New speaker has arrived

Freuds_Cat · October 14, 2009, 06:59:32 AM

Woo Hoo!

My new EV has arrived and has checked out great. I will be giving it a good run through at Sat nights show. Cant wait!

The old and the new. The 400w EV on the right has worked its guts out for exactly 25 years.

The new one is going in the same TL box that the old one has been in for all that time. Its still in excellent condition. Built tough. I have just replaced the protective plastic corners. I will probably change the connectors to Speakon from the XLR's that are still there.

This speaker cost me Aus$650 (US$590) delivered direct from the US. To by it from a retail outlet here it is about Aus$1100 (US$1000). It retails in the US at US$358.

I bought it from Instrument Pro.

Pilgrim · October 14, 2009, 09:38:29 AM

To call that speaker "substantial looking" would be an understatement!

Stjofön Big · October 14, 2009, 01:19:57 PM

I have some problems with my old 15" speakers. The cabinet, and the speakers, are no youngsters any more. Bought in 1974 or -75. Two Lancing speakers in the cabinet. After a few month one them got silent, and I got an Electrovoice instead. A short time later, the other original speaker got silent. Got another JBL instead. The combination has worked really well since then. I use a Fender Dual Showman, silverface, amp since 25 years.
But now I hear some protests from the cabinet. Seems like someone dropped a fuzzbox in it. it's not a very big problem, since I've got another, smaller, unit for gigs, but this is my rehearsal rig.
Anyways, I suspect it's the speakers way of saying F**k off, we wanna sleep! For ever! It's clear to me that I have to get something else. Now, Mr Cat: What's the size of your cabinet?
And while we're at it, and while my thoughts are clear as sausage stock: What do you guys think about one of these EVX-155 in a cabinet made for two? Speakers, that is!

Dave W · October 14, 2009, 02:17:09 PM

Using one speaker in a cab designed for two depends a lot on the cabinet type and the speaker parameters. Find the parameters from EV's site and use a speaker design program to see what kind of frequency response you'd get. If you have a ported cab and just intend to seal up the second speaker hole, it probably won't sound too good. Using it with a disconnected second speaker as a passive radiator might work, again depending on the speaker properties.

Freuds_Cat · October 14, 2009, 02:27:02 PM

Dave is right and EV are very good for having their cab and driver specs available. My cab is the stock standard EV TL606 cabinet. Designed originally in Sydney in the late 70's specifically for the EVM (/L) 15" range of speakers. EV still use this cab and the EVX-155 was tested using the TL606 according to my reading.

These cabs are the smallest, most practical and good sounding 15" cabs I've ever used which is obviously why I am still using one. I have the original Construction sheet (in pdf) if you are interested.

Aussie Mark · October 14, 2009, 03:55:08 PM

Quote from: Freuds_Cat on October 14, 2009, 02:27:02 PM
My cab is the stock standard EV TL606 cabinet. Designed originally in Sydney in the late 70's specifically for the EVM (/L) 15" range of speakers.

I used two of those cabs throught the 1980s. Great cabs they were too!

Freuds_Cat · October 14, 2009, 05:03:58 PM

Where can I get a pair of those pants Mark?

I remember a lot of players running 2 of these cabs each with a 200w driver. I bought mine just about the time when the 400w version started being made. I opted for a Bi-amp configuration with an EVM 12" 300w for tops.

Suprisingly one of the great things about the EVM/L speakers (15 or 12) is that running them full range still gives you plenty of tops.

IMHO these speakers have excellent detail but still deliver on the brute power side of things. Normally to get this output level you would have to run 2 (or more) of the same drivers next to each other. By not running 2 drivers delivering the same signal side by side it elliminates the dirt associated with phase cancellation (grey sound).

Aussie Mark · October 14, 2009, 07:22:52 PM

Quote from: Freuds_Cat on October 14, 2009, 05:03:58 PM
Suprisingly one of the great things about the EVM/L speakers (15 or 12) is that running them full range still gives you plenty of tops.

True, when I owned a PA in the early 00's I used a pair of EV-TL cabs as subs for larger venues, and as the vocal front of house in small pub gigs. Very versatile indeed.

Stjofön Big · October 15, 2009, 02:32:41 AM

Interesting! So are there no factory built cabinets EV TL606?

Freuds_Cat · October 15, 2009, 06:22:57 AM

To be honest I dont know. It will be different here in Oz from the US. EV used to get them built in Sydney for the Australian market from my understanding. There are still a few reputable cabinet builders who have previously built a lot of these cabs and will do them to order here. And according to EV they test this model speaker in the TL 606 cab in the US but if or not they are being made for sale in the US I really dont know.

Like I say I have the original EV builders plans here. If you want it just PM me and I will either upload it to a server or email it to you.

Stjofön Big · October 15, 2009, 07:03:01 AM

Thanks, but I will first check with our local twin collectors. What they do not know, is hardly worth knowing!

Dave W · October 15, 2009, 09:48:47 AM

I'm racking my brain trying to remember if EV actually offered the TL-606 cab for sale in the US. I know the plans were readily available and many were built. They're still online here (.pdf).

gearHed289 · October 15, 2009, 03:18:27 PM

So I'm not the only one... I LOVE the TL-606. I used to have an old Ampeg 2x15 cab with JBL D140 speakers. After the second or third time one blew, I replaced it with an EVM-15L. I think it came with builders plans for the TL cab. After looking at it, I realized that this was the "Thiele designed cabinet" I always saw listed in Rush tour books. Geddy Lee had (2) 2x15s that were TL cabs connected bottom to bottom, so the ports were in the middle. He ran his bridge pup through these in the stereo rig, with Ampeg V-4B cabs for the neck pup. I love the "snap" that comes out of the 15L. I've always run mine full range. I've had it since like 1986, and it's been in 5 different cabs! I use it to this day. I built my current cab with (2) Eminence 10s in a rear ported chamber, and the section for the 15 is based on the old TL design. Sounds great, it's roughly the size of a Marshall 4x12, and weighs in at a manageable 110 lbs.

Dave W · October 15, 2009, 05:00:52 PM

I have two Mesa 1x15s, each has whatever 400 watt EV-15 version came standard in them circa mid 90s.

Highlander · October 15, 2009, 05:23:09 PM

My first main cab was a WEM 2x15 with a Sound City head (that blew up - transformer melt-down). used it for about a year with my Peter Cook when I first got her... Had a really nice sound...
I had a couple of ported 15" bins that used to belong to the Jeff Beck Group, but they were ridiculous to move about... broke them up decades ago... those plans look quite interesting...