powering a B52 Sub cheaply

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brian maddox

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Jan 13, 2011
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frederick, md
www.fcfchurch.com
[mods: this probably belongs in marketplace, but i don't know how to move it. please feel free to 'put me in my proper place... :)]

okay, i work at a church and in digging around i found a B52 18" folded horn sub in a back closet. works fine. looks good. my options are.

1. sell it. it weighs a million pounds and so shipping it is out of the question. if someone is interested in it and can pick it up in frederick, MD, make me an offer. i can take pictures and such but it's basically a big folded horn on wheels...

2. power it and use it for a drum fill SUB on my main stage [we're on IEMs]. this falls under the 'it'd be cool if we did it...' heading, so i'm looking to spend as few dollars as possible for this. i already found the B-word iNuke with DSP that would do the job for 300 bucks. if anyone on here has something lying around [crossover, amp, whatever] that they want to get rid of that would cost me less than that, i'm all ears. so long as i can come pick it up i don't care how old or huge or heavy the amp is. it'll get installed once and never moved. and this is a totally noncritical application so i don't care really how 'reliable' it is. hence the consideration of the B-word amp, which i would never put on anything i actually NEEDED to have work all the time...

so.. any takers?
 
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Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

1. There are plenty of used amps available that for about $100 will give you near 1000 watts bridged. Buy a crappy analog crossover and be done with it for less than $150.

2. Folded horns might not make a good drum sub, due to inherent delay.

3. Throw some disco at it.
 
Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

Silas Pradetto said:
1. There are plenty of used amps available that for about $100 will give you near 1000 watts bridged. Buy a crappy analog crossover and be done with it for less than $150.
Click to expand...

yeah, i know. i just figured i'd check here to see if anyone had anything laying around they'd want to turn into some extra cash...

Silas Pradetto said:
2. Folded horns might not make a good drum sub, due to inherent delay.
Click to expand...

didn't think of this. that might quash it right there...

Silas Pradetto said:
3. Throw some disco at it.
Click to expand...

yeah, i might just put it in the teen's room and let them wind it up. they'll think it's groovy [or whatever the kid's nowadays are saying with their long hair and their rock and/or roll music].
 
Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

brian maddox said:
[mods: this probably belongs in marketplace, but i don't know how to move it. please feel free to 'put me in my proper place... :)]

okay, i work at a church and in digging around i found a B52 18" folded horn sub in a back closet. works fine. looks good. my options are.

1. sell it. it weighs a million pounds and so shipping it is out of the question. if someone is interested in it and can pick it up in frederick, MD, make me an offer. i can take pictures and such but it's basically a big folded horn on wheels...

2. power it and use it for a drum fill SUB on my main stage [we're on IEMs]. this falls under the 'it'd be cool if we did it...' heading, so i'm looking to spend as few dollars as possible for this. i already found the B-word iNuke with DSP that would do the job for 300 bucks. if anyone on here has something lying around [crossover, amp, whatever] that they want to get rid of that would cost me less than that, i'm all ears. so long as i can come pick it up i don't care how old or huge or heavy the amp is. it'll get installed once and never moved. and this is a totally noncritical application so i don't care really how 'reliable' it is. hence the consideration of the B-word amp, which i would never put on anything i actually NEEDED to have work all the time...

so.. any takers?
Click to expand...
Generally adding more low freq on stage for a church is a bad thing to do. If the drummer needs more low freq-then use a throne shaker or similar. Not as good a loudspeaker (for the drummer) but way better than a loudspeaker for the congregation. Keep the mud off of the stage!
 
Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

Ivan Beaver said:
Generally adding more low freq on stage for a church is a bad thing to do. If the drummer needs more low freq-then use a throne shaker or similar. Not as good a loudspeaker (for the drummer) but way better than a loudspeaker for the congregation. Keep the mud off of the stage!
Click to expand...

true true. the room is a 1200 seater and it's more like a concert venue than a church, but your point is still a valid one. i've been thinking of getting a butt kicker for the drummer for a while. i guess i'm probably just trying to fit this very large square peg into a round hole.

but... the band leader/guitar player likes a lot of low end on stage. you see he's this old washed up rock and roll sound guy and he's always carping about how he misses his d&b B2s...

yeah, for those of you who came in late, that's me... :)
 
Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

brian maddox said:
true true. the room is a 1200 seater and it's more like a concert venue than a church, but your point is still a valid one. i've been thinking of getting a butt kicker for the drummer for a while. i guess i'm probably just trying to fit this very large square peg into a round hole.

but... the band leader/guitar player likes a lot of low end on stage. you see he's this old washed up rock and roll sound guy and he's always carping about how he misses his d&b B2s...

yeah, for those of you who came in late, that's me... :)
Click to expand...
So the band leader is in it for HIS fun, NOT the people listening? A lot of bass energy on stage not only bleeds into all the mics and makes it harder to get definition out of them, it also bleeds into the audience area, creating more mud in the sound of the room.

But as long as it is about "me" and "my fun" then I guess it is OK.

But I thought you weren't supposed to have that attitude in church. OH-that is just for everybody else-------------------.
 
Re: powering a B52 Sub cheaply

Ivan Beaver said:
So the band leader is in it for HIS fun, NOT the people listening? A lot of bass energy on stage not only bleeds into all the mics and makes it harder to get definition out of them, it also bleeds into the audience area, creating more mud in the sound of the room.

But as long as it is about "me" and "my fun" then I guess it is OK.

But I thought you weren't supposed to have that attitude in church. OH-that is just for everybody else-------------------.
Click to expand...

just in case you weren't sure... yes, ivan, i was joking... :) it's my job to be very aware of the big picture. i'm the one that put the whole group on in-ears and insists on the 'quiet stage'. although i have considered at times putting some kind of buttkicker under the stage where i stand. but i can't even begin to justify something as superfluous as that unless i pay for it myself. 'course it'd be cheaper than the JH13's i'm lusting after [yes, lust is a sin... objection duly noted.].

looks like i'll be putting this sub in the teen's room. they'll love it...
 
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