VOX MDF Cabinet trend, anyone care ?

[Twangaway]

I can't help but feeling, that VOX have made a big mistake going down the MDF route for the new amps and speaker cabs as far as I had read. If true, this is a bad move.

Two reasons, one, the weight of an MDF cabinet would probably be twice the weight of chipboard or ply.

Second reason, is that the humidity factor over time, like sweaty venues, heat, cold, dampness of over night van staorage will all take their toll on the mdf and eventually cause it to swell. Even if it swells 1% it will be enough to cause the vinyl to part at its precise glued joins exposing the material. Net result is a cabinet that looks like it's been badly covered with vinyl. Also the effect of beer spills, and water damage would cause the mdf to double in thickness. I left a piece of 19mm mdf in the garden as an example and let it weather and it doubled in size like those windscreen sponges.

Would be interesting to have a list of all VOX models here with their definitive construction as material used. Plywood, Chipboard, and MDF. Perhaps VOX should be sent a message here about our dislike , if universal ?

[Didier]

I left a piece of 19mm mdf in the garden as an example and let it weather and it doubled in size like those windscreen sponges.

Do you intend to leave your Vox amp in the garden ?
The are many different qualities of MDF, some can withstand normal humidity conditions as well as plywood.

Didier

[stagetech]

Oh now come on Didier, are you trying to say you don't keep your amp in the garden!

[Amanda]

At least if you keep it and use it in the garden it runs cooler !

[dave robinson]

Over the last twenty years I have built speaker cabinets in both 3/4"MDF and 3/4" marine plywood. Upon recent inspection, the condition of both types are equally good.We have found that MDF actually sounds better for bass response in smaller units, either as a PA sub or a bass guitar cabinet. It is probably because of it's itense density.
That said, MDF is heavier than ply.

[Didier]

We have found that MDF actually sounds better for bass response in smaller units, either as a PA sub or a bass guitar cabinet. It is probably because of it's itense density.

It's indeed better because it's heavier...
In the fifties, HiFi pioneer G.A. Briggs, of Wharfedale fame, recommended making speaker cabinets with sandwich panels made of two sheets of ply separated by a 19mm gap filled with dry sand !

Didier

[dave robinson]

Correct Didier, my friend Arthur has two of that style of cabinet, each loaded with Altec Lansing 15" woofers - I don't know wht the rest of the speakers are in the array, but they sound awesome - and loud ! :

[Twangaway]

If you do leave it in the garden for those barbecue gigs, and as long as you play some Rolling Stones tracks in your set you will probably be ok, as it won't gather no moss

If you rub down the cabinet with bio you will get that spruced up look . Oh almost forgot the back of the amp recess is handy for storing your onions and when the amp warms up it gives it more bite. Even your audience will be in tears when you start playing, but don't forget to remove the chicken heads as the fox's are around this time of year.

A tip from The Green Party, who else ?

[peter roest]

Hi,

You also can USE the Vox in the garden

Peter

[David Martin]

We have found that MDF actually sounds better for bass response in smaller units, either as a PA sub or a bass guitar cabinet. It is probably because of it's itense density.

It's indeed better because it's heavier...
In the fifties, HiFi pioneer G.A. Briggs, of Wharfedale fame, recommended making speaker cabinets with sandwich panels made of two sheets of ply separated by a 19mm gap filled with dry sand !

Didier

We had a Goodmans cab of similar spec with single 12" speaker for our bass man in the early sixties... We called it Hector (the cab - not the man). When we were too young to drive, we used to get the promoters to provide transport... and they used to struggle with Hector, until, one night, the transport - a farmer with Landrover and trailer - arrived, and picked up Hector and carried him under one arm... we were very good boys that night!

You can just catch sight of him behind Phil the bassplayer below...

hector.jpg (42.05 KiB) Viewed 11920 times