Speakerplans.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Plans > Scoops
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Safe saturated bass
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Safe saturated bass
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
valve head777 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 27 July 2012
Location: East Sussex
Status: Offline
Points: 1846 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valve head777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 August 2025 at 3:26pm
This is probably the sound you are after. It took years of experimenting to reach this without blowing drivers. I can run 6k plus of this sound. 

Pretty much any transistor based distortion will be square wave, doesn't matter if that's before the power amp or by the power amp. Square waves will over heat any driver, even if powered by a fairly low power amp. You find better results if the signal gently turns into a saw tooth wave. Valve amps do this party because of the output transformer saturation and the way the valves clip. Turning any transistor based system into the red to get the sound you want just costs you loads of money in repair and finishes sessions early. However big valve amps also are notorious for finishing sessions early. 
"Bwoy, dance finish because valve amp a bust again cha!!"


Edited by valve head777 - 26 August 2025 at 4:00pm
Freedom of choice, choice of freedom.
Back to Top
VECTORDJ View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 11 June 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 585 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VECTORDJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 August 2025 at 1:33pm
Hi, I have 30 Years Recone experience ...... 30 Years of repairing blown DJ and MI Speakers ......RED MEANS STOP.......VECTORSONICS Auburn, Maine USA 
Back to Top
knet94 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 31 March 2008
Location: NW London
Status: Offline
Points: 1538 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote knet94 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 August 2025 at 3:26pm
Originally posted by valve head777 valve head777 wrote:

This is probably the sound you are after. It took years of experimenting to reach this without blowing drivers. I can run 6k plus of this sound. 

Pretty much any transistor based distortion will be square wave, doesn't matter if that's before the power amp or by the power amp. Square waves will over heat any driver, even if powered by a fairly low power amp. You find better results if the signal gently turns into a saw tooth wave. Valve amps do this party because of the output transformer saturation and the way the valves clip. Turning any transistor based system into the red to get the sound you want just costs you loads of money in repair and finishes sessions early. However big valve amps also are notorious for finishing sessions early. 
"Bwoy, dance finish because valve amp a bust again cha!!"

Sorry, but that sounds horrible to my ears. Everything is distorted not just the bass.
Back to Top
KDW32 View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc


Joined: 09 April 2010
Location: Green Hell
Status: Offline
Points: 770 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KDW32 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 August 2025 at 5:00pm
Originally posted by knet94 knet94 wrote:

Originally posted by valve head777 valve head777 wrote:

This is probably the sound you are after. It took years of experimenting to reach this without blowing drivers. I can run 6k plus of this sound. 

Pretty much any transistor based distortion will be square wave, doesn't matter if that's before the power amp or by the power amp. Square waves will over heat any driver, even if powered by a fairly low power amp. You find better results if the signal gently turns into a saw tooth wave. Valve amps do this party because of the output transformer saturation and the way the valves clip. Turning any transistor based system into the red to get the sound you want just costs you loads of money in repair and finishes sessions early. However big valve amps also are notorious for finishing sessions early. 
"Bwoy, dance finish because valve amp a bust again cha!!"

Sorry, but that sounds horrible to my ears. Everything is distorted not just the bass.

Does not sound good I agree
Back to Top
valve head777 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 27 July 2012
Location: East Sussex
Status: Offline
Points: 1846 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valve head777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 August 2025 at 6:57pm
Many thanks. Its a beautiful diverse world. The distortion in the mid is my phone mic distorting. The bass sounds very close to what I was hearing. Its the bass I was trying to demonstrate. 
If you don't like this sound, is it likely you'd enjoy the op's sound given their description of what they do to get the sound they want. Its s very niche thing we try to achieve. 
Many hated Shaka's set. But many loved it too.


Edited by valve head777 - 30 August 2025 at 7:38pm
Freedom of choice, choice of freedom.
Back to Top
levyte357- View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 27 July 2012
Location: UK, South East
Status: Online
Points: 8517 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote levyte357- Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 September 2025 at 2:53pm
I mentioned earlier in this thread (and the original), the OP, should only consider advice from people, who have experience of running Scoop Reggae systems, and also bridging amps.

Not all amps clip/redline, wholly due to the input signal being too hot, and not all amps square wave and burn voice coils, when they clip.

Those with sufficient  experience of various drivers, cabs, amps playing Dub Reggae will know this.

I'll wheel out, this old chestnut again.
(Video filmed by fellow Speaker plans member)


Back in the 2013 glory days of Golden Palace Soundcheck, in NE London.

Video taken of set I brought, along with some illustrious mates assisting.

My Lev .44 Scoops, 3rd outing,  loaded with UK made PD1852 prototypes, provided by "Kutty QSS Qualitex", Ren "APS" at the controls.

I had heard these drivers in other Scoops, seen the T/S Parameters, so drew up plan, "optimized" for these new drivers.

As it was a "sound check", for a while the bass section was powered by pair of bridged QSC RMX 5050s, for a while, single Powersoft K20.

Mains supply was 1x leg of 3phase 64A supply, and boy, was it rigid.

During certain bass notes, the current draw was approx 34A @ 240V, the engineers amongst you can deduce,  the approx peak power going to the subs, at times.

Was told the sub that night: 
  • Could be heard for miles, 
  • Was setting car alarms off, 400M away,
  • Sounded heavier than many sounds in there, with 8x cabs,
  • Fellow sound dude's wife, was 25M from cabs, got chest pains from sub, had to leave early !! Shocked

No drivers blown, another sound there, blew drivers trying to keep up.

Another example, of when mains supply is right, and cabs, drivers, sub bass pre-amp, knowledgeable engineer, are in harmony.

Much of the above, is what OP is looking for, much of it will be un-acceptable to some. 



Edited by levyte357- - 01 September 2025 at 3:08pm
Global Depopulation - Alive and Killing.
Back to Top
valve head777 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 27 July 2012
Location: East Sussex
Status: Offline
Points: 1846 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valve head777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 September 2025 at 4:38pm
Thumbs Up

Edited by valve head777 - 08 September 2025 at 2:59pm
Freedom of choice, choice of freedom.
Back to Top
Norseman View Drop Down
Registered User
Registered User


Joined: 04 March 2013
Location: Torquay
Status: Offline
Points: 132 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norseman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 September 2025 at 11:14am
Change the JTS to a s&p with "growl" knob to emulate valve distortion harmonics.

I believe the new sage and also the bass module by JB also have a similar function as does the forthcoming preamp by abzu 

These are basically overdrive circuits in the preamp.

Then adjust amplifier sensitivity downward to accomodatw hot signal.

Amplifier amplifies anything coming in by a fixed amount, say 32x for example.

So if signal going in hotter and with added harmonic distortion, amp sens can be attenuated to match and allow proper gain stage with optimal signal to noise ratio

Josh 


Edited by Norseman - 22 September 2025 at 11:14am
Back to Top
paulus View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 14 December 2005
Location: SOUTH BIRMINGHA
Status: Offline
Points: 3237 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote paulus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 September 2025 at 11:49am
https://www.spaudio.co.uk/subsonic

thats what  ya need 
TRENDSETTER SOUND SYSTEM
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.08
Copyright ©2001-2026 Web Wiz Ltd.