| Product Review: Carvin PS-15 bass speaker [message #1212] |
Tue, 01 January 2002 20:18  |
RoyC
Messages: 97
Registered: April 2000
Location: East Central Illinois
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Last night at the New Year's Eve party we played at, we gave a serious workout to a Carvin PS-15 - equipped Kustom 250 speaker cab. This event gave us our 1st opportunity to evaluate the Carvins since they were installed back in late September.
At an outdoor party on Labor Day, this Kustom 500 (a 250-1 head with two 2x15 cabs and a Power Module) blew out both 15's on the slave cabinet. (incidentally, this is the same cab I picked up at the 1st Kustom bash in Nashville) The top speaker was a big old square-mag Cleveland speaker and the bottom was the most ancient Jensen I'd ever seen. While examining the speakers the following day, the Jensen just tested simply dead. Nothing. No continuity. Nothing. However, finding the problem with the Cleveland was easy. The 2 wires that pass through the paper looked like 2 silver necklaces that when you touched them they instantly crumbled and fell off. Time for new speakers.
This was about the time that KustomDeb was praising the PS-15 Carvins on another thread. Good technical specs, great sound, and at the time, they could be had for $69.95, which is a lot of value for the money.
So, I took a chance and ordered two 8-ohm speakers, which I recieved promptly. I installed these to be a 4-ohm total load. New wiring and a new Switchcraft jack. (Immediately following Labor Day, the band endured a personnel upheaval, so last night's gig was the 1st time back out in public, and the 1st chance I had to hear this rig as it should be heard - our practice place is way too small - we use a K100SC 1x15 combo for that)
The rig sounded great. Very clean with well-defined notes, and at the same time establishing the low-frequency foundation that carries the band. It can rumble like a B-52, or it can play tight and punchy. A lot of possibilities here. I guess it can do anything the bass player can do.
I may be wrong, but I have a strong suspicion these speakers are manufactured for Carvin by Emminence, a company that has a significant market share in the OEM and replacement speaker market. If I am incorrect, I'm sure someone will correct me.
I don't own stock in Carvin, and neither do I get a commission for pushing their wares. But, I do believe these speakers are high-quality units that can surely compete against, and hold their own with higher priced "brand-name" speakers. And, they may not be the best choice in a "museum" grade amp, where OEM components contribute to maintaining maximum value, but in a working rig, I really believe the "bassist on a budget" will be pleased with these for a long time.
Oh, and by the way, Thanks Deb for turning me on to these.
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| Re: Product Review: Carvin PS-15 bass speaker [message #1214 is a reply to message #1212] |
Wed, 02 January 2002 00:49  |
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I too have heard the Carvins were made by Eminence. I personally have not checked the Thiele-Small parameters but I've heard they're pretty close, I believe to the Eminence Delta series. As I've just posted, I've put a set of the Eminence Delta's in my 2-15 cab, running it with the K250 head. The sound is very good and I believe for the money you can't hardly go wrong with either the Carvins or the Eminence speakers. I've practiced with the setup twice, tonight the bass response was still very good (and loud) but I believe one or two of the speaker mounting nuts must've loosened up, on certain notes I'm getting a high pitched rattle, kinda like a lockwasher jingling...maybe I need to Loctite 'em...
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| Re: Product Review: Carvin PS-15 bass speaker [message #1215 is a reply to message #1212] |
Wed, 02 January 2002 19:13 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 490
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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I knew you would not be disappointed Roy! People would not call me the "Low Frequency Goddess" for nothing!!! :-) I do know what puts a huge grin on my face--my Kustom 250-1 or 100-1 heads thumping through the Carvin loaded 250 style 2-15 cabinet. I love the feel of the pulse of air that emminates from the ports......
I do believe that these Carvins are made by emminence, and yes, they are similar to the Delta series--except for one important difference--THE CARVINS ARE RATED AT 400 WATTS RMS, whereas, the eminences are rated at 300 watts...... I think the only real benefit one would have from buying the eminence speakers over the Carvins is warranty time. Carvins have a 1 year warranty, whereas the eminence has a 7 yr. limited. Limited warranties usually do not amount to much though. The only bad thing I can say at this moment is that Carvin did just raise their price on the PS15 to $79.99. Deb
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