Author Topic: 18" speakers vs. 15" speakers  (Read 1610 times)

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Offline jdfarrell81

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18" speakers vs. 15" speakers
« on: February 15, 2009, 06:12:41 am »
The recent proliferation of 18" cabs on Ebay and Craigslist got me wondering: Sonically, do 18" speakers significantly differ from 15" speakers? I've never had the pleasure of playing through an 18" cab, so I'd love to get some input from those of you who've played through both 15's and 18's.

I'm not sure whether to anchor my 4x10 cab with a 1x18 or a 1x15. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks all!

Offline EdBass

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Re: 18" speakers vs. 15" speakers
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2009, 09:38:27 am »
I think a lot depends on what you want to accomplish, and which speakers combined with what cabinet. Assuming you are comparing similar (quality, power handling, efficiency, etc.) 15" and 18" drivers, each in a cabinet designed for them, the 18's will generally have a lower frequency response curve than a 15.
If you are mostly using the 410 for your overall tone and just want to "move air" underneath to give it some depth, I would say that a single 18 in a ported cab designed for it would work the best, if you want something to extend the bottom end but still contribute some color to the 600hz-3k ish range, a 15 will generally do that more efficiently.
Either will sound cool, there is a reason that a 15 or 18 under a 410 has been so fashionable among bass players for the last 15 yrs or so.
IMO, it's all good, it truthfully depends on what your ears tell you. You should try to give a few of each a listen.

Offline jdfarrell81

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Re: 18" speakers vs. 15" speakers
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2009, 09:53:00 am »
Couldn't have asked for a better answer. Much appreciated!

Offline basiklybass

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Re: 18" speakers vs. 15" speakers
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2009, 06:46:30 am »
Weight is a factor. Most 18" cabinets are larger and weigh some 20 pounds more than a 15.