EAW SB1000 Subs

RideTheSquirrel · Feb 13, 2017

Ok,

So I'm picking up a pair of Sb1000 subs for my 800 proscenium theatre mostly for dance festivals/ performances and often times we'll have live bands passing through town. I've already got a UX8800 with some pretty ballin' QX series permanently installed into front of house; and sometimes I supplement a LR with some LA325's (although I prefer the JFL213's personally but we don't have any yet). Anyways, they haven't been using subs and it's ridiculous. There's a 30 year age gap between me and my closest fellow collegue so... needless to say these guys were turning copper dials to dim lights in school...

Anwyays, now that I'm done getting my little jab in at the old guys I need your help.

I found some Sb1000e's on ebay I was considering purchasing because I can get a pair of decent (in appearnce) for $2600. Can someone tell me the difference between the sb1000e and the sb1000z's ? Is it just a generational thing? I can't really find any material about the archives.

MNicolai · Feb 14, 2017

Fundamentally, it's the same cabinet but the two different derivatives employ different drivers. Comes with the territory of maintaining the same product line over a number of years.

Someone with a little more insider knowledge over at PSW has this more specifically to add (circa 2008, so take it for whatever it's worth to you):

The current 'z' version is made by 18 Sound. The previous 'e' version was the rebranded RCF L18P300. The RCF version of the L18P300 has changed since EAW used it...better physical design, though performance specs are the same...so comparing the OEM versus a new RCF driver, the RCF driver will look a little different. Anyone with a 'zi' version got an OEM RCF clone of the 18 Sound driver (this was during the time RCF was part of the Mackie/LOUD fold). From what I have been told when I worked for EAW and RCF, the enclosure from 'e' to 'z' to 'zi' to 'z' did not change, so anyone wanting to put the RCF driver into a 'z' model could do so. The original SB1000 however (prior to the 'e') was different, and used I believe an RCF driver, though not the L18P300. The new SB1002 I thought also went back to using an RCF made driver, though it is not the L18P300, I believe it is an OEM design.

I also did hear that the OEM L18P300 may or may not be available through EAW/LOUD parts anymore. It is however still made and readily available through RCF.

Hope this helps.

S

RideTheSquirrel · Feb 14, 2017

So awesome. Thanks.

Lextech · Feb 14, 2017

SB1000 in any variation is a wonderful box. However, they want to see lots of power. I am using one channel of a I-Tech 4x3500 to drive both speakers, and they just rock. When they first came out I had MA3600s on them, had less headroom then I would have liked but worked. The UX8800 also really does help these boxes sound their best, have fun.

MNicolai · Feb 14, 2017

I recommend once you've received them to run them both through some tests, sweep them for resonances or faulty drivers, verify polarity, etc.

If these have been on the road for a good long time, expect you'll have to go in with an allen wrench and reseat the drivers. Sometimes the screws vibrate a little loose and you can hear the driver element rattling within the cabinet. Little bit of thread-lock can take care of this.

Down here in Florida, we have a rich collection of old EAW boxes in our region that came off of the circus circuit. Inevitably what happens is the production company turns their entire inventory of old cabinets loose, sells them for a great deal on the open market, and then the purchasers use them without evaluating their condition. That's why every so often you may run into a band with six KF boxes, each box sounding oddly different from the other five.

RideTheSquirrel · Feb 17, 2017

Thanks for all of your input guys; I just wanted to follow up with what I ended up doing.

I took MNicolai's suggestions to heart (which makes total sense to check out the equipment) but decided that instead of buying the equipment and possibly getting drivers that were just slapped in there, or really beat equipment to go new. So I got some EAW SB1001 subs new, and a LabGruppen FP 7000 to power them. I almost went for the FP 14000 Fire Breathing Dragon of an amplifier, but decided to save some money to invest into newer LED lighting fixtures instead.

I have really come to enjoy this forum and the wealth of knowledge that a lot of you guys like to share.

EAW SB1000 Subs

RideTheSquirrel

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MNicolai

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RideTheSquirrel

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Lextech

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MNicolai

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RideTheSquirrel

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