guitar and get back on that one. Even the RFD (resqued from dump) 118fh cabinet that was converted to a front loaded cabinet sounded great. I would suggest, forget the high priced crowns and load the 2x15's with the preimium speakers. I was running a peavey 8.5 500 watts per side, to a pair of 118FH kustom cabinets for the subs. A Carver PM350 350 watts per side to a pair of kustom 2x15 BW equipped for the low mids, and a Peavey M2600 130 watts per side to the peavey mf1x horns. It delivered the thump to the chest at back wall. Better speakers sound better than expensive amps. I think any amp today with the 300 to 500 per side power range will handle most venues with no distortion. The key is to make sure the ohms are right, proper stacking of cabinets can yeild a 3 Db increase in volume, in effect the same as doubling the output of a power amp. Bi amping and Tri amping can make a big difference. My goal is to run on each side of stage the 118Fh cab on it's side, stack two 2x15 on top of the 18, and stack the MF1X peavey horn on the two 2x15's. That should drive to point home that Kustoms do indeed rule. I'll eventually have to replace the horn with a pair of finned kustom horn cabinets. I have two now and will someday find two more. Now that system should PLAY LOUD and clean. Don
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #346 is a reply to message #333] |
Sun, 11 February 2001 00:20 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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Latest on the BW 1x15. First..this is a used speaker and may not be all it is supposed to be! Next it is an old BW with the silver dust cover. So I should really try a new one to achieve a proper baseline. The ohms are not marked...but I bought it with the understanding that it is an 8. I checked all the mounting screws and hardware as this is the cascade rig that was created from the 2x12 in Nashville! Everything was tight....so I tried my a more powerful amp with it and things were better. It could be the amp breaking up too soon as the 50 watts can not move and shake it. I will be testing more later! BC!
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #347 is a reply to message #346] |
Sun, 11 February 2001 09:23 |
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man Pleat....sounds like a monster PA rig...!
i do know what you mean about the cab config...in my house if i hook up both my 2x15 cabs when they are sitting side by side I actually get less perceived bass from the front...but I've had these rigs outdoors and opened up and they amazed me...even with just 400 watts hitting them...i've been using a little CS400 which just ain't gettin it for bass... I know I need to get into a better amp for the lows...I also had tried using polycone subwoofers on the bottom of the 2x15 cabs to get more of a sub response...paper cone in the uppper positions for more snap...I know this sets up some speeaker sympathy problem..but its not bad.. I really don't have a distortion issue to my surprise.....but each cab is only ready to handle about 300 watts each at 4 ohms...I was out somewhere and heard a guy running a little PV bw equiped single 15 PA cab on each side and he had them just snapping... I was amazed...and my son...an ex Peavey dealer employee says...I told ya...Black Widows!...so I've started paying more attention..and God knows they're cheaper...now don't get me wrong.. i get good tone from my current setup..better than most country club patrons can decern...but i know the diff and want it from my rig.. not as fancy as Don's but i run a 3x15 siren on each side as mains, the 2x15 on each side as lows..and those 200 amp head housing loaded with crossovers and PV 22T horns on top of it all..the system is triamped with seperate eqs for everything including a bass eq leading to the cabs which have big old fashioned coil chokes loaded in the 2x15 cabs to keep unwanted signal from adding distortion...my serious audio engineer friends just laugh at me...but it all works..works well..was paid for many years ago..so it makes me money....and its got the look I will never forsake..
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #351 is a reply to message #347] |
Tue, 13 February 2001 23:09 |
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I have used Peavey Black widow 15" speakers for over 20 years... The old chrome dust cover models like Brad bought are only 200 watts RMS, whereas the newer black dust cover ( Kevlar impregnated) are far superior. I just recently freshened up a 1516 model Peavey cab that had an older 15" BW, along with 2 8", because I was getting some distortion from the voice coil. Upon tearing it apart and inspecting the area around the coil from the backside, it was obvious that it had began to get brittle. I rebasketed the speaker, with the correct ohm load, and the problem has disappeared! Also, more noticeably is the energy handling qualities are much better. And by doing so, that speaker now has all the new specs of the new series of BW's. It is now capable of handling 350 watts RMS. The lows are impressive, and everything that Brad desires. So, my suggestion Brad is to spend the $125.00 discounted price and buy a new BW, or get it rebasketed for about $65.00. Black widows are affordable and, providing they are heathly, they are dependable. In all my efforts to smoke one, including the one I just rebasketed, I have never been able to blow one! And, God knows I've really tried. I also wonder if Brad is using the cab with the BW stand alone or with another cab?? Either way, check the polarity of the speaker!!!!! If it's not right, make it right!! It has a huge impact on your sound!!!
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #352 is a reply to message #333] |
Tue, 13 February 2001 23:14 |
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I have used Peavey Black widow 15" speakers for over 20 years... The old chrome dust cover models like Brad bought are only 200 watts RMS, whereas the newer black dust cover ( Kevlar impregnated) are far superior. I just recently freshened up a 1516 model Peavey cab that had an older 15" BW, along with 2 8", because I was getting some distortion from the voice coil. Upon tearing it apart and inspecting the area around the coil from the backside, it was obvious that it had began to get brittle. I rebasketed the speaker, with the correct ohm load, and the problem has disappeared! Also, more noticeably is the energy handling qualities are much better. And by doing so, that speaker now has all the new specs of the new series of BW's. It is now capable of handling 350 watts RMS. The lows are impressive, and everything that Brad desires. So, my suggestion Brad is to spend the $125.00 discounted price and buy a new BW, or get it rebasketed for about $65.00. Black widows are affordable and, providing they are heathly, they are dependable. In all my efforts to smoke one, including the one I just rebasketed, I have never been able to blow one! And, God knows I've really tried. I also wonder if Brad is using the cab with the BW stand alone or with another cab?? Either way, check the polarity of the speaker!!!!! If it's not right, make it right!! It has a huge impact on your sound!!! (THE PRIOR POST WAS ALSO FROM ME BUT "ATE" MY NAME WHILE IT GOT SENT)
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #393 is a reply to message #352] |
Mon, 05 March 2001 03:56 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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Here is the latest on the black widow. I agree with Deb about this being an older BW and it does not have the same qualities as the newer models. Foxy and I discussed this the other day and he thinks it is fine.....it is, after all, a 1x15 and a 50 watt head.......I have been expecting the tone of twin 3x15s and a Kustom 400. A little reality check never hurts! BC!
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| Re: Black Widow 15 [message #396 is a reply to message #393] |
Tue, 06 March 2001 20:59 |
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Black Widow 15" speakers usually need a deeper cabinet and a good amount of porting before they "Flex" enough to give good bass sound. I wonder if maybe Brad's lack of thunder is due to the depth and porting of the Kustom cabs.... I have 2 Peavey Black widow bottoms. One being a single BW 15" and the depth of that cab is 17" with a large 6" round port. The second one houses a 15" BW and 2-8" speakers and it's depth is only 16", with ports across the bottom corners, but the height of the cab is taller than the other. The single 15" BW cab throws quite a bit more lows than the other. And, maybe Brad should try 2 BW's in a 2-15 cab?! I think maybe that would help too! Bring a cab to my house Brad and we'll load it with your BW and one of mine and give her a thumpin'. Just a thought......
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