Off Topic Goodbye Lightweight Amps?

[drTStingray]

If You wanna compare pickup magnets, we don't talking here about that!

One more time, don't mix this problem with pickup magnets!

Well you're right Keko, MK Bass Weed actually said amps - but as you say it's speaker magnets which use more of this stuff.

BUT............what about the beloved Bongo's pick up magnets I'm hoping someone with inside knowledge will tell me I needn't worry about this

 

[drTStingray]

Well I won't or wouldn't miss Neo Speakers for they just don't cut it, in big clubs or outdoors.

I've also heard this, and the same said about lightweight power amps

Re the speakers, is it to do with cabinet size rather than materials? The main reason for neo as I see it is weight reduction, so they tend to get put in small lightweight cabs - which may not move as much air as a large one - rather than a difference in the efficiency of the actual speaker?

To be honest I'm a bit p***ed off about this problem cos my back was looking forward to the relief of some new small lightweight cabs for small/medium room gigs.

 

[Grga]

I use cabinets with neodyme magnets on the speakers, my back is damaged because I had to push during several weeks an old VW bus, or bully we call them.. the starter was broken und we had no chance to get it fixed during that time.. no part availlable in Spain.. so one day during pushing to get the motor startet there was a knack and I felt down and could not move anymore.. that was the last day I was able to carry heavy things. I'm glad to own these cabintes because the rising costs of neodyme made also the cabintes more expansive. I think it's about politics, rare earth, China just made it more expansive for us.

 

[keko]

Well you're right Keko, MK Bass Weed actually said amps - but as you say it's speaker magnets which use more of this stuff.

BUT............what about the beloved Bongo's pick up magnets I'm hoping someone with inside knowledge will tell me I needn't worry about this

Nothing!

Neodymium magnets are good for pickups and dynamic microphones, ...there's no problem with overheating and over-vibrating issue!

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I have a small neo 1x12 cab and think it's great. I think the explosion of all the light weight heads and cabs in recent years is a great thing. Not only is it easier on the back, for me, it sounds as good or better (than the stuff I had before). In terms of reliability, I have yet to have any problems with it.

It's unfortunate that the prices will be going up so much. Hopefully that won't last too long.

 

[mynan]

I was talking recently with one friend of mine, first class electro-acoustic engineer, ...so, it was pretty dramatic discussion about neo cab magnets! That guy is really in the business and really convinced me that neos just crushed in a particles in a short time, that left me speechless!
Anyway, I don't have any neos in my rig, so problem solved!

I would love to see some documentation on that...because I can't find any. If anything, I've heard the opposite. Because neo magnets are stronger than alnico or ceramic magnets, less mass is required, making them less succeptible to failure due to vibration...not that I've ever heard of a speaker magnet failing from normal vibration. Also, the lower mass of a neo magnet helps with heat dissipation, which is actually a more common cause of speaker failure.

 

[keko]

I would love to see some documentation on that...because I can't find any. If anything, I've heard the opposite. Because neo magnets are stronger than alnico or ceramic magnets, less mass is required, making them less succeptible to failure due to vibration...not that I've ever heard of a speaker magnet failing from normal vibration. Also, the lower mass of a neo magnet helps with heat dissipation, which is actually a more common cause of speaker failure.

I'm sorry, but I can't give any documentation about what I wrote, just what I've heard from my friend, ...he works for our domestic general importer/distributor/service for USA company JBL!
They also have service center for all electro-acoustic stuff.
My friend is electro-acoustic engineer for a decades and he convinced me that they really have big trouble with "destroyed" neodymium speakers, especially built in bass cabs and sub-woofer cabs! (many brands, not just JBL, especially one bass gear company which I don't wanna tell the name)!

 

[mynan]

I'm sorry, but I can't give any documentation about what I wrote, just what I've heard from my friend, ...he works for our domestic general importer/distributor/service for USA company JBL!
They also have service center for all electro-acoustic stuff.
My friend is electro-acoustic engineer for a decades and he convinced me that they really have big trouble with "destroyed" neodymium speakers, especially built in bass cabs and sub-woofer cabs! (many brands, not just JBL, especially one bass gear company which I don't wanna tell the name)!

I would think that if it was a "really big" problem that it would be publicized.

 

[Grga]

My friend is electro-acoustic engineer for a decades and he convinced me that they really have big trouble with "destroyed" neodymium speakers, especially built in bass cabs and sub-woofer cabs! (many brands, not just JBL, especially one bass gear company which I don't wanna tell the name)!

I have my "neo cabinets" from FMC in Bavaria, mostly Eminence Speakers that FMC builds into the cabinets, I know a lot of players who are using these "neo cabinets" and I don't know about any bad issue with broken neodyme magnets destroying the speakers.

I think we can stay tuned. Maybe JBL and the other company got a bad material, so the production was messed up.

 

[cellkirk74]

I have my "neo cabinets" from FMC in Bavaria, mostly Eminence Speakers that FMC builds into the cabinets, I know a lot of players who are using these "neo cabinets" and I don't know about any bad issue with broken neodyme magnets destroying the speakers.

I think we can stay tuned. Maybe JBL and the other company got a bad material, so the production was messed up.

Same here. I have been using neodymium equipped cabs for about 4 years now and we play kinda loud. I had no Problems so far. I would not mind changing them back to ferrite one day when the lighter stuff is gone.

I also heard that one should not let the neo cabs get too hot or push them too hard because if the magnets hit the voice coil this may cause damage. I'll see if this is true when I get my m6 later this month...

 

[mynan]

It is, to the people who buy it from China.

But wouldn't it happen to people who use the product? And if so, wouldn't we have heard of this happening? I've never heard of this happening and can't find any instances of this happening.

 

[keko]

It could be a problem for several companies who decided to order cheap Made in China neo speakers, but as I wrote, there's no documentation about that!

One more thing, ...over here in South-Eastern Europe very often, even famous brands, sales 2nd or 3rd class products!

I'm sure that in "important" markets like USA, Western Europe, UK ...etc., ...that problem could be avoided, or even not existing at all!

One more time : there were no problems at all with neodymium dynamic microphones and earphones, also I've never heard about any problem with neodymium pickups!

Just bass speaker neodymium magnets are suspicious! (10" 12" 15" and 18")

 

[smallequestrian]

Well I won't or wouldn't miss Neo Speakers for they just don't cut it, in big clubs or outdoors.

Absolutely False. personal preference is fine, but there are plenty of people using them quite successfully in those types of situations.

 

[maddog]

Good gawd. This thread delivers.

 

[cyoungnashville]

i feel bad for all of you cats. i actually saw this shortage coming (jack told me). i would have posted it here, but i was sworn to secrecy. so... about 6 months ago i discreetly (and quite frantically) overnighted every single "neo equipped" piece of my bass rig, back to ebmm and markbass factories for repair. i had ALL NEODYMIUM STRIPPED from all of my most cherished basses and speaker cabs and requested that they be converted (at the manufacturers expense... hehehe) to the new industry standard "A.B.E" pro magnets that contain NO NEO AT ALL, but rather, utilize a totally synthetic (and therefore 100% completely renewable) magnet core. THESE THINGS SOUND AMAZING!!! they SMOKE neo!!! i dont completely understand the new process, but basically they are built in a lab through a process of non-nuclear fission. with the push of a button, somehow (after a short sequence of muffled chirping sounds) strong magnetic particles are extracted from recycled bits of old, used up, unwanted, previously owned, undocumented american bald eagles... and blasted via laser beam into new magnet core. sounds great, cheaper, readily available... total no brainer... goodbye neo!!!

 

[bovinehost]

And you thought I was kidding.

 

[maddog]

i dont completely understand the new process, but basically they are built in a lab through a process of non-nuclear fission.

you must be talking that new cellular fission process. Bald eagles, you say? Interesting. Very, very interesting... It all makes sense now.

I was going to start filling my cabinets with helium but with this new information, there is still hope.

 

[DTG]

Well I won't or wouldn't miss Neo Speakers for they just don't cut it, in big clubs or outdoors.

I have said the here before, when I play out doors or in a really big venue I need to bring 2 mb heads and 2 cabs so I have 1000 watts, 500 just doesn't cut the mustard for me.

In saying that I get a beautiful tone and plenty of power with the 2 amps running. Thankfully most of the time I am in small venues so I am very happy with the mb rig and my vt bass pedal

 

[MattOfSweden]

If Neodynium prices keep going up, I think manufacturers will be developing light weight cabs so they can use non-NEO magnets and still have a nice low weight. These 212 babies, built by a Swedish one-man operation, have old school Eminence drivers and still weigh in at only 40 lbs. And play wonderfully!

 

[Basspro]

Since we have a lot of Markbass users i have a question. I'm assuming due to the weight of the CMD 102P i just ordered that Markbass are using Neo's in there cabs?

Matt: Love those Eminence drivers!