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PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:16 pm
by karatestu
As I am well in to my drumming at the moment and been doing more and more gigs my thoughts have turned to my pa speakers. Bought them 2nd hand 20 years ago from a pa company. Anyway, 12 years ago they were used for a party in the village hall along with a crap laney pa head that was not up to the job. Result was drivers all shagged - cant remember what they were.

Shortly after I replaced the 15 inchers with some celestion truvox 1525e and the horns are celestion CDX1-1745. Don't remember what I did to the xover but the 15" is run straight from the amp and the horn is through 7R, 3.3uf then 10uf and unknown inductor across the horn driver. 3rd order ? Cabs have 4 (yes four) ports and the bass driver can only be seen through a narrow slit on the baffle. Some kind of band pass bollocks ?

They sound ok for what we use them for but if i can get them sounding better then i will.

1) change filter on the horn tweeter - padding resistor and single cap maybe
2) add a mid freq driver maybe
3) remove all the wadding and block up the ports
4) spray the 15 incher with plastidip.

I know its only a pa speaker and (usually) only handles vocals but as i am having to tart up the cosmetics any way then i could possibly have a play.

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:23 pm
by Karnevil9
I always thought Reggae fans were the ones that used P.A Speakers

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:34 pm
by karatestu
They are for my band not listening at home. Small venues like village halls and pubs.

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:37 pm
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Yer man di reggae and di 18inch Goodmans, stuck on a sheet of marine ply. Garrard SP25 and Sonatone 9TAHC, Concord L50 amp - Mono. Sold loads at GWSmith.

Who needs high frequency man just feel da music man, cha!

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:38 pm
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
You don't need our advice Stu you know enough and have ears - go for it.

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:47 pm
by Karnevil9
Its the bullet tweeters that hurt my ears with PA Cabs

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:01 pm
by karatestu
I disconnected the bullet tweeters in mine after they blew and did not replace them. Horn is good for 2-20khz but dont want to put too much low freq through it obviously. Big 15 incher is supposed to be good up to 3.5khz or there abouts.

Most pa speakers i have come across have the whole of the bass driver visible, not like this slit down the front. I assume that is some sort of band pass jobbie. I am certainly a sealed box man now hence the idea of blocking the ports.

Yes i have ears and intend using them

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:43 pm
by Karnevil9
The best speakerz ive owned have been sealed cabs. Fashion kills, sheep follow fashion or should that be brainwashed fadz

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:48 pm
by Lindsayt
What sort of budget are you working to on this project?

Re: PA speaker project

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:08 am
by karatestu
Lindsayt wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:48 pm What sort of budget are you working to on this project?
Hi Lyndsay,

I want to spend as little as possible but if some one urged me to put a pair of mid drivers in i would stretch to that.

Some things are cheap - eg blocking ports, spraying 15 inchers with plastidip, putting a better resistor and cap on the horn, hardwiring everything in sight.

Cutting away the baffle to expose the whole of the bass driver is something i could get the chainsaw out for :lol: but there is no going back once that is done unless i stick more wood on the front.

Thought about steel lining them but they are so big and heavy already it would be a nightmare moving them about.