Not sure if building the cab is part of the fun, but fwiw Thomann sell an unloaded TL806 for $125usd.
If you’re going for easy portability, I’d get a deltalite.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2612So I did some poking around and found a number of other references for comparison.
First there are two cabinet building references from Celestion (here and here). The first seems to be speaker agnostic and, on page 13, offers a number plans for general purpose bass cabs. For a 12" driver it offers three sets of dimensions, but all are a common volume and port dimensions. The second is specific to a speaker (the F12-X200).
Second, Eminence offers a number of cab design packets for specific speakers such as this one for the Kappalite 3012LF. They dont offer cab dimensions, but volumes and port sizing.
Comparing everything I get this:
What does it tell me? Not much, except that a bunch of different people recommend different sizing and that for some reason Eminence recommends a really deep port for the Kappas....weird.
First there are two cabinet building references from Celestion (here and here). The first seems to be speaker agnostic and, on page 13, offers a number plans for general purpose bass cabs. For a 12" driver it offers three sets of dimensions, but all are a common volume and port dimensions. The second is specific to a speaker (the F12-X200).
Second, Eminence offers a number of cab design packets for specific speakers such as this one for the Kappalite 3012LF. They dont offer cab dimensions, but volumes and port sizing.
Comparing everything I get this:
Code: Select all
Source Speaker Volume (ft^3) Port Area (in^2) Port Depth (in) F3 (Hz)
EV EVM 12L 1.23 11.25 4.25 83.00
Celestion n/a 1.76 12.67 2.44
Celestion F12-X200 1.84 12.57 3.74
Eminence Kappa (med) 1.60 16.59 11.15 54.50
Eminence Kappa (small) 1.10 14.14 10.84 62.36
Eminence Delta 12LFC 1.10 14.14 4.22 69.60
Eminence Beta 12A2 1.75 14.14 4.15 64.18Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2613With shipping it'd be over $200 to me, which is fine, but I get free lumber and it'd be easy for me to knock one of these out quick.mdc wrote: Tue Oct 14, 2025 7:37 am Not sure if building the cab is part of the fun, but fwiw Thomann sell an unloaded TL806 for $125usd.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2614Dr Tony Balls wrote: Tue Oct 14, 2025 10:33 am I get free lumber....it'd be easy...knock one out quick.
Dave N. wrote:Most of us are here because we’re trying to keep some spark of an idea from going out.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2615couple important things - first there are two versions of the Kappalite in both 15" and 12" version, one seems more suited for pro-audio subwoofer applications and the other more for bass and/or mains on a PA. For the 15" you want the 3015 non-LF version. For 12s it's a little tricky, as they have a 3012LF and a 3012HO. Pretty sure you want the HO and not the LF there. The LF being meant more for subs might explain that long port you mention.
Secondly the internal bracing doesn't add THAT much weight, you can use the cheapest, lightest stuff you can find. It'll be no where near the weight of the plywood. That's not to dissuade you from experimenting of course, but if you're looking for shortest route to completion, you could probably skip the redesign and not cost yourself that much in weight.
& finally speaking of weight, your two biggest heft issues will be the speaker and the plywood itself. I see you mention having access to free wood and there's definitely a sticker shock these days when going to to the lumberyard. Now that I've finally run out of the 3/4" Russian birch that was gifted to me, I'm seeing there's some lighter-weight options to plywood that are being trotted out as having 40% weight reductions. I'd probably give one of those a go myself if there's a lumberyard around here that carries it. I know by lifting some of the feather-weight Fender and other newer bass cabs that they've figured out some way to do this and still feel solid without having issues with rattle or walking & I know that is not JUST switching to neo magnets. I can seriously lift some of those with my pinky and I want IN.
Secondly the internal bracing doesn't add THAT much weight, you can use the cheapest, lightest stuff you can find. It'll be no where near the weight of the plywood. That's not to dissuade you from experimenting of course, but if you're looking for shortest route to completion, you could probably skip the redesign and not cost yourself that much in weight.
& finally speaking of weight, your two biggest heft issues will be the speaker and the plywood itself. I see you mention having access to free wood and there's definitely a sticker shock these days when going to to the lumberyard. Now that I've finally run out of the 3/4" Russian birch that was gifted to me, I'm seeing there's some lighter-weight options to plywood that are being trotted out as having 40% weight reductions. I'd probably give one of those a go myself if there's a lumberyard around here that carries it. I know by lifting some of the feather-weight Fender and other newer bass cabs that they've figured out some way to do this and still feel solid without having issues with rattle or walking & I know that is not JUST switching to neo magnets. I can seriously lift some of those with my pinky and I want IN.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2616Re: Kappalites the 3012LF specifies a 11.15" port for a medium vented cab, and the 3012HO specifies 8.58" for a medium vented cab. So, yes, theyre different but still way deeper than the other specs, which is weird.
Re: Bracing i'm not terribly concerned about weight savings, the bracing just seems like overkill for something that will rarely leave my house. So why spend the extra time building with all that if its not that important? The small weight savings is just a perk.
Re: Wood....that part is out of my control. I have access to a professional shop that does design and fabrication work for a variety of uses. Their scrap pile is at my disposal, and for the past seven years it has always been plenty for whatever amp builds i've been doing. It'll be 3/4" ply, but the type or types that get used can vary.
Re: Bracing i'm not terribly concerned about weight savings, the bracing just seems like overkill for something that will rarely leave my house. So why spend the extra time building with all that if its not that important? The small weight savings is just a perk.
Re: Wood....that part is out of my control. I have access to a professional shop that does design and fabrication work for a variety of uses. Their scrap pile is at my disposal, and for the past seven years it has always been plenty for whatever amp builds i've been doing. It'll be 3/4" ply, but the type or types that get used can vary.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2617Free wood is the BEST. I built an outdoor sauna on a trailer with a lot of cedar scrap that a friend collected from a saw mill up north. If it weren't for that, I'd probably never have something so bougie.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2618Re: Cab design. I got a pair of Eminence Basslite S2010's and am contemplating building a 2x10 cab. Of course eminence' cab design doc for this speaker only has 1x10 and 4x10 cabs, no 2x10. The olde EV docs also don't have any specs for a 2x10. For my needs, compact and light weight are big priorities, but I'd also like it to sound good. Seems like most 2x10's out there have an added tweeter, which I've never really understood when other cabs don't. So, why always a tweeter with 10's?
Looking around, I found this naked Eden cab, which is helpful in envisioning design:
https://www.gear4music.com/us/en/Guitar ... 8-Ohm/3SDS
But I'd still like to shrink it a bit. The Yamaha BBT210S is a little more compact, but the super narrow port slots raise questions.
The Mesa Powerhouse "tri-port" idea seems like it would be the best way to save on size and maximize port cross-section area, but those are actually bigger than bottom slot port cabs.
So I've been looking at enclosure calculators and think if I do go down the DIY build route, I'd build something with triangular ports either in the cleavage zone between the two 10"s, or in the corners, or both.
Or I just pick up the SWR Workingman's 2x10 listed locally for $80 and swap the drivers.
What makes sense?
Looking around, I found this naked Eden cab, which is helpful in envisioning design:
https://www.gear4music.com/us/en/Guitar ... 8-Ohm/3SDS
But I'd still like to shrink it a bit. The Yamaha BBT210S is a little more compact, but the super narrow port slots raise questions.
The Mesa Powerhouse "tri-port" idea seems like it would be the best way to save on size and maximize port cross-section area, but those are actually bigger than bottom slot port cabs.
So I've been looking at enclosure calculators and think if I do go down the DIY build route, I'd build something with triangular ports either in the cleavage zone between the two 10"s, or in the corners, or both.
Or I just pick up the SWR Workingman's 2x10 listed locally for $80 and swap the drivers.
What makes sense?
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2619I think the concept is that a 2x10 might be used in conjunction with a 1x15", say, for support on the higher end, thus adding a horn. On anything reputable you ought to be able to turn them off, though.
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2620LFs = no go for instrumentsGarth wrote: Wed Oct 15, 2025 9:34 am couple important things - first there are two versions of the Kappalite in both 15" and 12" version, one seems more suited for pro-audio subwoofer applications and the other more for bass and/or mains on a PA. For the 15" you want the 3015 non-LF version. For 12s it's a little tricky, as they have a 3012LF and a 3012HO. Pretty sure you want the HO and not the LF there. The LF being meant more for subs might explain that long port you mention.
I like the 3015.
I do still prefer an EVM-15L but not by enough to worry about it--I can dial in the low end on the Kappalites, which comes "for free" with the EV.
I don't really care about weight so much, but it is indeed noticeable.