Tone report on new Tone-Tools cab

[scottl]

Happy holidays guys!

I just got done some preliminary testing with my new Tone-Tools Fat Cat 1X12 cab. This is a closed back detuned cab. It has a rather large rectangular port up front. Inside are a few proprietary tweaks that Cas does in order to tame standing waves. Also included is some serious 12 gauge speaker cable. The cab is resonant and lightweight and has a great ergonomic recessed metal handle.

First up was my reissue EVM12L 200 watter. Normally, I have not been crazy about this driver in any cab but my small Avatar 1X12. Too open in the back and the the EVM can be too strident and not right in the bass. Closed and the incredible mids can be overbearing and punchy. The bass was impressive in the Tone Tools. Tight but not woofy. Good texture. The cab also did not seem boxy. The EVM top end was definately smoothed and tamed with the Tone Tools. The port enhanced the imaging and I did not feel like I was listening to a closed back. Great overall balance and to date the best I have heard my EVM sound.

Next up was my new go to, the Celestion Heritage G1265. Firing the beast up, I noticed a much smoother top, to the point of lacking something, dull if you will. The bottom was smoother too. Mids were a bit boxy IMO. Cranking up a whole lot seemed to help, but in direct A/B to my Avatar 1X12 w/ oval port and Fuchs 1X12 with oval port and floating baffle, I just wasn't feeling it. Too dark. The character of the 1265 that I dug was smoother and dulled in the Tone Tools. I guess I am hopelessly a ported back guy when it comes to the G1265. The tone was not bad, but it just wasn't for me. Especially with 2 ported back 1X12 cabs loaded with the exact same speaker sitting side by side for immediate comparisons.

So, I swapped the EVM back into the Tone Tools and it is just killing.... The EVM eats up the closed back detuned design. Perfect match. Really smooth yet with the EVM clarity. Not dull and the extra bass of the EVM mates to the large detuned port.

I am very happy to have found what appears to be an ideal home for my venerable EVM. Plus, cab looks sharp in the Vox black diamond grill cloth. Cas's workmanship is top notch! Here is the site www.tone-tools.com

I'll post a pic or two tomorrow.....

[GreenTea]

Very good descriptions. Mine's almost three years old (mine has the top leather carrying handle, not the newer recessed metal handles). I've lugged it all over creation with the Aiken Tomcat head and it loves almost every speaker I've tried in it. Very organic and well-built cab. If you're in the market for an extension cab, don't overlook these (p.s. they're EASY to carry--that's a big bonus!).

[rwe333]

Right on - I can see how the efficiency of the EV would be a great match for the efficiency of the FatCat.

[casazera]

Very cool Scott.:AOK

The Vintage 30's love the Fat Cat 112 also as it smooths the V30 top end/mids to a nice balanced tone.

[AD]

Best cab i own is a Fat Cat w/ a Guytron big tone speaker. I'm still amazed at what this little 1x12 can do.

[Dave_C]

Originally Posted by scottl

Happy holidays guys!

I just got done some preliminary testing with my new Tone-Tools Fat Cat 1X12 cab. This is a closed back detuned cab. It has a rather large rectangular port up front. Inside are a few proprietary tweaks that Cas does in order to tame standing waves. Also included is some serious 12 gauge speaker cable. The cab is resonant and lightweight and has a great ergonomic recessed metal handle.

First up was my reissue EVM12L 200 watter. Normally, I have not been crazy about this driver in any cab but my small Avatar 1X12. Too open in the back and the the EVM can be too strident and not right in the bass. Closed and the incredible mids can be overbearing and punchy. The bass was impressive in the Tone Tools. Tight but not woofy. Good texture. The cab also did not seem boxy. The EVM top end was definately smoothed and tamed with the Tone Tools. The port enhanced the imaging and I did not feel like I was listening to a closed back. Great overall balance and to date the best I have heard my EVM sound.

Next up was my new go to, the Celestion Heritage G1265. Firing the beast up, I noticed a much smoother top, to the point of lacking something, dull if you will. The bottom was smoother too. Mids were a bit boxy IMO. Cranking up a whole lot seemed to help, but in direct A/B to my Avatar 1X12 w/ oval port and Fuchs 1X12 with oval port and floating baffle, I just wasn't feeling it. Too dark. The character of the 1265 that I dug was smoother and dulled in the Tone Tools. I guess I am hopelessly a ported back guy when it comes to the G1265. The tone was not bad, but it just wasn't for me. Especially with 2 ported back 1X12 cabs loaded with the exact same speaker sitting side by side for immediate comparisons.

So, I swapped the EVM back into the Tone Tools and it is just killing.... The EVM eats up the closed back detuned design. Perfect match. Really smooth yet with the EVM clarity. Not dull and the extra bass of the EVM mates to the large detuned port.

I am very happy to have found what appears to be an ideal home for my venerable EVM. Plus, cab looks sharp in the Vox black diamond grill cloth. Cas's workmanship is top notch! Here is the site www.tone-tools.com

I'll post a pic or two tomorrow.....

Thanks for the review, Scott. You still owe it to yourself to try the Buzzbomb w/ Sugarcones. He's got the front-ported thing down pat and the Sugarcones are...well...SuperReverb2 can tell ya...

[casazera]

[ericb]

Originally Posted by fuchs_meister

Thanks for the review, Scott. You still owe it to yourself to try the Buzzbomb w/ Sugarcones. He's got the front-ported thing down pat and the Sugarcones are...well...SuperReverb2 can tell ya...

Dude, this thread was a review of the Tone-Tools cab!! Think about it

Eric

[Galo]

Originally Posted by scottl

Happy holidays guys!

Great overall balance and to date the best I have heard my EVM sound.

So, I swapped the EVM back into the Tone Tools and it is just killing.... The EVM eats up the closed back detuned design. Perfect match. Really smooth yet with the EVM clarity. Not dull and the extra bass of the EVM mates to the large detuned port.

I am very happy to have found what appears to be an ideal home for my venerable EVM. Plus, cab looks sharp in the Vox black diamond grill cloth. Cas's workmanship is top notch! Here is the site www.tone-tools.com

I'll post a pic or two tomorrow.....

Scott, I agree 100%
You sure have some ears my man...
Adios

[Dave_C]

Originally Posted by ericb

Dude, this thread was a review of the Tone-Tools cab!! Think about it

Eric

Scott's in the process of trying lots of different cabs and speakers...as many of us are...so, would it have been better to simply say, "Scott, make sure you give the Scholz speakers a run in the Tone-Tools, along with the G12-65 and EVM-12L"? However, he also talked about closed-back ported cab techniques in general and how they compared to his 1x12 rear-ported cabs, so how far off was it to mention another front-ported design for comparison? I don't think it was out of line at all.

[Dave_C]

Originally Posted by casazera

[casazera]

It's all good. :AOK

The best way that i know to find your tone is to try different gear until you find what you are looking for.

Also just to offer some info to those interested in front ported cab designs, the Tone-Tools is a detuned design, the port allows all frequencies generated inside the cab to exit to the front, the other front ported cab design mentioned is a tuned port design, only allows certain frequencies (usually low end frequencies) to exit the port.

Both have it's place just like open back and oval ported back designs, there is a place for all depending on your needs, your gear and your ear.

If anyone would like more information on the detuned design please let me know.

Now...back to work! :RoCkIn

[suhr_rodney]

Originally Posted by casazera

If anyone would like more information on the detuned design please let me know.

Now...back to work! :RoCkIn

Cas, I, for one, would greatly appreciate a post on your detuned design. In addition, I would love to hear your opinion on the specific applications where you feel different cabinet designs work best, and any speaker recommondations you may have for those applications. Perhaps this should become a different thread so as not to derail Scott's initial intent. Thanks!

[CitizenCain]

Originally Posted by suhr_rodney

Cas, I, for one, would greatly appreciate a post on your detuned design. In addition, I would love to hear your opinion on the specific applications where you feel different cabinet designs work best, and any speaker recommondations you may have for those applications. Perhaps this should become a different thread so as not to derail Scott's initial intent. Thanks!

+1

Some insight into detuned cabs, etc would be very welcome.

[casazera]

Originally Posted by suhr_rodney

Cas, I, for one, would greatly appreciate a post on your detuned design. In addition, I would love to hear your opinion on the specific applications where you feel different cabinet designs work best, and any speaker recommondations you may have for those applications. Perhaps this should become a different thread so as not to derail Scott's initial intent. Thanks!

Originally Posted by CitizenCain

+1

Some insight into detuned cabs, etc would be very welcome.

You got it! I'll do it on a new thread.
Give me a couple of days and i will have it up.