Rebuilding EV S12 cabinets

[wskunk]

Thinking of overhauling my old EV S12 cabinets to hot rod them for EDM shows I'm throwing. I found this forum and a similar thread on some even older EV cabinets so I figured I should make a post and get some advice before I pull the trigger. I have a local sound shop I'm going to consult for advice but the internet is even better! Please let me know what you think about these replacement parts. I can provide better pictures of my cabinets tomorrow.

They still work fine but I'm hoping to get way more out of them by doing a complete replacement with newer technology but maybe my ideas are wrong? You guys seem to be the experts.

 

[elitopus]

If you’re doing EDM music I would keep the S12 cabs as they are and just add a separate subwoofer under each. Like a single 15” or 18” subwoofer cab under each speaker. You’ll need another amp and some kind of crossover…

The parts you have picked out are a mix of 4 and 8 ohm. And those are car subwoofers.

The car subwoofers wouldn’t be terrible if you built appropriately sized cabs for them and got an amp. Maybe one with a built in xover (Behringer Inuke or similar). Run them below 80-100hz. Right where the S-12 start to drop off. It would be nice to HPF the S-12 as well.

It just depends on how loud you need it to be. Is this for a house party or something bigger?

 

[GordonW]

Frankly, the EV 12 and DH2010 horn drivers in those cabinet, are heavier duty than what you're proposing to replace them with.

That cabinet is too small to realistically get much low bass from it at any appreciable volume level for performance audio, regardless of what drivers you put into it. I completely agree with the recommendation to add a pair of dedicated subwoofer cabinets to these, and just let them rip. Crossing over from these to subs, at something like 75Hz, should give great results.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[wskunk]

If you’re doing EDM music I would keep the S12 cabs as they are and just add a separate subwoofer under each. Like a single 15” or 18” subwoofer cab under each speaker. You’ll need another amp and some kind of crossover…

The parts you have picked out are a mix of 4 and 8 ohm. And those are car subwoofers.

The car subwoofers wouldn’t be terrible if you built appropriately sized cabs for them and got an amp. Maybe one with a built in xover (Behringer Inuke or similar). Run them below 80-100hz. Right where the S-12 start to drop off. It would be nice to HPF the S-12 as well.

It just depends on how loud you need it to be. Is this for a house party or something bigger?

Okay so here's some more context lol. The pictures in the woods are from my first project/ show I did. That's all my equipment. Before you say anything about the subwoofer placement, yes I know I did the worst possible thing I have learned from my mistake. I recently went all out and got new folded horn earthquake series cerwin vega 18s. I just bought another behringer nx6000d so I can push all 4 18s at the same time. Those big black subs are custom cabinets with harmony audio 18s that yes... I put both in my car. I am a little insane. The other treble cabs are harbinger 15 2-ways.

I'm pushing the EV S12s with a crown amp with plenty of headroom. I know the sub cones I want to throw into the EV cabinets are car sub cones but I figured the wattage I'm getting from the crown amp should be adequate per channel according to the specs. I want some sealed 12 inch woofers to add a little more punch to my ridiculous amount of sustained vented low end.

 

[wskunk]

Thank you so much for both of your replies. I greatly appreciate your knowledge and opinion on this.

 

[elitopus]

Ah ok, I see.

Overall I think you would be better off with fewer, but better speakers. Keep your subwoofers, and get a pair of JBL SR4732 (or similar) to sit on top of them.

Or if you just want to add in some more punch, find some horn loaded mid bass cabs.

My point is, since you have so much LF, you want a mid and HF speaker(s) that can match it.

 

[wskunk]

Ah ok, I see.

Overall I think you would be better off with fewer, but better speakers. Keep your subwoofers, and get a pair of JBL SR4732 (or similar) to sit on top of them.

Or if you just want to add in some more punch, find some horn loaded mid bass cabs.

My point is, since you have so much LF, you want a mid and HF speaker(s) that can match it.

Thank you again!!! Seriously it helps a lot to get another mind and set of eyes on my vision. I was thinking eventually adding a pair of sealed cabinet quad 10 bass cabinets for punch? Does that make sense or? I also would like some extreme treble extension by adding some tweeter, super tweeter 2 way speakers? Do those exist? Do you have any specific suggestions for the mid bass cabinets or does my idea for sealed quad 10 bass cabinets work?

I have been thinking about just getting another pair of harbinger 15 2- ways because I like their response and flexibility with on board mixing and other functionality to replace the ev cabinets, but I'm just using everything I've got. I also have to run all of this off a predator 9500 inverter generator and I'm gonna have to buy another one before I get even more speakers