Interested in EVM12L's - what are my options?

M

MotherSea

Experienced
I have read a lot about these speakers in various threads, but I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to help me consolidate a list of cabinet builders that offer them. I know about Mesa Thiele's and TT Cabs... who else?

Also, speaking of Thiele cabs, does anyone have experience comparing ported vs. non-ported cabs with EVM's?
 
The Mesa Cabs are great, very well made and a great size for transporting. The closed back design gives a very focused sound to the audience where you need it.

I looked into getting a TT cab for some spare EV's I were having re-coned, but I feel they are far to expensive for an empty cab.

I have the original EV plans for building Thiele cabs, you can get at least 3 cabs from a 8'x4' sheet of 3/4 marine ply. I've calculated that if I build them myself buying the materials I can build 2 cabs for around $150
 
Interesting. You don't think that using simple 3/4" marine ply would compromise tone too much? I know guys who use plywood to build "regular" guitar cabs and they turn out sounding horrible.
 
MotherSea said:
Interesting. You don't think that using simple 3/4" marine ply would compromise tone too much? I know guys who use plywood to build "regular" guitar cabs and they turn out sounding horrible.
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Mesa Theile cabs are build using marine grade birch ply, and the EV plans call for 3/4 Ply. The higher the grade the less voids in the wood the better the sound. The Poplar used in TT's cab design is less dense than Ply and therefore soaks up the sound.

Most decent cabs are manufactured from 3/4 " ply
 
Going on Smilefan's pretty exhaustive testing and recommendations I'm getting an open back 2x12 cab made for my EVs. I'm going to be using antique 3/4 inch pitch pine which initially I'm going to leave uncovered and just apply a coat of hardener after the wood has been sanded down to 3/4 inch - I'll assess the durability afterwards and if the wood gets dings and splinters too easily then I'll put on tolex. But for now I'm aiming at using the least amount of pure wood as possible to avoid colouring the speaker sound too much. 1/2 inch solid birch ply for the baffle and 3/4 inch dovetailed pine for the cab.

The pine has been salvaged from a house that was over one hundred years old so the resin has completely dried and cured the wood.

Pine is a very resonant wood and was used in the older Fender cabs and combos which really sing out. I contemplated getting the TT pine cab but I'd assume that the wood was 'modern' pine - which is a different beast to the old stuff. New pine comes from genetically enhanced fast growing trees which looks and feels very different to the real old seasoned stuff. I suspect Fender switched to other woods as a quality versus cost measure because of this.

I'm using an open back design because a lot of the time we'd be playing bar room sized gigs and there just isn't much use in sending too much backline to the PA - which is really little more than a vocal PA in these places and usually the desk is at the side of the stage anyway. Open back cabs/combos spread their sound and help 'fill the room'. Closed back cabs generally seem to throw their sound in a straight line - maybe a couple of 4x12s side by side would help maybe - but I don't want to lug those and there would be no space for them on stage in too many places.

If I was getting a closed back design then yes I'd switch to 100% birch ply - but then it becomes more scientific as you need to work out porting to get the frequency responses correct. Open back cabs are not affected by this so it leaves me free to get the cab as compact as I can.
 
Japster said:
The Mesa Cabs are great, very well made and a great size for transporting. The closed back design gives a very focused sound to the audience where you need it.

I looked into getting a TT cab for some spare EV's I were having re-coned, but I feel they are far to expensive for an empty cab.

I have the original EV plans for building Thiele cabs, you can get at least 3 cabs from a 8'x4' sheet of 3/4 marine ply. I've calculated that if I build them myself buying the materials I can build 2 cabs for around $150
Click to expand...

Hey Japster:

Would you ever share the plans, if it's legal...thanks, Don
 
maxdown said:
If I was getting a closed back design then yes I'd switch to 100% birch ply - but then it becomes more scientific as you need to work out porting to get the frequency responses correct. Open back cabs are not affected by this so it leaves me free to get the cab as compact as I can.
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Why does the antique pine suit the open-backed cab while the birch ply suits the closed back? I'm thinking open back 2x12 as well, but where can I even find antique pine?
 
It's probably not that critical to use Pine - but old Fender combos were usually what I heard when sneaking in to watch bands at work in the local clubs/bars when I was 16 :)

I'm getting mine made by a local cabinetmaker so just felt I should go for the oldest and driest pine I could - you can try local salvage yards for it or ask a local joiner/cabinetmaker/carpenter. It maybe depends on what country you come from too .... the US would probably have a lot better quality that the stuff we get in the UK - the cabinetmaker I'm using even warned me off the usual standard pine just based on quality of wood - he knows nothing about speaker cabs or resonance etc. so it was just that he knew the quality was lacking.

Smilefan went through a lot of cabs before settling on pine open backs with his EVs to get the best range from them - so I'm taking that intel into consideration too. I'm pretty sure his aren't custom made ... though you could PM him and ask.

Birch ply for closed back cabs is the norm .... so the frequency charts/dimensions/ports needed when building one to the spec of the speakers would be taking that into consideration. Well that's my take on it - it's all a bit too technical for me when working out making your own closed cabs.

The EVs sound pretty good to me even in their temporary homes in my Marshall 1912 1x12 cabs - and I got a shock when opening them up - 100% MDF! :)
 
maxdown, thank you so much for your input. I think I'll grab a cheap open-back 2x12 cab soon, because I need one asap, and then start planning on building my own from some old, dry pine.
 
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