EVM12L break in - bass response??

[diddymix]

Hello people,

I was hoping some people with knowledge could help me with their experience or findings with speaker break in... Basically I have just had a new cab built, an oversize 1x12.. I installed my brand new EVM12L speaker right out of the box into the cabinet. Testing my amp straight away it sounds great... the only thing is the bass... it sounds quite attenuated/thin and like it doesnt go down that low.. when I turn my bass control up on my amp to max it comes back and sounds about normal, but I shouldnt have to do that... I guess my question is, does a brand new speaker ever lack low end response like this before break in??

I gotta say I hope so! Because otherwise its my cab and the dimensions I gave the guy might have caused bass problems..

Thanks so much for your time

[Leo_Gnardo]

I guess my question is, does a brand new speaker ever lack low end response like this before break in??

Yes. Maybe not so much that you have to spin the bass control all the way up. No question that breaking-in helps the bass response though.

Because otherwise its my cab and the dimensions I gave the guy might have caused bass problems..

By coincidence, EV has published their plans for cabinets that maximize the bass response for their speakers. Available since the early 1970's, not something that just popped up yesterday. You can probably find the plans on EV's website.

[andresound]

Connect speaker to a variac and let it play the 50/60hz for a day or two

[diddymix]

Thanks guys!

Well it is much less bass than say in the combo it was in before which was actually a smaller cab... The thing is its a new speaker so I thought that must be it. However I thought of something else too.. I installed a new output transformer as well and even though the bass is less, I have to say it does sound very tight and very clear with no boominess or cloudness.. so perhaps the speaker just needs the break in but maybe the old output transformer added or clouded the bass somewhat..
Thanks fr the info, Im gonna try getting a variac to do it I think!

[Bill Moore]

Back in the day, I built an all EV PA system with 18" sub, 2-12L mids, and an HR 90 horn on each side, We no longer use them, but I have used the 2-12 to play pedal steel through, and it sounds great! Last year we had a problem with my wife's bass rig, and I connected the cab to her bass head, (found out that the speaker cord had died!) We replaced the cord, and she played for maybe 20 minutes before she realized that she wasn't using her 15B cab!
Sure the cab is based on an EV design, but the 12's do work well for bass!